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Labs

Using Packer to Create an AWS AMI

Packer lets us create machine images for a variety of platforms through code. A Packer template requires at least a builder and a communicator to provision an image. In this lab, we'll create an AWS machine image using the `amazon-ebs` builder and `ssh` communicator.

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Path Info

Level
Clock icon Intermediate
Duration
Clock icon 30m
Published
Clock icon Oct 02, 2020

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Table of Contents

  1. Challenge

    Locate a Usable Source Image

    1. Log in to the AWS Management Console, and navigate to EC2 > AMIs.
    2. Filter by Owner: Amazon images and Platform: Amazon Linux. You may additionally search for platform type (hvm), or perform any additional filtering you deem necessary.
    3. Look at the Source cell, and note how the source name is written.

  2. Challenge

    Create the Packer Template

    1. Create a directory to store your templates.
    2. Create the Packer file.
    3. Begin the template, creating a variables object with variables for the access key, secret key, subnet ID, and security group.

  3. Challenge

    Test the Template

    1. Update the variables in the template based on the information provided by the hands-on lab, and then save and exit the JSON file.
    2. Validate the template.
    3. Run the build.
A Cloud Guru - Labs - Using Packer to Create an AWS AMI
Author
A Cloud Guru

The Cloud Content team comprises subject matter experts hyper focused on services offered by the leading cloud vendors (AWS, GCP, and Azure), as well as cloud-related technologies such as Linux and DevOps. The team is thrilled to share their knowledge to help you build modern tech solutions from the ground up, secure and optimize your environments, and so much more!

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