2013-06-21 14:46:38 -04:00
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---
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layout: "intro"
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page_title: "Why Use Packer?"
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prev_url: "/intro/index.html"
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next_url: "/intro/use-cases.html"
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next_title: "Packer Use Cases"
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---
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# Why Use Packer?
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Pre-baked machine images have a lot of advantages, but most have been unable
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to benefit from them because images have been too tedious to create and manage.
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2013-06-28 12:24:24 -04:00
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There were either no existing tools to automate the creation of machine images or
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2013-06-21 14:46:38 -04:00
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they had too high of a learning curve. The result is that, prior to Packer,
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creating machine images threatened the agility of operations teams, and therefore
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aren't used, despite the massive benefits.
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Packer changes all of this. Packer is easy to use and automates the creation
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of any type of machine image. It embraces modern configuration management by
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encouraging you to use a framework such as Chef or Puppet to install and
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configure the software within your Packer-made images.
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In other words: Packer brings pre-baked images into the modern age, unlocking
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untapped potential and opening new opportunities.
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## Advantages of Using Packer
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***Super fast infrastructure deployment***. Packer images allow you to launch
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completely provisioned and configured machines in seconds, rather than
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several minutes or hours. This benefits not only production, but development as well,
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since development virtual machines can also be launched in seconds, without waiting
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for a typically much longer provisioning time.
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***Multi-provider portability***. Because Packer creates identical images for
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multiple platforms, you can run production in AWS, staging/QA in a private
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cloud like OpenStack, and development in desktop virtualization solutions
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such as VMware or VirtualBox. Each environment is running an identical
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machine image, giving ultimate portability.
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***Improved stability***. Packer installs and configures all the software for
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a machine at the time the image is built. If there are bugs in these scripts,
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they'll be caught early, rather than several minutes after a machine is launched.
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***Greater testability***. After a machine image is built, that machine image
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can be quickly launched and smoke tested to verify that things appear to be
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working. If they are, you can be confident that any other machines launched
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from that image will function properly.
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Packer makes it extremely easy to take advantage of all these benefits.
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What are you waiting for? Let's get started!
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