Google Cloud Create VM instance with Disk Image

Step-01: Introduction¶

An image is a replica of a disk that contains the applications and operating system needed to start a VM.
You can create custom images or use public images pre-configured with Linux or Windows
Understand Compute Engine -> Storage -> Disks
VM Boot Disk can be created using
Public Images
Custom Images
Snapshots
Existing Disks
Create a Disk Image from any of the existing VM Disk
Create VM Instance with Disk Image

Step-02: Explore currently available Images in GCP¶

Go to Compute Engine -> Storage -> Images
Review Disk images on GCP

Step-03: Create VM Instance¶

# Create VM Instance
gcloud compute instances create demo8-vm1 \
  --zone=us-central1-a \
  --machine-type=e2-micro \
  --network-interface=subnet=default \
  --tags=http-server \
  --metadata-from-file=startup-script=webserver-install.sh 

# List Compute Instances
gcloud compute instances list   
gcloud compute instances list --filter='name:demo8-vm1'

# Access via Browser or curl
curl http://<external-ip-address>
http://<external-ip-address>

# Stop VM Instance (To create disk image)
gcloud compute instances stop demo8-vm1 --zone=us-central1-a
gcloud compute instances list --filter='name:demo8-vm1'

Step-04: Create Disk Image¶

Option-1: Go to Compute Engine -> Storage -> Disks -> demo8-vm1 -> Actions -> Create Image
Option-2: Go to Compute Engine -> Storage -> Images -> Create Image
Name: demo8-vm1-disk-image-v1
Source: Disk
Source Disk: demo8-vm1
Location: Multi-regional (United States)
Family: mynginx-apps
Description: empty (leave to defaults)
Labels: environment=dev, business-tier=hr
Encryption: Google-managed key

Click on Create

# Create Disk Image from a Disk
gcloud compute images create demo8-vm1-disk-image-v1 \
    --project=gcplearn9 \
    --family=mynginx-apps \
    --source-disk=demo8-vm1 \
    --source-disk-zone=us-central1-a \
    --storage-location=us

# List Disk Images
gcloud compute images list --filter='name:demo8-vm1-disk-image-v1'

Step-05: Review Disk Image Properties¶

Go to Compute Engine -> Storage -> Images -> demo8-vm1-disk-image-v1
Review Disk Image Properties

Step-06: Create VM Instance from Disk Image¶

Go to Compute Engine -> Storage -> Images -> demo8-vm1-disk-image-v1
Click on CREATE INSTANCE
Name: demo8-vm2-from-disk-image
Labels: environment: dev
Region: us-central1
Zone: us-central1-a
Machine Family:
Series: E2
Machine Type: e2-micro
Availability policies:
VM provisioning model: Standard
Display Device: unchecked (leave to default)
Confidential VM Service: unchecked (leave to default)
Container: unchecked (leave to default)
Boot Disk: Custom Image
Name: demo8-vm1-disk-image-v1
Boot Disk Type: New Balanced Persistent Disk
Size (GB): 10
Image: demo8-vm1-disk-image-v1
Identity and API Access:
Service Account: Compute Engine default Service Account
Access Scopes: Allow default Access
Firewall
Allow HTTP Traffic
Advanced Options: LEAVE TO DEFAULTS
Click on Create

KEY OBSERVATION: We didn't pass any Startup Script here to install Webserver, but newly created VM instance will have the webserver.

# Create VM Instance from a Disk Image
gcloud compute instances create demo8-vm2-from-disk-image \
    --project=gcplearn9 \
    --zone=us-central1-a \
    --machine-type=e2-micro \
    --network-interface=subnet=default \
    --tags=http-server \
    --create-disk=image=projects/gcplearn9/global/images/demo8-vm1-disk-image-v1

Step-06: Verify newly created VM¶

# Connect to VM instance using cloud shell 
gcloud compute ssh --zone "us-central1-a" "demo8-vm2-from-disk-image" --project "gcplearn9"
hostname

# Access Application
curl http://<EXTERNAL-IP-ADDRESS>
Observation: 
1. You will see the hostname will be as `demo8-vm1` in index.html even though hostnae of VM is `demo8-vm2-from-disk-image` because it is a disk clone from demo8-vm1 using Disk Image creation
2. This is just an observation to tell that we are using demo8-vm1 disk here from Disk Image

Step-07: How to create new disk using Disk Image ?¶

Goto Storage -> Disks -> CREATE DISK
SOURCE: Image
SOURE IMAGE: demo8-vm1-disk-image-v1
Verify Image list

Step-08: Disk Image - Deprecate Option¶

Go to Compute Engine -> Storage -> Images -> demo8-vm1-disk-image-v1 -> Actions -> Deprecate

Step-09: Disk Image - Delete Option¶

Go to Compute Engine -> Storage -> Images -> demo8-vm1-disk-image-v1 -> Select CHECK BOX
Click on DELETE

Step-13: Delete or Stop VM to avoid charges¶

# Delete VM: demo8-vm2-from-disk-image
gcloud compute instances delete demo8-vm2-from-disk-image --zone=us-central1-a
gcloud compute instances list --filter='name:demo8-vm2-from-disk-image'

# Delete VM: demo8-vm1  (DONT DELETE WE WILL USE IN NEXT DEMO)
gcloud compute instances delete demo8-vm1 --zone=us-central1-a
gcloud compute instances list --filter='name:demo8-vm1'

Additional Reference¶

Linux application consistent persistent disk snapshot