IBM Cloud VPC - Build Windows BYOL or Customize Operating Servers
This is a step by step in creating the Windows BYOL or Customized Operating Systems Images under IBM Cloud VPC Infrastructure Custom Image Catalog. These steps will also work customizing the server with IBM provided licenses as well.
All custom images must meet the following requirements：
· Contain a single file or volume.
· Be in qcow2 or vhd format.
· Be cloud-init enabled or bootable by using ESXi kickstart.
· Size doesn't exceed 250 GB.
· The minimum size is 10 GB. For any image that is less than 10 GB, the size is rounded up to 10 GB.
Use Case:
- Creating a golden image with pre-installed applications
- Creating a BYOL (Bring Your Own License) for windows image
The process is simple:
- Customize the Server
- Create the Image in “Custom Image Catalog”
- Export the Custom Image to COS
- Import the Image back to “Custom Image Catalog” as BYOL Image
Steps:
1. Create a New Server in IBM Cloud VPC with catalog Image (Windows Server 2022).
2. Customize the machine-like installing applications or users or directory structures
3. If you plan to bring your own license for your custom image, remove the below 2 lines from the cloudbase-init.conf file (C:\Program Files\Cloudbase Solutions\Cloudbase-Init\conf\cloudbase-init.conf) and save the file. Don't remove any other content from the file.
activate_windows=true
kms_host=kms.adn.networklayer.com:1688
4. Optional - Consider Sysprep the server using Sysprep utility (Server will be shutdown automatically) or else shutdown the server (The new server will contain the same name, which has to be manually fixed)
5. Creating the Image
o Navigate to the Server
a. Click Server Name à Actions – Create Image
b. Enter below parameters
§ Geography - Region
§ Name
§ Resource Group
§ Tags (Optional)
§ Access Management Tags (Optional)
§ Image Source
· Select Virtual server instance boot volume
o Select the Server (Only Server which is shutdown can be selected)
· Locate the Instance and select
§ Image Configuration
§ Resilience & business continuity
§ Click Create Custom Image to start the process
· The process will take a while (approx. 30 mins)
6. Exporting the Image to Cloud Object Storage
o Navigate to Infrastructure à Compute à Images
a. Select Image to export and click “Export”
b. Enter below parameters
§ Export job name (optional)
§ Export file format (QCOW2 or VHD)
§ IBM Cloud Object Storage details or Bucket CRN
· Cloud Instance and Bucket (or Bucket CRN for Bucket CRN option)
· Click “Export Custom Image”
7. Delete this Image (created in Step: 5) from “Custom Image Catalog”
8. Import Image Back to “Custom Image Catalog” Navigate to Infrastructure à Compute à Images
a. Click “Create”
b. Enter below parameters
§ Geography – Region
§ Name
§ Resource Group
§ Tags (Optional)
§ Access Management Tags (Optional)
§ Image Source
· Select Cloud Object Storage
· Locate the Instance and Bucket (or ocate by Image file URL)
· Select the Image Name which was exported in Step:6
§ Select “Operating System” from Drop down
· In this case select “Windows Server”
§ Select “Version”
· For BYOL – Select the version with “-byol” appended on it
· For IBM Cloud provided license – Select the version without “-byol” appended on it
§ Select Encryption (Default Provider Managed)
§ Select “Image configuration” and “Resilience & business continuity” parameters under “Advanced options” options (if any)
9. Create a Server with this Image and verify the cost!