[one-users] Simplified VM creation?

[Pentium100]

Hi,

I upgraded to 4.2 and the cloud view is quite nice. I modified the user
view to include the easy provisioning (for some reason "create image" does
not work in cloud view, even if I enable it) and now it is pretty much like
it should be - the user can create a persistent image (or clone a provided
one) and set up a VM (either using a provided template or creating his own).

Non persistent images are dangerous - it's almost like using volatile
memory instead of HDD or SSD in a real server - one simple mistake
(clicking shutdown instead of standby/pause) and you now have to restore
the backup. It should not be easy to lose data.


On Thu, Sep 5, 2013 at 12:53 PM, Daniel Molina <dmolina at opennebula.org>wrote:

> Hi,
>
>
> On 4 September 2013 13:30, Pentium100 <pentium100 at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Hello,
>>
>> While trying out OpenNebula, I noticed that the VM creation process is
>> quite inconvenient if I want different VMs (as opposed to scaleout
>> situation).
>>
>> 1. Create the image (upload a new one or copy some other image), set it
>> as persistent (I don't want the VM to disappear if I shut it down).
>> 2. Create a template that uses the image.
>> 3. Finally create a VM from the template. There will only be one VM using
>> that template (because I don't really need two identical VMs).
>>
>> To create 10 virtual servers (all the same "hardware" but different
>> images) I need to repeat steps 1-3 ten times.
>>
>> It would be nice, if there was a way to simplify this. I can think of 3
>> ways to do it:
>>
>> 1. Skip the creation of a template. Create an image then create a VM
>> based on that image.
>> 2. Do not define an image while creating a template. Assign the image
>> when creating the VM.
>>  3. Have some "template" image that gets copied when a VM is created. The
>> copy should be persistent.
>>
>> Is there a way to do it? Non-persistent images behave almost like option
>> 3, but accidentally shutting down a VM would mean data loss.
>>
>> We have quite a few VMs, but they all are used as real servers would be -
>> all have different data (no scaleout) and none can be deleted easily.
>>
>
> In OpenNebula 4.2 we included a new Sunstone cloud view [1] that fits in
> your use case. You create base templates and create a set of images. Then a
> user just have to select a template and an image, both are merged and a new
> vm is created.
>
> You can also use this functionality in the default Sunstone view, but you
> will have to enable it. If this the case just tell and will show you how.
>
> Concerning the persistence of the images, you have 2 options
>   a) Persistent image: The information will be saved after a shutdown
> action, but you can only use it in one vm
>   b) Non persistent image: The information will be lost after a shutdown,
> but you can use other actions that will not finalized the instance. For
> example you can use the undeploy action [2] , it's like a shutdown but the
> instance id, ip, disks.. are kept. You can deploy the vm again using the
> resume action
>
>  Hope this helps
>
> [1] http://opennebula.org/documentation:rel4.2:cloud_view
> [2]
> http://opennebula.org/documentation:rel4.2:vm_guide_2#pausing_vm_instances
>
>
>> --
>>  Join us at OpenNebulaConf2013 <http://opennebulaconf.com/> in Berlin,
>> 24-26 September, 2013
>> --
>> Daniel Molina
>> Project Engineer
>> OpenNebula - The Open Source Solution for Data Center Virtualization
>> www.OpenNebula.org | dmolina at opennebula.org | @OpenNebula
>>
>>
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