Operations
So you're an operator using OpenStack. This page is an attempt to collect recommendations for how to have a good experience running OpenStack.
Participate
There is a dedicated mailing list for operators, go to http://lists.openstack.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/openstack-operators to subscribe. You can also dig the archives which contain plenty of valuable information.
There is the #openstack-operators channel on IRC.
Since Juno, operators gather during the Design summit for an official Operators meetup. They can discuss together as well as with OpenStack developers and contributors. Check the Operations/Meetups page for more information.
Documentation
Use Cases
Operators have a variety of things they need to do on a day to day basis. Tracking and classifying these will offer important insight for the developers. Check them out here: OperationsUseCases.
Tools
A listing of tools developed to help with day-to-day OpenStack Operations tasks: OperationsTools
How to report good bugs
It is often hard for developers to help with bugs filed from operations staff unless they include as much information about the problem experienced. You'll also find that your bug will get more attention if you use the right tags so that its visible to the developers.
Specifically:
- please include the version you're running (both OpenStack release, and where you got the packages from if relevant).
- tag the bug with the "ops" tag.
- if you think the bug is trivial, for example a log message emitted at the wrong level, please tag it as "low-hanging-fruit" as well.
- include any logs which seem relevant.
- describe your production environment -- what database you use, approximately how many machines, and so on.
- subscribe the 'openstack-ops' Launchpad team to the bug.
- If you know that other people are also affected by the bug, encourage them to go to the Launchpad bug page and click on the "Does this bug affect you?" link (see image below). This will increase the "heat" of the bug which is an indication of importance for developers.
You can see the current "ops" bugs against nova at https://bugs.launchpad.net/nova/+bugs?field.tag=ops.
