How to manage images

MAAS supports two SimpleStreams: candidate and stable. Both contain Ubuntu, CentOS, bootloaders, and release notifications. MAAS defaults to stable. MAAS standard provisioning images include:

  • Ubuntu and CentOS OS images.
  • Bootloaders extracted from the Ubuntu archive.
  • Release notifications.

MAAS syncs images hourly at the region level. Rack controller syncs run every 5 minutes. MAAS can only work with one boot source at a time.

Switch image streams

UI
Images > Change source > Custom > set URL to:

  • Candidate: http://images.maas.io/ephemeral-v3/candidate
  • Stable: maas.io

CLI

BOOT_SOURCE_ID=$(maas $PROFILE boot-sources read)

Manage images

UI
Main menu > Images > Select/Unselect > Save selection

CLI

maas $PROFILE boot-sources read  # list boot sources
maas $PROFILE boot-source-selections create $SOURCE_ID \
    os="ubuntu" release="$SERIES" arches="$ARCH" \
    subarches="$KERNEL" labels="*" # select boot sources
maas $PROFILE boot-resources read # list images
maas $PROFILE boot-resources import # select images

Additional CLI management commands

Delete a boot source

maas $PROFILE boot-source delete $SOURCE_ID

Update a boot source

maas $PROFILE boot-source update $SOURCE_ID \
    url=$URL keyring_filename=$KEYRING_FILE

Add a new boot source

maas $PROFILE boot-sources create \
    url=$URL keyring_filename=$KEYRING_FILE

Use /usr/share/keyrings/ubuntu-cloudimage-keyring.gpg as the keyring file.

Use a custom mirror

UI

  • Images > Change source > Custom > enter URL > Connect.
  • For advanced options, select Show advanced options.
  • Set up a local mirror (below) for faster imports.

Use a local mirror

A local mirror can improve image sync performance.

Install SimpleStreams

Start by installing SimpleStreams:

sudo apt install simplestreams

Define helper variables

Define these variables for cleaner CLI commands:

KEYRING_FILE=/usr/share/keyrings/ubuntu-cloudimage-keyring.gpg
IMAGE_SRC=https://images.maas.io/ephemeral-v3/stable
IMAGE_DIR=/var/www/html/maas/images/ephemeral-v3/stable

Mirror your kernels

Mirror your kernels with these commands:

sudo sstream-mirror --keyring=$KEYRING_FILE $IMAGE_SRC $IMAGE_DIR 'arch=amd64' 'release~(bionic|focal)' --max=1 --progress
sudo sstream-mirror --keyring=$KEYRING_FILE $IMAGE_SRC $IMAGE_DIR 'os~(grub*|pxelinux)' --max=1 --progress

Use --dry-run to preview your selection.

MAAS saves images to the directory defined by ‘IMAGE_DIR’. The new boot source URL will be http://<myserver>/maas/images/ephemeral-v3/stable/.

Verify image availability at the URL above. Regularly update your mirror with cron to fetch the latest images.

Set URL=https://$MIRROR/maas/images/ephemeral-v3/stable/ and KEYRING_FILE=/usr/share/keyrings/ubuntu-cloudimage-keyring.gpg, where $MIRROR is the mirror server.


Last updated 2 hours ago.