MAAS Outside the Lines

by Bill Wear on 10 October 2023

Beyond traditional deployments

As technological tapestry, MAAS (Metal-as-a-Service) has definitely woven in intricate automation of physical server provisioning. But why stop at just servers? When I examine the vast landscape of tech around me, from the most potent servers to everyday devices humming in our homes, I see potential uncharted territory, ready for MAAS to explore.

Parachuting out of the comfort zone

While the default application of MAAS lies in streamlining server deployments, a recent delve into community forums has unearthed fascinating experiments:

• Raspberry Pi cluster deployment: From orchestrating Kubernetes to Xen Hypervisor, hobbyists are fiddling with MAAS to streamline their Raspberry Pi clusters.

• Integration with popular platforms: Community members are dabbling in integrating MAAS with platforms like PFSense, FreeBSD, and even KVM guests.

• Exploring niche hardware: Venturing into the specifics, there’s chatter about deploying on specialized hardware like Dell boss N-1 cards, NVIDIA GPUs, and Data Processing Units (DPUs).

But let’s not stop at forums. Let’s journey further and explore MAAS’ potential on a broader scale.

Deploying everything with MAAS

Picture this: A YouTube series titled “Deploying Everything with MAAS”. Far from the humdrum of server setups, this is about unusual deployments – Raspberry Pis, loose laptops, cheap NUCs, home appliances, and more. The idea? Every episode raises the question: “What the heck is stormrider deploying this week?”

Here’s why this vision isn’t just a whimsical fantasy:

• Diverse audience appeal: A series spanning a broad range of devices promises to resonate with everyone, from MAAS neophytes to experts and the simply curious.

• Stealth learning: It’s learning without the lecture. Viewers acquire hands-on skills, watching and replicating deployments.

• Highlighting MAAS: This is MAAS stepping out of the shadows and stretching its capabilities to the limit, so you can see how it works.

• Uniqueness: Ever seen a Bluetooth kettle being deployed via MAAS? Neither have we. And that’s precisely the point!

• Potential collaborations: The series can usher in partnerships with device manufacturers, expanding reach and resources.

That’s not to say that every CPU-enabled piece of hardware out there can be deployed, but we may learn a lot by trying anyway.

Walk, don’t run

To translate vision into reality, we have a budding plan:

• Kaizen content structure: Start simple, then escalate. Ensure all viewers, regardless of their expertise, remain hooked.

• Varied gear & setup: Be it a flea market find or a tech convention, the hunt for quirky, deployable devices will be half the fun.

• Narrative craft: This isn’t just a tech tutorial. It’s a story of exploration, challenges, and triumphs. A blend of instruction and entertainment ensures the series remains etched in viewers’ minds.

• Community-centric: What should stormrider deploy next? Keeping the community looped in ensures a continuous influx of fresh ideas and shared experiences.

The MAAS terrain, vast and not fully charted, beckons. With the envisioned series, we aim to traverse its length and breadth, discovering new horizons.

What do you think?

Should we embark on this expedition? Join us, share your insights, tell us what you think. Let’s consider exploring the full spectrum of what MAAS offers.

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