- Creating Golden Image Stores
- Golden Image Store Folder Structure
- Golden Image Store Placement
Overview
Golden image stores are predefined storage areas that are used as destinations for the golden image creation and the source for golden image deployment; they are functionally similar to the repositories found in SiteBackup in this way. Each golden image store contains information including the storage location, the network access information, credentials required to access the resource, and other basic storage management.
There is no limit on the number of golden image stores that you can create, however, each golden image store must have its own unique network path. This means that golden image stores cannot be configured to use the same folder as an existing repository, however, a subfolder can be created within the share the repository is using, which can be used for the golden image store.
Creating Golden Image Stores
Golden image stores can be created and managed on the 'Golden Image Stores' page within SiteDeploy:
There are three types of golden image stores that can be created, click on one of the golden image store types to learn more:
Network Share - Any Windows or SMB network share may be used as a golden image store.
Amazon AWS Storage Gateway - If an AWS Storage Gateway is available, it can be used as a golden image store backend.
Azure Storage Account - If Azure storage is exposed as an SMB share in Azure, it can be used as a golden image store directly.
Golden Image Store Folder Structure
Once the golden image store has been created, the folder structure can be viewed using Windows File Explorer. The share that was used to create the golden image store will now contain the 'DeploymentImages' folder.
Inside this folder are three subfolders:
|
Folder
|
Purpose
|
|---|---|
| Import | The import folder can be used to import existing images into the golden image store. Currently, only full images can be used as a golden image, as a result, only full images should be copied into this folder. Once the golden image has been imported, it will be moved to the 'Store' folder. |
| Staging | This acts as a staging area for images that are being imported into the store. This folder should not be used to store images. |
| Store | This is where the golden images for this golden image store are located. |
Golden Image Store Placement
The golden image store will be accessed directly by the reference computer during golden image creation, and the target endpoints during golden image deployment. As a result, this enables traffic shaping by placing the golden image store in a relevant LAN, subnet, or VLAN.
For example, when performing golden image deployment to remote locations over a site-to-site VPN, the golden image store can be placed on the remote site, golden image network traffic will then be kept entirely within that LAN, and not sent over the VPN.