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{{admon/note|  This page is about planning and organizing work on Fedora Server VM images.
{{admon/note|  There is no VM image here nor a guide how to create or get one. | This page is about planning and organizing work on Fedora Server VM images.
}}
}}
This page is intended to organize and structure the discussion about providing a Fedora Server Edition virtual machine image. It is used as a kind of (simple) content federation tool. We specify items to discuss here, discuss on mailing list or IRC meetings and bring their results together here. 


== Goal ==
== Goal ==
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== Cloud Base Image as VM in Fedora Server Edition ==
== Cloud Base Image as VM in Fedora Server Edition ==


The idea was raised by Matthew Miller in the December 2020 "Reboot" meeting [1] and found its way into the first draft of a revised Fedora Server Edition Product Requirement Document (Server PRD). In March 2021 pboy published an article in Fedora Magazine exploring the use of Cloud Images as VM in Fedora Server Edition [2]. Its conclusion: "... while the use of Fedora Cloud Base Images comes with some inconveniences and suffers from shortcomings in documentation, Fedora Cloud Base images and virt-install version 3 is a great combination for quickly and efficiently creating virtual machines for Fedora Server". Based on this finding, it seems worthwhile to explore and implement cooperation and possibly better mutual alignment, as discussed on the March 3, 2021 IRC meeting [3].
The idea was raised by Matthew Miller in the December 2020 "Reboot" meeting <ref>[https://meetbot.fedoraproject.org/teams/serversig/serversig.2020-12-16-18.00.log.html], <mattdm> Also, I want to throw out my long-standing thing for anyone to pick up: merging in the Cloud Base image so it's basically just an alternate deploy of server.</ref> and found its way into the first draft of a revised Fedora Server Edition Product Requirement Document (Server PRD). In March 2021 pboy published an article in Fedora Magazine exploring the use of Cloud Images as VM in Fedora Server Edition <ref>[https://fedoramagazine.org/setting-up-a-vm-on-fedora-server-using-cloud-images-and-virt-install-version-3/], Setting up a VM on Fedora Server using Cloud Images and virt-install version 3</ref>. Its conclusion: "... while the use of Fedora Cloud Base Images comes with some inconveniences and suffers from shortcomings in documentation, Fedora Cloud Base images and virt-install version 3 is a great combination for quickly and efficiently creating virtual machines for Fedora Server". Based on this finding, it seems worthwhile to explore and implement cooperation and possibly better mutual alignment, as discussed on the March 3, 2021 IRC meeting <ref>[https://meetbot.fedoraproject.org/fedora-meeting/2021-03-03/fedora-server.2021-03-03-18.04.log.html], https://meetbot.fedoraproject.org/fedora-meeting/2021-03-03/fedora-server.2021-03-03-18.04.log.html 18:25:38 et seq.</ref>.


In contrast to this, Cloud Image WG members see signifikant factual differences between the runtime environments that a Fedora server as a Cloud Image does not make sense. „Fedora Cloud was never set up as a "Fedora Server" lookalike in the first place. That's why it's a distinct Edition. ... If you want to do an "easy" Fedora Server as a VM on classical KVM hosts, you're probably better off with using virt-install... Setting up Fedora Cloud images on regular KVM hosts is a pain and not the intended use-case. [4]. Additionally, interest in cooperation is on the part of Cloud WG members very weak at best. And discussions should preferably cover technical features and implementations.  
In contrast to this, Cloud Image WG members see significant factual differences between the runtime environments that a Fedora server as a Cloud Image does not make sense. Fedora Cloud was never set up as a "Fedora Server" lookalike in the first place. That's why it's a distinct Edition. ... If you want to do an "easy" Fedora Server as a VM on classical KVM hosts, you're probably better off with using virt-install... Setting up Fedora Cloud images on regular KVM hosts is a pain and not the intended use-case. <ref>[https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/devel@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/XS5I4YTTPE45ICCU2OH2AVOZFTCREBUT/], Neal Gompa on the devel mailing-list</ref>. Additionally, interest in cooperation on the part of Cloud WG members is very weak at best. And discussions should preferably cover technical features and implementations.


=== Resume as of June 2021 ===
=== Resume as of June 2021 ===
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== Alternative Fedora Server VM image provider ==
== Alternative Fedora Server VM image provider ==


As a probably second best solution, we should for an an alternative VM image provider.  
As a probably second best solution, we may look for a cooperation with an alternative VM image provider.  


