Apache CloudStack Requirements
This page is the CloudStack onboarding checklist for StackConsole / CMP. Complete the common prerequisites and confirm hosting topology as well.
CMP supports full production and POC / staging setups. Sections below apply to both unless noted otherwise.
Items marked as required to begin in the checklist must be ready before setup can start. Without those prerequisites, installation cannot proceed.
1. Access for StackConsole Team
To access the CloudStack Dashboard UI, use one of:
Option A — VPN access (preferred)
| Name | |
|---|---|
| Satish Londhe | satish.londhe@stackconsole.io |
| Ganesh Kanade | ganesh.kanade@stackconsole.io |
Option B — IP whitelist
If VPN is not feasible, whitelist the StackConsole jump server:
14.192.19.227
2. CloudStack Dashboard Credentials
CMP needs a CloudStack user with at least the Domain Admin role.
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| CloudStack URL | (for example http://cloudstack.example.com:8080/client) |
| Username | (minimum Domain Admin role) |
| Password | |
| CloudStack User Domain | (domain this admin user belongs to) |
CMP uses DomainAdmin-level credentials for API operations. ROOT admin is not required, but DomainAdmin is the minimum. The DomainAdmin user must be able to manage users, VMs, networks, and quotas in its domain.
3. CMP VM → CloudStack connectivity
From all CMP VMs (staging or production), the CloudStack API endpoint must be reachable. Private access is recommended for production.
Communication between the CMP VM and CloudStack must be allowed on the configured ports (typically the CloudStack management / API port, often 8080).
# From each CMP VM — replace with your CloudStack API URL
curl http://cloudstack.example.com:8080/client/api
A JSON error response (not connection refused) confirms the API is reachable.
4. CMP VM configuration
Shared install inputs:
- Choosing a Hosting Topology — single-server (staging/POC), multi-server (production), and HA
- Prerequisites & System Requirements — CPU/RAM/disk, partitions, and connectivity checks
5. Domain, SSL, SMTP, and app logos
Shared install inputs:
6. Templates
In CloudStack, mark templates as Featured and Public. CMP fetches templates that are both featured and public.
Also required for CMP-compatible templates:
- Password-enabled
- SSH key injection enabled where offered
- Startup script / UserData support
- Scalable root disk
L2 networks do not support UserData. Do not rely on password-enabled templates on L2 networks — password injection will fail.
Full guide: Preparing CMP-compatible templates.
7. Console Proxy domain (DNS)
If customers will use VM console access from CMP, configure DNS for the CloudStack Console Proxy subdomain.
CloudStack generates per-session hostnames in the form aaa-bbb-ccc-ddd.console.yourcompany.com that must resolve to the Console Proxy VM (CPVM) public IP (aaa.bbb.ccc.ddd).
Use a wildcard record for the simplest setup:
*.console.yourcompany.com → A → <CloudStack console proxy public IP or range>
Or configure individual records per public IP as required by your DNS provider. Prefer a dedicated console subdomain (for example console.yourcompany.com), not your main CMP portal domain.
Full configuration (SSL, CloudStack global settings, end-to-end tests): Console Proxy Setup.
