Automatically create custom images-Elastic Compute Service(ECS)-阿里云帮助中心

Automatically create custom images with Image Builder, CloudOps Orchestration Service (OOS), or Packer to improve accuracy and eliminate manual orchestration.

Image creation methods

The following table compares the automated image creation methods.

Method	Advantage	Scenario
Use Image Builder to create a custom image	Efficient and secure creation with automated configuration item checks Compatible with Dockerfile Visual creation process	Users who regularly update custom images and are familiar with Dockerfile commands
Create a custom image with OOS	Official templates, no coding required Password-free logon, secure and reliable Visual execution process	Users who regularly update custom images and are familiar with OOS template syntax
Create a custom image with Packer	Open source tool compatible with most cloud service providers	Users who regularly update custom images and are familiar with Packer syntax

Image creation procedure

Automatic custom image creation captures the system status and application data of an ECS instance at a specific point in time. Each method automates this by creating a temporary instance and releasing it after the image is created.

The procedure varies by method:

Automatically create a custom image with Image Builder
To use OOS, select a public template such as ACS-ECS-UpdateImage or create an O&M task template. You can view the process on the YAML, JSON, or Graphical Template tab of OOS in the ECS console.
To use Packer, write scripts with a JSON template such as the Packer generator.