ISO from ContentLibrary -> save to ContentLibrary

[tom-i]

Hello guys,
I'm asking here, because I'm nearly at the end of my way..

What I want:
I would like to have ISO images saved to some Content library in vSphere, and want to create OVA template which will be saved into Content library, different one or maybe to the same,actually doesn't matter.

If I have this ISO saved in this ISO datastore: ISO_PROD.VSP-I
Content library name: packer
and image name OracleLinux-R9-U5-x86_64-dvd.iso

Repo version:

╭─packer@packer-vsphere in ~/programs/packer-examples-for-vsphere on heads/v0.21.0 ✘
╰$ git status
On branch v0.21.0

Vsphere version:
vSphere Client version 8.0.3.00400

Content library stuff:

What I understand is that I should have this:
From common.pkrvars.hcl

// Removable Media Settings
common_iso_datastore               = "ISO_PROD.VSP-I"
common_iso_content_library         = "packer"
common_iso_content_library_enabled = true

// Boot and Provisioning Settings
common_data_source       = "http"

From linux-oracle-9.pkrvars.hcl

// Removable Media Settings
#iso_datastore_path       = "/mnt/data/iso/linux/oracle"
iso_datastore_path       = "[ISO_PROD.VSP-I] packer/oracle/"
#iso_content_library_item = "OracleLinux-R9-U5-x86_64-dvd"
iso_content_library_item = "packer"
iso_file                 = "OracleLinux-R9-U5-x86_64-dvd.iso"
cdrom_type               = "sata"

and here is the main point.. from linux/oracle/9/linux-oracle.pkr.hcl I can see that iso_paths is generating path from common_iso_content_library + iso_content_library_item + iso_file but, I have no content_library_item, I have just content library name, so even I put there just "" build fails.

2024/12/11 12:10:25 Running builder: vsphere-iso
2024/12/11 12:10:25 [INFO] (telemetry) Starting builder vsphere-iso.linux-oracle
2024/12/11 12:10:25 <sensitive>-plugin-vsphere_v1.4.2_x5.0_linux_amd64 plugin: 2024/12/11 12:10:25 No URLs were provided to Step Download. Continuing...
2024/12/11 12:10:25 <sensitive>-plugin-vsphere_v1.4.2_x5.0_linux_amd64 plugin: 2024/12/11 12:10:25 No CD files specified. CD disk will not be made.
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: Creating virtual machine...
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: Customizing hardware...
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: Adding SATA controller...
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: Mounting ISO images...
2024/12/11 12:10:27 <sensitive>-plugin-vsphere_v1.4.2_x5.0_linux_amd64 plugin: 2024/12/11 12:10:27 Check if ISO path is a Content Library path
2024/12/11 12:10:27 <sensitive>-plugin-vsphere_v1.4.2_x5.0_linux_amd64 plugin: 2024/12/11 12:10:27 ISO path identified as a Content Library path
2024/12/11 12:10:27 <sensitive>-plugin-vsphere_v1.4.2_x5.0_linux_amd64 plugin: 2024/12/11 12:10:27 Finding the equivalent datastore path for the Content Library ISO file path
2024/12/11 12:10:27 <sensitive>-plugin-vsphere_v1.4.2_x5.0_linux_amd64 plugin: 2024/12/11 12:10:27 [WARN] Content library item  not found: content library item  not found
2024/12/11 12:10:27 <sensitive>-plugin-vsphere_v1.4.2_x5.0_linux_amd64 plugin: 2024/12/11 12:10:27 Using <sensitive>//OracleLinux-R9-U5-x86_64-dvd.iso as the datastore path
2024/12/11 12:10:27 <sensitive>-plugin-vsphere_v1.4.2_x5.0_linux_amd64 plugin: 2024/12/11 12:10:27 Creating CD-ROM on controller '&{{{} 15000 0xc0007f6b80 <nil> <nil> <nil> 100 0xc0007228c8 0 <nil>} 0 []}' with iso '<sensitive>//OracleLinux-R9-U5-x86_64-dvd.iso'
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: error mounting an image '<sensitive>//OracleLinux-R9-U5-x86_64-dvd.iso': Invalid datastore path '<sensitive>//OracleLinux-R9-U5-x86_64-dvd.iso'.
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: Step "StepAddCDRom" failed
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: [c] Clean up and exit, [a] abort without cleanup, or [r] retry step (build may fail even if retry succeeds)?

