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Creating Windows Virtual Machine images for use with ESXi compute clusters in HP CloudSystem
f. Memory size -> <Your choice>
In CloudSystem, the actual value of RAM is a function of the OpenStack Nova flavor selected for the VM
instance and any min_ram value that was set as a property of the image in CloudSystem. Setting the min_ram
size is covered in step 7. At this point, just enter a value that allows you to develop the virtual machine image.
g. Network
 Set the network adapter to ‘E1000’ or ‘E1000E’
E1000 and E1000E drivers are commonly available in Windows by default. Other NIC types
could work but you must make sure that you included the driver.
 Number of NICs -> <Your choice>
The number of NICs attached to an instance is determined by the user during provisioning.
h. SCSI Controller -> LSI Logic SAS
IMPORTANT: LSI Logic SAS is the only supported value for a Windows VMDK in CloudSystem.
i. Create the disk.
 Capacity –> < Your choice>
Best practice is to set the size as small as possible for staging the image. The actual boot disk of the
VM is determined by the user when the VM is instantiated.
During provisioning, the actual value of the VM’s boot disk is a function of the OpenStack Nova
flavor selected for the VM instance and any min_disk value that was set as a property of the image
in CloudSystem. Setting the min_disk size is covered in
step 7. At this time, just select a value to use
while developing the virtual machine.
For example, the recommended minimum size reported by Windows 2012 for a standard image
with GUI options is 18GB. But it is fairly straightforward to create a ‘hello world’ functional Windows
2012 standard edition image at around 9GB in size. You can work with an image size of 9GB during
staging, set a minimum of 40GB for users and then they can use flavors to create VMs based on the
image with even larger boot disks.
IMPORTANT: If you usually work with ‘hello world’ Linux images, which are generally much smaller (200-
500MB), then the processing time and storage for these larger Windows images will be
considerably larger.
 Disk Provisioning –> <Your choice>
The size and format options of the image and how it is stored as it is moved into and used in
CloudSystem is configured later. At this point, choose thick or thin provisioning while you are
developing the VM.
j. Set advanced options.
 Virtual Device Node -> SCSI
IMPORTANT: SCSI is the only supported value for a Windows VMDK in CloudSystem.
Step 2: Install Windows and customize options
The purpose of this section is to choose the options in the Windows OS that allow the image to be used as a Windows VMDK. For
example, after launching the instance, a user could gain console access via the CloudSystem Portal, but typically the expected
interaction is for the user to access the console via Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP).
Some of the properties and options can be set using the procedure in step 4. Others are so common to all versions of Windows
images that they are best set using this procedure.
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