Dell Nutanix: How to Create Phoenix ISO Image for Node Initialization

Summary: This article discusses how to create a Phoenix ISO required image when you initialize a node.

This article applies to This article does not apply to This article is not tied to any specific product. Not all product versions are identified in this article.
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Instructions

Table of Contents

  1. Deploy Foundation VM
  2. Download Files
  3. Create Phoenix ISO Image File

Deploy Foundation VM

Deploy a Foundation VM on your environment following the instructions in this article.

Download Files

Get the files required to create a Phoenix ISO image.
  1. Acropolis operating system (AOS) Installer
Download the AOS Installer file of the target version (Filename:nutanix_installer_package-release-xxx.tar.gz) from this page:
This hyperlink is taking you to a website outside of Dell Technologies. Nutanix Website AOS Login Page 
 
NOTE: A Nutanix Support Portal Account is required to access the page and download the file.
 
NOTE: If you could not find the file of the target version or log in to the site, contact Dell Technical Support.
  1. Hypervisor Installer
  • AHV
Download the AHV Installer ISO (Filename: AHV-DVD-xxx.iso) or AHV 1-Click Installer (Filename:host-bundle-xxx.tar.gz) of the target version from this page
NOTE: A Nutanix Support Portal Account is required to access the page and download the file.
 
NOTE: If you could not find the file of the target version or log in to the site, contact Dell Technical Support.
  • ESXi
Download the Dell Customized ESXi Installer ISO following the instructions in this article.
NOTE: If you could not find the ISO of the target version, contact Dell Technical Support.
  

Create Phoenix ISO Image File

Create the Phoenix ISO image file following the steps.
 
NOTE: This procedure is based on the following article from the Nutanix Support Portal:
This hyperlink is taking you to a website outside of Dell Technologies. How to create a Phoenix ISO or AHV ISO from a CVM or Foundation VM.
  1. Using WinSCP, copy the AOS Installer and Hypervisor Installer that were downloaded in Download Files to the directory /home/nutanix/foundation/tmp of the Foundation VM.

NOTE: Before connecting with WinSCP, clear the Optimize connection buffer size setting in the Connection section of the Advanced Settings.

 
Login Advanced Settings Screen
Figure 1: Login Advanced Settings Screen
 
Clear Optimize Buffer Size Setting in Connections Screen
Figure 2: Clear Optimize Buffer Size Setting in Connections Screen
  1. SSH into the Foundation VM as a Nutanix user
  2. Run the following command to change the current directory.
$ cd /home/nutanix/foundation/bin
  1. Run the following command to create the Phoenix ISO image file including AOS and Hypervisor.
  • AHV
$ ./generate_iso phoenix --aos-package=/home/nutanix/foundation/tmp/<AOS Installer Filename that was copied in Step 1> --kvm=/home/nutanix/foundation/tmp/<Hypervisor Installer Filename that was copied in Step 1>

Example:
$ ./generate_iso phoenix --aos-package=/home/nutanix/foundation/tmp/nutanix_installer_package-release-fraser-6.5.1.8-stable-6cefee1bd0b0ac0ef2111f6642455a96df83d33a-x86_64.tar.gz --kvm=/home/nutanix/foundation/tmp/AHV-DVD-x86_64-el7.nutanix.20220304.336.iso
  • ESXi
$ ./generate_iso phoenix --aos-package=/home/nutanix/foundation/tmp/<AOS Installer Filename that was copied in Step 1> --esx=/home/nutanix/foundation/tmp/<Hypervisor Installer Filename that was copied in Step 5>

Example:
$ ./generate_iso phoenix --aos-package=/home/nutanix/foundation/tmp/nutanix_installer_package-release-fraser-6.5.1.8-stable-6cefee1bd0b0ac0ef2111f6642455a96df83d33a-x86_64.tar.gz --esx=/home/nutanix/foundation/tmp/VMware-VMvisor-Installer-7.0.0.update01-17325551.x86_64-DellEMC_Customized-A01.iso


It can take approximately 10 minutes. When the command is completed, the output should be as follows:

Result of Generating Phoenix ISO
Figure 3: Result of Generating Phoenix ISO

  1. Confirm the ISO image file (Filename:phoenix-x.x.x-xxx-x86_64.iso) is created in the directory /home/nutanix/foundation/tmp.
  2. Run the following command to confirm the md5 checksum of the Phoenix ISO image file.
$ md5sum /home/nutanix/foundation/tmp/<Phoenix ISO Filename that was confirmed in Step 5>
  1. Download the ISO off the CVM using WinSCP to any machines.

NOTE: As with step 6, clear the Optimize connection buffer size setting in the Connection section of the Advanced Settings before connecting with WinSCP.

  1. Confirm that the md5 checksum of the ISO that was downloaded in step 7 matches the value confirmed in step 6. If the value is not the same, the ISO may be corrupted during the download. If that is the case, download the ISO again.
  2. Delete the AOS Hypervisor Installer and Phoenix ISO files in /home/nutanix/foundation/tmp of the Foundation VM.
 

Affected Products

XC Core Systems, XC Series Appliances
Article Properties
Article Number: 000208562
Article Type: How To
Last Modified: 05 May 2023
Version:  3
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