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Understand command line tools

Command line tools offer a direct way to interact with and manage cloud resources, providing flexibility and efficiency that can enhance your cloud experience. By familiarizing yourself with these tools and incorporating them into your cloud operations, you can unlock the full potential of your Rumble Cloud environment.

What are command line tools?

Command Line Interface (CLI) tools are software utilities used to execute commands in a text-based interface. In Rumble Cloud you can use OpenStack CLI tools to manage and automate various aspects of the cloud environment, such as creating and managing virtual machines, networks, storage, and more.

Why use command line tools?

  1. Automation: CLI tools enable scripting and automation of repetitive tasks, saving time and reducing the potential for human error.
  2. Flexibility: Command line tools often provide more granular control over cloud resources compared to graphical interfaces.
  3. Efficiency: CLI commands can be quicker to execute than navigating through a graphical user interface (GUI).
  4. Integration: CLI tools can be easily integrated into continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) pipelines and other DevOps workflows.

Key command line tools

  1. OpenStackClient: The OpenStackClient (OSC) is a unified command line tool that provides a consistent interface for interacting with various OpenStack services. It replaces individual service-specific CLI tools, offering a more streamlined experience.

  2. Nova: The Nova CLI tool is used for managing compute resources, such as creating, listing, and deleting virtual machines (instances).

  3. Cinder: The Cinder CLI tool is responsible for managing block storage resources, including creating, attaching, and detaching volumes.

  4. Neutron: The Neutron CLI tool is used for network management tasks, such as creating networks, subnets, and routers.

  5. Glance: The Glance CLI tool allows users to manage image resources, including uploading and listing disk images for virtual machines.

Getting started with CLI tools

  1. Installation: To use OpenStack CLI tools, you'll need to install the OpenStack client software on your local machine. This typically involves using a package manager like pip for Python packages:
Bash
pip install python-openstackclient
  1. Authentication: Before you can execute commands, you'll need to authenticate with the Rumble Cloud. This usually involves sourcing an environment file (openrc file) that contains your OpenStack credentials:
Bash
source your-openrc-file.sh
  1. Explore commands: Once authenticated, you can explore the available commands for each tool. Use the --help flag to see a list of commands and options:
Bash
openstack --help
  1. Execute commands: You can now execute commands to manage your cloud resources. For example, to create a new virtual machine instance, you might use a command like:
Bash
openstack server create --flavor m1.small --image ubuntu-20.04 --network private-network my-instance
  1. Scripting and automation: As you become more comfortable with CLI tools, you can start writing scripts to automate common tasks, leveraging the power of command line tools for efficient cloud management.

See also