Configuration Files

Outline

An application, let’s say MyApp, should provide 3 directories.

descriptor/ contains the main Roboconf configuration file, application.properties. This file describes the application it self (name, description, location of the main model files…).

graph/ contains at least one .graph file (whose name is specified in application.properties). Graph files list components and their dependencies (components can be Software components to install, or VMs to deploy on). graph/ also contains one sub-directory for each component listed in the graph model. This sub-directory must contain all the files necessary to deploy the component (eg. scripts, Software packages, configuration files…)

instances/ contains an .instances file (whose name is specified in application.properties). This file lists all the initial instances. It means graph components will be pre-instantiated, ready to be deployed.

MyApp/
├── descriptor
│   └── application.properties (main Roboconf configuration file)
├── graph
│   ├── .graph file (describes components and their dependencies)
│   ├── One directory for each component...
└── instances
	└── init.instances (instances to load at startup)

Example

Let’s assume you wish to deploy an application called MyApp, using bash scripts, on EC2 and OpenStack IaaS.
Roboconf configuration files should be organized as follows:

MyApp/
├── descriptor
│   └── application.properties
├── graph
│   ├── graph.graph
│   ├── VM_EC2
│   │   └── iaas.properties
│   ├── VM_Openstack
│   │   └── iaas.properties
│   └── MyApp
│       ├── files
│       └── script
│           ├── deploy.sh
│           ├── start.sh
│           ├── stop.sh
│           └── update.sh
└── instances
    └── initial-deployment.instances

Content of application.properties:

# Application Descriptor for Roboconf
application-name = MyApp
application-qualifier = sample
application-description = A sample application
graph-entry-point = graph.graph
instance-entry-point = initial-deployment.instances

Content of graph.graph:

# My app to deploy on the IaaS
MyApp {
	alias: My test application;
	installer: bash;
	exports: ip;
}

# The VMs where to deploy the Wall application
VM_EC2 {
	alias: Virtual Machine on Amazon EC2;
	installer: iaas;
	children: MyApp;
}
    
VM_Openstack {
	alias: Virtual Machine on Openstack;
	installer: iaas;
	children: MyApp;
}

Content of initial-deployment.instances:

# Deploy on EC2 VM (called VM1)
instanceof VM_EC2 {
	name: VM1;
	instanceof MyApp {
		name: MyApp_on_EC2;
	}
}
    
# Deploy on Openstack VM (called VM2)
instanceof VM_Openstack {
	name: VM2;
	instanceof MyApp {
		name: MyApp_on_Openstack;
	}
}

Content of VM_EC2/iaas.properties:

# These properties are specific to Amazon Web Services
iaas.type          = ec2
ec2.endpoint       = eu-west-1.ec2.amazonaws.com
ec2.access.key     = YOUR_EC2_ACCESS_KEY
ec2.secret.key     = YOUR_EC2_SECRET_KEY
amiVmNode          = ami-YourAmiNumber
vmInstanceType     = t1.micro
sshKeyName         = YourSshKey
securityGroupName  = YourSecurityGroup