vsphere-iso example for CentOS

[dkirrane]

Is there any vsphere-iso example for creating a vm from an ISO and Kickstart file.

[michaelhajjar]

I am currently using the following packer json file for creating centos7 template on vsphere version 6 (with no boot_cmd option, because the API does not support it).

{
  "variables": {
    "vcenter_host": "server",
    "vcenter_user": "user",
    "vcenter_password": "",
    "ssh_user": "user",
    "ssh_password": "password",
    "dc": "domain",
    "cluster": "cluster",
    "network": "network",
    "storage": "datastore",
    "template_dir": "dir",
    "iso_path": "iso",
    "ks_file": "kickstart/ks.cfg",
    "cpu_cores": "2",
    "ram_mb": "4096",
    "disk_size_gb": "50"
  },

  "builders": [
    {
      "type": "vsphere-iso",

      "vcenter_server":      "{{ user `vcenter_host` }}",
      "username":            "{{ user `vcenter_user` }}",
      "password":            "{{ user `vcenter_password` }}",
      "insecure_connection": "true",
      "ssh_username": "{{ user `ssh_user` }}",
      "ssh_password": "{{ user `ssh_password` }}",

      "datacenter": "{{ user `dc` }}",
      "cluster": "{{ user `cluster` }}",
      "network": "{{ user `network` }}",
      "network_card": "vmxnet3",
      "datastore": "{{ user `storage` }}",
      "vm_name": "centos7_base_{{isotime \"2006-01-02\"}}",
      "guest_os_type": "rhel7_64Guest",

      "CPUs":             "{{ user `cpu_cores` }}",
      "RAM":              "{{ user `ram_mb` }}",
      "RAM_reserve_all": true,

      "disk_controller_type":  "pvscsi",
      "disk_size":        "{{ user `disk_size_gb` }}",
      "disk_thin_provisioned": true,
      "folder": "{{ user `template_dir` }}",

      "iso_paths": [
        "{{ user `iso_path` }}"
      ],
      "floppy_files": [
        "{{ user `ks_file` }}"
      ],
      "boot_order": "disk,cdrom",
      "convert_to_template": true
    }
  ],

  "provisioners": [
    {
      "type": "shell",
      "inline": ["rm -rf /etc/yum.repos.d/*"],
      "execute_command": "echo 'root' | {{.Vars}} sudo -S -E bash '{{.Path}}'",
      "pause_before": "10s"
    },

    { 
      "type": "file",
      "source": "repos/",
      "destination": "/etc/yum.repos.d"
    },

    {
      "type": "shell",
      "execute_command": "echo 'root' | {{.Vars}} sudo -S -E bash '{{.Path}}'",
      "script": "scripts/centos7_cleanup.sh",
      "expect_disconnect": "true"
    }
  ]
}

You can also use the boot_cmd option if you have vsphere 6.5, otherwise you can edit the centos7 iso and edit the isolinux.cfg to point to the floppy disk(kickstart file) in this setup.

[dkirrane]

I can create a kickstart ISO that can load automatically without editing the Centos ISO.
Just need to add the ks.cfg into a storage volume named OEMDRV
mkisofs -V OEMDRV -o kickstart.iso ks.cfg

Can an extra CD-ROM device be added for the kickstart ISO? And can Packer remove all CD-ROM devices once install completes?

Must look at the boot_cmd option for 6.5. Could probably just pass boot option inst.ks=<location of ks.cfg>

[sudomateo]

@dkirrane I attempted to use Packer to create a CentOS image with a kickstart.iso created with mkisofs -V OEMDRV -o kickstart.iso ks.cfg successfully. The trick is to attach the kickstart.iso file as a secondary CD/DVD drive using the iso_paths parameter.

