Creating a container for vSLX (lxc)

(For the lxc flow only) This task is a prerequisite for installing each of the multiple instances of vSLX on the server.

Note

Note

Although this legacy, unscripted flow is still supported, we recommend the scripted flow under Container installation (multiple vSLX labs).
  1. Log in to the x86 server as a user with sudo privileges.
    Note

    Note

    Although all sudo users can create and access all containers, our user in this flow is vlab1_user, created in Creating additional Linux users.
  2. Install lxc, using the following commands, confirming prompts to continue. 
    vlab1_user@ubuntu:~$ sudo apt-get update
vlab1_user@ubuntu:~$ sudo apt-get install lxc
  3. Enter the lxc-create command to create the container. 
    vlab1_user@ubuntu:~$ sudo lxc-create --name VLAB1 --template download --bdev dir -- --dist ubuntu --release xenial --arch amd64 --force-cache --no-validate --server images.linuxcontainers.org
    Note

    Note

    Because the previous example did not specify -P <directory-path>, the VLAB1 container is created in the default directory path, /var/lib/lxc. Command syntax is as follows: 
    sudo lxc-create [ -P <directory-path> ] --name <container-name> --template download --bdev dir -- --dist ubuntu --release xenial --arch amd64 --force-cache --no-validate --server images.linuxcontainers.org
  4. Verify container creation. 
    vlab1_user@ubuntu:/slxos-dist$ sudo ls /var/lib/lxc
  5. Create a mkdev.sh file and make it executable, as follows:
    1. Enter the sudo vi command. 
      vlab1_user@ubuntu:/slxos-dist$ sudo vi /var/lib/lxc/VLAB1/rootfs/root/mkdev.sh
    2. Copy the following content into mkdev.sh. 
      #!/bin/bash
#
# LXC autodev hook for Ubuntu 16 Container
#
# Some required device files for vSLX are
# not imported inside the container. So manually
# create them.
#
croot=${LXC_ROOTFS_MOUNT}
for i in `/usr/bin/seq 0 7`
do
    /bin/mknod $croot/dev/loop$i b 7 $i
done

mknod $croot/dev/loop-control c 10 237

for j in `/usr/bin/seq 0 11`
do
    /bin/mknod $croot/dev/dm-$j b 252 $j
done

/bin/mkdir -p $croot/dev/net
/bin/mknod $croot/dev/net/tun c 10 200

exit 0
    3. After you save and close the mkdev.sh file, make it executable. 
      vlab1_user@ubuntu:/slxos-dist$ sudo chmod +x /var/lib/lxc/VLAB1/rootfs/root/mkdev.sh
vlab1_user@ubuntu:/slxos-dist$ sudo ls -l /var/lib/lxc/VLAB1/rootfs/root/mkdev.sh
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 453 May  2 16:13 /var/lib/lxc/VLAB1/rootfs/root/mkdev.sh
  6. Prepare the container config file, as follows:
    1. Enter the sudo vi command to open the file for editing. 
      vlab1_user@ubuntu:/slxos-dist$ sudo vi /var/lib/lxc/VLAB1/config
      The initial config file created by running lxc-create displays: 
      # Template used to create this container: /usr/share/lxc/templates/lxc-download
# Parameters passed to the template: --dist ubuntu --release xenial --arch amd64 
# --force-cache --no-validate --server images.linuxcontainers.org
# Template script checksum (SHA-1): 9748088977ba845f625e45659f305a5395c2dc7b
# For additional config options, please look at lxc.container.conf(5)

# Uncomment the following line to support nesting containers:
#lxc.include = /usr/share/lxc/config/nesting.conf
# (Be aware this has security implications)

# Distribution configuration
lxc.include = /usr/share/lxc/config/ubuntu.common.conf
lxc.arch = x86_64

# Container specific configuration
lxc.rootfs = /var/lib/lxc/VLAB1/rootfs
lxc.rootfs.backend = dir
lxc.utsname = VLAB1

# Network configuration
lxc.network.type = veth
lxc.network.link = lxcbr0  <-- Change it to br0
lxc.network.flags = up
lxc.network.hwaddr = 00:16:3e:b5:7d:b9
    2. Update the container config file with the values that you require. For example: 
      #  Template used to create this container: /usr/share/lxc/templates/lxc-download
# Parameters passed to the template: --dist ubuntu --release xenial --arch amd64 
# --force-cache --no-validate --server images.linuxcontainers.org
# Template script checksum (SHA-1): 9748088977ba845f625e45659f305a5395c2dc7b
# For additional config options, please look at lxc.container.conf(5)

# Uncomment the following line to support nesting containers:
#lxc.include = /usr/share/lxc/config/nesting.conf
# (Be aware this has security implications)

# Distribution configuration
lxc.include = /usr/share/lxc/config/ubuntu.common.conf
lxc.arch = x86_64

# Container specific configuration
lxc.rootfs = /var/lib/lxc/VLAB1/rootfs
lxc.rootfs.backend = dir
lxc.utsname = VLAB1

# Network configuration
lxc.network.type = veth
lxc.network.link = br0  <-- Changed from lxcbr0  
lxc.network.flags = up
lxc.network.hwaddr = 00:16:3e:b5:7d:b9

# vSLX configuration  <-- You need to add the folllowing sections:
lxc.aa_profile = unconfined
lxc.cgroup.devices.allow = c 10:236 rwm
lxc.cgroup.devices.allow = b 252:* rwm
lxc.cgroup.devices.allow = b 7:* rwm

# Expose tun device
lxc.cgroup.devices.allow = c 10:200 rwm

# To export SLX-OS distribution directory into the container. Change paths as needed.
# The following implementation uses container /slxos directory as the container 
# mount point to access the SLX-OS software distribution.
# The host-specific path for the same directory is /var/lib/lxc/VLAB1/rootfs/slxos.
# This implementation mounts your_user's home directory to the mount point /slxos. 
lxc.mount.entry = /slxos-dist /var/lib/lxc/VLAB1/rootfs/slxos-dist none bind 0 0
# syntax: /<SLX-OS-Build-dir>/slxos-dist <directory-path>/<container-name>/rootfs/slxos 
# none bind 0 0

lxc.cgroup.devices.allow = c 10:237 rwm
lxc.autodev = 1
lxc.hook.autodev = ${LXC_ROOTFS_MOUNT}/root/mkdev.sh
    3. Save and close the file.
  7. In the container, create an slx-dist directory. 
    vlab1_user@ubuntu:/slxos-dist$ sudo mkdir /var/lib/lxc/VLAB1/rootfs/slxos-dist
9036302-00 Rev AB