Ok if I put there name of content library so packer, it still fails:

2024/12/11 12:12:44 <sensitive>-plugin-vsphere_v1.4.2_x5.0_linux_amd64 plugin: 2024/12/11 12:12:44 No URLs were provided to Step Download. Continuing...
2024/12/11 12:12:44 <sensitive>-plugin-vsphere_v1.4.2_x5.0_linux_amd64 plugin: 2024/12/11 12:12:44 No CD files specified. CD disk will not be made.
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: Creating virtual machine...
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: Customizing hardware...
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: Adding SATA controller...
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: Mounting ISO images...
2024/12/11 12:12:44 <sensitive>-plugin-vsphere_v1.4.2_x5.0_linux_amd64 plugin: 2024/12/11 12:12:44 Check if ISO path is a Content Library path
2024/12/11 12:12:45 <sensitive>-plugin-vsphere_v1.4.2_x5.0_linux_amd64 plugin: 2024/12/11 12:12:45 ISO path identified as a Content Library path
2024/12/11 12:12:45 <sensitive>-plugin-vsphere_v1.4.2_x5.0_linux_amd64 plugin: 2024/12/11 12:12:45 Finding the equivalent datastore path for the Content Library ISO file path
2024/12/11 12:12:45 <sensitive>-plugin-vsphere_v1.4.2_x5.0_linux_amd64 plugin: 2024/12/11 12:12:45 [WARN] Content library item <sensitive> not found: content library item <sensitive> not found
2024/12/11 12:12:45 <sensitive>-plugin-vsphere_v1.4.2_x5.0_linux_amd64 plugin: 2024/12/11 12:12:45 Using <sensitive>/<sensitive>/OracleLinux-R9-U5-x86_64-dvd.iso as the datastore path
2024/12/11 12:12:45 <sensitive>-plugin-vsphere_v1.4.2_x5.0_linux_amd64 plugin: 2024/12/11 12:12:45 Creating CD-ROM on controller '&{{{} 15000 0xc000b82de0 <nil> <nil> <nil> 100 0xc000950a68 0 <nil>} 0 []}' with iso '<sensitive>/<sensitive>/OracleLinux-R9-U5-x86_64-dvd.iso'
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: error mounting an image '<sensitive>/<sensitive>/OracleLinux-R9-U5-x86_64-dvd.iso': Invalid datastore path '<sensitive>/<sensitive>/OracleLinux-R9-U5-x86_64-dvd.iso'.
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: Step "StepAddCDRom" failed

I know, that I've something wrong.. but really don't know where :-/
Can you please help me with that misleading configuration ?
Thank you..

[tenthirtyam]

// Removable Media Settings
iso_datastore_path       = "iso/linux/oracle-linux/9/amd64"
iso_content_library_item = "OracleLinux-R9-U5-x86_64-dvd"
iso_file                 = "OracleLinux-R9-U5-x86_64-dvd.iso"

The iso_datastore_path and iso_file are ignored if common_iso_content_library_enabled = true and the plugin will search the content library (common_iso_content_library) based on the provided iso_content_library_item.

[tom-i]

Aha.. so for me .. item is name of the ISO file so:
iso_content_library_item = "OracleLinux-R9-U5-x86_64-dvd.iso"
Cool..

And after trying it I got weirder error message..

==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: Creating virtual machine...
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: Customizing hardware...
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: Adding SATA controller...
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: Mounting ISO images...
2024/12/11 12:45:53 <sensitive>-plugin-vsphere_v1.4.2_x5.0_linux_amd64 plugin: 2024/12/11 12:45:53 Check if ISO path is a Content Library path
2024/12/11 12:45:54 <sensitive>-plugin-vsphere_v1.4.2_x5.0_linux_amd64 plugin: 2024/12/11 12:45:54 ISO path identified as a Content Library path
2024/12/11 12:45:54 <sensitive>-plugin-vsphere_v1.4.2_x5.0_linux_amd64 plugin: 2024/12/11 12:45:54 Finding the equivalent datastore path for the Content Library ISO file path
2024/12/11 12:45:54 <sensitive>-plugin-vsphere_v1.4.2_x5.0_linux_amd64 plugin: 2024/12/11 12:45:54 Creating CD-ROM on controller '&{{{} 15000 0xc0009c3440 <nil> <nil> <nil> 100 0xc000eb70a8 0 <nil>} 0 []}' with iso '<sensitive>/OracleLinux-R9-U5-x86_64-dvd.iso/OracleLinux-R9-U5-x86_64-dvd.iso'
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: error mounting an image '<sensitive>/OracleLinux-R9-U5-x86_64-dvd.iso/OracleLinux-R9-U5-x86_64-dvd.iso': Invalid configuration for device '0'.
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: Step "StepAddCDRom" failed

Changing cdrom_type' from sata to ide didn't help.

[tenthirtyam]

Any error in the UI / tasks?

[tom-i]

No, create template runs without problem.. and temp VM has been created (turned OFF)

[tom-i]

What is strange.. that there is no CDROM added to VM Hardware, so maybe that ISO is not possible to mount because of this? Or I don't know :-(

[tom-i]

// Removable Media Settings
iso_datastore_path       = "iso/linux/oracle-linux/9/amd64"
iso_content_library_item = "OracleLinux-R9-U5-x86_64-dvd"
iso_file                 = "OracleLinux-R9-U5-x86_64-dvd.iso"

The iso_datastore_path and iso_file are ignored if common_iso_content_library_enabled = true and the plugin will search the content library (common_iso_content_library) based on the provided iso_content_library_item.

