Creating Linux Tools VM

Overview

We will deploy a Linux (CentOS) VM to use it as our workstation.

Deploying Linux Tools VM

1. In Prism Central > select Menu > Compute and Storage > VMs, and click Create VM

2. Fill out the following fields:

   • Name - Initials-Linux-ToolsVM
   • Description - (Optional) Description for your VM.
   • Number of VMs - 1
   • CPU(s) - 4
   • Number of Cores per CPU - 1
   • Memory - 4 GiB
3. Click Next
4. Under Disks select Attach Disk
   • Type - DISK
   • Operation - Clone from Image
   • Image - Linux_ToolsVM.qcow2
   • Capacity - leave at default size
   • Bus Type - leave at default SCSI Setting
5. Click Save
6. Under Networks select Attach to Subnet
   • VLAN Name - Primary
   • Network Connection State - Connected
   • Assignment Type - Assign with DHCP
7. Click Save
8. Click Next at the bottom

9. In Management section

   • Categories - leave blank
   • Timezone - leave at default UTC

   • Guest Customization -

     • Script Type - Cloud-init (Linux)
     • Configuration Method - Custom Script

     Do you need to create a SSH key pair?

     You can use any online ssh key generator if you are using Windows. Execute the following commands in you are in a Linux / Mac environment to generate a private key.

     ssh-keygen -t rsa -b 2048 -C "Created for Linux Tools VM"
     
     # follow prompts 
     # do not specify passphrase
     # once completed run the following command
     
     cat id_rsa.pub
     
     # copy the contents of the id_rsa.pub file to your cloudinit yaml file
     

     • Paste the following script in the script window

     #cloud-config
     
     # Set the hostname
     hostname: myhost
     
     # Create a new user
     users:
       - default
       - name: nutanix
         groups: wheel, users
         ssh_authorized_keys:
         # Paste the generated public key here
         - ssh-rsa AAAAB3NzaC1....
         # You can also use the salter 1N or 6N format using OPENSSL (openssl passwd -1 -salt SaltSalt "yourplaintextpassword")
         # Paste the generated password here
         passwd: $1$SaltSalt$aOsqVFP2QULyFo5JYkOYB/
         shell: /bin/bash
         lock-passwd: false
         ssh_pwauth: True                 
     
     # Enable password authentication for root
     ssh_pwauth: True
     
     # Run additional commands
     runcmd:
     - 'sleep 10' # sleeping for the network to be UP
     - 'echo "nutanix ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD: ALL" >> /etc/sudoers'
     
     # Run package upgrade
     package_upgrade: true
     
     # Install the following packages - add extra that you would need
     packages:
     - git
     - bind-utils
     - nmap
     - curl
     - wget 
     - vim
     - python3
     - python3-pip
     

10. Click on Next

11. Click Create VM at the bottom
12. Go back to Prism Central > Menu > Compute and Storage > VMs
13. Select your Initials-Linux-ToolsVM

14. Under Actions drop-down menu, choose Power On

    Note

    It may take up to 10 minutes for the VM to be ready.

    You can watch the console of the VM from Prism Central to make sure all the clouinit script has finished running.

15. Login to the VM via SSH or Console session, using the following command:

    ssh -i <your_private_key> -l nutanix <IP of LinuxToolsVM>
    

    Example command

    ssh -i id_rsa -l nutanix 10.54.63.95