Thanks a lot Tim for the thorough explanation. I haven't thought about using a local XenServer to act as the "build host". I'll need to look into getting my hands on some hardware to install XenServer. It's good to know this is an option.
Are there alternative methods out there that can allow one to build Packer artifacts using just a local laptop? Reducing dependencies would be a huge bonus. ---- Hany Fahim VM Farms http://vmfarms.com h...@vmfarms.com 1-866-278-0021 x700 Twitter: @vmfarms On Thu, Sep 10, 2015 at 11:39 AM, Tim Mackey <tmac...@gmail.com> wrote: > Hany, > > It does require a XenServer host, call it a "build host", but that host can > be anywhere including local to you (actually preferable). The "build host" > also doesn't have to even remotely match the capabilities of the hosts in > the CloudStack instance, including things like storage and networking. > > The idea is that you create your VM locally to your specifications, and > then upload it into whatever XenServer backed CloudStack instance you're > using. If you happen to know what you want and can define it in a > kickstart file, then go with xenserver-iso and let it do all the heavy > lifting. If you might need to tweak on stuff, create the VM within > XenServer and do the tweaking, then when you're happy use xenserver-vm to > do all the heavy lifting. There is also an intermediate stage which uses > both paths, but that doesn't sound like it would work for you. > > I'm happy to walk you through this in a bit more detail, either here on the > list or if you want something a bit more interactive, I'm @xenserverarmy on > Twitter > > -tim > > On Thu, Sep 10, 2015 at 11:02 AM, Hany Fahim <h...@vmfarms.com> wrote: > > > Thanks for the quick reply Tim! > > > > I actually stumbled on this project during my research. If my > understanding > > is correct, this requires access to an XenServer host. I unfortunately > only > > have access to the CloudStack API and not the underlying XenServer > > hypervisor. Is it possible to use this tool without access to the > > XenServer? > > > > > > ---- > > Hany Fahim > > VM Farms > > http://vmfarms.com > > h...@vmfarms.com > > 1-866-278-0021 x700 > > Twitter: @vmfarms > > > > On Thu, Sep 10, 2015 at 10:58 AM, Tim Mackey <tmac...@gmail.com> wrote: > > > > > Hany, > > > > > > Take a look at this: https://github.com/xenserverarmy/packer. I > updated > > > it > > > last week for the changes in Packer 0.8.6, and have tested it with > > > XenServer 6.2 and 6.5. Here are the things you might want to know > which > > > I've not updated in the README.MD: > > > > > > - There are two builders, xenserver-iso and xenserver-vm. > xenserver-iso > > > creates an artifact from an ISO (requires a XenServer ISO SR and will > > > automatically download the ISO if not present). xenserver-vm creates > an > > > artifact from a pre-existing VM which could be running. Both builders > > > assume an NFS SR is present (by-product of a limitation in an earlier > > > implementation). I plan on removing that requirement next week. > > > - Any provisioners you wish to define will work, provided they use the > > SSH > > > communicator. I'm still working on the WinRM communicator > > > - There is a cloudstack-xenserver post-processor which will upload the > > VHD > > > artifact to your CloudStack instance. It only requires API access. If > > the > > > CloudStack instance is remote, tell the post-processor to compress, > > > otherwise leave it uncompressed (faster) > > > > > > If you run into problems or have questions, just ask, and I do accept > > pull > > > requests. Since this is your first time with this project, I'm very > > > interested in any "first use" problems such that the README can be > > updated. > > > > > > -tim > > > > > > On Thu, Sep 10, 2015 at 8:30 AM, Hany Fahim <h...@vmfarms.com> wrote: > > > > > > > Hi Folks, > > > > > > > > I’m currently looking into adopting Packer <https://packer.io/> to > > build > > > > images for CloudStack easily. I’ve been looking in packer-cloudstack > > > > <https://github.com/schubergphilis/packer-cloudstack> plugin, but > > > > unfortunately there have been some backwards incompatible changes > made > > to > > > > Packer that prevents this plugin from working. We do not have direct > > > access > > > > to the CloudStack installation we’re working with, and only have the > > API > > > > available to us. > > > > > > > > I’d like to ask the community if anyone else has got Packer to work > in > > > some > > > > form with CloudStack? At the very least, we’re looking for a way for > > > Packer > > > > to produce VHD images that can be imported into CloudStack manually. > > > > > > > > Any help would be appreciated. > > > > > > > > > > > > ---- > > > > Hany Fahim > > > > VM Farms > > > > http://vmfarms.com > > > > h...@vmfarms.com > > > > 1-866-278-0021 x700 > > > > Twitter: @vmfarms > > > > > > > > > >
