Softlayer Servers always created with Hourly Billing (regardless of ex_hourly value)

[r2ronoha]

Summary

Softlayer server are always created as Hourly Billing, regardless of what value (False / True) is passed on the ex_hourly parameter to deploy_server or create_server

Detailed Information

In the create_node method of the Softlayer driver, the ex_hourly parameter is converted to string ('true' / 'false') to forward it in the data to the createObject method of the Softlayer API. Nonetheless, the API is expecting a boolean param, and it is setting the default value (hourly = true), resulting in always creating hourly billed instances.

• Test via libcloud to set Monthly Billing (ex_hourly = False): -- Formatted data: {'domain': 'wandera.com', 'localDiskFlag': 'true', 'maxMemory': '4', 'blockDevices': [{'device': '0', 'diskImage': {'capacity': 100}}], 'networkComponents': [{'maxSpeed': 100}], 'datacenter': {'name': 'tor01'}, 'hourlyBillingFlag': 'false', 'hostname': 'test.example.com', 'startCpus': '2', 'operatingSystemReferenceCode': 'UBUNTU_18_64', 'sshKeys': [{'id': key_id}]} -- Setting: 'hourlyBillingFlag': 'false' -- Result: Server created with Hourly Billing

I did some manual tests directly to the SL API:

• Same format as libcloud: -- Request: curl -X POST --data '{"parameters":[[{"domain":"wandera.com","localDiskFlag":"true","maxMemory":"4","blockDevices":[{"device":"0","diskImage":{"capacity":100}}],"networkComponents":[{"maxSpeed":100}],"datacenter":{"name":"tor01"},"hourlyBillingFlag":"false","hostname":"test.example.com","startCpus":"2","operatingSystemReferenceCode":"UBUNTU_18_64","sshKeys":[{"id":key_id}]}]]}' -u <username>:<api_token> https://api.softlayer.com/rest/v3/SoftLayer_Virtual_Guest/createObjects.json -- Setting: "hourlyBillingFlag": "false" -- Result: Server created with Hourly Billing

• Sent as boolean: -- Request: curl -X POST --data '{"parameters":[[{"domain":"wandera.com","localDiskFlag":"true","maxMemory":"4","blockDevices":[{"device":"0","diskImage":{"capater":{"name":"tor01"},"hourlyBillingFlag":false,"hostname":"test.example.com","startCpus":"2","operatingSystemReferenceCode":"UBUNTU_18_64","sshKeys":[{"id":key_id}]}]]}' -u <username>:<api_token> https://api.softlayer.com/rest/v3/SoftLayer_Virtual_Guest/createObjects.json -- Setting: "hourlyBillingFlag": false -- Result: Server created with Monthly Billing

[Kami]

Just a reference, here is a link to the API doc which shows that the attribute value is indeed a boolean - https://sldn.softlayer.com/reference/services/SoftLayer_Virtual_Guest/createObjects/

[Kami]

And to clarify a thing - Libcloud driver actually still uses XML RPC API and not the JSON one.

Here is how the XML payload looked before your change / fix:

...
<member>
<name>hourlyBillingFlag</name>
<value><string>true</string></value>
</member>
...

And here is how it looks after:

...
<member>
<name>hourlyBillingFlag</name>
<value><boolean>1</boolean></value>
</member>
...

[Kami]

Resolved via #1335.