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Networks (/networks/)

Networks exist so that instances can have connectivity to other instances, or services outside the Shaken Fist cluster. Networks are implemented as a VXLAN mesh between the hypervisor nodes which host the instances on that network, and the network node. The network node exists on every VXLAN mesh, and provides services to the network such as DHCP, ping, and egress NAT. If a floating IP is assigned to a network interface or a routed IP to a network, then that is also implemented on the network node.

Note

It is not required that an instance be on any networks. However, this is by far the most common deployment pattern.

For a detailed reference on the state machine for networks, see the developer documentation on object states.

For a detailed overview of how networks are constructed on the network node and hypervisors, see the operator guide networking overview.

Network lifecycle

REST API calls
Python API client: create a network
import json
from shakenfist_client import apiclient

sf_client = apiclient.Client()
n = sf_client.allocate_network('10.0.0.0/24', True, True, 'example')
print(json.dumps(n, indent=4, sort_keys=True))
{
    "floating_gateway": "192.168.10.16",
    "metadata": {},
    "name": "example",
    "namespace": "system",
    "netblock": "10.0.0.0/24",
    "provide_dhcp": true,
    "provide_nat": true,
    "provide_dns": false,
    "state": "created",
    "uuid": "1e9222c5-2d11-4ada-b258-ed1838bd774b",
    "version": 4,
    "vxid": 4882442
}
Python API client: delete a network
import json
from shakenfist_client import apiclient
import time

sf_client = apiclient.Client()
n = sf_client.allocate_network('10.0.0.0/24', True, True, 'example')

n = sf_client.delete_network(n['uuid'])
while n['state'] != 'deleted':
    print('Waiting...')
    time.sleep(1)
    n = sf_client.get_network(n['uuid'])

print(json.dumps(n, indent=4, sort_keys=True))
$ python3 example.py
Waiting...
{
    "floating_gateway": null,
    "metadata": {},
    "name": "example",
    "namespace": "system",
    "netblock": "10.0.0.0/24",
    "provide_dhcp": true,
    "provide_nat": true,
    "provide_dns": false,
    "state": "deleted",
    "uuid": "d56ae6e4-2592-43cd-b614-2dc7ca04970a",
    "version": 4,
    "vxid": 15408371
}
Python API client: get a single network
from shakenfist_client import apiclient

sf_client = apiclient.Client()
n = sf_client.get_network('...uuid...')
Python API client: list networks
import json
from shakenfist_client import apiclient

sf_client = apiclient.Client()
nets = sf_client.get_networks()
print(json.dumps(nets, indent=4, sort_keys=True))
[
    {
        "name": "sfcbr-7YWeQo4BoqLjASDd",
        "namespace": "sfcbr-7YWeQo4BoqLjASDd",
        "netblock": "10.0.0.0/24",
        "provide_dhcp": true,
        "provide_nat": true,
        "provide_dns": false,
        "state": "created",
        "uuid": "759b742d-6140-475e-9553-ac120b56c1ef",
        "vxlan_id": 0
    }
]

Other network information

We can also request other information for a network. For example, we can list the networks's network interfaces, or the events for the network. See the user guide for a general introduction to the Shaken Fist event system.

REST API calls
Python API client: list events for a network
import json
from shakenfist_client import apiclient

sf_client = apiclient.Client()
events = sf_client.get_network_events('e0c2ee96-2b61-4d58-abd4-2cdef522b7a6')
print(json.dumps(events, indent=4, sort_keys=True))

Note that events are returned in reverse chronological order and are limited to the 100 most recent events.

[
    ...
    {
        "duration": null,
        "extra": {
            "rx": {
                "bytes": 2146364,
                "dropped": 0,
                "errors": 0,
                "multicast": 0,
                "over_errors": 0,
                "packets": 13127
            },
            "tx": {
                "bytes": 152367092,
                "carrier_errors": 0,
                "collisions": 0,
                "dropped": 0,
                "errors": 0,
                "packets": 96644
            }
        },
        "fqdn": "sf-1",
        "message": "usage",
        "timestamp": 1685229103.9690208,
        "type": "usage"
    },
    ...
]
Python API client: list interfaces on a network
import json
from shakenfist_client import apiclient

