Working with virtual images

Virtual images provide the operating system and product binary files needed to create a virtual system instance.

Before you begin

The IBM® OS Image for Red Hat® Linux® Systems virtual image, for example, is preinstalled on your system. These images can be extended to customize the virtual images and the operating system. You can also use your own operating system and transform it into an image that Cloud Pak System can deploy.

To view a virtual image, you must be granted access to the virtual image or assigned the Workload resources administration with Full permission. See Understanding security roles for Cloud Pak System for more information.

Cloud Pak System supports the following guest operating systems:

RHEL 6.10 (64-bit)
Note: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 is deprecated. If you are using a 6.x image, migrate to 7.x or 8.x.
See the following list:
- In 2.3.3 to 2.3.3.2, the RHEL version is 7.7 (64 bit).
- In 2.3.3.3, the RHEL version is 7.8 (64 bit).
- In 2.3.3.3 Interim Fix 1, the RHEL version is 7.9 (64 bit).
- In 2.3.3.4, the RHEL version is 8.4 (64 bit) and 7.9 (64 bit).
- In 2.3.3.5 and 2.3.3.6, the RHEL version is 8.6 (64 bit) and 7.9 (64 bit).
Windows 2016 (64-bit)
Windows Server 2019 (64-bit)

Important: There are essential services that must run in deployed virtual images. If you modify these services, for example remove a RPM, ensure that the changes do not affect functionality of the image.

Network Restriction: Support of the VMXNET 3 virtual network adapter is limited to 3 addresses or less. For example, you may have the following in the image OVF file which indicates that your image is using the VMXNET 3 virtual network adapter:

<ovf:Item>
  <rasd:AddressOnParent>1</rasd:AddressOnParent>
  <rasd:AutomaticAllocation>true</rasd:AutomaticAllocation>
  <rasd:Caption:>Ethernet adapter on &quot;Network 1&quot;</rasd:Caption>
  <rasd:Connection>Network 1</rasd:Connection>
  <rasd:ElementName>Ethernet adapter on &quot:Network 1&quot;</rasd:ElementName>
  <rasd:InstanceID>7</rasd:InstanceID>
  <rasd:ResourceSubType>Vmxnet3</rasd:ResourceSubType>
  <rasd:ResourceType>10</rasd:ResourceType>
</ovf:Item

If you plan to deploy this image with 4 or more IP addresses, you must modify the OVF file to use a different NIC type. For example:

<ovf:Item>
  <rasd:AddressOnParent>1</rasd:AddressOnParent>
  <rasd:AutomaticAllocation>true</rasd:AutomaticAllocation>
  <rasd:Caption:>Ethernet adapter on &quot;Network 1&quot;</rasd:Caption>
  <rasd:Connection>Network 1</rasd:Connection>
  <rasd:ElementName>Ethernet adapter on &quot:Network 1&quot;</rasd:ElementName>
  <rasd:InstanceID>7</rasd:InstanceID>
  <rasd:ResourceSubType>PCNet32</rasd:ResourceSubType>
  <rasd:ResourceType>10</rasd:ResourceType>
</ovf:Item

Import the new image for use in deployments. Note that all NICs in the OVF file must use the same NIC type.

For Linux

The IBM OS Image for Red Hat Linux Systems, which is preinstalled in the system catalog, uses VMXNET3 as the default NIC type. Therefore, the aforementioned restriction applies to all the deployments that use the virtual image named IBM OS Image for Red Hat Linux Systems for versions of RHEL 6.10 or 7.7, RHEL 6.10 or 7.8 in 2.3.3.3, RHEL 6.10 or 7.9 in 2.3.3.3 Interim Fix 1, RHEL 8.4 and 7.9 in 2.3.3.4, or RHEL 8.6 and 7.9 in 2.3.3.5 and 2.3.3.6 from Catalog or Virtual Images if in 2.3.3.3 or later. For patterns that are deployed through these Linux images, you can add up to only two NICs from Add Add-Ons > Default add NIC (or) DB2 VIP Linux add NIC of the Pattern Builder user interface. These two NICs are in addition to the two default NICs (Management and Data), which are part of the virtual image. If you want to add more than two NICs through add-ons of the Pattern Builder user interface, you must modify the OVF file inside the virtual image OVA file. Specify an NIC type other than VMXNET3, package the OVA file again, re-import into Catalog > Virtual Images or Pattern development > Components > Virtual Images if in 2.3.3.3 or later and deploy the pattern again by using the updated image. Edit the OVF file inside the virtual image OVA as follows.

Export the virtual image OVA file to any server from Catalog > Virtual Images > Export or from Pattern development > Components > Virtual Images > Export if in 2.3.3.3 or later.
Unzip the OVA file by using this command:
tar -xvf MAESTRO_RHEL7_X64.ova

The contents are extracted to the MAESTRO_RHEL7_X64 folder.
Go to the MAESTRO_RHEL7_X64 folder by using this command:
cd MAESTRO_RHEL7_X64

Open the MAESTRO_RHEL7_X64.ovf file and modify the following line and save the changes.

<rasd:ResourceSubType>vmxnet3</rasd:ResourceSubType>

<rasd:ResourceSubType>PCNet32</rasd:ResourceSubType>

Remove the MAESTRO_RHEL7_X64.mf file and any other files that end with an .mf extension.
On the command line, use the following command to repackage the OVA file.
tar -cvf MAESTRO_RHEL7_X64.ova *
Import the OVA file again at Catalog > Virtual Images > Create New > Create by importing an OVA image or at Pattern development > Components > Virtual Images > Create New > Create by importing an OVA image. Provide the remote URL by copying the OVA file to a server, which can be accessed through http or https, to the OVA file that you just re-packaged.

For Windows

Cloud Pak System Software does not ship a default virtual image with default data or Catalog or Virtual Images if in 2.3.3.3 or later. You must create your own virtual image by using the IBM OS Pattern Kit for Windows software, which can be downloaded from the welcome page of the Cloud Pak System Software console. If you want to use more than four NICs for any deployment, do not select VMXNET3 as the NIC adapter type in the base virtual machine of the vCenter server. You must select a different NIC type to support more than four NICs.

Storage Restrictions:

Your image must contain at least one disk image.
You must configure all disks to connect to the virtual machine using a SCSI controller rather than an IDE controller.