Nutanix Image Configuration Storage setup

The Nutanix Image Configuration is a Storage location on the Storage Containers we can simply use to store CD-Rom ISOs and other Image files.

The list includes raw, vhd, vhdx, vmdk, vdi, iso and qcow2 formats. Once we upload such files to the Nutanix Image Configuration storage, all the nodes participating to the same Nutanix Cluster can use these image files to create and install new VM Guests.

In our homelab we have a single node Nutanix CE cluster and therefore the operations to Create, Upload and Delete (CUD) the image files can be done from a single Nutanix Prism element.

As soon as more nodes and clusters are added and managed via a Prism Central the CUD operations will be available only to the Prism Central rather than the single/local Prism instances. Of course uploaded images will be made available to all nodes participating to the cluster(s).

So let’s take a look on how to upload image files we can use to deploy Nutanix Windows and Linux Guest VMs.

Setup Nutanix Image Configuration Storage

From the home page let’s click on the setting icon on top right and choose nutanix Image Configuration.

A new wizard is starting. This window will show all available imaged to the Nutanix Cluster. Let’s click on Upload image button.

From this screen we can now specify the Name for the Image, a Description in the Annotation field, the Image Type as ISO or Disk and also a Storage Container. In my case I have created a specific one called Storage-ISO.

Once ready we can then provide the URL or upload a file directly using the Web Console.

The Image configuration wizard also shows a progress indicator which is useful for large files.

Once completed the image will show in the main screen for the Nutanix Image Configuration. During the upload phase the image file is set to inactive.

In this case the upload of the image file is complete.

We can repeat the same steps also to upload other image files. For example in this case I’m uploading a Linux Ubuntu image file.

We can upload different file types and of course we should focus on Image files first. Another one that can be interesting of course are the files we need to install to “enable the guest interaction”. In the case of AHV Hypervisor this will be the Nutanix Guest Tools.

In the case of VMware this would be the iso for VMware Tools should we re-image our Nutanix platform with VMware ESXi. And the same applies to other hypervisors as well like Microsoft Hyper-V.