8. Checklist
Items needed to begin setup (without these, setup cannot proceed):
Access and CloudStack
- VPN access to StackConsole team provided or jump server IP whitelisted
- CloudStack access — at least Domain Admin user credentials (URL, username, password, domain)
Staging VM
- Staging VM and credentials provided
- Staging URL provided
- Staging SSL certificates provided
Production VM
- Frontend VM and credentials provided
- Backend VM and credentials provided
- Database VM and credentials provided
Production URL and SSL
- Frontend URL provided
- Backend URL provided
- Frontend VM can reach backend API URL (
curl/ connectivity tested) - Production SSL certificates provided
Other
- SMTP details provided
- App logos (light + dark) provided when branding is required
- Console Proxy DNS configured when VM console is offered — see Console Proxy domain
- VM Backup model confirmed with StackConsole when backup will be offered — see VM Backup — provider decision (optional until backup is in scope)
9. CloudStack setup checkpoints
To ensure CMP works with Apache CloudStack, confirm:
| Check | Notes |
|---|---|
| At least one OS template available and working | Featured + Public; see Templates |
| Isolated and VPC networks working | |
| Virtual Machine (VM) creation working | |
| Public IP association with VMs and external access | Optional |
| Console access to provisioned VMs verified | Console Proxy DNS — see Console Proxy domain |
Services that need to be enabled
| Service | Required |
|---|---|
| Virtual Machine | Yes |
| Kubernetes | As offered |
| VNF | As offered |
| Load Balancer | As offered |
| Upload ISO | As offered |
| Upload Templates | As offered |
| VPC | Yes (when VPC networks are offered) |
| DNS | Not required |
| Backup | Optional — disabled by default; provider decision required |
10. VM Backup — provider decision before go-live
VM Backup is not enabled automatically when StackConsole onboards your CloudStack environment. Backup stays disabled until the cloud provider confirms whether to offer it and which model applies.
StackConsole does not pick a backup model for you. The cloud provider must:
- Decide whether to offer VM Backup to customers
- Choose one model for the environment:
- Automated Volume Snapshot as Backup — scheduled root volume snapshots as recovery
- CloudStack B&R-Based Backup — CloudStack Backup & Recovery with a provider plugin
- Configure the required CloudStack settings for that model before go-live
You cannot use both models in the same environment. See Backup.
Decision guide
| Your situation | Recommended model |
|---|---|
| CloudStack before 4.20, or no B&R plugin deployed | Automated Volume Snapshot as Backup |
| CloudStack 4.20+ with B&R and Veeam / Networker / NAS configured | CloudStack B&R-Based Backup |
| Backup not ready or not sold yet | Do not offer VM Backup yet |
Tell StackConsole which option applies before go-live.
CloudStack settings — Automated Volume Snapshot as Backup
Configure these in CloudStack when you choose this model:
| Requirement | Notes |
|---|---|
| Volume and VM snapshots working in CloudStack | Test on your hypervisor and primary/secondary storage |
kvm.snapshot.enabled = true | Required on KVM when snapshots of running VMs are needed — see global settings |
| Snapshot behaviour matches storage | NFS vs Ceph affects VM snapshot with memory — plan snapshot type accordingly |
| Secondary storage capacity | Scheduled snapshots consume secondary storage |
Feature reference: Automated Volume Snapshot as Backup
CloudStack settings — B&R-Based Backup
Configure these in CloudStack when you choose this model:
| Requirement | Notes |
|---|---|
backup.framework.enabled = true | CloudStack Global Settings |
backup.framework.provider.plugin | Per zone — veeam, networker, or nas |
| Provider plugin installed and configured | Veeam (VMware), Networker or NAS (KVM) — operator task in CloudStack |
| Backup offerings imported | Service Offerings → Backup Offerings → Import Backup Offering |
| ACS version | 4.14+ minimum; 4.20+ recommended for production B&R |
Official reference: CloudStack — Backup and Recovery
Feature reference: CloudStack B&R-Based Backup
Checklist (when offering VM Backup)
- Backup model chosen and communicated to StackConsole
- CloudStack prerequisites for chosen model completed and tested (snapshot or B&R restore on a test VM)
11. CloudStack global settings (before go-live)
| Setting | Required value | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
kvm.snapshot.enabled | true | Enable root volume snapshots on running KVM VMs — often required for Automated Volume Snapshot as Backup on KVM |
| Quota limits (CPU, RAM, IP, …) | Set to -1 (unlimited) | CloudStack factory defaults are low and cause provisioning failures — see Quota Management (ACS) |
12. Customer registration behaviour
CMP uses deferred customer registration on CloudStack. A customer account is not created in CloudStack at CMP registration time. The CloudStack account is created when the customer provisions their first service (for example creates a VM).