Accessing Skyline for Rackspace OpenStack Flex

NOTE:The documentation covered in this article is intended for use with the portal UI known as Skyline. If you prefer to use, or are comfortable with using a CLI to create and manage Rackspace OpenStack Flex - check out this documentation: Getting Started With Rackspace OpenStack Flex

What is Skyline?

OpenStack Skyline is a modern, web-based dashboard for managing your OpenStack resources. Skyline provides a faster, more responsive UI, built with modern web technologies such as React and Golang, to improve the overall user experience.

Users may prefer Skyline over the OpenStack Command Line Interface (CLI) for its ease of use, visual resource management, and reduced learning curve. As a web-based UI, Skyline eliminates the need to install and configure the CLI, allowing users to quickly manage instances, networks, and storage with intuitive menus and graphical representations like network topology maps. It also reduces human error by providing pre-validated input fields and dropdowns, making it ideal for beginners or occasional users. Bulk actions like deleting multiple instances can be more efficient in Skyline, but the CLI remains superior for automation, scripting, and advanced troubleshooting, which makes it the preferred choice for power users who need fine-grained control.

Obtaining Credentials

To log into Rackspace OpenStack Flex you'll use your Rackspace Cloud user that you created when you signed up for your Rackspace Cloud account. Or, if you already have a Rackspace Cloud account - you'll be using your existing user. You'll also need your Rackspace Cloud user's API key. If you're unsure of how/where to find that, see this documentation: View and Reset Your API Key

Logging In

Rackspace Flex Cloud is currently available in the DFW (Dallas Fort-Worth) and SJC (San Jose California) regions. You'll want to use the appropriate portal to ensure you're logging into the desired region:

SJC - https://skyline.api.sjc3.rackspacecloud.com/
DFW - https://skyline.api.dfw3.rackspacecloud.com/

When logging into the Skyline portal, you'll need to enter your username and API Key as the password. Be sure to append the domain "@rackspace_cloud_domain" to the end of your username and remember that your password is your user's API key.

After you've authenticated you'll be passed through into the Skyline portal UI where you can begin creating and managing your Rackspace OpenStack Flex environment.

Project and Domain

The Project name and domain for your account is listed along the top of the Skyline UI as seen below.

If you click the Project name you'll get a new window that shows any other projects you have, as well as the IDs for those projects.

Additional Documentation

Skyline UI User Documentation