My template:

{
  "description": "CentOS 7 Template",
  "variables": {
    "vsphere_username": "{{ env `VSPHERE_USERNAME` }}",
    "vsphere_password": "{{ env `VSPHERE_PASSWORD` }}",
    "vm_name": "centos-7-base-x86_64-1708"
    "vcenter_server": "vcenter.example.com",
    "datacenter": "DATACENTER01",
    "datastore": "DATASTORE01",
    "folder": "Templates/Packer",
    "cluster": "CLUSTER01",
    "iso_paths": "[DATASTORE01] ISO/CentOS-7-x86_64-NetInstall-1708.iso,[DATASTORE01] ISO/kickstart.iso",
  "network": "VM Network"
  },
  "builders": [
    {
      "type": "vsphere-iso",
      "vm_name": "{{ user `vm_name` }}-{{ isotime \"2006-01-02\" }}",
      "vcenter_server": "{{ user `vcenter_server` }}",
      "username": "{{ user `vsphere_username` }}",
      "password": "{{ user `vsphere_password` }}",
      "insecure_connection": "true",
      "datacenter": "{{ user `datacenter` }}",
      "cluster": "{{ user `cluster` }}",
      "folder": "{{ user `folder` }}",
      "datastore": "{{ user `datastore` }}",
      "boot_wait": "30s",
      "boot_order": "disk,cdrom",
      "iso_paths": "{{ user `iso_paths` }}",
      "ssh_username": "root",
      "ssh_password": "packer",
      "CPUs": 1,
      "RAM": 1024,
      "RAM_reserve_all": true,
      "disk_controller_type": "pvscsi",
      "disk_size": 16384,
      "disk_thin_provisioned": true,
      "network": "{{ user `network` }}",
      "network_card": "vmxnet3",
      "guest_os_type": "rhel7_64Guest",
      "convert_to_template": true
    }
  ],
  "provisioners": [
    {
      "type": "shell",
      "only": ["vsphere-iso"],
      "script": "<PATH_TO_SCRIPT>"
    }
  ]
}

[ideologysec]

Packer does IIRC remove all CD-ROM devices when the build is finished, or at least this builder does, but only if you don't convert it to a template.

[dkirrane]

@sudomateo I've used the following steps with govc

1. My kickstart ks.cfg file
   Note the cmdline, poweroff, passed in network info {{}}, services enabled and post install sections were required for me. The rest is pretty standard from a normal manual install.

#version=DEVEL

# Use non-interactive command line mode
cmdline
eula --agreed
logging --level=info
selinux --disabled
firewall --disabled
poweroff

# System authorization information
auth --enableshadow --passalgo=sha512
# Use CDROM installation media
cdrom
# Run the Setup Agent on first boot
firstboot --disabled
# Keyboard layouts
keyboard --vckeymap=gb --xlayouts='gb'
# System language
lang en_GB.UTF-8

# Network information
network --onboot=no --device=link --bootproto=static --ip={{ ip }} --netmask={{ netmask }} --gateway={{ gateway }} --nameserver={{ dns_servers }} --hostname={{ hostname.domain }} --noipv6

# Root password
rootpw --iscrypted XYZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
# System services
services --enabled=NetworkManager,sshd,chronyd
# System timezone
timezone Europe/London --isUtc
# System bootloader configuration
bootloader --location=mbr --boot-drive=sda
autopart --type=lvm
# Partition clearing information
clearpart --none --initlabel

%packages
@^minimal
@core
chrony

%end

%addon com_redhat_kdump --disable --reserve-mb='auto'

%end

%anaconda
pwpolicy root --minlen=6 --minquality=1 --notstrict --nochanges --notempty
pwpolicy user --minlen=6 --minquality=1 --notstrict --nochanges --notempty
pwpolicy luks --minlen=6 --minquality=1 --notstrict --nochanges --notempty
%end

#Post Install
%post --log=/root/ks-post.log
yum install -y epel-release
yum install -y open-vm-tools
yum install -y perl
%end

2. Create kickstart iso
   mkisofs -V OEMDRV -o kickstart.iso ks.cfg

3. Upload CentOS iso. (As downloaded. No changes needed)
   govc datastore.upload CentOS-7-x86_64-Minimal-1708.iso isos/CentoOS.iso

4. Upload kickstart iso
   govc datastore.upload kickstart.iso isos/kickstart.iso

5. Create VM (called MyVM) from CentOS ISO (do not power on, add disk, ram cpu, vlan settings also as required)
   govc vm.create -g=centos64Guest -on=false -iso=isos/CentoOS.iso -iso-datastore=DataStoreXYZ MyVM

6. Add CD-ROM device kickstart iso
   govc device.cdrom.add -vm MyVM

7. Insert kickstart iso into new CD-ROM
   govc device.cdrom.insert -vm MyVM -device {{kickstart_cdrom_device_num_from_step_6}} isos/kickstart.iso

