Importing virtual images to the catalog

You can expand the collection of virtual images on the system by importing additional virtual images, provided by IBM®, to the catalog. Once the virtual image is available in the catalog, it can be used to create virtual system patterns.

Before you begin

You must be assigned the Create new catalog content role or the Workload resources administration role with full permissions to complete this task.

Some restrictions apply to images that can be deployed. For more information on importing virtual machines into Image Construction and Composition Tool, see the Related tasks section.

About this task

Virtual images can be added to the catalog from two different sources.
  • You can download new virtual images from IBM and then import them into the catalog. These images can be new or they can be service-level updates. If the imported image is a service-level update to an image that is provided by IBM, the update is added to the catalog as an emergency fix. You can use this emergency fix to upgrade all the virtual systems that you created to the current service level.
  • You can also add virtual images that you exported from another system. After you export a virtual image, it can be added to the catalog of a different system. If you extended a virtual image on a system, the extended virtual image can be shared across the system. The extended image is shared by exporting the virtual image from the original system and adding the virtual image to the other catalogs.
You can use the console or the command line interface to complete this task. For the command line information, see the Related information section.

Procedure

  1. Click Catalog > Virtual Images (or Pattern development > Components > Virtual Images if in 2.3.3.3).
  2. Click Create New.
  3. On the window that is displayed, enter the remote path of the virtual image that you want to import in the OVA file location field.
    You can specify the remote path in either of the following formats:
    • HTTP URL (for example, http://127.0.0.1/myImages/VirtualImage.ova)
    • Secure Copy Protocol (SCP) (for example, 172.16.10.249:/myImages/VirtualImage.ova)
  4. Optional: Enter the user name in the User name field.
    This field is required only if the location of the metadata OVA is secured with a user name and a password.
  5. Optional: Enter and verify the password in the Password and Verify password fields.
    A password is required only if the location of the metadata OVA is secured with a user name and a password.
  6. Click OK.

Results

If you see this message: The name or identifier you entered is already in use, an image matching the name, build and version of the image being loaded already exists. Request access to that image or get access from an authorized user to view all images.

If you see an error that is similar to the following error: An error occurred during the import into the image repository: Failed to run VIOS command: 1 perl -pi -e 's/6FFOQ5OAlpvcL4wrWJPWOB57bU/VslsLc1OeJ7rKPYU/A6NiVcGMSZcCgYEAwV5o/GbvIf77SHIkXjK7Zx0cRNntVO1Wzy+fg/JrSq3yx1hA8O0PQorHHAoGBANhvapmd/' /tmp/psm_keys/disk1_32585be9-bc76-4ed6-ab1d-ad5312eb59f1/vioskey contains illegal data: +fg., retry the import of the virtual image.

What to do next

The new virtual image is now available in the catalog and can be used to create patterns. For more information about working with virtual system patterns, see the Related concepts section.