Build vm image from configuration file

[LuminousXLB]

Hi,

I've just found that there's Packer which can be used to build VM image from a configuration file. It supports Amazon EC2, Google Cloud, Virtual Box, etc.
On the one hand, this may improve the workflow and take one step to continuous integration. On the other hand, it exports ova or ovf which is easier for students to import to Virtual Box.
Please look into the possibility to introduce Packer to this project.

[Tweeks-va]

We use packer at the Cyber Range to make all of our AWS, pre-provisioning images. We have a lot of cyber-range specific cruft in our configs.. but I was planning on at least getting you all a cloud-init template (for provision-time automation, incluoding pre-warming the cloud volume to speed it up/more stable first login). Want me to also ask about our packer config for SEED use?

To give some context.. our packer creation tool starts with AWS AMIs, installs/runs various scripts (pre and post image build), as well as some cyber-range specific stuff (like DNS hackery for *.example.com name space.. that gets executed after provisioning a (more generic) image.

You all want to go over some of this? (zoom meeting?)

[kevin-w-du]

We will definitely look into this in the future. It looks very useful to this project. For now, because the semester is going to start soon, I don't want to make any significant change to the platforms. If any of you is interested in pursuing this, that will be great. I don't know much about Packer. Thanks.

[Tweeks-va]

@LuminousXLB .. where do your work/live (what time zone)? I'm in Virginia USA (working at the Virginia Cyber Range). We offer VA (and US) educators a cloud based VM security training system.. and all our Linux and Windows VMs are based on AWS AMIs (except one vulernable Windows server image).. and out build chain looks sort of like:
AWS-AMI ==> Packer Conf Mgmnt ==> [Base/minmized VM image (AMI)] ==> Produciton provisioning ==> (CloudInit+Support scripts)

If that makes sense.. Let me know if you want to sync up on this while Kevin in busy.

T.Weeks
email - [email protected] (ping be for my zoom room)