[Labs-l] Web access for labs instances

Mon Nov 25 17:43:11 UTC 2013

     Thanks to Yuvi's hard work, we have a new system for creating web 
proxies for Labs instances.  If you need public web access for an 
instance, project admins can now create a proxy here: 
https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:NovaProxy

     A proxy created on that page will map a public address (e.g. 
'awesome.wmflabs.org') to a private instance (e.g. 
'lessawesome.pmtpa.wmflabs').  When users browse to awesome.wmflabs.org 
their http or https requests will be relayed to the specified instance 
via http over port 80.  No additional work is needed to provide https 
access on the backend.

     I wrote a short docpage explaining a few more details here: 
https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Help:Proxy  This setup uses several 
new pieces of software that have not yet been tested in production, so 
please approach with caution and let me know when you encounter hiccups.

     Those of you who were already facing the question of public access 
have been using one of two existing solutions:

1)  instance-proxy.wmflabs.org

I don't have any immediate plans to kill this framework, but i also 
don't expect to maintain it for much longer.  If you were relying on 
instance-proxy then please set up a custom proxy instead.

2) public IP address

The system for managing public IPs will remain.  However, public IPs are 
precious, and may also cause complications in the upcoming datacenter 
migration.

So, once the bugs shake out of the new proxy system, I will be gradually 
migrating instances away from public IP use and over to the proxy 
system.  If you want to beat me to the punch and do this for your own 
instances, that will be much appreciated.  If your instance has a public 
IP and needs access to ports other than 80 and 443 (that is, http and 
https) then please let me know so that I don't break your setup.