Exporting OVA files from AWS EC2 and Importing images into CaaS via PowerShell

For this post I will be demonstrating how to leverage the AWS API to export images that you have added to EC2 and export them as OVA files.

Once you have exported these OVA files you can then upload them to the CaaS Portal via some new commands in the PowerShell module version 1.3.1

Firstly, you will of course need an EC2 account and an instance to test on.

You will also need to install the AWS PowerShell module: http://aws.amazon.com/powershell/

We have a new example script for demonstrating this process. Export Images from AWS to CaaS.ps1

# Requirements - install PowerShell for AWS
# http://aws.amazon.com/powershell/

## Replace these with your target image details..

$region = "ap-southeast-2"
$transferBucket = "export-examples-dd" # Note you need to add
$instanceToMove = "i-fgj7kblz" # Name of the Amazon instance to migrate.
$targetNetworkName = "EXAMPLE-WEB" # Name of the network you want to migrate to
$targetLocation = "AU1" # CaaS location to migrate to.
$targetImageName = "Example-WEB" # Name of the virtual machine you want to create

# Import the AWS PowerShell Commands.
Import-Module AWSPowerShell

The next step is to import a set of utility commands (shortcuts for EC2 exports) in a file called AWS_Utilities.

# Import the AWS Utilities for CaaS
. .\AWS_Utilities.ps1 

In Amazon, you can create API Keys you will need to update those in the script with your own

$akid = "AKIAIFY64H7FAB2L712D" # Replace with your API Key ID
$aksec = "wLmkFh3Ow177Moy1asdu2kcoyc3jCWSs7wWA" # Key Secret from the UI 

Once you have established the keys, you need to choose your instance ID.

Now create the API connection to AWS

# Setup AWS API
Set-DefaultAWSRegion -Region $region
Set-AWSCredentials -AccessKey $akid -SecretKey $aksec -StoreAs "export"

Then you can export your image to S3

$exportJob = ExportImageFromAWS -region $region -bucketName $transferBucket -instanceId $instanceToMove
DownloadAWSExport -region $region -bucketName $transferBucket -exportId $exportJob

For my 8GB image, this took about 2 hours to complete. You will see the OVA file in your local folder, with the disk and configuration inside.

Once you have the OVA you can upload and import it into CaaS using the New-CaaSUploadCustomerImage command.

Normally you would have to use an FTP client, but we have built one into the command, so it uploads the files for you.

New-CaaSConnection -Region Australia_AU -Vendor DimensionData -ApiCredentials (Get-Credential)

# Upload our virtual appliance.
New-CaasUploadCustomerImage -VirtualAppliance "$exportJob.ova"

Then finally, import that image into a new template (Customer Image)

# import OVF into CaaS.
$package = Get-CaasOvfPackages | Where { $_.name -eq "$exportJob.mf" }
$network = Get-CaasNetworks -Name $targetNetworkName -Location $targetLocation

If you login to the Portal you will see the image, but you can of course do this via PowerShell.

New-CaasImportCustomerImage -CustomerImageName $targetImageName -OvfPackage $package -Network $network -Description "Imported image from AWS - $instanceToMove"

A video demonstration of this process is available here:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1yNqs2m0iGoV1ZNTGNuUVpmYlE/view