---
description: |
  The oracle-classic builder is able to create new custom images for use with
  Oracle Cloud Infrastructure Classic Compute.
page_title: Oracle Cloud Infrastructure Classic - Builders
---

# Oracle Cloud Infrastructure Classic Compute Builder

Type: `oracle-classic`
Artifact BuilderId: `packer.oracle.classic`

The `oracle-classic` Packer builder is able to create custom images for use
with [Oracle Cloud Infrastructure Classic
Compute](https://cloud.oracle.com/compute-classic). The builder takes a base
image, runs any provisioning necessary on the base image after launching it,
and finally snapshots it creating a reusable custom image.

It is recommended that you familiarise yourself with the [Key Concepts and
Terminology](https://docs.oracle.com/en/cloud/iaas-classic/compute-iaas-cloud/stcsg/getting-started-oracle-compute-cloud-service.html#GUID-6CB9D494-4F3C-4B78-BD03-127983FEC357)
prior to using this builder if you have not done so already.

The builder _does not_ manage images. Once it creates an image, it is up to you
to use it or delete it.

## Authorization

This builder authenticates API calls to Oracle Cloud Infrastructure Classic
Compute using basic authentication (user name and password). To read more, see
the [authentication
documentation](https://docs.oracle.com/en/cloud/iaas/compute-iaas-cloud/stcsa/Authentication.html)

## Configuration Reference

There are many configuration options available for the `oracle-classic`
builder. This builder currently only works with the SSH communicator.

### Required

- `api_endpoint` (string) - This is your custom API endpoint for sending
  requests. Instructions for determining your API endpoint can be found
  [here](https://docs.oracle.com/en/cloud/iaas/compute-iaas-cloud/stcsa/SendRequests.html)

- `dest_image_list` (string) - Where to save the machine image to once you've
  provisioned it. If the provided image list does not exist, Packer will
  create it.

- `identity_domain` (string) - This is your customer-specific identity domain
  as generated by Oracle. If you don't know what your identity domain is, ask
  your account administrator. For a little more information, see the Oracle
  [documentation](https://docs.oracle.com/en/cloud/get-started/subscriptions-cloud/ocuid/identity-domain-overview.html#GUID-7969F881-5F4D-443E-B86C-9044C8085B8A).

- `source_image_list` (string) - This is what image you want to use as your
  base image. See the
  [documentation](https://docs.oracle.com/en/cloud/iaas-classic/compute-iaas-cloud/stcsg/managing-machine-images.html#GUID-652E6797-A5B8-40A7-860F-F27FF3E42471)
  for more details. You may use either a public image list, or a private
  image list. To see what public image lists are available, you can use the
  CLI, as described
  [here](https://docs.oracle.com/en/cloud/iaas/compute-iaas-cloud/stopc/image-lists-stclr-and-nmcli.html#GUID-DB7E75FE-F752-4FF7-AB70-3C8DCDFCA0FA)

- `source_image_list_entry` (string) - The entry identifying the machine
  image to use in the image list. Defaults to the latest available entry.

- `password` (string) - Your account password.

- `shape` (string) - The template that determines the number of CPUs, amount
  of memory, and other resources allocated to a newly created instance. For
  more information about shapes, see the documentation
  [here](https://docs.oracle.com/en/cloud/iaas-classic/compute-iaas-cloud/stcsg/creating-instances.html#GUID-1DD0FA71-AC7B-461C-B8C1-14892725AA69).

- `username` (string) - Your account username.

### Optional

- `attributes` (string) - (string) - Attributes to apply when launching the
  instance. Note that you need to be careful about escaping characters due to
  the templates being JSON. It is often more convenient to use
  `attributes_file`, instead. You may only define either `attributes` or
  `attributes_file`, not both.

- `attributes_file` (string) - Path to a json file that will be used for the
  attributes when launching the instance. You may only define either
  `attributes` or `attributes_file`, not both.

- `image_description` (string) - a description for your destination image
  list. If you don't provide one, Packer will provide a generic description.

