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Introduction to updating VM templates

There are two main ways to make sure your users have up-to-date templates in Abiquo:

1. Create a new template from an instance of the old template

2. Update existing template disks

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Update a VM template by creating a new template

To update a VM template :

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as a new template.

1. Deploy a VM from the template, shut it down gracefully, and create an Abiquo instance (as a backup)

2. Update the

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1. VM (e.g. install a new service pack or security patch), then create another instance template

2. Promote the

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1. new instance to a master template,

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1. and change the name to show users that it is a new version. See https://abiquo.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/doc/pages/311371382/Manage+VM+templates#Promote-an-instance-to-a-master-template

2. Copy the new template to

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1. the

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1. catalogue in each of your datacenters (with Duplicate VM template)

2. In each datacenter catalogue, share the VM template to your enterprises (with Scopes)

3. Rename the old VM template or change the description

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1. to show users that it is deprecated

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Updating VM template disk files

You can update VM template disk files. The use case is as follows.

• Upload or download a template

• Use it to create a VM 

• Update the template. Abiquo supports changes to:

  • file content

  • size

  • format (see Template compatibility table)

  • capacity

• Update the disk using the UI or the Appliance manager API 

• When the user next deploys the VM, the platform will copy the updated disk

For instructions:

• for the UI method, see https://abiquo.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/doc/pages/311378488/Modify+VM+template+disks#Replace-a-template-disk

• for the API method, see Upload and replace template disks via API

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Considerations when updating VM templates

When you want to update a VM template, remember:

• You can rename and change descriptions of any VM template (or instance) in the

  appliance library

  catalogue, even if the template is

  being

  used by a virtual appliance in the datacenter (deployed or undeployed)

  .An

• Any user with the appropriate privileges can create an instance of a template

  can be created by any user/enterprise with the appropriate privilege

  , and the instance will be stored in the user’s enterprise

• You cannot remove a master template if there is an instance

  has been created

  in any enterprise. As a cloud admin user, you will need to

  impersonate

  switch to each enterprise and check the repository for instances

• Abiquo will not allow you to overwrite a template, so you cannot download a template from a remote repository to the same datacenter's appliance library more than once
• You cannot delete a template to download a new version

  . Or you can check in the repository file system

• You cannot remove scopes to “unshare” a template if it is being used by any virtual appliance in an enterprise in the datacenter

• You

  cannot 'un-share' a template if it is being used by any virtual appliance in the datacenter

Updating VM Template Disk Files using the Appliance Manager API

In Abiquo 3.6.1+, you can update virtual machine template disk files. The use case is as follows.

• Upload or download a template
• Use it to create a virtual machine 
• Update the template. Abiquo supports changes to:
  
  • file content
  • size
  • format
    
    • see Template Compatibility Table
  • capacity
• Update the disk using the Appliance manager API 
• When the user next deploys the virtual machine, the platform will copy the updated disk

Please contact Abiquo Support for further information.

Changing VM Template Files on the Filesystem

Changing the virtual disks of a template on the NFS filesystem, such as replacing a VMDK file in the NFS repository, is not recommended. This is because you would also need to correctly update fields such as ''virtualimage.diskFileSize'' in the underlying Abiquo database. Changes to the Abiquo database are not recommended or supported by Abiquo. The OVF information may also need to be updated if you change the underlying virtual disk because sometimes this information may be required to maintain platform coherence.

User Interface Error Messages for Templates

These are the user interface error messages that will be generated if you attempt to delete templates or instance that are 'in use':

• VIMAGE-7 - The requested virtual machine template is a master template; master templates cannot be deleted
• VIMAGE-10 - The Virtual Machine Template is being used by Virtual Machines and cannot be deleted
• VIMAGE-11 - The Virtual Machine Template is being used by Virtual Machines and cannot be modified to not shared

  can remove a template disk from the filesystem to make the template Unavailable to users. If you later replace the template disk with the exact same disk, then the template will become available again

• When you make a shared template unavailable, other enterprises cannot deploy it, but it may not be marked as unavailable in the catalogue of other enterprises until you refresh your catalogue.

• You can update a template disk using the UI or API, and as part of this process, you will update the template definition in Abiquo. Follow the instructions for the Abiquo UI or API. After you update a template disk, users will deploy VMs with the new disks