Projects and Quota

In a Nutshell

Each bwCloud-OS project has predefined quotas for vCPU, RAM, storage, and networks. Quota increases can be requested via the bwSupportPortal Group projects allow shared access to resources. Members can manage instances collaboratively. Quotas can be assigned in multiple regions. Every group project requires a named owner as the primary contact. Instances cannot be moved between projects directly. Use snapshots and volume transfer as described here.

Projects

How can I switch between projects?

A user can be a member of multiple projects. Each project’s quota is tied to a specific bwCloud-OS region.

To switch between projects and regions, use the project/region selector button located at the top left of the Dashboard. This allows you to choose the target project and corresponding region for your current session.

File:Select project region.png

Can I move an instance to another project?

Instances cannot be directly moved between projects. However, you can use the following workaround, provided the target project has sufficient quota:

In the Source Project:

1. Create a snapshot of the instance. The snapshot will appear under Images.
2. From the snapshot, create a volume. The volume will appear under Volumes.
3. Create a transfer for the volume and note down the Transfer ID and Authorization Key.

In the Target Project:

1. Go to Volumes and select Accept Transfer.
2. Enter the saved Transfer ID and Authorization Key. The volume will now appear under Volumes.
3. Convert or upload the volume to an image. This process may take some time.
4. Launch a new instance from the image in the target project

Group Projects

In which situations is a group project useful?

Group projects allow multiple users to share and jointly manage resources within a single bwCloud-OS project. This is particularly useful for:

• Collaborative administration of servers with a long-term or operational purpose
• Teaching or training scenarios, where students or participants need to work together
• Projects that involve users from multiple bwCloud-OS regions

Such collaboration is also supported through the use of access tokens (Application Credentials).

• Note: If the only goal is to allow multiple users to connect to the same virtual machine, you can simply add their SSH public keys to the ~/.ssh/authorized_keys file on the VM. In that case, a group project is not required.

What does resource administration look like in a group project?

OpenStack uses a very simple role and rights model:

• There is the role of “Administrator”, which is reserved exclusively for members of the bwCloud-OS operations team.
• All regular users — including those in group projects — have the same standard user permissions.

This means that a group project functions the same as a personal project, with one key difference: multiple users are assigned to the same project.

As a result:

• Every group member can see all shared resources (instances, images, security groups, etc.).
• All members can create, modify, or delete resources.
• There are no internal role distinctions within a project — all members have equal rights.

How can I request a group project?

To create a group project, you need to submit a support ticket with specific information about your request. Please note:

• Only users who are already registered in bwCloud-OS can be added as project members.
• The project must have a designated owner. Please review the role of the project owner, who is responsible for managing the project and its quota usage.

Use the following template in your request:

SUBJECT:        NEW_PROJECT
REGION:         NAME
MOTIVATION:     TEXT
OWNER_UUID:     UUID
PROJECT_NAME:   NAME (maximum 16 characters)
MEMBER_UUIDS:   UUID, UUID, ...
NUMBER_VM::     INTEGER
RAM_GB:         INTEGER
VCPU:           INTEGER
STORAGE_GB:     INTEGER
SPECIAL_QUOTA:  TEXT
CUT_OFF_DATE:   dd.mm.yyyy

Why is it necessary to specify a group project owner?

The person designated as the project owner is needed for several important reasons:

1. Billing and accountability If cost allocation is introduced in the future, any billing or formal communication related to the group project will be directed to the group owner's institution or department. (Note: The owner can be changed later if needed.)
2. Primary contact for the bwCloud-OS team The group owner acts as the main contact person for the bwCloud-OS team — for operational issues, incidents, and support inquiries.
3. User and membership management The owner is responsible for managing group membership. We can only accept requests to add or remove members from the owner (or a designated replacement), since all group members have the same technical permissions and we otherwise cannot verify authority.

Can the project owner be a functional or shared account?

No. All accounts and identifiers used in bwCloud-OS — including those for project owners and project members — must be assigned to individual, identifiable persons.

Group projects are not an exception to this rule. The same identity and accountability requirements apply as for personal projects.

Can group members be changed?

Yes, members of a group project can be added or removed at any time.

Only the project owner is authorized to request changes to the group membership.

To request member changes, please submit a support ticket ticket and provide the following information using this template:

SUBJECT:         MEMBER_PROJECT
NEW_OWNER:       UUID
PROJECT:         UUID
MEMBERS_ADD:     UUID, UUID, ...
MEMBERS_REMOVE:  UUID, UUID, ...

Quota

Project Quota

Quota refers to the resource limits assigned to a project – such as vCPUs, RAM, networks, and storage. There are two types of projects:

• Private User Project: Owned by a single individual; no additional members can be added. Quotas depend on the region and the assigned entitlements.
• Group Project: Multiple users collaborate and can flexibly allocate (quota) resources.

Request Quota increase

Answer the points below and use that template for your request via our Support Portal:

SUBJECT:        NEW_QUOTA
MOTIVATION:     TEXT
USER_UUID:      UUID
PROJECT_UUID:   UUID (or ask for a new one) 
NUMBER_VM::     INTEGER
RAM_GB:         INTEGER
VCPU:           INTEGER
STORAGE_GB:     INTEGER
SPECIAL_QUOTA:  TEXT
CUT_OFF_DATE:   dd.mm.yyyy

We will check your request and, if possible, grant the request.

Specific Rules for Individual Institutions

Special rules apply to users at the University of Stuttgart, which are explained in more detail here.