HashiCorp Packer

https://www.packer.io/

Packer is a tool for automating building virtual machines templates such as importable .ova files.

This usually involves running automated installers that are native to each Linux distribution such as:

• Debian Preseed
• Redhat Kickstart
• Ubuntu Autoinstall

Packer can be used to create AMI + Vagrant box at same time.

• Configs
• Convert an Old Packer JSON template to HCL
• Sharing AMIs Between AWS Accounts
• Troubleshooting
  • Debug Mode

Configs

See HariSekhon/Packer repo.

Convert an Old Packer JSON template to HCL

packer hcl2_upgrade "$file.json"

Output:

Successfully created "$file.json.pkr.hcl". Exit 0

Sharing AMIs Between AWS Accounts

Packer can build in your CI/CD AWS account, and then you can share to your other AWS Accounts from this central place.

See AWS - Sharing AMIs Between Accounts.

Troubleshooting

Debug Mode

PACKER_LOG=1 packer build "$file.pkr.hcl"