Adding Packet Hosts


Rancher supports provisioning Packet hosts using docker machine.

Finding Packet Credentials

In order to launch a Packet host, you’ll need an API Key. Log in to your Packet account.

  1. Navigate to the api-key page. If you haven’t created an api key, you’ll need to add one.

  2. In the new api key screen, you’ll put in a description (e.g. Rancher) and click Generate.

  3. The newly created Token will be visible for you to copy and use in Rancher.

Launching Packet Host(s)

Now that we’ve found our Token, we are ready to launch our Packet host(s). Under the Infrastructure -> Hosts tab, click Add Host. Select the Packet icon.

  1. Select the number of hosts you want to launch using the slider.
  2. Provide a Name and if desired, Description for the host.
  3. Provide the API Key that you have created from your Packet account.
  4. Provide the Project that you want the host to be launched. This project is found in your Packet account.
  5. Select the Image. Whatever docker machine supports for Packet is also supported by Rancher.
  6. Select the Size of the image.
  7. Select the Region that you want to launch in.
  8. (Optional) Add labels to hosts to help organize your hosts and to schedule services/load balancers or to program external DNS records using an IP other than the host IP.
  9. (Optional) Customize your docker-machine create command with Docker engine options.
  10. When complete, click Create.

Once you click on create, Rancher will create the Packet and launch the rancher-agent container. In a minute or two, the host will be active and available for services.