Tutkiun

CloudStack manages two system VMs for it’s internal processing – Console proxy VM (CPVM) and secondary storage VM (SSVM). Console proxy VM is used by CloudStack to provide console access of the user instances whereas Secondary Storage VM (SSVM) downloads and maintains VM templates. For enabling advanced networking functions such as load balancing, port forwarding and VPN CloudStack maintains a virtual router (small capacity linux based instance).

These instances are not accessible from public Ips and can be accessible only through management server or through the host on which instances are spawned.

For XenServer based zone, console access to system VMs and virtual router are accessible by logging into the host and then executing following command in shell-

ssh -i /root/.ssh/id_rsa.cloud -p 3922 root@169.254.x.x

Where,

/root/.ssh/id_rsa.cloud – Public key for SSH access (Note that, system VMs/Routers are only accessible using SSH keys)
3922 – Port for SSH. Default port used by CloudStack for accessing system VMs/Router
169.254.x.x – Link local IP. Can be found by logging into management server on System VM details page

CloudStack System VM Information

For VMWare based zone, console access to system VMs and virtual router are accessible by logging into the management server and then executing following command in shell-

ssh -i /var/lib/cloud/management/.ssh/id_rsa.cloud -p 3922 root@PRIVATE_IP

Where,

/var/lib/cloud/management/.ssh/id_rsa.cloud – Location of the public key stored on management server
3922 – Port for SSH. Default port used by CloudStack for accessing system VMs/Router
PRIVATE_IP – CloudStack does not have a link local Ip for VMWare based instances. Instead, it uses private IP range specified while setting up the zone.

Update: As David Nalley pointed out in comments, we can login to SSVMs in KVM based zone using same steps mentioned for XenServer.

Like this post? Or have something to say? Comment it down!