- `ssh_username` (string) - The username that Packer will use to SSH into the
  instance; required if using SSH. The default oracle user with sudo
  privileges is `opc`, so you may set `ssh_username` to `opc` if you have not
  yet configured users on your machine. If you have already configured users
  on your machine, you may prompt Packer to use one of those instead. For
  more detail, see the
  [documentation](https://docs.oracle.com/en/cloud/iaas/compute-iaas-cloud/stcsg/accessing-oracle-linux-instance-using-ssh.html).

- `image_name` (string) - The name to assign to the resulting custom image.

- `persistent_volume_size` (int) - Size in gigabytes of the persistent boot
  storage volume to build the image on. Use this if you want a bigger volume
  than what instance storage provides. Note that using this option puts the
  builder into a "persistent volume" mode, which is substantially different
  than the default snapshot mode. Please see the configuration section below
  for additional configuration options.

- `snapshot_timeout` (string) - How long to wait for a snapshot to be
  created. Expects a positive golang Time.Duration string, which is a
  sequence of decimal numbers and a unit suffix; valid suffixes are `ns`
  (nanoseconds), `us` (microseconds), `ms` (milliseconds), `s` (seconds), `m`
  (minutes), and `h` (hours). Examples of valid inputs: `100ms`, `250ms`,
  `1s`, `2.5s`, `2.5m`, `1m30s`. Example: `"snapshot_timeout": "15m"`.
  Default: `20m`.

### Persistent Volume Build

You will use this type of build if you've set the `persistent_volume_size`
option. If you need a bigger disk than what you normally get with instance
storage, you'll want to set this.

In the _persistent volume_ mode, things are built a little differently.
Normally, we launch an instance, then provision it and take a snapshot, which
becomes your machine image. This relies on the disk of the created instance
being large enough to perform your entire provisioning process. If that disk
size isn't sufficient, we can build with a persistent volume of arbitrary size.

First, we create a persistent volume of the requested size. This volume is
bootable and initialized with your image list. We start an instance with this
volume as the boot volume. After this instance launches, we provision and
terminate it, leaving the persistent volume around.

Next, we create a second instance, the "builder", this time booting from
instance storage. We also attach a new persistent volume, making it twice the
size of the original. We connect to this instance and copy the contents of the
first volume into a tarball file on the second volume. We then upload this file
to Object Storage Classic, and create a new machine image with it.

If this is set, a few more options become available.

- `builder_communicator` (communicator) - This represents an
  [`ssh communicator`](/docs/communicators/ssh),
  and can be configured as such. If you use a different builder image, you
  may need to change the `ssh_username`, for example. That might look like
  this:

  ```json
  {
    "builders": [
      {
        "builder_communicator": {
          "ssh_username": "soandso"
        },
        "type": "oracle-classic"
      }
    ]
  }
  ```

  See below for more details on configuring this communicator.

- `builder_image_list` (string) - This is the image to use for the builder
  instance. This _must_ be a linux image, and Oracle Linux is recommended.
  Default: `/oracle/public/OL_7.2_UEKR4_x86_64`.

- `builder_image_list_entry` (string) - The entry identifying the machine
  image to use in the image list. If `builder_image_list` is unset, this
  defaults to `5`, which is a working image as of this time. Otherwise, it
  defaults to the latest entry. Set this to `0` to force it to use the latest
  entry when using the default `builder_image_list`.

- `builder_shape` (string) - The template that determines the number of CPUs,
  amount of memory, and other resources allocated to the builder instance.
  Default: `oc3`.

- `builder_upload_image_command` (string) - The command to run to upload the
  image to Object Storage Classic. This is for advanced users only, and you
  should consult the default in code to decide on the changes to make. For
  most users the default should suffice. If you choose to write your own,
  this command is a template engine and can make use of the following
  variables: `{{ .Username }}`, `{{ .Password }}`, `{{ .AccountID }}`,
  `{{ .ImageFile }}`, and `{{ .SegmentPath }}`.

