Optimizing large-scale Linux VM deployments: Cutting image build time from weeks to 30 minutes

Speaker: Johan van Amersfoort

Company: ITQ

Abstract: We have worked with Airbus to solve some challenges with the deployment of a development platform for 16000 developers. One of those challenges was the large-scale deployment of linux virtual machines, and the lifecycle of their base images. On average, it took multiple weeks to build a new RHEL-based image, and they had hundreds of them. Using Packer, we were able to reduce the image build process from weeks to 30 minutes. This saved them from hundreds of hours a months of administrative overhead, but also enabled them to:

1) rapidly patch images in case of a CVE being released
2) scale out to private cloud instances, but also AWS
3) streamline the deployment of new RHEL versions with a predicted outcome