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Version: 2.3

Configure your cluster

Before you can create your cluster, you need to configure the identity and access management (IAM) for your cloud service provider (CSP) and choose machine types for the nodes.

Creating the configuration file​

You can generate a configuration file for your CSP by using the following CLI command:

constellation config generate azure

This creates the file constellation-conf.yaml in the current directory.

Choosing a VM type​

Constellation supports the following VM types:

By default, Constellation uses Standard_DC4as_v5 CVMs (4 vCPUs, 16 GB RAM) to create your cluster. Optionally, you can switch to a different VM type by modifying instanceType in the configuration file. For CVMs, any VM type with a minimum of 4 vCPUs from the DCasv5 & DCadsv5 or ECasv5 & ECadsv5 families is supported.

You can also run constellation config instance-types to get the list of all supported options.

Fill the desired VM type into the instanceType field in the constellation-conf.yml file.

Creating an IAM configuration​

You can create an IAM configuration for your cluster automatically using the constellation iam create command.

You must be authenticated with the Azure CLI in the shell session.

constellation iam create azure --region=westus --resourceGroup=constellTest --servicePrincipal=spTest

This command creates IAM configuration on the Azure region westus creating a new resource group constellTest and a new service principal spTest.

Note that CVMs are currently only supported in a few regions, check Azure's products available by region. These are:

  • westus
  • eastus
  • northeurope
  • westeurope

Paste the output into the corresponding fields of the constellation-conf.yaml file.

tip

Since clientSecretValue is a sensitive value, you can leave it empty in the configuration file and pass it via an environment variable instead. To this end, create the environment variable CONSTELL_AZURE_CLIENT_SECRET_VALUE and set it to the secret value.

Alternatively, you can manually create the IAM configuration on your CSP.

The following describes the configuration fields and how you obtain the required information or create the required resources.

  • subscription: The UUID of your Azure subscription, e.g., 8b8bd01f-efd9-4113-9bd1-c82137c32da7.

    You can view your subscription UUID via az account show and read the id field. For more information refer to Azure's documentation.

  • tenant: The UUID of your Azure tenant, e.g., 3400e5a2-8fe2-492a-886c-38cb66170f25.

    You can view your tenant UUID via az account show and read the tenant field. For more information refer to Azure's documentation.

  • location: The Azure datacenter location you want to deploy your cluster in, e.g., westus. CVMs are currently only supported in a few regions, check Azure's products available by region. These are:

    • westus
    • eastus
    • northeurope
    • westeurope

  • resourceGroup: Create a new resource group in Azure for your Constellation cluster. Set this configuration field to the name of the created resource group.

  • userAssignedIdentity: Create a new managed identity in Azure. You should create the identity in a different resource group as all resources within the cluster resource group will be deleted on cluster termination.

    Add two role assignments to the identity: Virtual Machine Contributor and Application Insights Component Contributor. The scope of both should refer to the previously created cluster resource group.

    Set the configuration value to the full ID of the created identity, e.g., /subscriptions/8b8bd01f-efd9-4113-9bd1-c82137c32da7/resourcegroups/constellation-identity/providers/Microsoft.ManagedIdentity/userAssignedIdentities/constellation-identity. You can get it by opening the JSON View from the Overview section of the identity.

    The user-assigned identity is used by instances of the cluster to access other cloud resources. For more information about managed identities refer to Azure's documentation.

  • appClientID: Create a new app registration in Azure.

    Set Supported account types to Accounts in this organizational directory only and leave the Redirect URI empty.

    Set the configuration value to the Application (client) ID, e.g., 86ec31dd-532b-4a8c-a055-dd23f25fb12f.

    In the cluster resource group, go to Access Control (IAM) and set the created app registration as Owner.

  • clientSecretValue: In the previously created app registration, go to Certificates & secrets and create a new Client secret.

    Set the configuration value to the secret value.

    tip

    Since this is a sensitive value, alternatively you can leave clientSecretValue empty in the configuration file and pass it via an environment variable instead. To this end, create the environment variable CONSTELL_AZURE_CLIENT_SECRET_VALUE and set it to the secret value.

Now that you've configured your CSP, you can create your cluster.

Deleting an IAM configuration​

You can keep created IAM configurations and reuse them for new clusters. Alternatively, you can also delete them if they aren't being used anymore.

Prerequisites:

  • Terraform is installed on your machine.
  • Access to the terraform.tfstate file created by the constellation iam create command.

You can delete the IAM configuration using the following commands:

# Navigate to the directory containing the terraform.tfstate file
cd constellation-iam-terraform
# Destroy the IAM configuration via Terraform
terraform destroy
# Confirm deletion by typing "yes"