One of the advantages of using IaaS providers is that they provide a wide range of standard operating systems templates for fast and easy Cloud Servers deployments. However, sometimes, an application requires a proprietary Operating System that is out of the ordinary. In most IaaS providers, such proprietary Operating Systems are not be available for deployment and thus there is no chance of running such applications in the Cloud.
In LayerStack's cloud platform, any customized ISO files can be uploaded to the platform and booted to install custom Operating Systems on the Cloud Servers; overwriting the standard Operating System templates. Such feature opens up enormous flexibilities and new opportunities on how LayerStack cloud platform can be utilized. Applications that weren't able to run in the Cloud, due to Operating Systems constraints, can now be placed in LayerStack.
STEP 1 - Create the base Cloud Servers
Before uploading and installing the custom Operating Systems, a Cloud Servers must already exist and be built using the provided template (Base Image for ISO Installation). The reason for using the (Base Image for ISO Installation) is for compatibility between the installation program and the disk devices during installation; as LayerStack's standard templates use Virtio drivers, and such Cloud Servers is likely to have disk detection problems during custom installation.
There are 2 ways to build a Cloud Servers using the (Base Image for ISO Installation):
(a) Choosing the (Base Image for ISO Installation) during initial Cloud Servers purchase
(b) For existing Cloud Servers that is not using the (Base Image for ISO Installation), login to Layer Panel, go to the Reinstall tab of the Cloud Servers, and perform reinstallation using the (Base Image for ISO Installation)
STEP 2 - Uploading the ISO file
Once the Cloud Servers is ready and using the (Base Image for ISO Installation), go to the ISO tab in the Cloud Servers management interface and upload the file. Make sure the ISO file is located in an FTP server or directly downloadable via HTTP. Enter the information of the source of the ISO file, the name for identification and press Send File button.
NOTE: The ISO should be in a "Bootable" format (e.g. an Operating Systems installation disk)
The upload time depends on the ISO file size. Refresh the page to see changes to the upload status in "Your ISO Files" section. The ISO is ready for use when the status is Finished.
NOTE: The maximum allowed ISO file size is 5GB
STEP 3 - Booting the Cloud Servers using the uploaded ISO
To boot up the Cloud Servers using the uploaded ISO
1. Select the ISO tab
2. Go to the "Boot Server Using ISO" section
3. Select the ISO image from the dropdown List
4. Press "Boot using ISO" button
The Cloud Servers will reboot into Rescue Mode and will boot into the ISO environment.
STEP 4 - Accessing the Cloud Servers in Rescue mode
When the Cloud Servers are booted in Rescue Mode, the only way to access the server is via Console. Go to the Access tab and click Launch Console
Complete the installation process using the Console. When the installation completes, reboot the server and bring the server out of Rescue Mode by pressing "Unrescue" button in the ISO tab.
The Cloud Servers is now ready and will boot into the custom Operating Systems.
NOTE: While using the custom Operating Systems, some of the Control Panel functions will NOT work as certain components and drivers will be missing. Such functions are:
- Private and Public Key pair downloaded from Access tab
- Show existing Password
- Change Password
- Resizing Cloud Servers will not automatically increase partition size
