Creating an Image

Scenarios

You can install software and deploy application environments as needed on an ECS and then use the ECS to create a private image. When you use this image to create new ECSs, all the software and environments will be applied to these ECSs automatically. This will avoid repeated ECS configurations and improve environment setup efficiency.

You can create or import a private image.

A private image can be a system disk image, data disk image, full-ECS image, or ISO image.

A system disk image contains an OS and application software for running services. You can use a system disk image to create ECSs and migrate your services to the ECSs.
A data disk image contains only service data. You can use a data disk image to create EVS disks and migrate your service data to the cloud.
A full-ECS image contains all the data of an ECS, including the data on the data disks attached to the ECS. A full-ECS image can be used to rapidly create ECSs with service data.
An ISO image is created from an external ISO image file. It is a special image that can only be used to provision temporary ECSs.

You can create a system disk image, data disk image, or full-ECS image from an existing ECS or import such an image or ISO image. This section describes how to create a private image using different methods.

Constraints

Only running or stopped ECSs can be used to create private images.
Do not perform any operations on the selected ECS or its associated resources during image creation.
Image creation is free of charge, but storage charges will apply. For details, see IMS Billing.

For details about how to create a private image, see Creating a Private Image.

Prerequisites

Before creating an image, ensure that you have completed required configurations.

For details, see How Do I Configure an ECS, BMS, or Image File Before I Use It to Create an Image?

Creating a Private Image on the ECS Console

This section describes how to quickly create a private image for a specified ECS on the ECS console. For more information, see Creating a Private Image on the IMS Console.

Log in to the ECS console and access the ECS list page.
Click in the upper left corner and select a region and project.
Locate the row that contains the target ECS and choose More > Manage Image > Create Image in the Operation column.

Set parameters as prompted.

Table 1 and Table 2 list the parameters in the Image Type and Source and Image Information areas, respectively.

**Table 1** Image type and source
Parameter	Description
Region	Region where the source ECS, BMS, or CBR backup resides. After a private image is created, you can replicate it to another region. For details, see Replicating Images Across Regions.
Type	You can create or import a private image. Create Image: Create a private image from an existing ECS, BMS, or CBR backup. Import Image: Import an image file to create a private image. By default, Create Image is selected. You do not need to change it.
Image Type	If you selected Create Image, the options are System disk image, Full-ECS image, and Data disk image. If you selected Import Image, the options are System disk image, Data disk image, and ISO image. You can select System disk image, Full-ECS image, or Data disk image as needed.
Source	This parameter is available only if you selected Create Image. The options are ECS, BMS, and Cloud Server Backup. ECS: You can select an ECS to create a private image. BMS: This option is available only if Data disk image was selected for Image Type. Select a BMS to create a private image. Cloud Server Backup: This option is available only if Full-ECS image was selected for Image Type. Select a CBR backup to create a private image. By default, ECS is selected. You do not need to change it.

**Table 2** Image information
Parameter	Description
Encryption	This parameter specifies whether the image will be encrypted. The value is provided by the system and cannot be changed. An image created from an unencrypted ECS will not be encrypted. An image created from an encrypted ECS will automatically be encrypted.
Name	Set a name for the image. Only letters, digits, spaces, underscores (_), hyphens (-), and periods (.) are allowed. It cannot start or end with a space.
Enterprise Project	Select an enterprise project from the drop-down list. This parameter is available only if you have enabled enterprise projects or your account is an enterprise account. To enable this function, contact your customer manager. An enterprise project provides central management of cloud resources on a project.
Tag	(Optional) Set a tag key and a tag value for the image to easily identify and manage it.
Description	(Optional) Enter a description of the image.

Read and agree to the agreement, and click Next.
Confirm the settings and click Submit.
Go back to the private image list to check the new system disk image.
The time required to create an image depends on the ECS system disk size, network status, and number of concurrent tasks. An image is created successfully if its status changes to Normal.

Creating a Private Image on the IMS Console

You can create or import a private image.

You can create a private image from an existing ECS, BMS, or CBR backup. Then, you can use this image to create an ECS or a data disk or use it to change the OS of an existing ECS. This way, you can migrate services to the cloud or on the cloud.

**Table 3** Creating a private image from an ECS or an ECS backup
Image Type	Description	Helpful Links
System disk image	Contains an OS and application software on the system disk.	Creating a System Disk Image from an ECS
Data disk image	Contains service data on a data disk.	Creating a Data Disk Image from a Cloud Server
Full-ECS image	Contains data of an entire ECS, that is, an OS and application software on the system disk and service data on data disks.	Creating a Full-ECS Image from an ECS Creating a Full-ECS Image from a CBR Backup

You can import an image file from your local PC or other cloud platforms to Huawei Cloud IMS and register it as a private image. Then, you can use this image to create an ECS or a data disk or use it to change the OS of an existing ECS. This way, you can migrate services to the cloud or between clouds.

The methods for creating a private image from an image file vary depending on the image file format and size.

**Table 4** Creating a private image from an image file
Image File Format	Image File Size	Helpful Links
VMDK, VHD, QCOW2, VHDX, QED, VDI, QCOW, or ZVHD	No larger than 128 GB	Creating a System Disk Image from an Image File Creating a Data Disk Image from an Image File
RAW or ZVHD2	No larger than 1 TB	Fast Import of an Image File Creating a Data Disk Image from an Image File
ISO	No larger than 128 GB	Creating a Windows System Disk Image from an ISO File Creating a Linux System Disk Image from an ISO File

Follow-up Procedure

**Table 5** Using an Image
Operation	Description	Reference
Creating an ECS	You can use a private image to quickly create ECSs with the same OS, applications, and user data, without having to configure these ECSs repeatedly.	Purchasing an ECS Using a Private Image
Changing the OS	If you have selected the wrong image or your service requirements have changed, you can change the image of your ECS.	Changing the OS
Sharing an image	You can share your private images with other users. After accepting a shared image, they can use this image to create the same ECSs.	Sharing Images