Getting Started with Softlayer – IBM IaaS
This tutorial will help you to get server provisioned using Softlayer.
Introduction
SoftLayer is a IaaS( Infrastructure as a service) offering from IBM. It is built to give you the highest
performing cloud infrastructure available. It provides private as well as public cloud infrastructure.
Above diagram on left side shows Core IT is traditional premium model of execution of
software’s/services. Where you set up everything from scratch for your project. You have to set up data
center – setup server, storage, network, and virtualization. On top of that you have install middleware
runtimes, database. Finally you deploy code and data . This will take you months to set up and higher
cost. Even upgrades to be taken care by you.
Instead of this if you use IaaS. IaaS is one of the Cloud Service Model, which is the first step for
evolution of Cloud. Here you will get Infrastructure provided by provided by infrastructure provider. You
have server, storage, network, and virtualization. You have choice of Operating Systems as well . Based
on your application requirements, you have to bring your own license, middleware and then deploy
your application on top of that.
Softlayer is IBM’ IaaS. Other players in competition are Microsoft, Amazon, etc.
This tutorial focus is on creating of a server on Softlayer (IaaS) Cloud.
Getting started
As mentioned earlier, Softlayer is IaaS offering from IBM. You will use Softlayer to create a server on
cloud. You start with signning up to Softlayer. Go to https://control.softlayer.com/. You will be offered
a one month free subscription.
After successful signing, you will receive mail with username and password to login to Softlayer
Customer Portal.
The SoftLayer Customer Portal is the point-and-click interface, SoftLayer customers use to manage all
aspects of their accounts. Within the Customer Portal, you have the ability to order and interact with
our products and services, manage and maintain their SoftLayer account, and view and pay monthly
invoices.
After logging in – you will have to click on order devices Menu on right hand side
Following are the choices available for devices
-
Bare Metal Server – Dedicated servers , where you can have more control over the server
elements. SoftLayer bare metal servers provide the raw horsepower you demand for your
processor-intensive and disk I/O-intensive workloads. These servers come with the most
complete package of standard features and services.
-
Virtual Server (Private Node) – Single tenant - Private Cloud - will have virtual servers used as
Private Cloud. Private node and your virtual server will be deployed on a host server dedicated
to you.
-
Virtual Server (Public Node) – Multi-tenant - Public Cloud – will have Public cloud, with shared
infrastructure. Deploy a public node virtual server for workloads suited to a multi-tenant
environment
You have choice of hourly and monthly model for above devices.
For this tutorial , will order Bare Metal Server Hourly –
Here you will select Intel – Xeon E3 -1270 CPU - 4 Core 8 GB RAM machine with hourly option.
For server you selected , you will have to select below options to complete ordering:
A) Location of data center -
Selected - MEL01 – Melbourne
Server and RAM are as selected on first choice
B)
Operating System – You have choice for Centos, FreeBSD, Microsoft , Ubuntu, VM ware
Here you select Centos 6.x(64 bit)
C)
Hard drive :
Here you select 1 of 1 TB SATA with Linux Basic Partition
You will select options as per your requirement, you are shown with Configuration
Summary on right hand side as in figure below.
Click on Continue Order
You will be taken to new page Order Summary and Billing, Verifty the options selected and add
Host name and Domain name.
Add Hostname as mpatank1 and Domain as Softlayer.com
You can get quote at this point or you can place an order.
You will place order now by clicking on Finalize Order with accepting terms and conditions
You will receive mail with Order details.
Server provisioning will take 2 hours to get provisioned. Once the server is provisioned will get mail
below.
Dear Customer,
Your <Bare Metal Server> has completed the provisioning process and is now ready for service.
Customer:
<Customer Name>
Account Number: <Account Number>
Location:
<data center location>
Hostname:
<hostname>
with Your custom server configuration.
After logging in through Softlayer Portal. You will see your device in Device List.
What you have finished doing, is provisioning of Hardware with pre install OS on Softlayer. In your case,
Bare Metal Server with Centos 6.6.
Next you will install required runtime or applications on above provisioned infrastructure.
To install on CentOS , you will need root password, Please follow below steps to get password.
a. First you have to get root password for logging on to machine. Login to Softlayer
Customer portal and Go to Device List. Further For getting root passwd Go to Device
details and Passwords tab
b. If you are accessing(Client) as Windows: Use Putty for logging on to the terminal. Or if
you are using linux based operating system, open new terminal. Use <Public IP> from
the devices menu for logging in using root.(ssh through port 22)
c. Login to terminal
d. Install required rpms on centos
Finally you have , We have seen Bare Metal Server with Centos 6.6 provisioned as per your
requirements. You also have choice of Virtual Servers (public and private) . You can order any number of
devices as per your customer requirements from Self Care portal of Softlayer.