8. Set boot order
   govc device.boot -vm MyVM -delay 1000 -order cdrom,ethernet,disk

9. Power on VM
   govc vm.power -on MyVM

10. Wait for kickstart to complete. At this stage you can follow the automated kickstart install from the vSphere client console
    To wait I retry this command until PowerState == poweredOff
govc vm.info -json MyVM jq -r .VirtualMachines[].Runtime.PowerState

11. Get all CD-ROM devices numbers
    govc device.info -json -vm MyVM cdrom-*

12. Remove all CD-ROM devices from VM
    govc device.remove -vm MyVM {{kickstart_cdrom_device_num_from_step_11}}
govc device.remove -vm MyVM {{centos_cdrom_device_num_from_step_11}}

13. Enable VM UUID
    govc vm.change -vm MyVM -e="disk.enableUUID=1"

14. Convert to template
    govc vm.markastemplate MyVM

[MacFlurry]

Hello,

I followed all the instructions but I still have a problem here:
screen shot
here's my kickstart and packer file.
if someone with a keen eye can tell me where I was wrong:

vphere 6.5
packer json file:

{
    "variables": {
      "vcenter_host": "xxx",
      "vcenter_user": "xxxx",
      "vcenter_password": "xxxx",
      "ssh_user": "xxxx",
      "ssh_password": "xxxxx",
      "dc": "xxxx",
      "cluster": "xxx",
      "network": "xxx",
      "storage": "xxx",
      "ks_file": "ks.cfg",
      "cpu_cores": "1",
      "ram_mb": "1024",
      "disk_size_gb": "30"
    },
  
    "builders": [
      {
        "type": "vsphere-iso",
  
        "vcenter_server":      "{{ user `vcenter_host` }}",
        "username":            "{{ user `vcenter_user` }}",
        "password":            "{{ user `vcenter_password` }}",
        "insecure_connection": "true",
        "ssh_username": "{{ user `ssh_user` }}",
        "ssh_password": "{{ user `ssh_password` }}",
  
        "datacenter": "{{ user `dc` }}",
        "cluster": "{{ user `cluster` }}",
        "network": "{{ user `network` }}",
        "network_card": "vmxnet3",
        "datastore": "{{ user `storage` }}",
        "vm_name": "centos7_test",
        "guest_os_type": "rhel7_64Guest",
  
        "CPUs":             "{{ user `cpu_cores` }}",
        "RAM":              "{{ user `ram_mb` }}",
        "RAM_reserve_all": true,
  
        "disk_controller_type":  "pvscsi",
        "disk_size":        "{{ user `disk_size_gb` }}",
        "disk_thin_provisioned": true,

  
        "iso_paths": [
            "[xxxxxxxxx] upload/CentOS-7-x86_64-Minimal-1810.iso", 
            "[xxxxxxxxx] upload/kickstart.iso"
        ],

        "boot_order": "disk,cdrom"
      }
    ],
  
    "provisioners": [
      {
        "type": "shell",
        "inline": [ "ls /"],
        "execute_command": "echo 'root' | {{.Vars}} sudo -S -E bash '{{.Path}}'",
        "pause_before": "10s"
      }
    ]
  }

kickstart file ks.cfg:

# Basic Configuration
lang en_US
keyboard fr
cmdline
eula --agreed
timezone Europe/Paris --isUtc
rootpw $1$GDX6u2Ls$AZ4Eq5d07tPglQKSYL5j4/ --iscrypted
#platform x86, AMD64, or Intel EM64T
reboot
# Installation
text
cdrom
# BootLoader
bootloader --location=mbr --timeout=10 --append="rhgb quiet crashkernel=auto"
zerombr
# Partition
clearpart --all --initlabel --drives=sda
autopart --type=lvm
# Auth
auth --passalgo=sha512 --useshadow
# Disable selinux & Fw
selinux --disabled
firewall --disabled
# No GUI
skipx
firstboot --disable
# Post installation
%post --nochroot --interpreter=/bin/bash
yum install -y open-vm-tools
systemctl enable vmtoolsd
systemctl start vmtoolsd
yum install -y vim
yum install -y redhat-lsb-core
yum update -y
%end
# Packages
%packages
@^minimal
@core
-fprintd-pam
-rfkill
-rhnsd
-nano
-usbutils
-plymouth
%end

Thanks for your help.

