Using OpenShift PaaS Shell For OpenStack Python Clients

We Discovered a Way of Using OpenShift PaaS Shell For Using the OpenStack Python Clients Including OpenStack Object Storage (Swift) Easily. Previously we have shown the running web shell on OpenShift. That is PHP cartridge. OpenStack Swift Python client is written in Python. Not exactly easy to run both PHP and Python on PaaS together and then execute command from front end. Without doubt, this is most complex App ever made on OpenShift PaaS. The setup is very easy on an IaaS – we have the full control of the server.

Using OpenShift PaaS Shell For OpenStack Python Clients : Installing Web Shell as PHP App

First create a PHP ZEND cartridge and push the Web Shell as PHP App on the cartridge after minimal needed changes. You should get a thing like this one – https://shell-abhishekghosh.rhcloud.com (username: thecustomizewindows.com ; password: jima.in). Easy thing. It is PHP plus Javascript functions.

Using OpenShift PaaS Shell For OpenStack Python Clients : Activating Python on the Same Cartridge

SSH to that gear/application from your Mac or GNU/Linux computer. The ready to use command to do SSH looking like ssh 1qaz2wsx3edc4rfv@py27-abhishekghosh.rhcloud.com will be found on OpenShift dashboard. The next commands are tricky :

Now you can install Python Swift Client with pip!

Using OpenShift PaaS Shell For OpenStack Python Clients : Installing Python Swift Client

Now run :

from OpenShift client’s SSH screen. Swift Client will get activated and you can run swift command to check. Keep it mind – this is SSH. We need to run that swift command from frontend. Actually PHP will run the commands. The big difference between running command from SSH and our Web Shell is that – that $OPENSHIFT_DATA_DIR will not work. So, to repeat the same commands at front end, you need to do a pwd at SSH screen to get the real path of this – $OPENSHIFT_DATA_DIR. You can understand, the commands will be very long due to bigger path.

Using OpenShift PaaS Shell For OpenStack Python Clients : Executing Commands

There is a bit cheating way to run the valid commands. These command syntax is valid for HP Cloud. Instead of running swift list command, you have to run :

We do not need the openstackrc file for this way. You are testing on OpenShift, you’ll use a real full server to use it. You do not need PHP bindings, Ruby Bindings for OpenStack Clients anymore. That official Python Clients will work fine. PHP bindings varies from providers to providers. It gives a huge pain.

We first tested on IaaS, obviously. It works and we can restrict the access to the web shell in various ways, limit the number of commands that can be executed etc. As you do not know what is the real path of $OPENSHIFT_DATA_DIR for https://shell-abhishekghosh.rhcloud.com, it is not PUBLICLY usable.