Create own CT template from ISO or VM?

[GastonJ]

Good morning,

I have the need to create my own CT templates, rather than use official templates. A while ago I did find an article and create an Oracle Linux 8 template, which I now use for deploying CT's for databases.

However I lost the guide for creating new templates and find that I need to create my own Oracle Linux 7 template. Any pointers to the guide for creating templates from ISO's or VM's would be appreciated.

Regards, and TIA.

 

[t.lamprecht]

Hi!

I have the need to create my own CT templates, rather than use official templates. A while ago I did find an article and create an Oracle Linux 8 template, which I now use for deploying CT's for databases.

However I lost the guide for creating new templates and find that I need to create my own Oracle Linux 7 template. Any pointers to the guide for creating templates from ISO's or VM's would be appreciated.

Not a complete guide, but a rough overview:

The simplest method would be using an existing Oracle Linux template to create a container and set up your desired base variant and customizations, then either convert that container to a Proxmox VE Guest Template which you can then clone to get new containers with the customizations applied.
The alternative to cloning would be making a backup, and moving the resulting file to the template/cache/ folder of a Proxmox VE storage (e.g., /var/lib/vz/template/cache/ for the "local" storage), then you should be able to use that template if you newly create containers via the CT Create wizard.

 

[LnxBil]

Creating a template from a VM is also straight-forward:

rsync the whole filesystem to a new subfolder, chroot into it, remove kernel and other stuff you don't need in a container and tar the whole thing, put the file in /var/lib/vz/template/cache/. I have done this in the past, yet moved await from containers and do everything directly in a VM. Easier mass-deployment with kickstart, live-migration and better support with original OL kernel. You can also not use ACFS with containers, so you need to stick to VMs.

 

[GastonJ]

Thanks for you advice.

It was this that I used previously. Just retested it and it works.

https://github.com/my5t3ry/machine-to-proxmox-lxc-ct-converter

Install to a VM, then convert using that. It can be used to convert any installation to a CT. Though obviously you wouldn't want to do that if your VM/Machine had any iscsi block volumes attached.

Regards