Create or clone an image template
An image template stores the list of layers to include in the layered images that you publish. From a single template, you can publish as many layered images as you need to provision systems in a particular location.
Once you create an image template from scratch, you can clone the template to quickly create a set of templates that have the same settings.
When you upgrade the software in an App or Platform layer, you then update your image templates to use the new layer version. To deliver the new layer version to users, you can republish your layered images and use the updated images to provision your systems.
Requirements
To create an image template, use
-
OS layer
-
Platform layer (Optional)
Important:
If using the Platform layer, it must have the same hardware settings as the OS layer. You choose these settings when deploying the virtual machine for the OS and Platform layers.
-
App layers (Optional)
- You don’t need to include App layers when you create an image template.
- You can add App layers to an image template and then republish your layered images at any time.
You can create an image template without App layers. This is useful for testing your OS layer before using it to create App layers.
Create an image template from scratch
To create an image template:
-
In the App Layering management console, select the Images module, then click Create Template.
-
Enter a Name for the template and notes in the Description field (optional), so you can identify the template when choosing one for publishing a layered image.
-
Select one of the Available OS Layers. If there is more than one layer version, the most recent version is selected by default. You can select an older version from the drop-down menu.
-
(Optional) Select the App Layers > Edit Selection that you want to include in the layered images that you publish using this template.
-
(Optional) Select a Platform layer with the tools and hardware settings for the required image target.
-
Choose a Connector Configuration for the platform where you are creating this layer. If the configuration you need isn’t listed, you must create the connector configuration from the Connectors page.
-
Edit the following fields, as needed:
- Layered Image Disk File name (Auto-populated): The name for the layered image disk is auto-populated from the template name.
- Defragmented Layered Image Disk: When enabled, the layered image disk will be defragmented. This option is available for Offload Compositing connectors only.
- Layered Image Partition Size: The default disk size of 100 GB is recommended.
- Layered Image Disk Format: The default disk format is VHD, but you can also select VMDK or QCOW2. If you are publishing to the appliance’s File Share instead of using a connector configuration, this setting allows you to choose a disk format compatible with the environment to which you are copying the disk.
-
Sysprep: The options available depend upon the hypervisor or Provisioning Service specified in your connector configuration:
- Azure, Hyper-V, XenServer, Nutanix, vSphere: Defaults to Generalized Offline. (For Azure, this is the only option.)
- Machine creation, Citrix Provisioning, View: Not generalized is the only option for Machine creation, Citrix Provisioning, and View running on any of the hypervisors.
- File Share: Defaults to Not generalized, if using a File Share instead of a connector configuration.
- Elastic Layering: Select the Application Layering option to activate Elastic Layering on this layered image.
- User Layer: When enabled in System Settings, you can select Full User layers (Labs), Office 365 (desktop), or Session Office 365 (server OS) option. Choose the Full option to save the settings and data for users independent of specific applications. Choose Office 365 or Session Office 365 to save the settings and data for Outlook 365 running on a desktop system or a session host.
-
Select Confirm and Complete, and enter any comments you would like for this layer.
-
Click Create Template to save your changes, or Create Template and Publish to save the template and then publish the layered images.
The new template icon appears in the Images module.
Clone an image template
You can create a copy of an image template by cloning it. Each clone is a stand-alone copy of the original. The audit history shows that the template was cloned “Created (Cloned),” and indicates which image it was cloned from, “Cloned from template-name.”
The first clone is named the same as the original template, with “ - Copy” appended to it. Each subsequent clone has “ - CopyN” appended instead, where N is an incrementing sequence number. The sequence number is incremented to the first available number, rather than the number after the last one already in use. The maximum number is 1000.
To clone an image template:
- In the App Layering management console, select the Images module.
- In the Images module, select an image template, and click Clone on the Action bar or popup menu. A copy of the template is created with “ - Copy (1)” appended to the name.
You can rename and edit the clone for your purposes.
Next step
You can now use the image template to Publish layered images from image template