installing cloud-init on a non-ec2/UEC server results in a 20 minute boot wait

[Clint Byrum]

Binary package hint: cloud-init

Normally nobody would install cloud-init, but if they accidentally do, the next time they reboot, they'll have to wait about 20 minutes for the system to be usable, as it will wait forever for the EC2 metadata provider.

A high priority debconf alert warning the user of this, and/or a lower default timeout, would probably be ideal.

[Guy Taylor (thebiggerguy)]

I suggest ether
 * The package depends on the ec2 kernel
 * A warning at install happens that the user has to accept
 * The init script actually detects if they are/are-not in the cloud

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

This bug was fixed in the package cloud-init - 0.6.0-0ubuntu2

---------------
cloud-init (0.6.0-0ubuntu2) natty; urgency=low

  * add a debian/README.source file
  * fix bug in fixing permission on /var/log/cloud-init.log (cherry pick)
  * remove dependency on update-motd as updates-check was removed
  * fix failure on cloud-init package purge
  * add configuration of DataSources via debconf. Default to not searching
    Ec2. (LP: #635188)
  * fix naming of pre-processed (now user-data.txt.i) (cherry pick)
  * upgrade existing content in /var/lib/cloud to 0.6.x format
 -- Scott Moser <email address hidden> Thu, 27 Jan 2011 16:32:44 -0500

[Scott Moser (smoser)]

A note on the way that this was "fixed".

 * in '0.6.0-0ubuntu2', the installation of cloud-init only searches OVF and NoCloud DataSources. Neither of these have timeouts, and only look at local files. In order to search EC2, the user would then have to run 'dpkg-reconfigure cloud-init'.

  At 'low' priority there is a question 'cloud-init/datasources' that defaults to 'low' priority. The UEC images will pre-seed that value to have Ec2 in it.

 * in subsequent releases, the first time the config is run, it will make an attempt contact the ec2 metadata service. If it can connect, then it will enable the Ec2 DataSource. If not, it will not. That covers the upgrade of 'cloud-init' on EC2 path.

[Clint Byrum (clint-fewbar)]

\o/

Tested today, works great.. does slow down boot by a few seconds, but
not 20 minutes anymore. :)

On Mon, 2011-01-31 at 15:37 +0000, Scott Moser wrote:
> A note on the way that this was "fixed".
>
> * in '0.6.0-0ubuntu2', the installation of cloud-init only searches OVF and NoCloud DataSources. Neither of these have timeouts, and only look at local files. In order to search EC2, the user would then have to run 'dpkg-reconfigure cloud-init'.
>
> At 'low' priority there is a question 'cloud-init/datasources' that defaults to 'low' priority. The UEC images will pre-seed that value to have Ec2 in it.
>
> * in subsequent releases, the first time the config is run, it will
> make an attempt contact the ec2 metadata service. If it can connect,
> then it will enable the Ec2 DataSource. If not, it will not. That
> covers the upgrade of 'cloud-init' on EC2 path.
>

[Scott Moser (smoser)]

> Tested today, works great.. does slow down boot by a few seconds, but
> not 20 minutes anymore. :)

Thank you for testing.