This guide walks you through building an OpenStack private cloud on a single-node AlmaLinux system using PackStack. It includes pre-configuration, installation, and post-setup steps — designed for DevOps engineers, cloud learners, and IT professionals.
By the end of this guide, you will:
- Install OpenStack using PackStack
- Set up core services like Keystone (Identity), Glance (Image), Nova (Compute), Neutron (Networking), etc.
- Configure external networking and upload test images
- Access and manage your cloud via the Horizon dashboard (GUI)
| Resource | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| OS | AlmaLinux 8 or later | AlmaLinux 8 (latest update) |
| CPU | 2 vCPUs | 4+ vCPUs |
| RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB+ |
| Disk | 100 GB | 200 GB SSD |
| Access | Root or sudo privileges | Root |
⚠️ PackStack is ideal for proof of concept (PoC) or learning environments, not production.
openstack-packstack/
├── pre-configuration-openstack.sh # Prepares OS for OpenStack
├── install-openstack.sh # Installs OpenStack using PackStack
└── post-configuration-openstack.sh # Sets up default network, image, flavorRun the pre-configuration-openstack.sh script to:
- Install required packages
- Set hostname and configure the network
- Disable NetworkManager and firewalld
- Enable SELinux in permissive mode
- Add EPEL and OpenStack repos
dnf install git -y
git clone https://github.com/SumonPaul18/openstack-packstack.git
chmod -R +x openstack-packstack
cd openstack-packstack
. pre-configuration-openstack.sh🔄 The script will automatically reboot your system after configuration.
After reboot, run the install-openstack.sh script to install OpenStack:
cd /root/openstack-packstack
. install-openstack.shThis will:
- Download and install all OpenStack components
- Generate an answer file (optional for customization)
- Configure the Horizon dashboard, Keystone, Glance, Nova, Neutron, etc.
📝 Installation may take 10–30 minutes depending on your internet and system performance.
After OpenStack is installed, use the post-configuration-openstack.sh script to:
- Source admin credentials
- Set up external and private networks
- Upload a test image (Cirros)
- Create default flavors
cd /root
. keystonerc_admin
. /root/openstack-packstack/post-configuration-openstack.shhttp://<Your-OpenStack-Server-IP> or http://<your-domain>
Example:
http://cloud.paulco.xyz
The Horizon dashboard provides a web-based interface to:
- Launch and manage instances
- Create networks and routers
- Manage volumes and images
- Create and assign users and projects
- Always source
keystonerc_adminbefore running OpenStack CLI commands. - You can customize PackStack by editing the answer file (
packstack --gen-answer-file=file.txt). - Use Cockpit or another tool to monitor system resources.
- For floating IPs, make sure your external network has access to your LAN or bridge interface.
| Description | Command |
|---|---|
| List instances | openstack server list |
| List networks | openstack network list |
| List images | openstack image list |
| Create flavor | openstack flavor create ... |
| Source credentials | . keystonerc_admin |
📺 Subscribe to my YouTube channel for step-by-step video tutorials:
🎬 Video Guides:
- 🔹 How to Install OpenStack on AlmaLinux using PackStack – Step-by-Step
- 🔹 Adding New Compute Nodes on Existing OpenStack Cloud
🎯 More videos coming soon! Stay subscribed for DevOps, Cloud, and OpenStack content.
If you face any issues, feel free to:
- Open an issue in this repository
- Contact me at LinkedIn
- 📧 Email:
[email protected]
You've now built your own private cloud on AlmaLinux using PackStack — time to launch your first instance!