Getting Started with OpenStack Horizon: An Overview

Introduction

OpenStack Horizon is the web-based dashboard that provides a user-friendly interface for managing your cloud infrastructure. Whether you're launching instances, configuring networks, or managing storage, Horizon puts powerful cloud management tools at your fingertips without requiring command-line expertise.

This guide introduces you to Horizon's main interface components, shows you how to navigate the dashboard, and explains where to find the essential features you'll use most often as a new user.

Logging In to Horizon

To access Horizon, open your web browser and navigate to your OpenStack cloud's dashboard URL (typically provided by your cloud provider). You'll see a login screen requesting:

Project: The OpenStack project (tenant) you want to access
Username: Your cloud account username
Password: Your account password

Enter your credentials and click Sign In. You'll be directed to your Project dashboard.

Understanding the Main Interface Components

Top Navigation Bar

The top bar is your primary navigation tool and remains visible throughout your Horizon session. From left to right, you'll see:

OpenStack Logo: Clicking this returns you to the dashboard home at any time
Project Selector: Displays your current project name; click to switch between projects if you have access to multiple projects
Help Menu: Provides access to documentation and support resources
Settings Menu: Contains your user preferences and sign-out option

Left Sidebar Navigation

The left sidebar organizes Horizon into two main sections:

Project Tab - Your default view containing project-specific resources:

Compute - Instances, images, and key pairs
Storage - Object store (Swift) and block storage (Cinder) volumes
Network - Networks, subnets, routers, and security groups
Orchestration - Heat templates and stacks for automated infrastructure

Admin Tab - (If you have administrator privileges) System-wide management:

System - System settings and quotas
Compute - System compute administration
Identity - User and role management
Network - Network administration

Main Content Area

The central content area displays the details, lists, and controls for your selected section. Most screens follow a consistent layout with action buttons at the top and resource lists or detail views below.

The Project Dashboard Overview

The Project tab is where most users spend the majority of their time. Here's what you'll find:

Compute Section

Navigate to Project > Compute in the left sidebar to access:

Instances - View, launch, and manage virtual machines (instances). This is typically the first stop for most users.
Images - Browse available images to launch instances from
Key Pairs - Create and manage SSH key pairs for secure instance access

Storage Section

Navigate to Project > Storage to manage:

Volumes - Create and attach block storage volumes to instances
Volume Snapshots - Create point-in-time copies of your volumes for backup and recovery
Object Store - Access and manage objects in your cloud's object storage service

Network Section

Navigate to Project > Network for:

Networks - Create and manage virtual networks for your instances
Subnets - Define IP address ranges within your networks
Routers - Connect networks and manage internet access
Security Groups - Define firewall rules to control instance network traffic

Orchestration Section

Navigate to Project > Orchestration to:

Stacks - Deploy and manage infrastructure templates (Heat)
Template Versions - Manage Heat template versions

Essential Features for Beginners

Launching Your First Instance

This is the most common task in Horizon. Navigate to Project > Compute > Instances and click the Launch Instance button. You'll specify:

Instance name and number of instances
Image to launch from
Flavor (CPU, RAM, and disk size)
Networks to attach
Security groups for network access
Key pair for SSH access

The wizard guides you through each step with helpful defaults.

Creating Security Groups

Before launching instances, you'll typically want to define network access rules. Navigate to Project > Network > Security Groups. Security groups act as firewalls, controlling which ports and protocols are accessible to your instances.

Click Create Security Group to define your rules (such as allowing HTTP, HTTPS, or SSH access).

Managing Key Pairs

Secure SSH access to instances requires key pairs. Navigate to Project > Compute > Key Pairs to:

Create Key Pair - Generate a new SSH key pair (download and save the private key securely)
Import Key Pair - Add an existing public key to Horizon
Delete Key Pair - Remove key pairs no longer needed

Monitoring Resources

Several sections provide visibility into your resource usage:

Project > Compute > Instances - Shows all running instances, their status, and IP addresses
Project > Storage > Volumes - Displays attached and unattached volumes
Dashboard Home - Often displays quota usage and resource summaries

Accessing the Horizon Help

Within Horizon, the Help menu (top right corner) provides:

Links to official OpenStack documentation
Glossary of cloud computing terms
Context-specific help for many screens

Common Navigation Paths

Here are quick references to frequently accessed features:

| Task | Navigation Path |
|------|-----------------|
| Launch an instance | Project > Compute > Instances > Launch Instance |
| Create a volume | Project > Storage > Volumes > Create Volume |
| Create a network | Project > Network > Networks > Create Network |
| Manage security rules | Project > Network > Security Groups |
| View your quotas | Project > Compute > Limits (if available) |
| Manage SSH keys | Project > Compute > Key Pairs |
| Connect to an instance | Project > Compute > Instances (select instance, view console) |

Tips for New Users

Start with the Project Tab: This is your main working area. The Admin tab is for cloud administrators only.
Use Meaningful Names: When creating resources, use descriptive names (like "web-server-prod" instead of "instance-1") to stay organized.
Test with Limits: Most clouds impose quotas on resource usage. Review your quota limits before launching large deployments.
Bookmark Common Screens: Bookmark frequently visited pages in your browser for quick access.
Check Status Carefully: Always verify that instances and other resources reach their expected state (Active, Available, etc.) before proceeding.
Save Your SSH Keys: When creating key pairs in Horizon, download and securely store the private key immediately—you cannot retrieve it later.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Cannot See Project Resources

If resources don't appear in your dashboard, verify:

You're viewing the correct project (check the Project Selector in the top bar)
Your user account has the appropriate role/permissions for that project
The resource actually exists (it may have been deleted or created in a different project)

Launch Instance Button Unavailable

This typically occurs when:

You lack permission to create instances (contact your cloud administrator)
Your project quota is full (delete unused resources or request a quota increase)
No suitable images are available (check Project > Compute > Images)

Cannot Access Instance

Verify:

The instance status shows "Running" (not Building or Error)
You're using the correct key pair that was selected during instance launch
The security group allows SSH traffic (port 22) from your client IP
You're connecting with the correct username (ubuntu, centos, admin, etc., depending on the image)

Next Steps

Now that you understand Horizon's basic interface:

Launch your first instance - Navigate to Project > Compute > Instances and practice launching a test instance
Create a security group - Visit Project > Network > Security Groups to set up firewall rules
Explore the Project dashboard - Spend time clicking through each section to familiarize yourself with available options
Read official documentation - Use the Help menu to access OpenStack's detailed user guides