From 0e4388c88196eaf7f1ba5b9f0574864fdcdac248 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Mitchell Hashimoto Date: Fri, 21 Jun 2013 20:10:24 -0700 Subject: [PATCH] website: parallel builds --- .../parallel-builds.html.markdown | 117 ++++++++++++++++++ website/source/layouts/inner.erb | 4 + website/source/layouts/intro.erb | 3 +- 3 files changed, 122 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-) create mode 100644 website/source/intro/getting-started/parallel-builds.html.markdown diff --git a/website/source/intro/getting-started/parallel-builds.html.markdown b/website/source/intro/getting-started/parallel-builds.html.markdown new file mode 100644 index 000000000..9790cef52 --- /dev/null +++ b/website/source/intro/getting-started/parallel-builds.html.markdown @@ -0,0 +1,117 @@ +--- +layout: "intro" +page_title: "Parallel Builds" +prev_url: "/intro/getting-started/provision.html" +next_url: "" +next_title: "" +--- + +# Parallel Builds + +So far we've shown how Packer can automatically build an image and provision it. +This on its own is already quite powerful. But Packer can do better than that. +Packer can create multiple images for multiple platforms _in parallel_, all +configured from a single template. + +This is a very useful and important feature of Packer. As an example, +Packer is able to make an AMI and a VMware virtual machine +in parallel provisioned with the _same scripts_, resulting in near-identical +images. The AMI can be used for production, the VMware machine can be used +for development. Or, another example, if you're using Packer to build +[software appliances](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_appliance), +then you can build the appliance for every supported platform all in +parallel, all configured from a single template. + +Once you start taking advantage of this feature, the possibilities begin +to unfold in front of you. + +Continuing on the example in this getting started guide, we'll build +a [DigitalOcean](http://www.digitalocean.com) image as well as an AMI. Both +will be near-identical: bare bones Ubuntu OS with Redis pre-installed. +However, since we're building for both platforms, you have the option of +whether you want to use the AMI, or the DigitalOcean snapshot. Or use both. + +## Setting Up DigitalOcean + +[DigitalOcean](https://www.digitalocean.com/) is a relatively new, but +very popular VPS provider that has popped up. They have a quality offering +of high performance, low cost VPS servers. We'll be building a DigitalOcean +snapshot for this example. + +In order to do this, you'll need an account with DigitalOcean. +[Sign up for an account now](https://www.digitalocean.com/). It is free +to sign up. Because the "droplets" (servers) are charged hourly, you +_will_ be charged $0.01 for every image you create with Packer. If +you're not okay with this, just follow along. + +
+Note! I want to repeat, in case you didn't see above: +You will be charged $0.01 by DigitalOcean per image created with Packer +because of the time the "droplet" is running. +
+ +Once you sign up for an account, grab your client ID and API key from +the [DigitalOcean API access page](https://www.digitalocean.com/api_access). +Save these values somewhere, you'll need them in a second. + +## Modifying the Template + +We now have to modify the template to add DigitalOcean to it. Modify the +template we've been using and add the following JSON object to the `builders` +array. + +
+{
+  "type": "digitalocean",
+  "api_key": "INSERT API KEY HERE",
+  "client_id": "INSERT CILENT ID HERE"
+}
+
+ +Fill in your `api_key` and `client_id` for DigitalOcean as necessary. +The entire template should now [look like this](https://gist.github.com/mitchellh/51a447e38e7e496eb29c). + +Additional builders are simply added to the `builders` array in the template. +This tells Packer to build multiple images. The builder `type` values don't +even need tdo be different! In fact, if you wanted to build multiple AMIs, +you can do that as well. + +Validate the template with `packer validate`. This is always a good practice. + +## Build + +Now run `packer build example.json`. The output is too verbose to include +all of it, but a portion of it is reproduced below. Note that the ordering +and wording of the lines may be slightly different, but the effect is the +same. + +``` +$ packer build example.json +==> amazon-ebs: amazon-ebs output will be in this color. +==> digitalocean: digitalocean output will be in this color. + +==> digitalocean: Creating temporary ssh key for droplet... +==> amazon-ebs: Creating temporary keypair for this instance... +==> amazon-ebs: Creating temporary security group for this instance... +==> digitalocean: Creating droplet... +==> amazon-ebs: Authorizing SSH access on the temporary security group... +==> amazon-ebs: Launching a source AWS instance... +==> digitalocean: Waiting for droplet to become active... +==> amazon-ebs: Waiting for instance to become ready... +==> digitalocean: Connecting to the droplet via SSH... +==> amazon-ebs: Connecting to the instance via SSH... +... +==> Builds finished. The artifacts of successful builds are: +--> amazon-ebs: AMIs were created: + +us-east-1: ami-376d1d5e +--> digitalocean: A snapshot was created: packer-1371870364 +``` + +As you can see, Packer builds both the Amazon and DigitalOcean images +in parallel. It outputs information about each in different colors +(although you can't see that in the block above) so that it is easy to identify. + +At the end of the build, Packer outputs both of the artifacts created +(an AMI and a DigitalOcean snapshot). Both images created are bare bones +Ubuntu installations with Redis pre-installed. diff --git a/website/source/layouts/inner.erb b/website/source/layouts/inner.erb index bd76288b1..cd486ad26 100644 --- a/website/source/layouts/inner.erb +++ b/website/source/layouts/inner.erb @@ -14,12 +14,16 @@ <% if current_page.data.next_url %> <% end %> diff --git a/website/source/layouts/intro.erb b/website/source/layouts/intro.erb index e1c82c88e..e126d6c96 100644 --- a/website/source/layouts/intro.erb +++ b/website/source/layouts/intro.erb @@ -15,8 +15,7 @@
  • Install Packer
  • Build an Image
  • Provision
    • -
  • Parallel Builds
    • -
  • Post-Process
    • +
  • Parallel Builds
    • <% end %> <%= yield %>