Alibaba Cloud

Adding the handler creates a Cloud Management Platform (CMP) environment for the region. Before ordering a server, import at least one image and one network into that environment.

Before you begin

Collect an access key pair and decide which region the handler connects to. A handler covers one region, so add a handler for each region you use.

1. Log in to the Alibaba Cloud user center.
2. Select Create AccessKey, then Save AccessKey Information.
3. Keep the downloaded CSV file. It holds the Access Key and the Access Key Secret.

Add an Alibaba Cloud resource handler

1. Go to Admin > Resource Handlers, select Add, then select Alibaba Cloud, under Public Cloud.

2. Enter the Region, Access Key, and Access Key Secret, then select Continue.

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3. Enter a name and an optional description, then select Done.

CMP opens the new handler and creates an environment for the region. Work through the tabs in the order below. The Servers, Compute Limits, and History tabs fill in once orders exist.

Import images

An environment needs at least one image to build a server.

1. On the handler, open the Images tab and select Import Images.
2. Select the images you want, then select Import selected Images.

Once an image exists, set its OS build, environments, and credentials from the same tab.

Import networks

An environment needs at least one network to build a server.

1. On the handler, open the Networks tab and select Import Networks.
2. Select the networks you want, then select Import selected networks.

To control which environments a network serves, open the network and select Edit on its Environments tab. Networks are not added from the environment side.

Tag Alibaba resources

CMP tags the resources it creates during provisioning. Map a tag to a CMP server attribute. The tag’s value follows that attribute.

1. On the handler, open the Tags tab and select Add.
2. In Add a Tag, choose the Parameter that supplies the value, give the tag a name, and select Add.

The Syncing column indicates the direction the tag travels. Bidirectional means a change in either Alibaba Cloud or CMP updates the other. Out Only means CMP updates Alibaba Cloud only. When the attribute is group or owner, you can switch between the two.

Tag behavior

• Tags are set during provisioning based on the order’s attributes.
• Tags are imported when a VM is first discovered, and updated by Sync VMs if they already exist in CMP.
• Tags are synced by the Refresh Info action on a server.
• Changing an attribute’s value in CMP updates the matching tag in Alibaba Cloud.
• Removing a tag mapping leaves the existing tags in place, both in Alibaba Cloud and on the server.

For how tagging works across CMP, see Tags.

Configure the environment

Configure the CMP environment before ordering a server. Open the handler’s Overview tab and select the environment in the Environments row, then set the following:

Alibaba Cloud parameters

Adding the handler imports these parameters. They appear on the order form for the environment. Set defaults or restrict their options on the environment’s Parameters tab.