How to Use Packer to Create Server Images

How to Use Packer to Create Server Images

Packer automates the creation of machine images so every Breeze you deploy starts from an identical, pre-configured base. This eliminates configuration drift and speeds up provisioning dramatically.

Installing Packer

wget https://releases.hashicorp.com/packer/1.10.0/packer_1.10.0_linux_amd64.zip
unzip packer_1.10.0_linux_amd64.zip
sudo mv packer /usr/local/bin/
packer version

Creating a Template

Packer uses HCL2 templates. Create a file named breeze-base.pkr.hcl:

source "qemu" "ubuntu" {
  iso_url      = "https://releases.ubuntu.com/22.04/ubuntu-22.04-live-server-amd64.iso"
  ssh_username = "root"
  disk_size    = "20G"
  format       = "qcow2"
}

build {
  sources = ["source.qemu.ubuntu"]

  provisioner "shell" {
    inline = [
      "apt-get update && apt-get upgrade -y",
      "apt-get install -y curl wget vim ufw fail2ban",
      "ufw allow 22/tcp && ufw --force enable"
    ]
  }
}

Building the Image

packer init .
packer validate breeze-base.pkr.hcl
packer build breeze-base.pkr.hcl

Why Use Packer?

• Consistent images across all Breezes — no manual setup required
• Version-controlled templates you can audit and roll back
• Integrates with Terraform for a complete IaC pipeline
• Supports multiple output formats including qcow2 and raw