VM Provisioning Workflow on MTN Cloud

This guide walks you through the complete process of provisioning virtual machines on MTN Cloud, from initial setup to deployment and configuration.

📋 Before You Start (Prerequisites)

1. Have an MTN Cloud login with permissions to view Infrastructure and Provisioning.
2. Tip:If you don't see your imported SSH keys, networks, or security groups when provisioning, contact support or refresh the portal.
3. Plan your deployments

🔄 The Right Sequence

• Generate SSH Keys (recommended): For enhanced security, configure SSH key-based login instead of a username and password.
• Create a User (Linux/Windows): Add the required user under User Settings. Add the SSH-key to this login details as well.
• Define Security Groups: Create a new security group specifying the ports needed for ingress and egress traffic. This new security group can be appended to the VM (in addition to the default) after the VM has been created. The default security group provides basic functionalities such as console access and instance health checks. It is highly recommended that you use this during the VM creation process.
• Provision the Virtual Machine: Deploy the VM, attach it to the appropriate network (either ubuntu_net), assign a floating IP, and apply the default security group(s). At this point, your VM will be ready for use. After provisioning, defined or additional security group can be added to the VM.

👤 Part 1 — Create Linux/Windows User

Purpose: Allow logins to VM provisioned via the console and resource ownership within MTN Cloud

1. Login to User Account
2. Navigate to User Settings (can be found at the top right corner of your screen when the dropdown beside name is clicked)

3. Locate Linux Settings
4. Assign:
   • Username
   • Password
   • Confirm Password
   • Select an ssh-key entry if you have one (optional)
5. Do the same for your Windows Settings. Scroll to the bottom and Save

🔒 Part 2 — Define Security Groups

Purpose: Controls network access to (ingress) and from (egress) your VM.

1. Navigate to: Infrastructure > Network > Security Groups

2. Click +Add

3. Assign:
   • Name
   • Description
   • Scoped Cloud = MTNNG_CLOUD_AZ_1
   
4. Click the Security Group recently created
5. Navigate to Rules

6. Click on +Add Rules

7. Assign:
   • Name
   • Direction = (Ingress or Egress)
   • Rule Type = Custom Rule
   • Protocol = (TCP, UDP OR ICMP)
   • Port Range (available depending on protocol selected)
   • Source Type
   • Source
   • Destination Type
   • Destination Port Range
   
8. Scroll Down to Save Changes
9. Navigate to Location
10. Click on +Add Location
11. Select the required Cloud where the workload to be protected is provisioned
12. Click on Save Changes

🔑 Part 3 — Create or Import SSH Keys

Purpose: Enables secure, password-less access to provisioned VMs.

⚙️ For Generating:

1. Navigate to: Infrastructure > Trust > Key Pairs

2. Click: +Add
3. Select Generate Key Pair. Note: This is needed if you wish to use the ssh console into your cloud instances. You may also import both Public and Private keys to your local machine if you wish to ssh with the same keys.
4. Assign Name

5. Save Changes.
6. Immediately after creation, the Public and Private keys are shown on the screen. Handle the information with care.
7. On recently generated key pair, select info icon
8. Copy Key Pair if needed for external storage or use
9. Navigate to User Settings
10. Locate Linux Settings
11. On SSH Tab, select your generated ssh key pair
12. Scroll down to Save Changes

📥 For Importing:

1. Generate SSH Key Pair on your local machine:
   ssh-keygen -m pem -t rsa
2. Add SSH Key to Morpheus:
   • Navigate to: Infrastructure > Trust > Key Pairs
   • Click: +Add
   
   • Select Existing Key Pair
   
   • Assign Name
   • Browse for or paste your Private Key
   • Browse for or Paste your Public key (with .pub file extension)
3. Navigate to User Settings
4. Locate Linux Settings
5. On SSH Tab, select your imported ssh key pair
6. Scroll down to Save Changes

🚀 Part 4 — Provision the Virtual Machine

Once your SSH key, security group, and network are ready, you can provision your VM in MTN Cloud Console by following these steps:

1. Navigate to: Provisioning → Instances

2. Click +Add

3. Select the Instance Type, which determines the operating system to be installed (e.g., MTN_DEBIAN_11, MTN_CENTOS_STREAM_9).

4. Select the Group and Cloud where the VM will be deployed (e.g., MTNNG_Cloud_AZ_1).

5. Select the Group assigned to your account. This defines the location and resource scope for the VM.
6. Input the VM Name or leave the automatic generated name by MTN Cloud based on naming conventions.
7. Choose the appropriate Environment for the VM (e.g., Development, Staging, Production).
8. A Label can be added if required.
9. Select Next
10. The Layout is automatically determined by the selected Instance Type and reflects the operating system configuration.
11. Select a Planthat defines the VM's CPU, memory, and storage resources.
12. Choose any of the Networks provided either Ubuntu_net or DELL.
13. Assign Floating IPs (01 for Ubuntu_net or 02 for DELL)
14. In the Availability Zonesection, select one of the three available Fault Domains to define the VM's physical placement and redundancy.
15. First Assign the default Security Group available to manage necessary firewall rules and traffic access, after provisioning, your own created Security Groups can be attached.
16. Open the User Config tab, check the Create Your User box
17. Under Advanced Options, Modify any required Ports and Protocols for the VM (e.g., SSH, HTTP, custom application ports). Remember Load balancing requires at least a port to be available, which will then be configured on the available port protocol.

18. Allowing Agent install ensures Enabling alerts and logging for VM health and performance. And other ancillary tasks
19. Specify the hostname or leave to be autogenerated one
20. (Optional) Attach any Automation Workflows/Tasks for post/pre-provisioning tasks such as software installation, configuration, or monitoring setup.
21. (Optional) Deployments to keep track of versions
22. (Optional) Load Balancer: To Create as Load balancer Virtual Service to load balance service from the server. Note the ports available for this service will match the services already opened in the earlier portion of this page
23. (Optional) Scale: Provide Scale Type and Threshold setting for scaling
24. (Optional) Backups and Lifecycle
25. Carefully review all configuration details to ensure accuracy and alignment with your deployment requirements.
26. Click Complete to launch the VM. MTN Cloud will begin provisioning and display the instance status once deployment is underway.
27. Navigate to: Provisioning → Instances and click on the VM being deployed (notice the green Rocket image) and watch the deployment process.

28. Once deployment completes, Click on Network and toggle the button from Interfaces to Security Groups.

29. Click on Edit Security Groups to add the security group you created to the Default that is currently applied.
30. To proceed, type the name into the Search Security Group box, click to select from the list that pops up.

31. Click Save
32. Click on the Summary tab to view your deployed VM. Take note of the details.

33. Accessing the VM should be via the Console or SSH (based on the use case above)

📝 Final Notes for Customers

• Naming conventions: Use consistent names for keys, networks, and instances.
• Documentation: Keep a record of IPs, credentials, and assigned resources.
• SSH Keys: Used exclusively for Linux VMs, providing secure, password-less authentication.
• Monitoring: Allowing Agent install ensures Enabling alerts and logging for VM health and performance.
• Security Groups: Regularly review and update rules to follow the principle of least privilege.
• You may reuse the SSH-Key, Security Groups and Username/Password for subsequent VM installation - based on your security consideration.