Now that an instance is running, the next step is to communicate with it in a fashion other than with the console through a web browser. In the instance list you just saw, an IP address on the tenant network will be listed once it's been assigned. The IP address that is initially assigned to the instance is not a routable IP address; to communicate with the instance, you will need to assign a floating IP address from the external network. The floating IP address will be mapped to the project network IP address, and you will be able to communicate with the instance by way of the floating IP address.

Before a floating IP address can be associated with an instance, it needs to be allocated to your project. Floating IP addresses are managed through Neutron, as follows:

undercloud# openstack ip floating create external

This allocates a floating IP address to the project. It uses the allocation pool from the external network that you created in Chapter 4, Network Management. Next, associate the floating IP address ID with the port ID, as follows:

control# openstack ip floating add {ip_address} "My First Instance"

When the association is complete, a fixed IP will be listed next to the floating IP when you show a list of allocated floating IPs. The floating IP will also be listed in the networks field next to the project network IP address for your instance:

controlundercloud# openstack ip floating list
undercloud# openstack server list