Digital Research Infrastructure (DRI) - CloudStack


DRI is an Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) platform that uses Apache CloudStack to allow users to quickly spin up Linux or other Non-Windows based virtual machines (VMs). RCS provides this service to help UCalgary researchers quickly set up and prototype research related software on premises at no cost. Services set up on DRI virtual machines can be accessed from the campus network and also the internet if required.

Researchers may use this service to: 

  • Create and manage non-Windows based virtual machines for Level 1 and Level 2 data 
  • Manage VMs via the CloudStack management dashboard and API 
  • Allow external access to VMs through an external IP to their VM network 
  • Allow additional users access to manage their VMs

Please refer to our CloudStack End User Agreement for acceptable uses and requirements.

NOTE: CloudStack is not appropriate for workloads that depend on Windows. 
 

  • Minimum specifications per virtual machine:
    • 1 CPU
    • 1 GB RAM
    • 50 GB Storage
  • Maximum specifications per virtual machine:
    • 8 CPU
    • 32 GB RAM
    • 1 TB Storage
  • Data Classification based on the University of Calgary's Information Security Classification Standard:
    • Level 1
    • Level 2
  • Users must backup their data to their own infrastructure
  • There is no cost associated with the use of this service

Principal Investigators and Research Team Members can use the Apache CloudStack catalog item in ServiceNow to request the creation of a CloudStack account. Allow 3 business days for your request to be processed.

When completing the form, select the following options:

  1. “What would you like to do?” – Create new CloudStack account
  2. Fill out the rest of the form

You can also use this catalog item to:

  • Create new CloudStack account
  • Add a user to an existing CloudStack account
  • Add an external IP address to my CloudStack network
  • Remove a user from an existing CloudStack account
  • Remove an external IP address from my CloudStack network
  • Remove an existing CloudStack account

Please refer to our CloudStack User Guide to familiarize yourself with the use of CloudStack and fulfill all your training needs.