That iso_file is using as you can see from basic packer template for oracle linux for content library:

╭─packer@packer-vsphere in ~/programs/packer-examples-for-vsphere/builds on heads/v0.21.0 ✘
╰$ vim linux/oracle/9/linux-oracle.pkr.hcl

locals {
  build_by          = "Built by: HashiCorp Packer ${packer.version}"
  build_date        = formatdate("YYYY-MM-DD hh:mm ZZZ", timestamp())
  build_version     = data.git-repository.cwd.head
  build_description = "Version: ${local.build_version}\nBuilt on: ${local.build_date}\n${local.build_by}"
  iso_paths = {
    content_library = "${var.common_iso_content_library}/${var.iso_content_library_item}/${var.iso_file}",
    datastore       = "[${var.common_iso_datastore}] ${var.iso_datastore_path}/${var.iso_file}"
  }

also.. that output has been use that:

2024/12/11 13:39:39 <sensitive>-plugin-vsphere_v1.4.2_x5.0_linux_amd64 plugin: 2024/12/11 13:39:39 Creating CD-ROM on controller '&{{{} 15000 0xc000eb2420 <nil> <nil> <nil> 100 0xc0004706c8 0 <nil>} 0 []}' with iso '<sensitive>/OracleLinux-R9-U5-x86_64-dvd.iso/OracleLinux-R9-U5-x86_64-dvd.iso'
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: error mounting an image '<sensitive>/OracleLinux-R9-U5-x86_64-dvd.iso/OracleLinux-R9-U5-x86_64-dvd.iso': Invalid configuration for device '0'.
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: Step "StepAddCDRom" failed

for

// Removable Media Settings
#iso_datastore_path       = "/mnt/data/iso/linux/oracle"
iso_datastore_path       = "[ISO_PROD.VSP-I] packer/oracle/"
#iso_content_library_item = "OracleLinux-R9-U5-x86_64-dvd"
iso_content_library_item = "OracleLinux-R9-U5-x86_64-dvd.iso"
iso_file                 = "OracleLinux-R9-U5-x86_64-dvd.iso"
cdrom_type               = "ide"

[tenthirtyam]

I can't test this at the moment - other priorities and lab builds - but this should work w/o issue based on the testing for v0.21.0 of the project.

Please try with:

common.pkrvars.hcl

// Removable Media Settings
common_iso_datastore               = "ISO_PROD.VSP-I"
common_iso_content_library         = "packer"
common_iso_content_library_enabled = true

// Boot and Provisioning Settings
common_data_source       = "http"

linux-oracle-9.pkrvars.hcl

// Removable Media Settings
iso_datastore_path       = "packer/oracle/"
iso_content_library_item = "OracleLinux-R9-U5-x86_64-dvd"
iso_file                 = "OracleLinux-R9-U5-x86_64-dvd.iso"

Assuming:

1. "packer/oracle/" is the directory path on ISO_PROD.VSP-I, but this will be ignored if common_iso_content_library_enabled = true
2. "OracleLinux-R9-U5-x86_64-dvd.iso" is the file name on [ISO_PROD.VSP-I] packer/oracle/, to "OracleLinux-R9-U5-x86_64-dvd.iso" ([ISO_PROD.VSP-I] packer/oracle/OracleLinux-R9-U5-x86_64-dvd.iso) but this will be ignored if common_iso_content_library_enabled = true
3. "packer" is the name of the content library that containes the "OracleLinux-R9-U5-x86_64-dvd" content library item.
4. "OracleLinux-R9-U5-x86_64-dvd" is the name of the content library item for the ISO in the content library "packer". There is no ".iso" for the item name.

[tenthirtyam]

Apologies, I've been working on other projects. Still planning to take a look at this soon.

[tom-i]

@tenthirtyam Hello sir.. how it looks with your "free" time for this issue please? :-)

[tenthirtyam]

Working on it now. Finally getting my homelab back online.

[tenthirtyam]

Here's a working use for Ubuntu 24.04:

linux-ubuntu-24-04-lts.pkrvars.hcl

...

// Removable Media Settings
iso_datastore_path       = "Linux/Ubuntu/24.04/amd64" // Not relevent if using content library; ignored.
iso_content_library_item = "ubuntu-24.04.2-live-server-amd64" // Name of content library item.
iso_file                  = "ubuntu-24.04.2-live-server-amd64.iso" // Not relevent if using content library; ignored.

...

common.pkrvars.hcl

...

// Removable Media Settings
common_iso_datastore               = "iso" // Just the datastore name
common_iso_content_library         = "lib01" // Just the content library name.
common_iso_content_library_enabled = true // Enable using the content library for ISOs.

...

[tom-i]

@tenthirtyam thx.. going to try ;-)