Deploying a vm with packer with a static IP

[Ronald Doku]

I am trying to deploy and set a vm using packer and a kickstart file. This packer code:

{
    "builders": [
        {
            "type": "vmware-iso",
            "format": "ovf",
            "vm_name": "PACKERTEST2",
            "iso_url": "http://ftp.riken.jp/Linux/centos/7/isos/x86_64/CentOS-7-x86_64-DVD-1511.iso",
            "iso_checksum": "907e5755f824c5848b9c8efbb484f3cd945e93faa024bad6ba875226f9683b16",
            "iso_checksum_type": "sha256",
            "disk_size": "10240",
            "disk_type_id": "thin",
            "remote_host": "host",
              "remote_datastore": "ds",
              "remote_username": "root",
              "remote_password": "pw",
              "remote_type": "esx5",
            "ssh_username": "root",
            "guest_os_type": "centos-64",
            "ssh_password": "ps",
            "ssh_port": 22,
            "ssh_wait_timeout": "800s",
            "shutdown_command": "shutdown -h now",
            "headless": false,
            "floppy_files": [
                  "kickstart/ks.cfg"
            ],
            "boot_command": "<esc> linux inst.text inst.ks=hd:fd0:/ks.cfg <enter><wait>",
            "boot_wait": "20s",
            "keep_registered": "true",
            "vmx_data": {
                "config.version": 8,
                "virtualHW.version": 8,
                "ethernet0.virtualDev": "vmxnet3",
                "ethernet0.networkName": "VM Network",
                "ethernet0.addressType": "generated",
                "ethernet0.present": "TRUE",
                "ethernet1.virtualDev": "vmxnet3",
                "ethernet1.networkName": "VLAN100",
                "ethernet1.addressType": "generated",
                "ethernet1.present": "TRUE",
                "ethernet0.pciSlotNumber": "9",
                "ethernet1.pciSlotNumber": "224",
                "memsize": "2048",
                "numvcpus": "2",
                "cpuid.coresPerSocket": "1",
                "RemoteDisplay.vnc.enabled": "TRUE",
                "RemoteDisplay.vnc.port":  "5900"

            }
        }
    ]
}


This is the ks.cfg file I have:

# SELinux configuration
selinux --enforcing

# Installation logging level
logging --level=info


# Run the Setup Agent on first boot
firstboot --enable

 # Reboot after installation
 reboot

# System timezone
timezone --isUtc America/Los_Angeles
# Network information
network --activate --bootproto=static --device=eth0 --gateway=8.1.132.254 --netmask=255.255.255.0 --ip= 8.1.132.18 —hostname=myhost.com

# System bootloader configuration
bootloader --append="crashkernel=auto rhgb quiet" --location=mbr --driveorder="sda"

# Partition clearing information
zerombr
clearpart --all  --drives=sda

# Disk partitioning information
part /boot --fstype="ext4" --size=500
part pv.008002 --grow --size=1
volgroup vg_centos --pesize=4096 pv.008002
logvol / --fstype=ext4 --name=lv_root --vgname=vg_centos --grow --size=1024 --maxsize=51200
logvol swap --name=lv_swap --vgname=vg_centos --grow --size=3072 --maxsize=3072

%packages --nobase
@^minimal
@core
kexec-tools

%end
I however keep getting this error when I run it.
=> vmware-iso: Waiting for SSH to become available...
==> vmware-iso: Timeout waiting for SSH.
==> vmware-iso: Stopping virtual machine...
==> vmware-iso: Destroying virtual machine...
Build 'vmware-iso' errored: Timeout waiting for SSH.

Why do I getting this error message? Is it because my code in the ks.cfg file to connect to a static ip address correct? Any thought would be greatly appreciated.

[Rickard von Essen]

I don't see that you modify /etc/sshd_config in your kickstart file to allow root login neither that you set roots password.

If that doesn't help run with PACKER_LOG=1 packer build template.json and gist the output and link here. Or if you have a console access (VMRC/vSphere/ESXi Embedded Host Client) login there and check if the network is up in the VM, you can access the outside world and check if you get any messages in the logs about auth fail etc.

[Alvaro Miranda Aguilera]

Hello, 

on top of the password not being set on the kickstart, please check the name of the interface.

your code is enabling eth0, but in centos7 the names will be different.

ens32 or ens33 usually, check bento as reference.

this:

https://github.com/chef/bento/blob/master/http/centos-7.2/ks.cfg#L5-L6

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[Rjaydee]

Hello Alvaro. Thanks for your reply. eno16780032. this is the device I am using. How do I fix it in my code. I am sorry if this questions seem pretty obvious. i am very new to all of this. i have also attached my current code now. Thanks.

