Make the most of your IBM Cloud VPC images

Images are used to create instances in IBM Cloud VPC. You can choose stock images, custom images, or catalog images depending on your needs.

What are stock images?

A stock image is a base operating system customized for your IBM Cloud VPC environment. Used to deploy virtual or bare metal servers using a variety of architecture types.

These images are set up so you can provision servers right away. All the configuration you need is ready to go so you can deploy your instances quickly and easily. IBM refreshes stock images, but it is also a good idea to apply the latest fixes and packages from each vendor when provisioning instances.

IBM offers a variety of options for you to choose from. Primary OS supported by IBM Cloud VPC are Red Hat Enterprise Linux, Windows Server, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server, Debian, Ubuntu, Rocky Linux, CentOS Stream, and Fedora. See here for more details.

Many of these images come from a variety of vendors, and IBM aligns them with the End of Support (EOS) dates set by each vendor. To manage the lifecycle of images, IBM uses three states for stock images, depending on the stage:

• Available
• Deprecated
• Deprecated

The latest stock images released by IBM are always “available” as long as the vendor continues to support the OS. Older versions are set to “deprecated” status. Stock images that have reached the OS’s end date set by the vendor are set to “outdated” status.

Keep in mind that you can deploy instances using available, deprecated instances, but you cannot deploy new instances using deprecated stock images. For more information about end of support dates, see here.

One of the main benefits of using stock images is that you can deploy instances and immediately use them for whatever task you want. Stock images can also be used as a basis for creating custom images.

Deploy instances using stock images

1. On the Create Instance page, in the Image and Profile section, choose: change image:

2. A side panel will appear with all available stock images to help you select your desired architecture.

3. To stock images In the tab, you can use the filters to enter and select the OS name you are looking for and then click Next. get:

4. The side panel will close and you will see the new stock image selected in the UI.

What is a custom image?

Custom images contain an operating system image with a specific configuration customized by each customer and are used to create virtual servers with their own settings. Custom images may also include additional software such as antivirus, database, or other tools. You can create custom images in two ways: by using an existing instance with a default stock image that you previously customized, or by creating and importing an image on-premises.

Unlike stock images, where IBM is responsible for setting and managing the lifecycle state, each owner is responsible for managing and setting the image state (available, deprecated, or retired) for custom images.

End-of-support (EOS) images are not automatically moved to “deprecated” like stock images, but are subject to the same EOS considerations. Planning the lifecycle of your images allows your company to save time and resources and continue to work toward continuous innovation using the latest OS versions on the market.

One of the benefits of custom images is that you can save your own settings and configurations. You can use custom images to deploy additional instances in the same region, manage their lifecycle, and even use export to deploy instances by importing them to another region.

Create a custom image

1. From the VPC menu, choose: image Then click Next. make:

2. Provide a name for your custom image.

3. You can create a custom image from an existing instance. You must stop your instance before creating a custom image.

4. You can also create a custom image by selecting the boot volume of an existing instance. As with the previous steps, you must stop your instance before creating a custom image.

5. You can also import images from Cloud Object Storage (COS). Images must be stored in a COS bucket. Then select a location and provide information about the underlying operating system you want to import.

6. Another way to get from COS is to provide an image file URL and then specify the underlying OS.

7. Select an encryption type.

8. Optionally, you can manage the lifecycle of your custom images. You can preset a deprecation date, a disposal date, or both by specifying a date or number of days.

Deploying instances using custom images

1. Below Images and Profiles Click Next in the section. change image:

2. After selecting the architecture type custom image Click the tab, select the custom image you need to deploy your instance, and then get:

What are catalog images?

Catalog images (also known as marketplace images from other cloud providers) are existing custom images that you or an IBM partner have placed in a private or public catalog. Each catalog image has a tile in the IBM Cloud catalog. Catalog images can only be used on virtual servers. Bare metal servers are currently not supported.

For corporate accounts, you can use a private catalog to share custom images with other accounts within your company. You can manage access to products for multiple accounts (or selected accounts) while those accounts are within the same enterprise. The only restrictions are that encrypted images cannot be placed in any catalog and the images must be “available”.

When it comes to catalog image lifecycle management, the “Available”, “Deprecated”, and “Obsolete” states are managed at the catalog level. The following are the states that can be set for a catalog:

• The “Available” status of a VPC is “Published/Validated” in the catalog.
• The “Deprecated” status is the same for both VPCs and catalogs.
• A VPC’s “Deprecated” status is “Archived” in the catalog.

IBM partners or ISVs can use the public catalog to share images from the IBM catalog publicly. Public catalog sharing is limited, and partners and ISVs must follow an onboarding process before sharing images publicly.

Currently, IBM partners can only onboard free products. However, future project offerings will also allow us to onboard paid images and get paid based on consumption by other IBM customers, as other cloud providers do in the market.

Deploying instances using catalog images

1. Below Images and Profiles section, selection change image:

2. Below catalog image The tab allows you to select one of the catalog images available for your account.

3. Click get Create an instance.

Learn more

Depending on what you are trying to achieve, we offer different types of images to suit different business needs.

If you want to quickly deploy instances through images, stock images are the best image type. Custom images are ideal for duplicating a configuration or moving it to another region or area. Finally, we recommend using catalog images if you want to use images provided by verified third-party vendors or to share images within your company.

Learn more about IBM Cloud VPC