Cloud Init

Updated: September 28, 2024

Cloud init is used for deploying images of distributions with various users, keys, settings in place.

Cloudinit Documentation


Table of Contents

Required

sudo apt install whois                  # needed for using mkpasswd
sudo mkpasswd -m sha-512                # create a password for new user to have \ copy hash into cloud.cfg

Commands

cloud-init clean            # reset a server after making config changes and cloud init had already run
cloud-init init             # run the configs against the machine // good idea to always run clean before init

touch /etc/cloud/cloud-init.disabled  # disabled cloud init if this blank file exists

cloud-id                    # identify datasource

Config

Location: /etc/cloud/cloud.cfg

# The top level settings are used as module
# and base configuration.
# A set of users which may be applied and/or used by various modules
# when a 'default' entry is found it will reference the 'default_user'
# from the distro configuration specified below
users:
#   - default
    - name: megacron
      lock_passwd: false
      passwd: sudo mkpasswd -m sha-512
      gecos: megacron
      ssh_authorized_keys:
        - ssh-ed25519 BBBBLLLLAAAAHHHblahblah
      groups: [adm, audio, cdrom, dialout, dip, floppy, lxd, netdev, plugdev, sudo, video]
      sudo: ["ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD:ALL"]
      shell: /bin/zsh

# If this is set, 'root' will not be able to ssh in and they
# will get a message to login instead as the default $user
disable_root: true


# This will cause the set+update hostname module to not operate (if true)
preserve_hostname: false

# If you use datasource_list array, keep array items in a single line.
# If you use multi line array, ds-identify script won't read array items.
# Example datasource config
# datasource:
#    Ec2:
#      metadata_urls: [ 'blah.com' ]
#      timeout: 5 # (defaults to 50 seconds)
#      max_wait: 10 # (defaults to 120 seconds)




# The modules that run in the 'init' stage
cloud_init_modules:
 - migrator
 - seed_random
 - bootcmd
 - write-files
 - growpart
 - resizefs
 - disk_setup
 - mounts
 - set_hostname
 - update_hostname
 - update_etc_hosts
 - ca-certs
 - rsyslog
 - users-groups
 - ssh

# The modules that run in the 'config' stage
cloud_config_modules:
 - wireguard
 - snap
 - ubuntu_autoinstall
 - ssh-import-id
 - keyboard
 - locale
 - set-passwords
 - grub-dpkg
 - apt-pipelining
 - apt-configure
 - ubuntu-advantage
 - ntp
 - timezone "America/New_York"
 - disable-ec2-metadata
 - runcmd

# The modules that run in the 'final' stage
cloud_final_modules:
 - package-update-upgrade-install
 - fan
 - landscape
 - lxd
 - ubuntu-drivers
 - write-files-deferred
 - ansible
 - reset_rmc
 - refresh_rmc_and_interface
 - rightscale_userdata
 - scripts-vendor
 - scripts-per-once
 - scripts-per-boot
 - scripts-per-instance
 - scripts-user
 - ssh-authkey-fingerprints
 - keys-to-console
 - install-hotplug
 - phone-home
 - final-message
 - power-state-change