sf_client = apiclient.Client()
events = sf_client.get_network_interfaces('91b88200-ab4c-4ac4-9709-459504d1da0a')
print(json.dumps(events, indent=4, sort_keys=True))
[
    {
        "floating": "192.168.10.84",
        "instance_uuid": "fffaa23b-c38b-484b-b58e-22eedc6ba94f",
        "ipv4": "10.0.0.20",
        "macaddr": "02:00:00:19:e4:b4",
        "metadata": {},
        "model": "virtio",
        "network_uuid": "91b88200-ab4c-4ac4-9709-459504d1da0a",
        "order": 0,
        "state": "created",
        "uuid": "24e636b4-b60c-4fcc-89d3-e717667a8c83",
        "version": 3
    },
    {
        "floating": null,
        "instance_uuid": "1762820a-1e44-41b3-9174-44412481d873",
        "ipv4": "10.0.0.57",
        "macaddr": "02:00:00:4b:dc:5f",
        "metadata": {},
        "model": "virtio",
        "network_uuid": "91b88200-ab4c-4ac4-9709-459504d1da0a",
        "order": 0,
        "state": "created",
        "uuid": "0c790a6e-a4de-4518-84e7-11d1421cd4df",
        "version": 3
    }
]
Python API client: ping an address on a network.
import json
from shakenfist_client import apiclient

sf_client = apiclient.Client()
events = sf_client.ping('55ea5f3b-d671-4d7f-9b8c-1e8f217a74f4', '10.0.0.187')
print(json.dumps(events, indent=4, sort_keys=True))
{
    "stderr": [
        ""
    ],
    "stdout": [
        "PING 10.0.0.187 (10.0.0.187) 56(84) bytes of data.",
        "64 bytes from 10.0.0.187: icmp_seq=1 ttl=64 time=0.393 ms",
        "64 bytes from 10.0.0.187: icmp_seq=2 ttl=64 time=0.273 ms",
        "64 bytes from 10.0.0.187: icmp_seq=3 ttl=64 time=0.227 ms",
        "64 bytes from 10.0.0.187: icmp_seq=4 ttl=64 time=0.252 ms",
        "64 bytes from 10.0.0.187: icmp_seq=5 ttl=64 time=0.269 ms",
        "64 bytes from 10.0.0.187: icmp_seq=6 ttl=64 time=0.252 ms",
        "64 bytes from 10.0.0.187: icmp_seq=7 ttl=64 time=0.228 ms",
        "64 bytes from 10.0.0.187: icmp_seq=8 ttl=64 time=0.265 ms",
        "64 bytes from 10.0.0.187: icmp_seq=9 ttl=64 time=0.246 ms",
        "64 bytes from 10.0.0.187: icmp_seq=10 ttl=64 time=0.257 ms",
        "",
        "--- 10.0.0.187 ping statistics ---",
        "10 packets transmitted, 10 received, 0% packet loss, time 9213ms",
        "rtt min/avg/max/mdev = 0.227/0.266/0.393/0.044 ms",
        ""
    ]
}

Listing network address usage

Each network is associated with a single IP address block which is used to allocate addresses for that network. You can view the state of allocations on that address block using the REST API.

REST API calls
Python API client: list address allocations for a network
import ipaddress
from shakenfist_client import apiclient

sf_client = apiclient.Client()
addresses = sf_client.get_network_addresses(network_ref)

info_by_addr = {}
for addr in addresses:
    info_by_addr[int(ipaddress.IPv4Address(addr['address']))] = addr

print('address,type,user,comment')
for addr in sorted(info_by_addr.keys()):
    if not info_by_addr[addr]['user']:
        user = ''
    elif type(info_by_addr[addr]['user']) is list:
        user = ' '.join(info_by_addr[addr]['user'])
    else:
        user = info_by_addr[addr]['user']

    print('%s,%s,%s,%s'
          % (info_by_addr[addr]['address'],
             info_by_addr[addr]['type'],
             ' '.join(info_by_addr[addr]['user']),
             info_by_addr[addr]['comment']))

Routed IPs

Unlikely floating IPs, which are associated with a network interface, routed IPs are associated with a network -- its up to the virtual network to decide who will answer for that address via ARP responses. The API calls for routed IPs are therefore documented here instead of on the network interfaces page.

REST API calls
Python API client: add a routed address
from shakenfist_client import apiclient

sf_client = apiclient.Client()
routed = sf_client.route_network_address(network_ref)
Python API client: remove a routed address
from shakenfist_client import apiclient

sf_client = apiclient.Client()
sf_client.unroute_network_address(network_ref, address)

Metadata

All objects exposed by the REST API may have metadata associated with them. This metadata is for storing values that are of interest to the owner of the resources, not Shaken Fist. Shaken Fist does not attempt to interpret these values at all, with the exception of the instance affinity metadata values. The metadata store is in the form of a key value store, and a general introduction is available in the user guide.

REST API calls
Python API client: set metadata on a network
from shakenfist_client import apiclient

sf_client = apiclient.Client()
sf_client.set_network_metadata_item(net_uuid, 'foo', 'bar')
Python API client: get metadata for a network
import json
from shakenfist_client import apiclient

sf_client = apiclient.Client()
md = sf_client.get_network_metadata(net_uuid)
print(json.dumps(md, indent=4, sort_keys=True))
Python API client: delete metadata for a network
import json
from shakenfist_client import apiclient

sf_client = apiclient.Client()
sf_client.delete_network_metadata_item(net_uuid, 'foo')