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Creating and Running Your First Virtual Machine Articles
Virtual machines are virtual computers that use physical resources from networked hardware. Virtual machines can be duplicated easily, allowing supply to scale in parallel with demand. To create and run a virtual machine:

  1. If you have not done so already, register as a Brinkster Cloud Orchestrator user. For information on how to do this, see the article on Registering as a User and Logging In.
     
  2. Log in to Brinkster Cloud Orchestrator.
     
  3. Show the Resources page by clicking the Resources link in the top left hand corner of the screen.

  4. Select an Image. This defines the operating system that will be used on the virtual machine once it is started, as well as any software that is installed by default. 

    If you are using an .iso file, you must create a disk from the .iso file and attach it to the server. For information about how to create a disk, see the article on Creating a Disk. After you have created a disk using the .iso file, complete steps 5 and 6 below to attach the disk to your server.


    To Select an image:

    1. Click on the Images tab.

    2. On the Images widget, click the Create Image button.

      The Create Image dialog box is displayed. 

    3. Specify the following:
      • Name - The name of the Image. It may be helpful to include the name and version of the operating system in the image name.
      • VDC - The VDC in which to create the image.
      • Default Username - The user account that enables you to gain access to the image. 
      • Generate Password Flag - Generates a password for the default user. This requires scripts to have been configured within the image in order to work.
      • Product - The product to use to create the image.
      • From - Whether to retrieve the image from a local disk or server, or from a URL.
        • From Disk/Server options:
          • Source Server - The server on which the image is located.
        • From URL options:
          • URL - The URL at which the image is located.
          • Auth Username - The username required to retrieve the image, if any.
          • Auth Password - The password required to retrieve the image, if any.
          • Checksum - If you know the checksum of the image, enter it here. This helps to validate the image you download.
             
    4. Click the Save button.
       
  5. Create a virtual machine:

    1. Click on the Servers tab.

    2. On the Servers widget, click the Create Server button.


      The Create Server dialog box is displayed.
       
    3. Specify the following:
      • Name - The name of the server.
      • VDC - The VDC in which to place the server.
      • Product - The product to use to create the server. 
      • From - Whether to create the server from a local image, or from an image stored at a URL. The from URL option is available on VMware vSphere only.
        • From Local Image options:
          • From - The image you want to use to create the server.
          • Disks - The type of disks to use.
          • Network - The type of networking to use.
        • From URL options:
          • URL - The URL at which the image is stored.
          • Auth Username - The username required to retrieve the image, if any.
          • Auth Password - The password required to retrieve the image, if any.
          • Checksum - If you know the checksum of the image, enter it here. This helps to validate the image you download.
          • Default User - The user account that enables you to gain access to the image. 
          • Password Generation Flag - Generates a password for the default user. This requires scripts to have been configured within the image in order to work.
             
    4. Click the Save button.
       
  6. Once the Status column in the Servers widget displays Stopped, configure and start the virtual machine:

    1. On the Servers widget, click the Manage button next to the server you just created.

      The Manage Server dialog box is displayed.

    2. If your image file is an .iso, attach the disk you created using the .iso file (see step 5 above) to the server: 
      1. Click on the Disks section. The section expands to show the following:
      2. Click the Add Disk button.
      3. In the Select An Existing Disk subsection, click the Attach button next to the disk you created in step 5. 

    3. Start the virtual machine by clicking the Start button at the top of the Manage Server dialog box.

      The status of the virtual machine should change to Starting, and then to Running. Your virtual machine is now ready to install software on and be used.

    4. Once the virtual machine is running, you can log into the console of the virtual machine by clicking the Console button. To install and run the required software on it, follow the necessary instructions for the operating system installed on the virtual machine.

    5. To close the Manage Server dialog box, click the Done button.