=== virt builder ===
* Is intending to install Fedora Server
* Cockpit not installed
* No LVM based storage organization, flat XFS partitions instead (just to mention it, may be appropriate)
* Strange partitioning: A dedicated partition with XFS file system for root and a dedicated partition with XFS filesystem for /boot, which is not required in this case.
* GPT partition label
=== oz install ===
* Seems to be outdated




== References ==
== References ==


[1] <mattdm> Also, I want to throw out my long-standing thing for anyone to pick up: merging in the Cloud Base image so it's basically just an alternate deploy of server (https://meetbot.fedoraproject.org/teams/serversig/serversig.2020-12-16-18.00.log.html 18:52:23)
<references />
 
[2] Setting up a VM on Fedora Server using Cloud Images and virt-install version 3 (https://fedoramagazine.org/setting-up-a-vm-on-fedora-server-using-cloud-images-and-virt-install-version-3/)
 
[3] https://meetbot.fedoraproject.org/fedora-meeting/2021-03-03/fedora-server.2021-03-03-18.04.log.html 18:25:38 et seq.
 
[4] [4] Neal Gompa: https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/devel@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/XS5I4YTTPE45ICCU2OH2AVOZFTCREBUT/

Revision as of 16:05, 12 June 2021

Note.png
There is no VM image here nor a guide how to create or get one.
This page is about planning and organizing work on Fedora Server VM images.

This page is intended to organize and structure the discussion about providing a Fedora Server Edition virtual machine image. It is used as a kind of (simple) content federation tool. We specify items to discuss here, discuss on mailing list or IRC meetings and bring their results together here.

Goal

The setup and use of Fedora Server Edition as a virtual machine within a Fedora Server installation needs to be simplified and facilitated. As far as possible, the virtual machine should have the same features and capabilities for users and system administrators as a bare-metal installation, i.e. as similar a 'user experience' as possible. Above all, the same procedures for installation and configuration should be available, e.g. Ansible playbooks.

Cloud Base Image as VM in Fedora Server Edition

The idea was raised by Matthew Miller in the December 2020 "Reboot" meeting [1] and found its way into the first draft of a revised Fedora Server Edition Product Requirement Document (Server PRD). In March 2021 pboy published an article in Fedora Magazine exploring the use of Cloud Images as VM in Fedora Server Edition [2]. Its conclusion: "... while the use of Fedora Cloud Base Images comes with some inconveniences and suffers from shortcomings in documentation, Fedora Cloud Base images and virt-install version 3 is a great combination for quickly and efficiently creating virtual machines for Fedora Server". Based on this finding, it seems worthwhile to explore and implement cooperation and possibly better mutual alignment, as discussed on the March 3, 2021 IRC meeting [3].

In contrast to this, Cloud Image WG members see significant factual differences between the runtime environments that a Fedora server as a Cloud Image does not make sense. Fedora Cloud was never set up as a "Fedora Server" lookalike in the first place. That's why it's a distinct Edition. ... If you want to do an "easy" Fedora Server as a VM on classical KVM hosts, you're probably better off with using virt-install... Setting up Fedora Cloud images on regular KVM hosts is a pain and not the intended use-case. [4]. Additionally, interest in cooperation on the part of Cloud WG members is very weak at best. And discussions should preferably cover technical features and implementations.

Resume as of June 2021

After 6 months, this idea has to be assessed as unrealisable. There is a lack of any preconditions for the implementation or realisation of such a plan. Such differences cannot be overcome.

Alternative Fedora Server VM image provider

As a probably second best solution, we may look for a cooperation with an alternative VM image provider.

virt builder

  • Is intending to install Fedora Server
  • Cockpit not installed
  • No LVM based storage organization, flat XFS partitions instead (just to mention it, may be appropriate)
  • Strange partitioning: A dedicated partition with XFS file system for root and a dedicated partition with XFS filesystem for /boot, which is not required in this case.
  • GPT partition label

oz install

  • Seems to be outdated


References

  1. [1], <mattdm> Also, I want to throw out my long-standing thing for anyone to pick up: merging in the Cloud Base image so it's basically just an alternate deploy of server.
  2. [2], Setting up a VM on Fedora Server using Cloud Images and virt-install version 3
  3. [3], https://meetbot.fedoraproject.org/fedora-meeting/2021-03-03/fedora-server.2021-03-03-18.04.log.html 18:25:38 et seq.
  4. [4], Neal Gompa on the devel mailing-list