Block Storage for AI Model Checkpointing in OpenStack

Question

Pulumi · Accepted Answer

In order to create a block storage volume using OpenStack for the purpose of AI model checkpointing, you'll need to use the OpenStack provider in Pulumi. The resource that we're interested in is `Volume` which represents block storage that can be dynamically attached to a running instance.

Below, I will provide you with a Pulumi program written in Python that creates a block storage volume. Here's an outline of what the program does:

1. **Setting up the OpenStack Provider**: Includes importing the required Pulumi OpenStack package and setting up the provider.
2. **Creating a Volume**: Defines a block storage volume with a specified size. AI model checkpointing typically requires a reliable and persistent storage solution, and OpenStack block storage (Cinder) perfectly suits the purpose. You may also define other properties, such as the availability zone and any custom metadata you wish to associate with this volume.

Let's go through the actual Pulumi code:

```python
import pulumi
import pulumi_openstack as openstack

# Define the size of the volume in gigabytes; adjust this based on your needs.
volume_size_gb = 100

# Create a block storage volume for AI model checkpointing.
# The size is defined by the `size` parameter.
ai_model_checkpointing_volume = openstack.blockstorage.Volume("aiModelCheckpointingVolume",
    size=volume_size_gb,
    description="Volume for storing AI model checkpoints.",
    # Specify additional properties like metadata, volume type, availability zone, etc., as needed.
    # Below are optional and depend on your specific requirements and OpenStack setup.
    # metadata={
    #     "purpose": "AI-model-checkpointing"
    # },
    # volumeType="ssd",
    # availabilityZone="nova"
)

# Export the ID of the volume so that it can be easily retrieved and used in other parts of your application.
pulumi.export("volume_id", ai_model_checkpointing_volume.id)
```

This program creates a block storage volume with a specified size of 100 GB for the purpose of AI model checkpointing. The volume is described as "Volume for storing AI model checkpoints." Note that the size is adjustable based on your model's requirements; larger models or greater numbers of checkpoints may require more storage.

The `metadata`, `volumeType`, and `availabilityZone` options are commented out but can be used to set additional OpenStack-specific configuration details. Uncomment them and fill in your desired values if they are relevant to your scenario.

For running this program, you need to have the Pulumi CLI installed and configured with the appropriate OpenStack credentials. Once you place this code in a Python file (e.g., `checkpointing_volume.py`), you can create the resources running `pulumi up` in your command line within the directory where the file is located.

After the Pulumi program completes execution, the block storage volume ID will be exported. This ID can be used to attach the volume to an instance where AI models are being trained or for other relevant operations within your OpenStack environment.