[jason-azze]

Thanks for providing some examples, friends. You saved me a ton of time while getting CentOS 7 working with vSphere 5.5.

I also had to get CentOS 6 working. Here are a few things I learned.

• CentOS 6 doesn't "know" about the OEMDRV label. So mounting a kickstart.iso alongside your installation media so it can automagically be found won't work. Instead I had to make a customized modification of CentOS-6.10-x86_64-bin-DVD1.iso by following the instructions in section "32.9.1. Creating Kickstart Boot Media" in the RHEL 6 installation guide.
• But now you have a new problem -- epel-release and open-vm-tools are not available on DVD1. Fine. You can just yum install them in the %post section of your ks.cfg. Except, /etc/resolv.conf hasn't been set up yet when the %post step runs. So yum doesn't work. After several hours of fiddling with different ideas (including constructing my own, custom "Everything" iso), I decided to construct a temporary /etc/resolv.conf during %post and then run the package installs.

%post --log=/root/ks-post.log
echo "search myinternalnamespace.com" >> /etc/resolv.conf
echo "nameserver 8.8.8.8" >> /etc/resolv.conf
yum install -y epel-release
yum install -y open-vm-tools
service vmtoolsd start
chkconfig vmtoolsd on
%end

Another CentOS 6 quirk if you are copy-and-pasting the examples here.

• CentOS 6 kickstart doesn't understand or need eula --agreed

And extra thanks to @sudomateo for the example up there ^^^. You saved me a ton of time with CentOS 7. But watch our for that "disk_size": 16,. That only gives you 16MB. It had me scratching my head for a bit. :-)

[MacFlurry]

That only gives you 16MB. It had me scratching my head for a bit. :-)

Haha , indeed. that also turned me crazy until I figured out that it was in MB. 😂😂

[MacFlurry]

for vsphere 6.5 I made Packer and Kickstart successfully work for template VM.

[sudomateo]

And extra thanks to @sudomateo for the example up there ^^^. You saved me a ton of time with CentOS 7. But watch our for that "disk_size": 16,. That only gives you 16MB. It had me scratching my head for a bit. :-)

You're very welcome! Haha at the time of my writing, the disk_size parameter was in gigabytes. Sorry for the confusion! I'll edit my response above.

@jason-azze @MacFlurry

[luckyinva]

for vsphere 6.5 I made Packer and Kickstart successfully work for template VM.

@MacFlurry Can you post the code that you go to work?

[MacFlurry]

for vsphere 6.5 I made Packer and Kickstart successfully work for template VM.

@MacFlurry Can you post the code that you go to work?

oh sorry, I've been pretty busy lately. Do you still need the code?

[MacFlurry]

Just in case someone want it:

{
    "variables": {
      "vcenter_host": "{{env `VCENTER_HOST` }}",
      "vcenter_user": "admin_name",
      "vcenter_password": "{{env `VCENTER_PASSWORD` }}",
      "ssh_host": "{{env `SSH_HOST` }}",
      "ssh_port": "22",
      "ssh_user": "root",
      "ssh_password": "put_password_here",
      "vm_name": "vmname_goes_here",
      "dc": "{{env `VCENTER_DATACENTER` }}",
      "cluster": "{{env `VCENTER_CLUSTER` }}",
      "network": "{{env `VCENTER_NETWORK` }}",
      "storage": "{{env `VCENTER_STORAGE` }}",
      "ks_file": "ks.cfg",
      "cpu_cores": "1",
      "ram_mb": "1024",
      "disk_size_mb": "14336"
    },
  
    "builders": [
      {
        "type": "vsphere-iso",
  
        "vcenter_server":      "{{ user `vcenter_host` }}",
        "username":            "{{ user `vcenter_user` }}",
        "password":            "{{ user `vcenter_password` }}",
        "insecure_connection": "true",
        "ssh_username": "{{ user `ssh_user` }}",
        "ssh_password": "{{ user `ssh_password` }}",
        "ssh_timeout": "600s",
        "ssh_port": "{{ user `ssh_port` }}",
        "ssh_host": "{{ user `ssh_host` }}",
  
