Vmware templates with packer

Template automation using packer icm vsphere-iso

Getting Started

setup script to install packer and other requirements:

powershell -file setup.ps1

Use the deployment powershell scripts in deploy-scripts so you get asked for credentials with var files examples located in windows\2019

powershell -file deploy-scripts\deploy-2019-standard
powershell -file deploy-scripts\deploy-2019-core
powershell -file deploy-scripts\deploy-centos-8.ps1
powershell -file deploy-scripts\deploy-ubuntu-20.4.ps1
powershell -file deploy-scripts\deploy-all 

or manual:
(for windows its better to use the deployment script due the autounattend.xml customization)
example ubuntu 20.04 template:

packer build -force --var-file templates\ubuntu\20.4\server-efi.variables.json" \
                     --var-file builders\vsphere-iso\vsphere-iso.variables.json \
                     -var "vcenter_username=username" \
                     -var "vcenter_password=password" \
                     templates\ubuntu\20.4\server-efi.json

EFI windows 2019

For Windows EFI boot without custom image you need to reboot the vm and press a key manually
work around boot delay 70s and the following boot_command :

        "boot_wait": "70s",
        "boot_command": [
          "<tab><wait><enter><wait>",
          "a<wait>a<wait>a<wait>a<wait>a<wait>a<wait>"
        ],

EFI Ubuntu 20.04 seed from packer http server

for ubuntu 20.04 the bootcmds need to be quoted after autoinstall
working efi boot:

"boot_command": [
        "<esc><wait>",
        "<esc><wait>",
        "linux /casper/vmlinuz --- autoinstall ds=\"nocloud-net;seedfrom=http://{{.HTTPIP}}:{{.HTTPPort}}/\"<enter><wait>",
        "initrd /casper/initrd<enter><wait>",
        "boot<enter>"
      ],

EFI Ubuntu 20.04 seed from iso created during deployment

for this an iso creator is needed ,for windows for example mkisofs
the supported commands are: xorriso, mkisofs, hdiutil, oscdimg)

      "boot_command": [
        "<esc><wait>",
        "<esc><wait>",
        "linux /casper/vmlinuz --- autoinstall ds=nocloud;seedfrom=/cidata/",
        "<enter><wait>",
        "initrd /casper/initrd<enter><wait>",
        "boot<enter>"
      ],
      "cd_files": [
      "{{template_dir}}/http/meta-data",
      "{{template_dir}}/http/user-data"
      ],
      "cd_label": "cidata",

EFI Centos 8 kickstart from iso created during deployment

need to specify cdrom device:

"boot_command": ["e<down><down><end><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs>text ks=cdrom:/dev/sr1:/ks.cfg<leftCtrlOn>x<leftCtrlOff>"],
      "cd_files": [
      "{{template_dir}}/http/ks.cfg"
      ],
      "cd_label": "cidata",
      "boot_wait": "3s",

Static ip or custom wsus server settings

static ip or custom wsus settings can be set in the packer var file

  "os_edition": "standard",
  "os_fullname": "name",
  "os_organization": "organization",
  "os_productkey": "",
  "os_static_ip": "",
  "os_default_gw": "",
  "os_dns1": "8.8.8.8",
  "os_dns2": "",
  "os_wsus_server": "https://wsus.example.con",
  "os_wsus_group": "wsus group",

variable files

To get the checksum value of windows iso's:
use powershell get-filehash

To use windows filepath for the iso location use smb:// smb://someserver/share/windows.iso

Linux notes

packer will start a local webserver this must be accessible by the VM so you have to open the port in the local firewall
Or use an iso with label cidata example:

"cd_files": [
  "{{template_dir}}/http/meta-data",
  "{{template_dir}}/http/user-data"
],
"cd_label": "cidata",
"boot_command": [
 "ds=nocloud-net;s=/cidata/",
 

Fix for ubuntu client customization conflict with cloud config: https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/54986 \n https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-Cloud-Assembly/services/Using-and-Managing/GUID-57D5D20B-B613-4BDE-A19F-223719F0BABB.html

Linux client customization issues on VMware

Fix for ubuntu client customization conflict with cloud config:
https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/54986
https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-Cloud-Assembly/services/Using-and-Managing/GUID-57D5D20B-B613-4BDE-A19F-223719F0BABB.html \

example fix in the ubuntu setup script: cleanup.sh
scripted the steps from the vmware kb: \

sudo dpkg-reconfigure cloud-init
sudo sed -i '/users\:/i disable_vmware_customization: true' /etc/cloud/cloud.cfg
sudo sed -i '/\[Unit\]/a After=dbus.service' /lib/systemd/system/open-vm-tools.service
sudo sed -i '/users\:/a disable_vmware_customization: true' /etc/cloud/cloud.cfg
sudo sed -i 's/D \/tmp/\#D \/tmp/' /usr/lib/tmpfiles.d/tmp.config
sudo sed -i 's/Host \*/aPermitRootLogin yes' /usr/lib/tmpfiles.d/tmp.config
echo -e "ubuntu\nubuntu|sudo passwd root"
sudo touch /etc/cloud/cloud-init.disabled
## start cron script
sudo cat >/home/ubuntu/re_init.sh <<EOF
#!/bin/bash
sudo rm -rf /etc/cloud/cloud-init.disabled
sudo cloud-init init
sleep 20
sudo cloud-init modules --mode config
sleep 20
sudo cloud-init modules --mode final
EOF
sudo chmod +x /home/ubuntu/re_init.sh
echo '@reboot ( sleep 90 ; sh /home/ubuntu/re_init.sh )' >> mycron
sudo crontab mycron

Prerequisites

Required for windows: https://github.com/rgl/packer-provisioner-windows-update/releases for the automated installing of windows updates

for ubuntu if not using the packer web server but iso an binary for creating the iso is needed: for windows for example mkisofs , the supported commands are: xorriso, mkisofs, hdiutil, oscdimg)

Packer Issues

More than one disk on the same storage adapter gives :Invalid configuration for device '2' hashicorp/packer#10430

work around use a storage adapter for each disk

Refs

https://github.com/rgl/packer-provisioner-windows-update/releases
https://sourceforge.net/projects/mkisofs-md5/
https://www.packer.io/

Authors

• M van der Ploeg - Initial work - martijn

See also the list of contributors who participated in this project.