Cantech Cloud

Installing OpenStack Command Line Client

Written by

Karan Mehta

in

1. Overview

This guide explains how to install and configure the OpenStack Command Line Client (CLI) on a Linux system. After installation and configuration, you can use the CLI to manage OpenStack resources from the command line.

2. Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure that:

  • You have access to an OpenStack environment.
  • You have administrative (root or sudo) privileges.
  • Python 3.x is installed on the system.
  • The system has an active internet connection to download the required packages.

3. Installation Overview

The OpenStack CLI can be installed on a Linux system using pip (Python package manager).

Before installing the client, install the required Python dependencies. After installation, configure the CLI using an OpenStack RC file to authenticate with your OpenStack environment.

4. Install the OpenStack CLI

Step 1: Install Required Dependencies

Ubuntu / Debian

Bash
sudo apt update
sudo apt install python3-pip python3-dev python3-venv

CentOS / RHEL

Bash
sudo yum install python3-pip python3-devel

Step 2: Install the OpenStack Client

Install the OpenStack CLI using pip:

Bash
pip install python-openstackclient

Note: It is recommended to install the OpenStack client inside a Python virtual environment to avoid conflicts with other Python packages.

Step 3: Verify the Installation

After the installation is complete, verify that the OpenStack CLI is installed successfully:

Bash
openstack –version

The command displays the installed version of the OpenStack client.

5. Configure the OpenStack CLI

Step 1: Download the OpenStack RC File

Download the OpenStack RC file from the OpenStack Dashboard.

Navigate to:

Project → API Access → Download OpenStack RC File

The RC file contains the authentication details required to access your OpenStack project.

Step 2: Source the RC File

Run the following command to load the authentication environment variables:

Bash
source /path/to/openstack_rc_file.sh

Example RC file:
export OS_AUTH_TYPE=v3applicationcredential
export OS_AUTH_URL=”https://in-west3.controlcloud.app:5000/v3″

# Application credential
export OS_APPLICATION_CREDENTIAL_ID=””
export OS_APPLICATION_CREDENTIAL_SECRET=””

# Optional
export OS_REGION_NAME=”RegionOne”

Update the Application Credential ID and Application Credential Secret with your own values before using the file.

Step 3: Verify the Configuration

Run the following command:

Bash
openstack token issue

If the configuration is correct, the command returns an authentication token, confirming that the CLI can communicate with the OpenStack environment.

6. Common OpenStack CLI Commands

List Servers

Bash
openstack server list

Create a Server

Bash
openstack server create –image <image_id> –flavor <flavor_id> –network <network_id> <server_name>

List Networks

Bash
openstack network list

Create a Network

Bash
openstack network create <network_name>

Create a Volume

Bash
openstack volume create –size 10 <volume_name>

7. Troubleshooting

Authentication Failed

If you receive an Authentication failed error:

  • Verify that the OpenStack RC file has been sourced correctly.
  • Confirm that the authentication credentials are correct.

Command Not Found

If the openstack command is not available:

  • Verify that the OpenStack client was installed successfully.
  • Reinstall the package using pip if necessary.

8. Conclusion

After installing the OpenStack CLI and configuring it with the appropriate RC file, you can manage your OpenStack resources directly from the command line.

Always ensure that you source the correct RC file before running OpenStack commands.
For additional information, refer to the official OpenStack documentation.

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