# System and/or distro specific settings
# (not accessible to handlers/transforms)
system_info:
   # This will affect which distro class gets used
   distro: ubuntu
   # Default user name + that default users groups (if added/used)
#   default_user:
#     name: ubuntu
#     lock_passwd: True
#     gecos: Ubuntu
#     groups: [adm, audio, cdrom, dialout, dip, floppy, lxd, netdev, plugdev, sudo, video]
#     sudo: ["ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD:ALL"]
#     shell: /bin/bash
   network:
     renderers: ['netplan', 'eni', 'sysconfig']
     activators: ['netplan', 'eni', 'network-manager', 'networkd']
   # Automatically discover the best ntp_client
   ntp_client: auto
   # Other config here will be given to the distro class and/or path classes
   paths:
      cloud_dir: /var/lib/cloud/
      templates_dir: /etc/cloud/templates/
   package_mirrors:
     - arches: [i386, amd64]
       failsafe:
         primary: http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu
         security: http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu
       search:
         primary:
           - http://%(ec2_region)s.ec2.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/
           - http://%(availability_zone)s.clouds.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/
           - http://%(region)s.clouds.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/
         security: []
     - arches: [arm64, armel, armhf]
       failsafe:
         primary: http://ports.ubuntu.com/ubuntu-ports
         security: http://ports.ubuntu.com/ubuntu-ports
       search:
         primary:
           - http://%(ec2_region)s.ec2.ports.ubuntu.com/ubuntu-ports/
           - http://%(availability_zone)s.clouds.ports.ubuntu.com/ubuntu-ports/
           - http://%(region)s.clouds.ports.ubuntu.com/ubuntu-ports/
         security: []
     - arches: [default]
       failsafe:
         primary: http://ports.ubuntu.com/ubuntu-ports
         security: http://ports.ubuntu.com/ubuntu-ports
   ssh_svcname: ssh

bootcmd:
  -date > /etc/birth_certificate

packages:
  - git
  - tmux
  - vim
  - zsh

Ansible Config Settings

ssh_pwauth: false

users:
- name: ansible
  gecos: Ansible User
  groups: users,admin,wheel
  sudo: ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD:ALL
  shell: /bin/bash
  lock_passwd: true
  ssh_authorized_keys:
    - "ssh-rsa AAAAB3NzaC1yc2EAAAADAQABAAABgQDRCJCQ1UD9QslWDSw5Pwsvba0Ws"


