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How to manage machines

MAAS gives you end-to-end control of machines: from discovery and commissioning to deployment, configuration, troubleshooting, and eventual release. This applies to bare metal servers, virtual machines (VMs), or pre-deployed systems.

This page is your one-stop reference for managing machines in MAAS.

Discover machines

Before you can manage machines, MAAS must detect and register them.

Discover active devices

MAAS monitors network traffic to find connected devices (machines, switches, bridges, and more).

  • UI: Networking > Network discovery
  • CLI:
    maas $PROFILE discoveries read

List machines

  • Show all machines

    • UI: Machines (view list)
    • CLI:
      maas $PROFILE machines read | jq -r '(["HOSTNAME","SYSID","STATUS"] | join(","))'

  • Show a specific machine

    • UI:
      1. Machines > [machine]
      2. URL shows: /machine/<SYSTEM_ID>/summary
      3. Select Summary for details
    • CLI:
      maas admin machines read | jq -r '(["HOSTNAME","SYSID"] | (., map(length*"-"))),(.[] | [.hostname, .system_id]) | @tsv' | column -t
maas $PROFILE machine read $SYSTEM_ID

Search machines

Use MAAS search syntax:

| Type | Example |
| Exact | pod:=able-cattle |
| Partial | pod:able,cattle |
| Negation | pod:!cattle |

  • UI: Hardware > Machines > use the search bar
  • CLI:
    maas $PROFILE machines read | jq -r '(["HOSTNAME","SYSID","STATUS"] | join(","))'

Filter by parameters

  • UI: Hardware > Machines > Filters
  • Notes: MAAS builds the search terms for you. You can copy and re-use them for future searches.

Enable new machines

New machines are commissioned automatically when added.

Add a machine

Provide architecture, MAC address, and power settings.

  • UI: Machines > Add hardware > fill in fields > Save
  • CLI:
    maas $PROFILE machines create architecture=$ARCH   mac_addresses=$MAC_ADDRESS power_type=$POWER_TYPE   power_parameters_power_id=$POWER_ID   power_parameters_power_address=$POWER_ADDRESS 
power_parameters_power_pass=$POWER_PASSWORD

Disable auto-commissioning if needed:

maas $PROFILE maas set-config name=enlist_commissioning value=false

Add via chassis

Add multiple machines at once.

  • UI: Machines > Add hardware > Chassis > fill in details > Save

Clone a machine

Duplicate configuration.

  • UI: Machines > [machine] > Take action > Clone
  • CLI:
    maas $PROFILE machine clone $SOURCE_SYSTEM_ID new_hostname=$NEW_HOSTNAME

Use LXD VMs

Provision VMs with LXD.

  1. Set up LXD

    • Remove old versions, install, initialize, and disable DHCP on bridges.
    • CLI only:
      sudo apt-get purge -y *lxd* *lxc*
sudo apt-get autoremove -y
sudo snap install lxd
sudo lxd init
lxc network set lxdbr0 dns.mode=none
lxc network set lxdbr0 ipv4.dhcp=false
lxc network set lxdbr0 ipv6.dhcp=false

  2. Add a VM host:

    • UI: KVM > LXD > Add LXD host > enter details > run trust command > Save LXD host
    • CLI:
      maas $PROFILE vm-hosts create type=lxd power_address=$LXD_ADDRESS project=$PROJECT_NAME

  3. Add VMs:

    • UI: KVM > VM host > Add VM > fill in cores, RAM, disks > Compose machine
    • CLI:
      maas $PROFILE vm-host compose $VM_HOST_ID cores=4 memory=8G disks=1:size=20G

  4. Move or delete VMs:

    • UI: Machines > [VM] > Take action > Delete
    • CLI:
      lxc move $VM_NAME $VM_NAME --project default --target-project $PROJECT_NAME
maas $PROFILE machine delete $SYSTEM_ID

Control machine power

MAAS manages machine power on/off.

  • Power on:

    • UI: Machines > [machine] > Take action > Power on
    • CLI:
      maas $PROFILE machine start $SYSTEM_ID

  • Power off:

    • UI: Machines > [machine] > Take action > Power off
    • CLI:
      maas $PROFILE machine stop $SYSTEM_ID

  • Soft shutdown:

    • CLI only:
      maas $PROFILE machine stop $SYSTEM_ID force=false

Set the correct power type:

  • UI: Machines > [machine] > Configuration > Power > Edit
  • CLI:
    maas $PROFILE machine update $SYSTEM_ID power_type="$POWER_TYPE"

Commission & test machines

Commissioning collects hardware info and prepares machines for deployment.

  • Commission:

    • UI: Machines > [machine] > Take action > Commission
    • CLI:
      maas $PROFILE machine commission $SYSTEM_ID

  • Test:

    • UI: Machines > [machine] > Take action > Test
    • CLI:
      maas $PROFILE machine test $SYSTEM_ID tests=cpu,storage

  • View results:

    • UI: Machines > [machine] > Test results
    • CLI:
      maas $PROFILE machine read $SYSTEM_ID | jq '.test_results'

  • Override failures:

    • UI: Machines > [machine] > Take action > Override test results
    • CLI:
      maas $PROFILE machine set-test-result $SYSTEM_ID result=passed

Configure deployment

Deployment lets you adjust kernels, storage, and hardware sync.

