I have a new slice which I would like to clone. It takes us about a full day to update, add to and configure for our application. I would like to be able to take an image of the slice in this application ready configuration, before we begin the customer specific work. The intention is to then use this image to load many future slices eliminating this days labor redundantly.

The slice I have currently in this state is using 1.8GB. I shutdown and reduced the active image slice size to 3GB, created an additional ext of 3GB intending to clone to it, but this slice does not show up on destination dropdown. I have been questioning support all day and they gave up and suggested I ask the user community.

I guess it is your turn:)
Gary

'Clone' copies a disk image(s) to another Linode instance. To make a copy of a disk image on the same Linode instance, remove the extra disk image that you made. Shut down your Linode. In the Linode Manager, choose 'Edit' for the image you want to duplicate. On the edit page, choose 'Duplicate Image'. You don't get a choice for the name of the duplicate image, but you can rename it afterwards.You can 'clone' this image to other Linode instances later as you need.

_________________
/ Peter

Slices? Let me guess - recently with slicehost?

The "Clone" operation in the Linode Manager is intended to clone between two Linodes, which is why the source Linode won't show up as a possible destination.

You can, however, duplicate individual disk images within a single Linode. Just select edit on the disk image, and then select the duplicate image button. You don't have to pre-create a target image. As long as you have enough unallocated space the duplicate image is created automatically. You'll have to do this for each image in turn though, and just as with the clone operation won't want to do this while your image is in use.

I seem to recall the older Linode Manager letting you duplicate multiple images at once, which would clearly be beneficial in this case, though it's been a while so I may be mis-remembering.

Or, given that it sounds like you'll be having a number of Linodes over time, just add a second Linode to clone to, separating your development Linode from your clone master. You can even just do this for a day (and get pro-rated charges back as a credit to your account) just to have access to a second Linode to simplify moving the images.

Another option would be to purchase the backup option for your master Linode (perhaps a good idea in and of itself), since you can use backups to restore to other Linodes as well as take snapshots even while the primary is running. Using the most recent backup, or a manual snapshot, would always let you use the most recent master image when generating a new Linode. I use this approach with several of my Linodes so I can spin up a "dev" Linode based on a production server for a short period for me to test out larger changes before making them in production. It's easy to make the new dev Linode match the production server from its backup without having to take the production server down.

-- David

This process only took a couple of minutes and if copying this image to a new linode works as expected it is sure going to save me a bunch of time, and most importantly remove the issue of typo's and/or omissions on the application configuration and give me a known environment to begin the customer specific config steps.

I am a little concerned the Linode Support could not answer what looks to be a simple solution on how to operate their own application. The good news is that this functionality exists.

Thanks again.

Gary

Wait, what?
Did you open a support ticket with that question and did not get a reply, for real?

Forum here is community support. It's not monitored 24/7 by Linode employees the way support tickets are. And considering you got two answers from forum members 20 minutes after you asked, is it really so surprising that even if a Linode emploee saw the question, he didn't answer repeating the same thing for the third time?

_________________
rsk, providing useless advice on the Internet since 2005.

I did receive a reply:

Sorry we weren't able to assist you more with this issue. I might recommend contacting our active users community for further assistance. More information about the Linode Community is available here:

after asking the same question I posted here about 3 different ways.

reread his OP. it's not at all clear what he wants. The 2 responders decoded it.

Clarity

Rarer then leftover chocolate cake in a fat girls refrigerator.