About life-cycle of a Golden Image

Typically a Golden Image is captured from one server and later used to deploy a number of servers. In between, the Golden Image can be transferred between one or more Image Streamer deployment servers as a compressed copy of the Golden Image by download and add processes. It can also be included in an artifact bundle and then transferred by download and extract of the artifact bundle.

A Golden Image can be added to the Image Streamer deployment server by using one of the following operations:
  • Add

  • Create

  • Import

The image in the appliance is a ready to use form of a Golden Image, and can be used for deployment, download, and export. The following figure describes the different ways to add a Golden Image to the appliance.
Phases of a Golden Image
Golden Image Life-cycle sequence of events

Sequence

Operation

Description

1

Add

Obtains Golden Image from an administrator’s laptop.

1

Capture

Obtains a Golden Image either from a deployed server or from an OS Volume.

1

Import

Adds the Golden Image to the appliance from an imported artifact bundle.

2

Deploy

Deploys a Golden Image on a server, using a Deployment Plan.

3

Redeploy

Redeploys an image on a server.

4

Export

Copies the Golden Image to the artifact bundle, which can be later imported on another Image Streamer appliance.

5

Download

Downloads a Golden Image to the administrator’s laptop as a simple compressed file having the block-for-block copy of the generalized OS Volume content.