Stackato is made up of server and client components. Depending on the environment you are using, you may need one or both.
If you are using the Sandbox or a Stackato PaaS that’s already set up, you can skip ahead to the Stackato Client Setup.
If you are using the Stackato VM, start with the Stackato VM Setup below.
To set up your micro cloud, you’ll need to download and set up a Stackato VM.
Click here to download the Stackato Server VM
The host system will need an x86_64 processor and a spare 2GB of RAM for the VM. The Stackato VM is set to use 2GB of RAM by default, but this can be reduced to 1GB if you do not plan to run Java/JVM applications.
Unzip the archive, and launch the VM using the software of your choice. Specific instructions for configuring each of the VM formats can be found at the following links:
The Stackato VM images are set to use NAT networking with the VM host by default. If you are using VirtualBox, or if you want to expose the server on your local network to share with other clients, change this to “Bridged”.
By default, the Stackato VM will boot as a running “micro-cloud” Stackato system. It will function as a stand-alone server with all of the necessary components (Router, Cloud Controller, Stager, DEA, etc.) for running applications and provisioning databases.
The default hostname will be displayed in the VM window at first boot and broadcast on the local subnet via multicast DNS/DNS-SD.
Note
If you are running Windows, please see Updating the Hosts File.
Note
This hostname is generated dynamically and includes a random alphanumeric string (to prevent hostname collisions when multiple Stackato VMs are running in Bridged mode). The address can be seen in the Server VM window when it starts up, or retrieved using the stackato-admin info command.
To access the Management Console, open a browser and enter the URL generated and displayed in the Server VM window. The format will be stackato-xxxx.local. If you have configured the hostname and DNS of the Stackato VM manually, or are connecting to a server administered by someone else, connect to the assigned hostname (e.g. api.myserver.mydomain.com).
Note
The SSL certificate for the Stackato Management Console is self-signed. You will need to manually accept this certificate in your browser. See the HTTPS section for information on using your own certificate.
At first boot, the VM has one user account:
Username: stackato Password: stackato
The initial welcome screen of the Management Console will prompt you to add the first Stackato admin user. When you do this, the password you choose becomes the password for the stackato system user for console and SSH access.
If you are running the Stackato VM on a publicly routable network, the password should be changed as soon as possible.
Basic Stackato administration can be done through the Management Console, but many maintenance and configuration tasks need to be done with the stackato-admin command. Run the stackato-admin help command for a full list of options.
The Stackato Client is available for download on the Stackato Community site.
Once you have downloaded the executable:
Rename the downloaded file to stackato
Put it in system/shell PATH directory, add it to your PATH, or create a symlink to it
As an alternative, you can use ActivePython to get the Stackato Client:
$ pypm install stackato
When installing using pypm, the stackato client will be added to your system path automatically.
To get a list of available commands or help on a particular command:
$ stackato help [COMMAND]
See the Command Reference for a full list of commands.
If you are using the Sandbox, skip ahead to Accessing the Sandbox.
Before you can use the client, you must set the target URL. This tells the stackato client where it will be pushing applications. For example:
$ stackato target api.stackato-xxxx.local
Note
The unique target URL for a Stackato micro cloud is generated dynamicaly at first boot. It displayed in the main VM window, or can be retrieved with the stackato-admin info command.
If you have configured the hostname and DNS of the Stackato Server manually, or are connecting to a server administered by someone else, connect to the assigned hostname (e.g. api.myserver.mydomain.com).
Add a user
New users can be created with the following command:
$ stackato add-user [EMAIL] [--passwd PASS]
If stackato add-user is used on its own, you will be prompted for a username and password. The username must be in the format of an email address.
Log in
The add-user command automatically logs in as the new user. To log in with an existing username, or to change user, use:
$ stackato login
For full details on the Sandbox, see the Sandbox Documentation.
If you have a Sandbox account already, the first step is to set the target with the Stackato Client:
$ stackato target api.stacka.to
Log in with the following command, and use the username and password you have for the Sandbox:
$ stackato login
The steps for deploying applications will be slightly different depending on the application. Instructions for deploying the Stackato sample applications can be found in the README.md file of each app.
To deploy the mongoDB Chat example:
$ cd tornado-chat-mongo
$ stackato push tornado-chat
# answer 'y' to services, and setup a mongo service
$ stackato open tornado-chat
To deploy the Node.js Chat example:
$ git clone git@github.com:Stackato-Apps/node-chat.git
$ cd node-chat/
$ stackato push node-chat
$ stackato open node-chat
See each of these sections for specific deployment details:
For further details, read the Deploying Apps section.
See the Command Reference for a full list of commands.
The output of the stackato push command will show the URL of the running application, generally app-name.stackato-xxxx.local. Paste this URL into a browser to try the application, or run stackato open <app-name>.
Most applications should be able to run under Stackato with only a few changes. See the App Configuration section for details.