Create an image of a server and restore a server from a saved image
Last updated on: 2018-10-25
Authored by: Rackspace Support
This article describes how to create an image of a cloud server (also known as cloning a server) and restore a server from a saved image in the Cloud Control Panel. For information about using the Cloud Servers API to create an image from a server, see the Create Image section in the Cloud Servers Developer Guide.
Prerequisites
Notes
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An image can be restored only to a server that has enough system disk capacity to accommodate the data in the image.
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Servers that boot from a Cloud Block Storage volume cannot be imaged. Use Cloud Block Storage snapshots to copy the boot volume instead. For more information, see Create and use Cloud Block Storage snapshots.
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Images do not include attached data disks or Cloud Block Storage volumes, only a local system disk. Data disks must be backed up using a Cloud Block Storage volume, Cloud Backup, or another backup solution. For more information about Cloud Backup, see Getting started with Rackspace Cloud Backup.
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Image backups are designed primarily to speed deployment of new servers and not as a robust backup solution. As such, there are a number of practical limitations in place. You can find a list of these limitations in the next article in the series Cloud Server image limitations.
Create an image backup
Note: The process of building a server from a previous backup image can be a time-consuming process depending on the size of the server.
Use the following steps to create an image backup:
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Log in to the Cloud Control Panel.
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In the top navigation bar, click Select a Product > Rackspace Cloud.
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Select Servers > Cloud Servers.
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Click on the server that you want to clone.
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After the Server Information page loads, click Actions and select Create Image.
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Enter a name for the image and click Create Image.
After the image is saved, it appears in the Images section of the Server Information page.
Restore a server from a saved image
Use the following steps to restore a server from a saved image:
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In the top navigation bar of the Cloud Control Panel, click Servers > Saved Images.
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Click the gear icon next to the image that you want to use to build a server.
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Select Create Server with Image.
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Enter a name for your server and select the region.
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In the Flavor section, select the flavor class and configure sizing options.
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(Optional) Under Advanced Options, perform the following actions:
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Select an SSH key to add to the server’s root account (if available).
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Select a Cloud Network to attach the server to.
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Choose the disk configuration option to use (if available).
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Click Create Server.
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When presented with your root admin password, copy the password to a secure location and then click Dismiss Password.
While your server goes through the build process, a Building notification is displayed.
After the server is created, its status is displayed as Active. You can then log in to it by using Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) for Windows® or SSH for Linux®, depending on your server’s operating system.
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