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[Rjaydee]

Hello Richard, I am sorry if this question seems dumb, but I just started learning/uisng a packer a couple of days ago. How do I modify the etc/sshd_config file you're talking about. What is it supposed to contain?

[Rjaydee]

Pleae find attached my modified files

[Rickard von Essen]

1) rootpw "testing" in your ks.cfg must match your "ssh_password": “saint” in packertest.json .

2) You kickstart file must enable root ssh login in /etc/ssh/sshd_config by setting PermitRootLogin yes

The simplest way to do this is probably adding this to your ks.cfg before %end

%post

sed -i 's/.*PermitRootLogin .*/PermitRootLogin yes/' /etc/ssh/sshd_config

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[Rjaydee]

Thank you so much!! I am gonna try it and see if it works.

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[Rjaydee]

So I did what you suggested. You can see attached files. I however keep getting the ssh timeout error. This from the packer log:

2016/09/16 21:48:44 packer: 2016/09/16 21:48:44 opening new ssh session

2016/09/16 21:48:45 packer: 2016/09/16 21:48:45 starting remote command: esxcli --formatter csv network vm list

2016/09/16 21:48:45 packer: 2016/09/16 21:48:45 remote command exited with '0': esxcli --formatter csv network vm list

2016/09/16 21:48:45 packer: 2016/09/16 21:48:45 opening new ssh session

2016/09/16 21:48:45 packer: 2016/09/16 21:48:45 starting remote command: esxcli --formatter csv network vm port list -w 28501321

2016/09/16 21:48:46 packer: 2016/09/16 21:48:46 remote command exited with '0': esxcli --formatter csv network vm port list -w 28501321

2016/09/16 21:48:46 packer: 2016/09/16 21:48:46 [DEBUG] Error getting SSH address: VM network port found, but no IP address

 I just configured a centos vm manually using the same ipaddress, dns, gateway etc..  and it worked. Any thoughts on why this is not working? Thanks

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[Rjaydee]

Hello Alvaro, hope you're having a great day. Can you please take a look at my file, and tell me what's wrong?

Thanks.

On Friday, September 16, 2016 at 4:33:57 PM UTC-7, Alvaro Miranda Aguilera wrote:

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[Rickard von Essen]

Ok then you need to get a console and login and troubleshoot your network. Most likely your network is not properly setup. Is it necessary to have two different nic's?

[Rjaydee]

Thanks again for the reply. You mean this code here might be in correct? 

 "vmx_data": {

                "ethernet0.startConnected":"TRUE",

                "ethernet0.virtualDev": "vmxnet3",

                "ethernet0.networkName": "VM Network",

                "ethernet0.addressType": "generated",

                "ethernet0.present": "TRUE",

                "memsize": "2048",

                "numvcpus": "2" }

I used a template I found online. How would you do it? Just started doing this a few days ago, so I am still learning.

[Rickard von Essen]

In the original config you had both ethernet0 and ethernet1. Using only ethernet0 simplifies things. The below settings seems fair but networkName depends on you specific setup. Basically you need to know that these are right or find out. Automation is only in the way if you are unsure how this works. I would recommend to step back a bit. Try to create a VM on ESXi manually and do a manual install, examine all settings and what works and not. Read some documentation and ask ESXi specific question on such a forum where they will be much more qualified to answer you. Also think about if it wouldn't be sufficient to build on local virtualisation VMware Fusion/Workstation or VirtualBox which is much more straight forward and you can revisit building on ESXi when you got a hang on it. ESXi/vSphere is a very complex product and there lots of thing that can go wrong outside of Packers control. 

[Alvaro Miranda Aguilera]

Hello,

I will suggest slow down a bit.

You should automate something that you know it words and ideally you have done it properly.

We know packer works so is not a packer issues, is "how I do xxx with packer", but the issue in reality is "how do i xxx"

My suggestion will be do this first without packer, and then give a shot to packer, you will learn about the process and you will able to move faster.

1. Manual install

Create a new VM on vmware, put the iso on it, do a instalattion, end with a VM you can login with user and password you want.

2. First try with kickstart

Take /root/anaconda-ks.cfg file as example for an installer, review commented section around disk partition, replace password with a non-scripted one, comment out the current one.

If there is a line that say shutdown in the ks, replace it with reboot.

put this kickstart in some webserver in your network

Create a new VM

map the iso

edit the boot like to add at the end  ks=http://<someserver>/<somepath>/ks.cfg

wait to see if your vm install 100% un-attended, and its waiting for lognin

login with user/pass

shutdown the VM

3. First packer VM

use this kickstart as IS, no extra changes in packer, get a basic VM that does nothing other than install.

When you have a working paker installation move 1 change at the time. 

Alvaro.

[Rjaydee]

Thanks for the advice. I will do that. You've really been helpful. I appreciate it.