# use the following passwordless demonstration key for testing or
# replace with your own key pair
#
# -----BEGIN OPENSSH PRIVATE KEY-----
# b3BlbnNzaC1rZXktdjEAAAAABG5vbmUAAAAEbm9uZQAAAAAAAAABAAABlwAAAAdzc2gtcn
# NhAAAAAwEAAQAAAYEA0QiQkNVA/ULJVg0sOT8LL22tFrH9aTuIaMOQbTWmZ9MS2aU6tp6h
# RCbIVJHf8wlhew1soZjaYUPHPlPsHJnTVXINqSNZD8atFWcwX2e3A8IY4Hi7CL0171Ph1U
# bbF4eHORZVF6UY3/8fmt76hUbzbEXdQxPuWakB2zlW57ErZNz2aaWgcjIPgGWTMeejlJNq
# WQoL6QsI+iyIsasLsTSj8ZiX+OUcjrD1F8AsJKvVA+JnuY5LEzz5Ld6HlFsNWUkhfBf9eN
# ZqFrBsUp3eTcQmz1FhqEX2HB3POuRO9JzeFq2ZDO0RSP7OZr0Lbo/HUS+uyVBML3bxAztB
# Ac9tRVf4jq2nF3dqJpU1EivsGK1hrYsEMBIK+K+W4psQysvS/FJWiWfjjYS0z/HnEx2JGl
# NQu+bC1/WWHeWLao4jRrDRfsHVulq160Ilnsqxiu2cGwO5WoEsSGu8nqpyg43ZHCb0FwmB
# izPQDASlniWjqcKmfnTrpzAy3eVWawwlNpaQkidTAAAFgGKSj8diko/HAAAAB3NzaC1yc2
# EAAAGBANEIkJDVQP1CyVYNLDk/Cy9trRax/Wk7iGjDkG01pmfTEtmlOraeoUQmyFSR3/MJ
# YXsNbKGY2mFDxz5T7ByZ01VyDakjWQ/GrRVnMF9ntwPCGOB4uwi9Ne9T4dVG2xeHhzkWVR
# elGN//H5re+oVG82xF3UMT7lmpAds5VuexK2Tc9mmloHIyD4BlkzHno5STalkKC+kLCPos
# iLGrC7E0o/GYl/jlHI6w9RfALCSr1QPiZ7mOSxM8+S3eh5RbDVlJIXwX/XjWahawbFKd3k
# 3EJs9RYahF9hwdzzrkTvSc3hatmQztEUj+zma9C26Px1EvrslQTC928QM7QQHPbUVX+I6t
# pxd3aiaVNRIr7BitYa2LBDASCvivluKbEMrL0vxSVoln442EtM/x5xMdiRpTULvmwtf1lh
# 3li2qOI0aw0X7B1bpatetCJZ7KsYrtnBsDuVqBLEhrvJ6qcoON2Rwm9BcJgYsz0AwEpZ4l
# o6nCpn5066cwMt3lVmsMJTaWkJInUwAAAAMBAAEAAAGAEuz77Hu9EEZyujLOdTnAW9afRv
# XDOZA6pS7yWEufjw5CSlMLwisR83yww09t1QWyvhRqEyYmvOBecsXgaSUtnYfftWz44apy
# /gQYvMVELGKaJAC/q7vjMpGyrxUPkyLMhckALU2KYgV+/rj/j6pBMeVlchmk3pikYrffUX
# JDY990WVO194Dm0buLRzJvfMKYF2BcfF4TvarjOXWAxSuR8www050oJ8HdKahW7Cm5S0po
# FRnNXFGMnLA62vN00vJW8V7j7vui9ukBbhjRWaJuY5rdG/UYmzAe4wvdIEnpk9xIn6JGCp
# FRYTRn7lTh5+/QlQ6FXRP8Ir1vXZFnhKzl0K8Vqh2sf4M79MsIUGAqGxg9xdhjIa5dmgp8
# N18IEDoNEVKUbKuKe/Z5yf8Z9tmexfH1YttjmXMOojBvUHIjRS5hdI9NxnPGRLY2kjAzcm
# gV9Rv3vtdF/+zalk3fAVLeK8hXK+di/7XTvYpfJ2EZBWiNrTeagfNNGiYydsQy3zjZAAAA
# wBNRak7UrqnIHMZn7pkCTgceb1MfByaFtlNzd+Obah54HYIQj5WdZTBAITReMZNt9S5NAR
# M8sQB8UoZPaVSC3ppILIOfLhs6KYj6RrGdiYwyIhMPJ5kRWF8xGCLUX5CjwH2EOq7XhIWt
# MwEFtd/gF2Du7HUNFPsZGnzJ3e7pDKDnE7w2khZ8CIpTFgD769uBYGAtk45QYTDo5JroVM
# ZPDq08Gb/RhIgJLmIpMwyreVpLLLe8SwoMJJ+rihmnJZxO8gAAAMEA0lhiKezeTshht4xu
# rWc0NxxD84a29gSGfTphDPOrlKSEYbkSXhjqCsAZHd8S8kMr3iF6poOk3IWSvFJ6mbd3ie
# qdRTgXH9Thwk4KgpjUhNsQuYRHBbI59Mo+BxSI1B1qzmJSGdmCBL54wwzZmFKDQPQKPxiL
# n0Mlc7GooiDMjT1tbuW/O1EL5EqTRqwgWPTKhBA6r4PnGF150hZRIMooZkD2zX6b1sGojk
# QpvKkEykTwnKCzF5TXO8+wJ3qbcEo9AAAAwQD+Z0r68c2YMNpsmyj3ZKtZNPSvJNcLmyD/
# lWoNJq3djJN4s2JbK8l5ARUdW3xSFEDI9yx/wpfsXoaqWnygP3PoFw2CM4i0EiJiyvrLFU
# r3JLfDUFRy3EJ24RsqbigmEsgQOzTl3xfzeFPfxFoOhokSvTG88PQji1AYHz5kA7p6Zfaz
# Ok11rJYIe7+e9B0lhku0AFwGyqlWQmS/MhIpnjHIk5tP4heHGSmzKQWJDbTskNWd6aq1G7
# 6HWfDpX4HgoM8AAAALaG9sbWFuYkBhcmM=
# -----END OPENSSH PRIVATE KEY-----
#

NoCloud

Location: /etc/cloud/cloud.cfg.d/99-fake_cloud.cfg

# configure cloud-init for NoCloud
datasource_list: [ NoCloud, None ]
datasource:
  NoCloud:
    fs_label: system-boot