Virtual Container Host Boot Options

The vic-machine create utility provides options that change the location of the ISO files from which virtual container hosts (VCHs) and container VMs boot. Optionally use the boot options if you have a centralized store of ISO files.

You can also replace the standard Photon OS 2.0 kernel that runs in container VMs by uploading a custom bootstrap.iso file to a VCH. For example, you can upload a custom RedHat Linux ISO file so that container VMs run on RedHat rather than on Photon OS.

vic-machine Options

The options in this topic are only available with the vic-machine create command. They are not available in the Create Virtual Container Host wizard in the vSphere Client.

--appliance-iso

Short name: --ai

The path to the ISO image from which the VCH appliance boots. Set this option if you have moved the appliance.iso file to a folder that is not the folder that contains the vic-machine binary or is not the folder from which you are running vic-machine.

NOTES:

  • Do not use the --appliance-iso option to point vic-machine to an --appliance-iso file that is of a different version to the version of vic-machine that you are running.
  • You cannot use the --appliance-iso option to replace the standard Photon OS kernel that runs the appliance with an alternative, custom kernel.

Usage:

Include the name of the ISO file in the path.

--appliance-iso path_to_ISO_file/appliance.iso

--bootstrap-iso

Short name: --bi

The path to the ISO image from which to boot container VMs. Set this option if you have moved the bootstrap.iso file to a folder that is not the folder that contains the vic-machine binary or is not the folder from which you are running vic-machine. Alternatively, use this option if you want container VMs to run a custom Linux kernel rather than the standard Photon OS kernel. For information about how to create a custom bootstrap.iso file to use instead of the standard Photon OS bootstrap.iso file, see the VIC Engine Appliance and Container VM ISOs document in the vSphere Integrated Containers Engine GitHub repository.

NOTE: If you use the standard Photon OS bootstrap.iso file, do not use the --bootstrap-iso option to point vic-machine to a bootstrap.iso file that is of a different version to the version of vic-machine that you are running.

Usage:

Include the name of the ISO file in the path.

--bootstrap-iso path_to_ISO_file/bootstrap.iso

Example vic-machine Commands

If you moved the appliance.iso or bootstrap.iso file to a location that is not the folder that contains the vic-machine binary, or if you want to boot container VMs from an alternative ISO file, you must point vic-machine to those ISO files.

This example vic-machine create command deploys a VCH that specifies --appliance-iso to direct vic-machine to the location in which you stored the appliance.iso file.

vic-machine-operating_system create
--target 'Administrator@vsphere.local':password@vcenter_server_address/dc1
--compute-resource cluster1
--image-store datastore1
--bridge-network vch1-bridge
--public-network vic-public
--name vch1
--thumbprint certificate_thumbprint
--no-tlsverify
--appliance-iso path_to_iso/appliance.iso

This example vic-machine create command deploys a VCH that specifies --bootstrap-iso to direct vic-machine to the location in which you stored the bootstrap.iso file. This might be because you moved the standard bootstrap.iso file to a different location, or because you are using a custom bootstrap.iso file.

vic-machine-operating_system create
--target 'Administrator@vsphere.local':password@vcenter_server_address/dc1
--compute-resource cluster1
--image-store datastore1
--bridge-network vch1-bridge
--public-network vic-public
--name vch1
--thumbprint certificate_thumbprint
--no-tlsverify
--bootstrap-iso path_to_iso/bootstrap.iso

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