Hardware sync (3.2+)

  • UI: Machines > [machine] > Take action > Deploy > Periodically sync hardware > Start deployment
  • CLI:
    maas $PROFILE machine deploy $SYSTEM_ID osystem=$OSYSTEM distro_series=$VERSION enable_hw_sync=true

Kernel configuration

  • System-wide kernel version:

    • UI: Settings > Configuration > Commissioning > Default minimum kernel version
    • CLI:
      maas $PROFILE maas set-config name=default_min_hwe_kernel value=$KERNEL

  • Per-machine kernel version:

    • UI: Machines > [machine] > Configuration > Minimum kernel
    • CLI:
      maas $PROFILE machine update $SYSTEM_ID min_hwe_kernel=$HWE_KERNEL

  • Kernel parameters:

    • UI: Settings > Kernel parameters
    • CLI:
      maas $PROFILE maas set-config name=kernel_opts value='$KERNEL_OPTIONS'

Storage layouts

All layouts can be set in UI or CLI.

  • UI:
    Machines > [machine] > Storage > Change storage layout > select desired layout > Save

  • CLI:

    maas $PROFILE machine set-storage-layout $SYSTEM_ID storage_layout=<layout_type>

Replace <layout_type> with one of:

Flat layout

One partition uses the whole disk (ext4, mounted at /).

maas $PROFILE machine set-storage-layout $SYSTEM_ID storage_layout=flat

LVM layout

Flexible logical volumes, supports resizing and snapshots.

maas $PROFILE machine set-storage-layout $SYSTEM_ID storage_layout=lvm

Bcache layout

SSD acts as cache for a larger backing disk.

maas $PROFILE machine set-storage-layout $SYSTEM_ID storage_layout=bcache

VMFS6/VMFS7 layouts

For VMware ESXi hosts. Automates required datastore creation.

maas $PROFILE machine set-storage-layout $SYSTEM_ID storage_layout=vmfs6
maas $PROFILE machine set-storage-layout $SYSTEM_ID storage_layout=vmfs7

Blank layout

Removes all storage config — you must configure manually.

maas $PROFILE machine set-storage-layout $SYSTEM_ID storage_layout=blank

Custom layout (MAAS 3.1+)

Upload a commissioning script that outputs a JSON layout.

  • Script must run after 40-maas-01-machine-resources and before 50-maas-01-commissioning.
  • Script must write to $MAAS_STORAGE_CONFIG_FILE.
  • Device names in JSON must match those detected by MAAS.

:warning: Notes:

  • Machine must be in Ready state before changing storage layouts.
  • blank layout machines can’t be deployed until storage is reconfigured.
  • bcache requires an SSD device present, otherwise MAAS falls back to flat.

Deploy machines

  • Allocate:

    • UI: Machines > [machine] > Take action > Allocate
    • CLI:
      maas $PROFILE machines allocate system_id=$SYSTEM_ID

  • Deploy:

    • UI: Machines > [machine] > Take action > Deploy
    • CLI:
      maas $PROFILE machine deploy $SYSTEM_ID

  • Ephemeral deployment (RAM only):

    • UI: Machines > [machine] > Take action > Deploy in memory
    • CLI:
      maas $PROFILE machine deploy $SYSTEM_ID ephemeral_deploy=true

  • Deploy as VM host:

    • UI: Machines > [machine] > Take action > Deploy > Install KVM
    • CLI:
      maas $PROFILE machine deploy $SYSTEM_ID install_kvm=True

  • Deploy with cloud-init:

    • UI: Machines > [machine] > Take action > Deploy > Configuration options
    • CLI:
      maas $PROFILE machine deploy $SYSTEM_ID cloud_init_userdata="$(cat cloud-init.yaml)"

Rescue & recovery

Use rescue mode to log in and diagnose issues.

  • Enter rescue mode:

    • UI: Machines > [machine] > Take action > Enter rescue mode
    • CLI:
      maas $PROFILE machine enter-rescue-mode $SYSTEM_ID

  • SSH into machine:

    ssh ubuntu@$MACHINE_IP

  • Exit rescue mode:

    • UI: Machines > [machine] > Take action > Exit rescue mode
    • CLI:
      maas $PROFILE machine exit-rescue-mode $SYSTEM_ID

  • Mark broken/fixed:

    • UI: Machines > [machine] > Take action > Mark broken / Mark fixed
    • CLI:
      maas $PROFILE machines mark-broken $SYSTEM_ID
maas $PROFILE machines mark-fixed $SYSTEM_ID

Release or remove machines

  • Release:

    • UI: Machines > [machine] > Take action > Release
    • CLI:
      maas $PROFILE machines release $SYSTEM_ID

  • Erase disks on release:

    • UI: Machines > [machine] > Release > Enable disk erasure options
    • CLI:
      maas $PROFILE machine release $SYSTEM_ID erase=true secure_erase=true quick_erase=true

  • Delete:

    • UI: Machines > [machine] > Take action > Delete
    • CLI:
      maas $PROFILE machine delete $SYSTEM_ID

  • Force delete stuck machines (CLI only):

    maas $PROFILE machine delete $SYSTEM_ID force=true

Verify machines

Periodically check your machine list.

  • UI: Machines > view list or search
  • CLI:
    maas $PROFILE machines read | jq -r '.[].hostname'

Safety nets

  • Commission before deploy to ensure correct hardware info.
  • Test results help catch failures before deployment.
  • Erase disks when releasing machines that handled sensitive data.

Next steps

Previous Manage network services Next Manage machine groups

Last updated 27 days ago. Help improve this document in the forum.