In a traditional deployment model, software is installed on a physical server, and it is configured for the particular data center environment. The cloud deployment model requires that the dependency on a specific hardware configuration is severed. This IBM® Redbooks® publication guides you through the transition from the traditional application deployment model to the cloud-friendly deployment model. It explains how to achieve these goals by packaging the software stacks into industry standard virtual appliances.

A key part of this transition involves using the IBM Image Construction and Composition Tool. This tool is the IBM tool for creating virtualized workloads that target several private cloud deployment platforms, including platforms from IBM and not from IBM. In fact, this tool is unique in its ability to support such a wide range of cloud offerings. It is also the only tool in the marketplace that can create virtual appliances for both x86 and IBM Power hardware architectures.

This book provides an in-depth look at the capabilities and internal workings of Image Construction and Composition Tool. It focuses on the capabilities of this tool, which target the virtualization and cloud offerings of IBM Systems and Technology Group. These offerings include IBM Systems Director VMControl™, IBM SmartCloud® Entry, and IBM PureFlex™ System with IBM Flex System Manager™ appliance. The Image Construction and Composition Tool also has a much richer set of capabilities. Specifically, it supports IBM Workload Deployer, IBM PureApplication™ Systems, and IBM SmartCloud Provisioning.

This publication targets software architects, cloud solutions architects, and cloud administrators. Its goal is to provide you with the expert-level skills required to package the existing and newly created applications into self-configurable, smart virtual appliances.

Related publication: Smart Virtual Appliances Made Easy with IBM Image Construction and Composition Tool, TIPS1037

Chapter 1. Introduction to virtual appliance construction

Chapter 2. Anatomy of a virtual appliance

Chapter 3. Architecture of the IBM Image Construction and Composition Tool

Chapter 4. Setting up the virtual appliance build environment

Chapter 5. Product Activator Development Kit

Chapter 6. KVM Express cloud provider

Chapter 7. PowerVM Express cloud provider

Chapter 8. ESX cloud provider

Chapter 9. Constructing simple virtual appliances

Chapter 10. Constructing complex virtual appliances

Chapter 11. Virtual appliance deployment options

Chapter 12. Proven practices

Appendix A. Sample script for KVM host setup

Appendix B. Sample scripts for simple virtual appliance

Appendix C. Editing the generic.ovf file for IBM SmartCloud Entry deployment

Appendix D. Additional material