Getting started with Packer

Packer lets you create virtual machine images with parameters specified in the configuration file. Below, we describe how to create a disk image using Packer.

In this scenario, Packer will create and launch a virtual machine with Debian 9 and nginx web server. Then, it will delete the VM and create an image of its boot disk. After that, the disk will also be deleted.

To create an image:

1. Install Packer
2. Prepare the image configuration
3. Create the image
4. Check the image

If you no longer need the created image, delete it.

Before you start

Before deploying your applications, sign up for Yandex.Cloud and create a billing account:

1. Go to the management console. Then log in to Yandex.Cloud or sign up if don't already have an account.
2. On the billing page, make sure you linked a billing account, and it has the ACTIVE or TRIAL_ACTIVE status. If you don't have a billing account, create one.

If you have an active billing account, you can create or select a folder to run your VM in from the Yandex.Cloud page.

Learn more about clouds and folders.

• Install the Yandex.Cloud command line interface.
• Create a cloud network with one subnet in your folder.
• Get an OAuth token.

Required paid resources

You pay for storing created images (see pricing for Yandex Compute Cloud).

Install Packer

Download and install Packer by following the instructions on the official website.

Prepare the image configuration

1. Get the folder ID by running the yc config list command.
2. Get the subnet ID by running the command yc vpc subnet list.
3. Create a JSON file with any name, like image.json. This will be your template. Enter the following parameters:

{
  "builders": [
    {
      "type":      "yandex",
      "token":     "<OAuth token>",
      "folder_id": "<folder ID>",
      "zone":      "ru-central1-a",

      "image_name":        "debian-9-nginx-{{isotime | clean_resource_name}}",
      "image_family":      "debian-web-server",
      "image_description": "my custom debian with nginx",

      "source_image_family": "debian-9",
      "subnet_id":           "<subnet ID>",
      "use_ipv4_nat":        true,
      "disk_type":           "network-ssd",
      "ssh_username":        "debian"
    }
  ],
  "provisioners": [
    {
      "type": "shell",
      "inline": [
        "echo 'updating APT'",
        "sudo apt-get update -y",
        "sudo apt-get install -y nginx",
        "sudo su -",
        "sudo systemctl enable nginx.service",
        "curl localhost"
      ]
    }
  ]
}

Create the image

Build the image using the template:

$ packer build image.json

Check the image

Make sure the image was created:

1. Go to management console.
2. Open Compute Cloud.
3. Open Images. Check if the new disk image is there.

Delete the created resources

If you no longer need the created image, delete it.

Delete the subnet and cloud network if you created them specifically for this scenario.