Programmatic Access and Automation

In a Nutshell

Experienced users can create Application Credentials (tokens) to enable CLI or programmatic access. Automation tools like Ansible or Terraform can be used to streamline instance deployment and configuration.

Application Credentials

How can I create an application credential?

Application Credentials (also called tokens) allow access to your OpenStack project in an automated or script-based way — without requiring a password. To create one, you must have the necessary member privileges in the target project.

Steps to Create an Application Credential

1. Log in to the Dashboard and select the correct region.
2. Go to Identity → Application Credentials and Click Create Application Credential.
3. In the form that opens, fill out:
   • Name – a meaningful name for the credential.
   • Secret – choose a secure secret (password-like).
   • Expiration – set an (optional) expiration date.
4. At the bottom of the form, Click Create Application Credential.
5. Download the OpenRC file and save it, e.g., as my_token.sh.

Make sure to protect your secret — store it securely and do not share it.

Optional: Ask for the Secret at Runtime

For added security, you can modify your my_token.sh file so that the secret is not stored in plain text. Replace the line:

export OS_APPLICATION_CREDENTIAL_SECRET=********************

with:

echo "Passphrase: "
read -sr os_credential_secret_input
export OS_APPLICATION_CREDENTIAL_SECRET="$os_credential_secret_input"

This way, you will be prompted for the secret each time you use the credential file.

Test Your Application Credential

Source your credential file my_token.sh:

source my_token.sh

Run the following command. You should see your credential ID.

curl \
-s \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{ "auth": { "identity": { "methods": ["application_credential"], "application_credential": { "id": "'${OS_APPLICATION_CREDENTIAL_ID}'", "secret": "'${OS_APPLICATION_CREDENTIAL_SECRET}'" }}}}' \
"${OS_AUTH_URL}/auth/tokens" \
| jq .token.application_credential

If curl or jq are not installed, you can install them using your system’s package manager (e.g., apt, dnf, brew, etc.).

OpenStack Client

How can I connect to the bwCloud-OS using the OpenStack CLI?

To manage your resources from the command line, you can use the Python OpenStack Client (openstack CLI tool).

There are two supported authentication methods:

Method 1: Using Application Credentials (Token-based – Recommended)

This is the preferred method, especially for scripting and automation.

1. Log in to the Dashboard.
2. Create an Application Credential (see this guide for instructions).
3. Download and save the generated file, e.g. as my_creds.sh.

Method 2: Using Username and Password (Login-based)

Use this method only if you cannot use tokens.

1. Log in to the Dashboard.
2. In the top-right corner, click "OpenStack RC File".
3. Download and save the file, e.g. as my_creds.sh.

Testing the Connection

Run the following commands in a terminal:

source ./my_creds.sh
openstack server list

This will display a list of your currently active instances in the selected project.

Auto-Deployment

The following tools are commonly used for (semi-)automated provisioning of resources.

Method	Usage
Terraform	This tool can be used to create an instance or a defined infrastructure.
Ansible	Create roles or tasks for all customizations that you make in an instance.

Does bwCloud-OS provide templates for automated deployment of OpenStack instances?

Yes. You can use this Ansible-template for an easier start.