        "datacenter": "{{ user `dc` }}",
        "cluster": "{{ user `cluster` }}",
        "network": "{{ user `network` }}",
        "network_card": "vmxnet3",
        "datastore": "{{ user `storage` }}",
        "vm_name": "{{ user `vm_name` }}",
        "guest_os_type": "centos7_64Guest",
  
        "CPUs":             "{{ user `cpu_cores` }}",
        "RAM":              "{{ user `ram_mb` }}",
        "RAM_reserve_all": true,
        "convert_to_template": true,
  
        "disk_controller_type":  "pvscsi",
        "disk_size":        "{{ user `disk_size_mb` }}",
        "disk_thin_provisioned": true,

  
        "iso_paths": [
            "[datastore_name] directory/centos_7_original.iso"
        ],

        "floppy_files": [
          "{{template_dir}}/ks.cfg"
        ],
        "boot_wait": "10s",
        "boot_command": "<esc> <wait> linux inst.text inst.ks=hd:fd0:/ks.cfg <enter>"
       }
    ],
  
    "provisioners": [
      {
        "type": "shell",
        "inline": [ "ls /"],
        "execute_command": "echo 'root' | {{.Vars}} sudo -S -E bash '{{.Path}}'",
        "pause_before": "10s"
      }
    ]
  }

[soakes]

@MacFlurry Thanks very much for the snippet, that saves me a little time :)

[MacFlurry]

You're welcomed :-)

[kbcz1989]

inst.ks=hd:fd0:/ks.cfg

This will not work on CentOS 8+. I had to revert to http..

[ideologysec]

@kbcz1989 confirmed. I haven't had a chance to dig into why, but I think either kickstart dropped floppy support or the default vmware/floppy driver isn't included anymore.

[allaboutopensource]

i am able to spin the vm in vmware esxi 6.7 but the build is failing at "Build 'vsphere-iso' errored: Timeout waiting for SSH"

getting an error

“2020/04/10 04:40:05 packer-builder-vsphere-iso plugin: [DEBUG] TCP connection to SSH ip/port failed: dial tcp 10.0.68.221:22: i/o timeout”

i have given the same ssh_username, password what is there in the kickstart file but still the same . ssh_timeout is 5min .

my kickstart file is as below:

Basic Configuration

lang en_US
keyboard fr
cmdline
eula --agreed
timezone Europe/Paris --isUtc
network --onboot yes --device ens192 --bootproto static --ip=10.0.68.221 --netmask=255.255.255.0 --gateway= 10.0.68.1 --nameserver=172.30.0.150 --hostname=centos.local --noipv6
services --enabled=iptables,rsyslog,sshd,NetworkManager
user --groups=wheel --homedir=/home/itops --name=itops --iscrypted --password=$1$c2dnIt5L$UsKvFG/u0Mzh7VBHfOR3c0
rootpw --iscrypted $1$c2dnIt5L$UsKvFG/u0Mzh7VBHfOR3c0
#platform x86, AMD64, or Intel EM64T
reboot

Installation

text
cdrom

BootLoader

bootloader --location=mbr --timeout=10 --append="rhgb quiet crashkernel=auto"
zerombr
sshpw --username root $1$c2dnIt5L$UsKvFG/u0Mzh7VBHfOR3c0 --iscrypted

Partition

clearpart --all --initlabel --drives=sda
autopart --type=lvm

Auth

auth --passalgo=sha512 --useshadow

Disable selinux & Fw

selinux --disabled
firewall --disabled

No GUI

skipx
firstboot --disable

Post installation

%post --nochroot --interpreter=/bin/bash
yum install -y vim
mv /etc/ssh/sshd_config.anaconda /etc/ssh/sshd_config
systemctl start sshd
%end

Packages

%packages
@^minimal
@core
-usbutils
%end
reboot --eject

[kbcz1989]

@allaboutopensource so, installation finishes or not? Do you see the IP address in VSphere?
Can you connect manually to that IP from packer IP?

[allaboutopensource]

i can see the IP address in the vsphere with the login page showing up but i cannot ping the ip address and nor tenlet to 22 port.

[kbcz1989]

That sounds like a network problem. If you install the machine manually and set the same ip, can you then ping/telnet from packer machine?

[allaboutopensource]

i am able to create the vm with manually assigned ip address but it just taking more then 5 minutes to activate the network on it.

one more thing is that when i try to login to the vmware vm console manually with the username and password it says incorrect login.