How to use VM Depot

Deploying an Image
Publishing an Image
Working with Published Images
Publishing a new version of an Existing Image
Rate and Comment
Helpful Links

Using VM Depot and Windows Azure, Developers can create and share images of Linux-based virtual machines, and share details on their experiences using those images.

Microsoft Open Technologies, Inc does not screen images provided by the community members for security, compatibility or performance. Users should conduct their own evaluation before using the community images. Support for images are provided by the community and not by Microsoft Open Technologies, Inc. By using unsupported images, you might forfeit Windows Azure availability SLA.

There are three ways you can interact with Virtual machines on VM Depot: Deploy, Publish and Rate and Comment.

VM Depot works with Windows Azure. If you have an Azure subscription, you're ready to try it out, and if not you can quickly sign up for a free 90-day trial subscription.

Deploy creates an instance of a VM Depot virtual machine on windows Azure. Publish makes an existing image deployable on windows Azure. Rate and Comment are tools for telling others about your experiences using a VM Depot Virtual Machine.

Deploying an Image

Deploy from VM Depot

You can find and deploy a VM Depot virtual machine image to Windows Azure from the VM Depot Web site using the cross-platform command line tools.

If you have the latest version of Node.js installed, you can use npm to get the command line tools:

npm install azure-cli --global

You can also get the command line tools by downloading and installing from www.windowsazure.com.

Once you have your command line tools in place, you can deploy an image using scripts generated when you select a VM Depot image and click the "Deployment Script" icon in the top menu bar or the "Deployment Script" link, this is discussed in more detail below. If you're experienced with the command line tools you can write your own scripts, but you'll still need some information from the prepopulated script to get started.

Below is an example of a VM Depot image listing. When viewing the listings only the publish icon is enabled. The Deployment script is disabled until you select an image to work with.

Once an image is selected, the Deployment Script button is enabled. After you click the deployment script icon you will be prompted for a region for deployment. A script is generated for you based in that region (after you accept the terms of use the first time):

If the image has defined any endpoints that should be opened on the virtual machine there will be an additional command presented in the deployment script, this commend will create the necessary endpoints. The defined endpoints will also be displayed in the image details. For example:

Screenshot showing Endpoints in image description and deployment script

Upgrading the cli tools for use with VM Depot

If you have previously installed the Windows Azure cross-platform command line tools, you will need to upgrade your installation before you can take advantage of the easy deployment scripts VM Depot offers. You can update your installation by running the following command:

$> npm update azure-cli --global

You can learn more about the command line tools here. You'll need to supply a unique DNS name, your user, ID, password, and any options based on your needs.

Please give us your feedback! We are working on new ways for you to deploy images, but we want to know what you think.

Publishing an Image

The VM Depot community portal will allow you to share a virtual machine image you have created with other Windows Azure users, and allow you to search and find images others have submitted. This step-by-step guide shows how easy it is to share a virtual machine image with the community.

Prerequisites:

You will need one of these: a Windows Live, Google or Yahoo account.
A VHD (Virtual Hard Drive) file containing a virtual machine image. See this page for information on creating a VHD file from an existing Linux Installation.
The URL to the Windows Azure blob which is the VHD file (the virtual machine image) you wish to submit. This .vhd file must be a public blob in your Windows Azure account in order to be accessible to VM Depot. See this page for information on referencing blobs and this page on how to make containers in your Windows Azure storage account public. Once your image has been uploaded to the portal you may safely delete it from your storage account.

Logging in and registering:

Start by navigating to the VM Depot page at http://VMDepot.msopentech.com/. You will see a list of the currently available Virtual Machine Images. At the top of the page, click the "publish" icon.

If you have not yet logged in, you will be presented with a login screen with the option for using a Windows Live, Yahoo or Google ID. It is recommended that this account be the same as your Windows Azure account. If you have not previously logged in with your chosen account, you will be presented with a short registration page which will ask you to create your user profile. You will need to provide a name (Yours or your organizations) and an email address. You will also be required to accept the terms and conditions. Once you have completed the form, click "Save."

Submission Details:

Once you have navigated to the "Publish an Image" page you will see a short form where you will enter the details of your submission.

Screenshot of the image publishing form.

Upload thumbnail - optional - Allows you to associate an image with your submission. The maximum image file size is 200k and we recommend your image be a 256p square.

Image name - required - The name you want to give to your image

Image Legal Terms URL - optional - The URL to a description of the legal terms. Defaults to VM Depot's default Terms of Use if left blank.

