packer-vmm-1.7.4

This README contains unresolved ports variables; replace them before using its commands.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------
| Running packer-vmm on OpenBSD
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------

To allow interaction with vmd(8) for unprivileged users, create VM template
in vm.conf(5) and assign permissions for user accounts.
This template will be used as parent VM for VM instances created by Packer.

For more infornation, see VM INSTANCES section in vm.conf(5) and example files
provided with the package.

Build process steps
===================
1) Create image output dir if it does not exist
2) Create disk image, error out if it already exists
3) Start VM
4) Start local HTTP server
5) Generate installation files from templates in HTTP server directiry
6) Pass boot_command to VM console
7) Upon OS installation, shutdown VM

Optional steps can include communication with VM by ssh(1) and performing
various Packer provisioners and post-processors.

List of Variables
=================
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Variable       |   Description                                 | Defaults
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
vm_name*             | VM name, image filename, disk image filename  |
vm_template*         | vm.conf(5) template name                      |
boot_device          | passed as -B option to vmctl(8) start         | template
boot                 | passed as -b option to vmctl(8) start         | vmctl(8)
cdrom                | passed as -r option to vmctl(8) start         | template
disk_format          | passed to vmctl(8) create, qcow2 or raw       | "raw"
disk_base            | passed as -b option to vmctl(8) create        | template
disk_size            | passed as -b option to vmctl(8) create        | template
memory               | passed as -m option to vmctl(8) start         | vmctl(8)
log_directory        | path to packer's build log directory          | $PWD
output_directory     | path to packer's VM image output directory    | $PWD
gen_files_extension  | file extension for installation templates     | "pkr.in"
gen_files_pattern    | filename pattern for installation templates   | vm_name
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* - required

Packer HTTP server and installation files templates
===================================================
Packer starts HTTP server on dynamic port serving files from directory
specified by http_directory variable. This directory can contain unattended
scripts like OpenBSD autoinstall(8) response files and autopartitioning
templates, Linux distributions kickstart/preseed files, etc.

To simplify unattended installation process, Packer vmm builder plugin will
process files in http_directory by recursively searching for filenames matching
the fileglob "gen_files_pattern*.gen_files_extension", where "gen_files_pattern"
and "gen_files_extension" are the template variables, respectively.
If these variables are not configured, by default fileglob is "vm_name.pkr.in",
where "vm_name" is the respecive template variable.

Packer will replace the following Packer template variables in these files:
 {{ .VMName }}   - with vm_name variable
 {{ .HTTPIP }}   - with dynamic local interface address created by vmd(8)
 {{ .HTTPPort }} - with the port, on which Packer's HTTP process is listening

and write new files which names are constructed by omiting
"gen_files_extension", by default "pkr.in".
E.g. if there's a file "http_directory/openbsd.autoinstall.pkr.in", Packer will
process its contents, replace variables with actual values, and write a new
file, "http_directory/openbsd.autoinstall", which can be passed to OpenBSD
autoinstall(8).

Example workflow
================
1) Configure VM template in ${SYSCONFDIR}/vm.conf
2) Create directories for Packer's templates, http server, logs, and output
3) Configure Packer by setting environment variables/editing config files
4) Create build templates ($PACKER_CONFIG_DIR/*.pkr files)
5) Copy ISO images and installation files to configured locations
6) Create base OS image with minimal necessary configurations changes
7) Create and deploy customized images using base OS images

Example Packer templates, autoinstall scripts for OpenBSD/Linux guests can be
found in /usr/local/share/examples/packer-vmm.

Caveats
=======
If VM template uses an ISO image for build, make sure that parent template
in vm.conf(5) specifies cdrom as boot device, e.g.:
      vm generic {
            disable
            boot device cdrom
            owner vm_user
            allow instance { boot, cdrom, disk, instance, interface, memory }
            memory 1G
            disk /dev/null
      }