Topology Definition

Topology Definition is used for the description of Topology Instance. See the following image to help you visualize what you can define in the topology definition.

topology-definition-color

Attributes#

Attributes of a Topology Definition (an example).

provider#

The provider attribute in a Topology Definition should always have the value OpenStack for OpenStack definitions.

name#

Defines the name of the definition (name restrictions).

hosts#

Hosts contains the list of end hosts to be deployed. A host has the following attributes.

name: name of end host VM (names restriction, unique names restriction)
flavor: name of flavor (see how to chose flavor)
base_box: (see how to define base_box)
- image: name of image
- mgmt_user: name of user with sudo privileges
- mgmt_protocol (optional): protocol used for communication with base_box instance. supported options are ssh and winrm (default: ssh)
hidden (optional): whether the host should be hidden in a topology visualization (default: False)

routers#

The list of routers. Routers are the only nodes through which hosts can communicate with the internet or with hosts in networks connected to different Routers. Every router should be connected to some networks. A connection can be achieved by router_mappings. A router has the following attributes.

name: name of router VM (names restriction, unique names restriction)
flavor: name of flavor (see how to chose flavor)
base_box: (see how to define base_box)
- image: name of image
- mgmt_user: name of user with sudo privileges
- mgmt_protocol (optional): protocol used for communication with base_box instance. supported options are ssh and winrm (default: ssh)
cidr: for network between router and BR (more about management nodes, the recommended range of the network is /29, unique cidrs restriction)

networks#

The list of networks. A network is used to connect the router with the end host. It has the following attributes.

name: name of network (names restriction, unique names restriction)
cidr: IP address range in CIDR notation (unique cidrs restriction)
accessible_by_user: optional attribute specifies whether the UAN (more about management nodes) should be connected to this network (default: True).

net_mappings#

The list of net_mappings. A net_mapping is used to connect the host to the network. Each host should be connected to one network (more are possible but not recommended). A net_mapping has the following attributes.

host: name of host defined in hosts
network: name of the network defined in networks
ip: IP address for the host, must be from IP address range of the network address restriction

router_mappings#

The list of router_mappings. A router_mapping is used to connect the router to the network. Each network should be connected to one router, but one router can be connected to multiple networks. A router_mapping has the following attributes.

router: name of router defined in routers
network: name of network defined in networks
ip: IP address for the router, must be from IP address range of the network address restriction

groups#

The list of groups. An ansible group is used for better management of nodes. It has the following attributes.

name: name of the group
nodes: list of node names defined in hosts, or routers.

Glossary#

Base_box#

Base_box specifies the image of the node boot disk, default user mgmt_user with sudo permissions, and a protocol that is needed to communicate with the machine.

Now (22. 4. 2021), possible options are as follows.

image	user
centos-7-1809-x86_64	centos
centos-8-1-1911-x86_64	centos
cirros-0.4.0-x86_64	cirros
debian-9-x86_64	debian
debian-10-x86_64	debian
kali-linux-2019.4-amd64	debian
ubuntu-bionic-x86_64	ubuntu
windows-10-0.2.0	windows
windows-server-2019	windows

For routers, it is strongly recommended using the debian-9-x86_64 image.

How to list OpenStack images

Flavor#

Flavor defines virtual machine hardware parameters (VCPUs, RAM, Disk size).

To use the examples of sandbox definitions the flavors displayed in the table must be present in your OpenStack. Either you are using CSIRT-MU/KYPO OpenStack projects where all flavors are already created or you need to create these flavors in your own OpenStack.

Warning

In the case of using a public cloud provider (flavors cannot be created without admin rights) the flavors in the topology definition must be replaced by the available flavors of that provider.

How to list OpenStack flavors

flavor	vCPU	RAM (GB)	disk size (GB)
csirtmu.tiny1x2	1	2	20
csirtmu.tiny1x4	1	4	20
csirtmu.small2x4	2	4	40
csirtmu.small2x8	2	8	40
csirtmu.medium4x8	4	8	40
csirtmu.medium4x16	4	16	40
csirtmu.large8x16	8	16	80
csirtmu.large8x32	8	32	80
csirtmu.jumbo16x32	16	32	100
csirtmu.jumbo16x64	16	64	100

Restrictions#

Names#

All names should have only characters: a-z, A-Z, 1-9, and -, and the first character should be a lower case letter.

Unique Names#

Names of hosts, networks, and routers should be unique in the context of a Topology Definition (they are used for instance identification).

Disjunct CIDRs#

Networks and routers CIDRs should be disjunct (not overlapping), and in network_mappings and router_mappings IP address should be from the IP address range of the network. Other way networking wouldn’t work.
Network and routers CIDRs shouldn’t overlap with management networks CIDRs too.

How to set CIDRs of management networks.

Address Restriction#

During a network creation, the OpenStack will take the first IP address of the specified IP address range for a gateway (a Router), the second IP address for DHCP, and the rest for hosts. The OpenStack will non-deterministically take the first address of the network or the first address after a gateway (a Router) address, and if any of net_mappings has an IP address set to one of these addresses, sandbox creation may fail.

Example#

An example topology definition in the sandbox definition with the name small-sandbox contains the following.

Two hosts. The host server will not be visible in the topology.
Two routers.
Two networks. Only one is user-accessible and therefore connected to the UAN node.
One group, which contains only two nodes accessible by the user.

provider: OpenStack

name: small-sandbox
hosts:
  - name: server
    base_box:
      image: debian-9-x86_64
      mgmt_user: debian
    flavor: csirtmu.tiny1x2
    hidden: True

  - name: home
    base_box:
      image: windows-10-0.2.0
      mgmt_user: windows
      mgmt_protocol: wirm
    flavor: csirtmu.tiny1x2

routers:
  - name: server-router
    cidr: 100.100.100.0/29
    base_box:
      image: debian-9-x86_64
      mgmt_user: debian
    flavor: csirtmu.tiny1x2

  - name: home-router
    base_box:
      image: debian-9-x86_64
      mgmt_user: debian
    cidr: 200.100.100.0/29
    flavor: csirtmu.tiny1x2

networks:
  - name: server-switch
    cidr: 10.10.20.0/24
    accessible_by_user: False

  - name: home-switch
    cidr: 10.10.30.0/24

net_mappings:
    - host: server
      network: server-switch
      ip: 10.10.20.5

    - host: home
      network: home-switch
      ip: 10.10.30.5

router_mappings:
    - router: server-router
      network: server-switch
      ip: 10.10.20.1

    - router: home-router
      network: home-switch
      ip: 10.10.30.1

groups:
  - name: user-accessible
    nodes:
      - home
      - home-router