Description - optional - Give your submission details. What's included in your installation? Any configuration details? Let others know why they should use your submission.

URL of the VHD file to publish - required - The URL to the .vhd file in a public Windows Azure blob storage image (important note - the vhd file must reside in a public windows Azure Blob). See this page on how to make containers in your Windows Azure storage account public.

Regions - required - Allows you to specify which regions can access your submission. By default publishing occurs to all regions and should not be changed unless you need to specifically limit distribution of your submission e.g. your submission cannot be published to Asia for legal reasons. Users in omitted regions will not be able to access your submission.

Platform - required - Select what platform your submission is based on.

EndPoints - optional - You can add EndPoint mappings here. Click the "Add New Endpoint" link to open up a public port and map it to a local port.

Packages - optional - Installed packages included in the image (e.g. apache, mysql, php, tomcat). This field features an auto complete functionality. Simply start typing and a list of packages starting with the prefix you supply will appear. Although this field is not required, it is highly recommended you complete this field as it will help others search and find your submission.

Tags - optional - Any additional descriptive tags you want to give your submission (e.g. CMS, blog, forum, appserver).

Accept the terms of use - required - click the box to accept the terms of use.

Click "Publish"

After submission - The Publishing Process

Once you have successfully submitted your image, you will be directed to a page titled "My Image Publish Status." This page will allow you to see your pending image operations and the status of replication to all regions, as shown in in this image:

Once replication to a region has completed your submission will be immediately available in that region.

As soon as publishing to the first region has completed (Highlighted blue in the "Locations" column) you can click "my images" in the left side navigation to see images already available as well as the details and any community feedback for your submission:

Working with Published Images

You can edit, delete, or publish an upgraded version of your published images by selecting the image from "my images" in the left side navigation. Once you select an image, the menu displays the following options:

Deployment Script generates the deployment script for the image as outlined previously in this document.

Publish starts a new publishing process.

Publish Upgrade creates a new version of the same image. See below for more details on this process.

Edit allows changes to everything except the image URL. To make a change to the URL, click the publish icon to publish a new image.

Delete removes all replicas of the currently selected image form VM Depot. The original file outside of VM Depot is retained in its original location in its original public Azure Blob unless it is deleted separately.

Publishing a new version of an Existing Image

Once an image is created, you can easily create a new version of that image. Select the image from "my images" in the left side navigation then select "Publish Upgrade":

Image name - For upgrades, the image must be based on the same name, so Image name is not editable.

Image Legal Terms URL - optional - The URL to a description of the legal terms. Defaults to VM Depot's default Terms of Use if left blank.

Image Description - optional - The original image description is retained. Add any new details to the image description below.

Image Version description - optional - Describe the version of your submission and what's changed.

Regions - required - Allows you to specify which regions can access your submission. By default publishing occurs to all regions and should not be changed unless you need to specifically limit distribution of your submission i.e. your submission cannot be published to Asia for legal reasons. Users in omitted regions will not be able to access your submission.

Platform - For upgrades, the image must be based on the same platform, so it is not editable.

Tags - optional - Any additional descriptive tags you want to give your submission (e.g. CMS, blog, forum, appserver).

Accept the terms of use - required - click the box to accept the terms of use.

Click "Publish Upgrade"

After submission - The Publish Upgrade Process

As with publishing for the first time, you will be directed to a page titled "My Image Publish Status." This page will allow you to see the upgraded image publication status and the status of replication to all regions, as shown here:

When the publishing of an upgrade has completed (Highlighted blue in the "Locations" column) you can click "my images" in the left side navigation and select the image entry to see details of the upgraded image. When upgrades are published, an update to the existing entry is made showing the latest upgrade as the main version, with the Image Upgrade Description below the original description. Older versions are available at the bottom of the entry, via the link in the time stamp for the older version, as shown here:

Rate and Comment

Once you have logged into the VM Depot you will be able to rate and comment on images. To do this, click on the submission for which you want to give feedback from the "Browse Images" tab to display the submission details. Underneath the details on the page there will be a link that says "Comment/Rate this Submission."

Clicking this link will display a comment box and a rating option. You may leave a comment, select a rating or both. Once you have finished your feedback click submit. Your feedback will be instantly available to the community.

To view feedback on your own submissions you can either find and select it from the "Browse Images" tab, or click on the "My Account" tab and find it under your submissions. Click on the submission to show the details including any community feedback.

You may also review any feedback you have given others by clicking on the "My Account" tab and looking under the "Reviews" heading.