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How to Install the Service Catalog Demo

This guide walks you through installing the Service Catalog demo, which demonstrates how to build a self-service portal on top of Infrahub's source of truth system. By the end of this guide, you'll have a working environment where users can request network services through a web interface.

Need help or have questions? Join our Discord community for support!https://discord.gg/opsmill

What you'll achieve​

After completing this installation:

  • Infrahub instance running with network infrastructure data
  • Service Catalog portal accessible for requesting services
  • Demo data loaded including locations, devices, and network resources
  • Git integration configured for infrastructure as code workflows

Prerequisites​

Before you get started, make sure you have these tools installed:

Required software​

  • 🐳 Docker: Container runtime for running Infrahub and its dependencies

    • Docker Desktop for local development
    • Or Docker Engine on a Linux VM for server deployments
    • Minimum 4GB RAM allocated to Docker

  • 🐍 Poetry: Python dependency management tool

    • Install via the official installation guide
    • Used to manage Python packages and virtual environments
    • Version 1.2.0 or higher recommended

System requirements​

  • Operating System: macOS, Linux, or Windows with WSL2
  • Memory: At least 8GB RAM (16GB recommended)
  • Storage: 10GB free disk space
  • Network: Internet connection for downloading dependencies

Installation steps​

Step 1: Clone the repository​

First, download the demo code from GitHub. This repository contains all the necessary configuration files, schemas, and demo data.

git clone https://github.com/opsmill/infrahub-demo-service-catalog.git
cd infrahub-demo-service-catalog
What's in the Repository?

The repository includes:

  • Infrahub schemas defining the data models for network infrastructure
  • Demo data with sample locations, devices, and network resources
  • Service Catalog application built with Streamlit
  • Docker configuration for running all components

Step 2: Configure environment variables​

Set up the connection details for Infrahub. These variables tell the Service Catalog application how to communicate with the Infrahub API.

export INFRAHUB_ADDRESS="http://localhost:8000"
export INFRAHUB_API_TOKEN="06438eb2-8019-4776-878c-0941b1f1d1ec"

Understanding the variables​

  • INFRAHUB_ADDRESS: The URL where Infrahub's API is accessible

    • Default uses localhost:8000 for local development
    • Change this if running Infrahub on a different host or port

  • INFRAHUB_API_TOKEN: Authentication token for API access

    • The demo uses a pre-configured token for convenience
    • In production, use secure token generation and storage

Step 3: Install Python dependencies​

Use Poetry to create a virtual environment and install all required Python packages.

poetry install

This command:

  • Creates an isolated Python virtual environment
  • Installs the Infrahub SDK for API interactions
  • Installs Streamlit for the web portal interface
  • Sets up development tools (pytest, ruff, mypy)
First Time Using Poetry?

Poetry automatically manages virtual environments. All subsequent commands should be run with poetry run prefix to ensure they use the correct environment.

Step 4: Start the application stack​

Launch Infrahub and the Service Catalog using Docker Compose. This single command starts multiple services.

poetry run invoke start
Why Use Invoke?

The invoke start command is a wrapper that:

  • Ensures the correct Docker Compose configuration is used
  • Mounts the service_catalog module into the Infrahub container
  • Starts both Infrahub and the Streamlit application
  • Sets up networking between containers

What gets started​

This command launches:

  • Infrahub Core: The main application server (port 8000)
  • PostgreSQL: Database for storing infrastructure data
  • Redis: Cache and message broker
  • RabbitMQ: Task queue for asynchronous operations
  • Service Catalog: Streamlit web portal (port 8501)

Step 5: Initialize Infrahub with demo data​

Now we'll load the data models (schemas) and populate Infrahub with demo network infrastructure data.

Load the schema definitions​

First, load the schema that defines the data models:

poetry run infrahubctl schema load schemas/ --wait 10

This command:

  • Loads schema definitions from the schemas/ directory
  • Defines models for locations, devices, services, and network resources
  • The --wait 10 flag ensures schemas are fully processed before continuing

Import demo data​

Next, populate Infrahub with sample infrastructure data:

poetry run infrahubctl object load data/

This imports:

  • Locations: Sites like Atlanta, Dallas, Denver, and Seattle
  • Devices: Core switches, edge routers, and customer equipment
  • Network Resources: VLAN pools, IP prefix pools
  • Templates: Device configurations and service definitions
Understanding the Data Model

The demo uses a hierarchical structure:

  • Locations contain devices
  • Devices have interfaces and connections
  • Services allocate resources from pools
  • Everything is version-controlled and auditable

Step 6: Configure Git integration​

Connect the demo repository to Infrahub for infrastructure as code workflows.

poetry run infrahubctl repository add --ref main --read-only infrahub-demo https://github.com/opsmill/infrahub-demo-service-catalog.git

Why Git integration?​

This connection enables:

  • Generator Scripts: Python code that automates service provisioning
  • Configuration Templates: Jinja2 templates for device configurations
  • Schema Evolution: Track changes to data models over time
  • GitOps Workflows: Infrastructure changes through pull requests
About Read-Only Mode

The --read-only flag means:

  • Infrahub can fetch and execute code from the repository
  • Changes in Infrahub won't be pushed back to Git
  • Perfect for demo environments and testing

For production, you'd typically use bidirectional sync to enable full GitOps workflows.

Verify your installation​

Confirm everything is working by accessing both interfaces:

Infrahub web UI​

  • URL: http://localhost:8000
  • Username: admin
  • Password: infrahub
  • What to Check:
    • Navigate to the Schema page to see loaded models
    • Check the Objects page to verify demo data is present
    • Confirm the repository appears under Repositories

Service catalog portal​

  • URL: http://localhost:8501
  • What to Check:
    • Home page displays available services
    • Service request forms are accessible
    • No connection errors appear

Troubleshooting common issues​

Services won't start​

  • Ensure Docker is running and has sufficient resources
  • Check for port conflicts (8000, 8501, 5432, 6379)
  • Run poetry run invoke destroy then poetry run invoke start to reset

Schema load fails​

  • Wait for Infrahub to fully start (check logs with docker compose logs infrahub)
  • Retry the schema load command after 30 seconds

Can't access web interfaces​

  • Verify environment variables are set correctly
  • Check firewall rules if running on a remote server
  • Ensure all containers are running: docker compose ps

Next steps​

Now that your environment is running:

  1. For Users: Follow the user walkthrough to learn how to request services
  2. For Developers: Check the developer walkthrough to understand the architecture
  3. Explore Further: Browse the Infrahub UI to understand the data model and relationships