--- title: About the machine life-cycle description: Canonical makes open source secure, reliable and easy to use, providing support for Ubuntu and a portfolio of enterprise-grade technologies. Founded in 2004, Canonical operates globally with team members in over 80 countries. url: https://canonical-com-2934.demos.haus/maas/docs/about-the-machine-life-cycle?format=md --- *Submit* # About the machine life-cycle Once MAAS has discovered a machine, it begins a structured life-cycle that reflects the real stages of bringing hardware into service, operating it, and eventually returning it to the pool. Understanding this flow is essential to managing machines effectively. ## [Enlistment: when MAAS first meets a machine](https://canonical-com-2934.demos.haus/maas/docs/about-the-machine-life-cycle?format=md#p-17317-enlistment-when-maas-first-meets-a-machine) When a machine is configured to network boot (PXE/iPXE) on a subnet controlled by MAAS, it will contact MAAS during boot. MAAS responds with a small ephemeral image, boots the machine, and records its basic identity (MAC address, architecture). At this point the machine appears in MAAS with the state: * New – visible to admins, but not yet trusted for workloads. Admins can also manually add machines. In that case MAAS skips the “new” stage and immediately commissions them. ## [Commissioning: gathering the details](https://canonical-com-2934.demos.haus/maas/docs/about-the-machine-life-cycle?format=md#p-17317-commissioning-gathering-the-details) Commissioning turns a “new” machine into a usable one. MAAS: * Boots the machine into an ephemeral Ubuntu image. * Runs hardware probes to detect CPU, RAM, storage, and network devices. * Applies baseline configuration (firmware settings, power parameters). * Runs optional hardware tests to confirm the machine is healthy. Outcomes: * Commissioning – while the process is in progress. * Failed – if MAAS cannot complete commissioning or if tests fail. * Ready – if the machine passes. At this point MAAS has a complete hardware inventory for scheduling and can deploy the machine. ## [Allocation and ownership](https://canonical-com-2934.demos.haus/maas/docs/about-the-machine-life-cycle?format=md#p-17317-allocation-and-ownership) To prevent conflicts in multi-user environments, machines must be allocated before they can be deployed: * Allocated – a “ready” machine has been reserved by a user or project. Other users can’t deploy it until it’s released. Allocation does not change the machine’s state on the wire — it still sits idle — but it locks the record in MAAS for one user. ## [Deployment: making the machine useful](https://canonical-com-2934.demos.haus/maas/docs/about-the-machine-life-cycle?format=md#p-17317-deployment-making-the-machine-useful) When the user initiates deployment: 1. MAAS powers on the allocated machine. 2. It boots via PXE and installs the chosen operating system and user data (via `cloud-init`). 3. MAAS reboots the machine into the new OS and hands control to the user. The states: * Deploying – installation is in progress. * Deployed – installation succeeded; the machine is running in the chosen OS. From here, the machine is fully usable as a server. ## [Releasing: returning to the pool](https://canonical-com-2934.demos.haus/maas/docs/about-the-machine-life-cycle?format=md#p-17317-releasing-returning-to-the-pool) When the workload is finished, a machine can be released: * Releasing – MAAS is wiping the disks (if secure erase options are selected). * Ready – once released, the machine is idle again and available for others to allocate. Disk erasure ensures sensitive data isn’t passed to the next user. ## [Exceptional and maintenance states](https://canonical-com-2934.demos.haus/maas/docs/about-the-machine-life-cycle?format=md#p-17317-exceptional-and-maintenance-states) Some states occur outside the normal cycle: * Rescue mode – boots the machine into an ephemeral environment for troubleshooting. Useful if an OS won’t boot or if you need to repair storage. * Broken – an admin can mark a machine as broken when it has hardware issues; it cannot be deployed until repaired and recommissioned. * Failed – an automatic state assigned when commissioning or deployment did not succeed. Machines must be recommissioned before use. ## [Advanced features](https://canonical-com-2934.demos.haus/maas/docs/about-the-machine-life-cycle?format=md#p-17317-advanced-features) * Cloning configurations (3.1+): admins can copy storage and network layouts from one machine to others, provided their hardware is compatible. * Adding live machines (3.1+): MAAS can import machines that are already running workloads. These appear as “deployed” immediately, bypassing the usual commissioning sequence. ## [Key takeaway](https://canonical-com-2934.demos.haus/maas/docs/about-the-machine-life-cycle?format=md#p-17317-key-takeaway) The life-cycle is MAAS’s way of mirroring the real operational journey of a server: New → Commissioning → Ready → Allocated → Deploying → Deployed → Releasing → Ready again. Understanding the transitions — what MAAS is doing, what the admin can do, and what failures mean — lets you manage machines with confidence and keep your fleet healthy. ## [Next steps](https://canonical-com-2934.demos.haus/maas/docs/about-the-machine-life-cycle?format=md#p-17317-next-steps) * Dig into [the commissioning process](https://canonical.com/maas/docs/about-commissioning-machines) to understand the kinds of hardware knowledge MAAS needs to deploy a machine successfully. * Take a deep dive into [machine deployment](https://canonical.com/maas/docs/about-deploying-machines); this is how MAAS provisions machines to run workloads. --- [Previous Machine basics](https://canonical-com-2934.demos.haus/maas/docs/about-machine-basics) [Next Commissioning machines](https://canonical-com-2934.demos.haus/maas/docs/about-commissioning-machines) Last updated a year ago. [Help improve this document in the forum](https://discourse.maas.io/t/about-the-machine-life-cycle/7847).