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1. User requests an ajax console for an instance_id (either through OS api, or tools/euca-get-ajax-console)
a. api server calls compute worker to complete request
b. compute worker parses an instance's xml to locate its pseudo terminal (/dev/pts/x)
c. compute worker spawns an ajaxterm daemon, bound to a random port in a specified range. socat is used to connect to /dev/pts/x. Note that ajaxterm was modified in the following ways:
i. dies after 5 minutes of inactivity
ii. now requires token authentication. Previously it was trivial to hijack an ajaxterm
d. compute worker returns ajaxterm connect information to the api server: port, host, token
e. api server casts connect information to the nova-ajax-console-proxy (a new service)
f. api server returns a url for the ajaxterm (eg. http://nova-ajax-console-proxy/?token=123)
2. User now has a url, and can paste it in a browser
a. Browser sends request to https://nova-ajax-console-proxy/?token=123
b. nova-ajax-console-proxy maps token to connect information
c. nova-ajax-console-proxy constructs a proxy to the ajaxterm that is running on the host machine. This is now done with eventlet, though previously it was done using twisted
3. User interacts with console through web browser
NOTE: For this to work as expected, serial console login must be enabled in the instance. Instructions for how to do this on ubuntu can be found here: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/SerialConsoleHowto. Note that you must actively log out of the serial console when you are finished, otherwise the console will remain open even after the ajaxterm term session has ended.
Also note that nova.sh has been modified in this branch to launch nova-ajax-console-proxy.
The Choose Your Own Adventure README for Nova: You have come across a cloud computing fabric controller. It has identified itself as "Nova." It is apparent that it maintains compatability with the popular Amazon EC2 and S3 APIs. To monitor it from a distance: follow @novacc on twitter To tame it for use in your own cloud: read http://nova.openstack.org/getting.started.html To study its anatomy: read http://nova.openstack.org/architecture.html To disect it in detail: visit http://code.launchpad.net/nova To taunt it with its weaknesses: use http://bugs.launchpad.net/nova To watch it: http://hudson.openstack.org To hack at it: read HACKING To laugh at its PEP8 problems: http://hudson.openstack.org/job/nova-pep8/violations To cry over its pylint problems: http://hudson.openstack.org/job/nova-pylint/violations