### Communicator Configuration

The `builder_communicator` has the following options:

#### Optional:

@include 'packer-plugin-sdk/communicator/Config-not-required.mdx'

@include 'packer-plugin-sdk/communicator/SSH-not-required.mdx'

@include 'packer-plugin-sdk/communicator/SSH-Private-Key-File-not-required.mdx'

## Basic Example

Here is a basic example. Note that account specific configuration has been
obfuscated; you will need to add a working `username`, `password`,
`identity_domain`, and `api_endpoint` in order for the example to work.

```json
{
  "builders": [
    {
      "type": "oracle-classic",
      "username": "myuser@myaccount.com",
      "password": "supersecretpasswordhere",
      "identity_domain": "#######",
      "api_endpoint": "https://api-###.compute.###.oraclecloud.com/",
      "source_image_list": "/oracle/public/OL_7.2_UEKR4_x86_64",
      "shape": "oc3",
      "image_name": "Packer_Builder_Test_{{timestamp}}",
      "attributes": "{\"userdata\": {\"pre-bootstrap\": {\"script\": [\"...\"]}}}",
      "dest_image_list": "Packer_Builder_Test_List"
    }
  ],
  "provisioners": [
    {
      "type": "shell",
      "inline": ["echo hello"]
    }
  ]
}
```

## Basic Example -- Windows

Attributes file is optional for connecting via ssh, but required for winrm.

The following file contains the bare minimum necessary to get winRM working;
you have to give it the password to give to the "Administrator" user, which
will be the one winrm connects to. You must also whitelist your computer to
connect via winRM -- the empty braces below whitelist any computer to access
winRM but you can make it more secure by only allowing your build machine
access. See the
[docs](https://docs.oracle.com/en/cloud/iaas/compute-iaas-cloud/stcsg/automating-instance-initialization-using-opc-init.html#GUID-A0A107D6-3B38-47F4-8FC8-96D50D99379B)
for more details on how to define a trusted host.

Save this file as `windows_attributes.json`:

```json
{
  "userdata": {
    "administrator_password": "password",
    "winrm": {}
  }
}
```

Following is a minimal but working Packer config that references this
attributes file:

```json
{
  "variables": {
    "opc_username": "{{ env `OPC_USERNAME`}}",
    "opc_password": "{{ env `OPC_PASSWORD`}}",
    "opc_identity_domain": "{{env `OPC_IDENTITY_DOMAIN`}}",
    "opc_api_endpoint": "{{ env `OPC_ENDPOINT`}}"
  },
  "builders": [
    {
      "type": "oracle-classic",
      "username": "{{ user `opc_username`}}",
      "password": "{{ user `opc_password`}}",
      "identity_domain": "{{ user `opc_identity_domain`}}",
      "api_endpoint": "{{ user `opc_api_endpoint`}}",
      "source_image_list": "/Compute-{{ user `opc_identity_domain` }}/{{ user `opc_username`}}/Microsoft_Windows_Server_2012_R2-17.3.6-20170930-124649",
      "attributes_file": "./windows_attributes.json",
      "shape": "oc3",
      "image_name": "Packer_Windows_Demo_{{timestamp}}",
      "dest_image_list": "Packer_Windows_Demo",
      "communicator": "winrm",
      "winrm_username": "Administrator",
      "winrm_password": "password"
    }
  ],
  "provisioners": [
    {
      "type": "powershell",
      "inline": "Write-Output(\"HELLO WORLD\")"
    }
  ]
}
```

## Persistent Volume Example

Here is an example using a persistent volume. Note the `persistent_volume_size`
setting.

```json
{
  "variables": {
    "opc_username": "{{ env `OPC_USERNAME`}}",
    "opc_password": "{{ env `OPC_PASSWORD`}}",
    "opc_identity_domain": "{{env `OPC_IDENTITY_DOMAIN`}}",
    "opc_api_endpoint": "{{ env `OPC_ENDPOINT`}}"
  },
  "builders": [
    {
      "type": "oracle-classic",
      "username": "{{ user `opc_username`}}",
      "password": "{{ user `opc_password`}}",
      "identity_domain": "{{ user `opc_identity_domain`}}",
      "api_endpoint": "{{ user `opc_api_endpoint`}}",
      "source_image_list": "/oracle/public/OL_7.2_UEKR4_x86_64",
      "persistent_volume_size": 15,
      "image_name": "Packer_Builder_Test_{{timestamp}}",
      "dest_image_list": "Packer_Builder_Test_List",
      "ssh_username": "opc",
      "shape": "oc3"
    }
  ],
  "provisioners": [
    {
      "type": "shell",
      "inline": ["echo hello"]
    }
  ]
}
```
