network-image-builder

This role allows an operator to customize vendor networking images for use in CI.

The method taken here should work with any network platform.

Sample playbook with templatized configuration

build-images.yaml

- hosts: localhost
  connection: local
  gather_facts: no

  tasks:
    - include_role:
        name: network-image-builder
      vars:
        src_image_path: "{{ image.src_image_path }}"
        image_name: "{{ image.image_name }}"
        admin_user_password: myadminpass
        regular_user_password: myregularpass
      loop_control:
        loop_var: image
      with_items:
        - src_image_path: /home/ricky/images/nxosv-final.7.0.3.I7.3.qcow2
          image_name: nxos
        - src_image_path: /home/ricky/images/vEOS-lab-4.20.1F-combined.vmdk
          image_name: eos

Sample playbook with arbitrary configuration

build-images.yaml

- hosts: localhost
  connection: local
  gather_facts: no

  tasks:
    - include_role:
        name: network-image-builder
      vars:
        src_image_path: "{{ image.src_image_path }}"
        image_name: "{{ image.image_name }}"
        image_config_path: /my/path/to/my/image/config
      loop_control:
        loop_var: image
      with_items:
        - src_image_path: /home/ricky/images/nxosv-final.7.0.3.I7.3.qcow2
          image_name: nxos

ANSIBLE_HOST_KEY_CHECKING=False ANSIBLE_PERSISTENT_COMMAND_TIMEOUT=60  ansible-playbook build-images.yaml

Build process

• Stock image, defined by src_image_path

• Image version is identified by checksum_to_platform_version map

• Stock image is cloned into working directory output_directory

• Bootstrap

  • Stock image is booted via qemu
  • Platform specific bootstrap is loaded from tasks/{platform}/{version}/bootstrap.yaml

• Platform specific configuration is loaded from tasks/{platform}/{version}/configuration.yaml

  • Which use {platform}_config to load in templates/{platform}/{version}/config.j2
  • non-privileged port for SSH so that we don't conflict with the Linux host

• Build outputs:

  • run_{platform}.sh
  • inventories/{platform}
  • {platform}.qcow2

Connect

./run_{platform}.sh
# Once booted exit telnet
ssh admin@localhost -p 8022 -o StrictHostkeyChecking=no -o UserKnownHostsFile=/dev/null

Adding a new platform

• Download stock image
• Add to checksum_to_platform_version map in defaults/main.yml
• Create platform specific bootstrap & configuration
  • tasks/{platform}/{version}/bootstrap.yaml
  • tasks/{platform}/{version}/configuration.yaml
  • templates/{platform}/{version}/config.j2

Building wrapped images

To build the wrapped Fedora image, ensure your host has nested virtualisation enabled:

cat /sys/module/kvm_intel/parameters/nested
cat /sys/module/kvm_amd/parameters/nested