We just released openQRM 4.4 which comes again with a huge bunch of new features plus some major security improvements. Here some details of the progress in the 4.4 version :
New Cloud features :
For the 4.4 release we implemented “persistent appliances” which means that users can now “pause”, “unpause” and “restart” their Cloud appliances via the User-Portal. The internal billing mechanism will only charge active Cloud appliances and now fully provides the “pay-on-demand” Cloud Computing model.
Additionally we integrated the Puppet- and Sshterm-plugin into the Cloud. When requesting a new system from the openQRM Cloud the user now can choose between several pre-defined Puppet application-groups (e.g. basic-server, web-server, database-server, lamp, etc.) and directly assign its purpose. Puppet then fully automatically cares to setup the application layer of the requested system. The integration of the sshterm-plugin into the openQRM Cloud adds an easy way to access the Cloud appliances via a ssh-login in the users web-browser.
For a fine-grained permission layer in the openQRM Cloud we implemented configurable “per-User” limits which the administrator can use to exactly define how much resources each specific user is allowed to utilize.
Cloud SOAP-WebService, a “remote control” for the openQRM Cloud :
We understood that every Cloud Computing platform needs to integrate with existing business-process frameworks like e.g. ISP- and domain-management applications, WebShops, CRM-Systems etc. For this purpose we implemented a SOAP-WebService providing methods for provisioning/de-provisioning, appliance, user- and request management in the openQRM Cloud. It is basically a full “remote control” for the automatic deployment in openQRM working either in “admin” or “user” mode. A complete API documentation for this SOAP Webservice and big examples for the SOAP clients are included in the updated cloud plugin.
With this new SOAP interface you can now e.g. connect your openQRM Cloud appliances to your Google calendar and automatically power it up in the morning and pause it during the night !
Secured SSL-encrypted command-execution layer:
For a long time we have used a quite simple command-execution implementation in openQRM which authenticates commands via the sender ip-address. Especially for the public part of the openQRM Cloud this situation needed improvements. To solve this we first made the command-execution layer in openQRM plug-able. As the second step we added an new, secured command-execution subsystem using “dropbear” which is now providing SSL-encryption and authentication via public key exchange. The new “dropbear” command-execution subsystem is set as the default mode for 4.4 and the further openQRM versions.
Fully automatic installations with LinuxCOE
The integration of LinuxCOE (http://linuxcoe.sourceforge.net/) as an additional plugin provides fully automatic installations by simply assigning pre-made installation profiles for e.g. Debian, Ubuntu, Fedora or CentOS to systems managed by openQRM. Creating those installation profiles is way easy thanks the embedded LinuxCOE user interface. A detailed step-by-step HowTo for using the new LinuxCOE features in openQRM 4.4 is available at : http://www.openqrm.com/?q=node/125
Improved sshterm plugin
The existing sshterm plugin got re-worked and now includes the ajaxterm component via an additional plugin boot-service. With this boot-service also comes a pound reverse proxy which is running in front of the ajaxterm to provide secured remote access with SSL-encryption.
Nagios2 + Nagios3
Next to the Nagios2 plugin we now have also added a Nagios3 add-on. Both Nagios plugins where enhanced with an “auto-map” feature which frequently maps the openQRM management network to a Nagios configuration. For Debian and Ubuntu systems “ndo2db” was added to keep the history of the Nagios events in a database.
Next to those major feature enhancements we also improved many smaller parts in the base engine and in other plugins. For this release we also updated our build farm with Debian Lenny and Ubuntu Intrepid (both 32 and 64bit). Binary packages for those two new distribution versions are available in the projects download section at sourceforge.net (https://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=153504&package_id=314092).Here the huge Changelog for openQRM 4.4 (https://sourceforge.net/project/shownotes.php?release_id=668124&group_id=153504)
We (the openQRM team) are happy to let you know that parts of the development of the above listed new features and improvements are sponsored by XXLWebhosting. We really appreciate the fruitful cooperation with XXLWebhosting and look forward to further sponsorships.
We especially consider the new opportunity to remote control the openQRM Cloud via its SOAP-WebService and to be able to easily integrate openQRM's Cloud Computing features into any existing business framework as another milestone for the project. Enjoy this fresh release !
Many thanks and all the best,
Matt Rechenburg
On behalf of the openQRM Team
