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Dear Peers,

I’ve recently received three new G9 servers and I’d like to image them remotely using ISO files before creating a Nutanix cluster. The target hypervisor is AHV.

Is it possible to perform remote imaging using ISO files? If so, where can I download the required AHV images, or how can I create a single ISO image suitable for this process?

Any guidance or best practices would be greatly appreciated. Thx Calvin

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Hey Calvin,

Yes this is possible.

You need a phoenix+aos+hypervisor ISO.

Check out this KB 

 https://portal.nutanix.com/page/documents/kbs/details?targetId=kA032000000TUksCAG

 

Be wary though ISO usage with the IPMI/BMC is often really slow so patience is going to be needed.

Other way you could do it is if you a box already in the remote location you could use bare metal foundation imaging to build them.


Thanks, Kcmount.

Unfortunately, bare-metal node imaging isn’t an option for me right now due to the following requirement:

IPv6 must be enabled on the network where the nodes are connected, and IPv6 multicast must be supported.
I reviewed the link you shared—thanks for that. When using Phoenix OS for imaging, does the process prompt you to manually enter the CVM and AHV IP addresses?

Also, is there a detailed manual or guide available for Phoenix imaging?

 

Hey,

I actually think you'd be alright without IPv6 as long as you've set the IPMI/BMC IPs already and had your Foundation machine on the network accessible. IPv6 tends to play in more discovering things and setting their IPs. 

Yep once you make the ISO it'll boot up and ask for IP details - if you've ever used Community Edition it's virtually identical to that. (This is how you'd install community edition where foundation isn't an supported option). It's really straightforward.

Once it's installed on all nodes you can make the cluster up much the same as you would with community edition by running this command on one of the CVMs:

 

cluster -s cvmip1,cvmip2,cvm_ip3 create

 


Oh, I see, that’s really good to know. Thanks a lot!!


No worries :)

Good luck!


Thanks, Kcmount.

Unfortunately, bare-metal node imaging isn’t an option for me right now due to the following requirement:

IPv6 must be enabled on the network where the nodes are connected, and IPv6 multicast must be supported.
I reviewed the link you shared—thanks for that. When using Phoenix OS for imaging, does the process prompt you to manually enter the CVM and AHV IP addresses?

Also, is there a detailed manual or guide available for Phoenix imaging?

 

IPv6 is not needed when running foundation. You can use foundation to install the nodes. 


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