--- name: power-iaas-importing-boot-image title: Importing a boot image description: You can import a custom operating system (OS) image from an IBM Cloud Object Storage (COS) bucket by using the IBM® Power® Virtual Server user interface, CLI, or API, instead of using an IBM-provided stock image. After you import the boot image, you can use it to create a Power Virtual Server virtual server instance (VSI). last-updated: 2026-09-03 --- > ## Documentation Index > The table of contents for this documentation set is at https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/power-iaas?format=markdown > The index for all IBM Cloud docs is at: https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/llms.txt > Use these files to discover more information as needed. # Importing a boot image {: #importing-boot-image} --- IBM Power Virtual Server in [IBM data center]{: tag-blue} IBM Power Virtual Server Private Cloud in [Client location]{: tag-red} --- You can import a custom operating system (OS) image from an IBM Cloud Object Storage (COS) bucket by using the IBM® Power® Virtual Server user interface, CLI, or API, instead of using an IBM-provided stock image. After you import the boot image, you can use it to create a Power Virtual Server virtual server instance (VSI). {: shortdesc} When you import a boot image, you select a storage tier and storage pool for the image. Power Virtual Server creates the boot volumes from the imported boot image in the storage pool that you specify during the import. You cannot change the storage tier or storage pool after you import the image. A VSI can have disks from multiple storage types. All Power Virtual Server data centers support Tier 0, Tier 1, Tier 3, and Fixed IOPs storage types. Boot image import and export are long-running, asynchronous operations. Power Virtual Server monitors these operations across all workspaces in your account. You can run only one import or export operation at a time in a workspace. You cannot start another operation in that workspace until the current operation is complete. {: important} ## Before you begin {: #before-you-begin-import} Before you import a boot image, verify that you meet the following prerequisites: - Upload your boot image file to an IBM Cloud Object Storage bucket. Supported file formats are `.ova`, `.ova.gz`, `.tar`, `.tar.gz`, and `.tgz`. For more information, see [Create some buckets to store your data](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/cloud-object-storage?topic=cloud-object-storage-getting-started-cloud-object-storage&format=markdown#gs-create-buckets){: external}. - Generate Hash-based Message Authentication Code (HMAC) credentials for your COS instance. For more information, see [Using HMAC credentials](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/cloud-object-storage?topic=cloud-object-storage-uhc-hmac-credentials-main&format=markdown). - Create or use an existing Power Virtual Server workspace. ## Importing a boot image by using the Power Virtual Server user interface {: #console-import-image} {: help} {: support} To import a boot image by using the Power Virtual Server user interface, complete the following steps: 1. Log in to the [IBM Cloud catalog](https://cloud.ibm.com/catalog){: external} with your IBM credentials. 2. In the search box, type **Power Virtual Server** and click the **Power Virtual Server** tile. 3. Click **Workspaces** in the navigation panel. The Workspaces page with a list of existing workspaces is displayed. 4. Select the workspace to which you want to import the boot image. The "Virtual server instances" page of the selected workspace is displayed. 5. Click **Boot images** in the navigation panel and click **Import image**. The "Import boot image" panel is displayed. 6. In the "Import boot image" panel, complete the following steps in the **Source** section: 1. Select the image OS from the **Image OS** drop-down list. If you select a SAP HANA or SAP NetWeaver image OS, you must select the self-certification checkbox. 2. From the **Region** drop-down list, select the region that contains your COS bucket. 3. Enter the file name of the image in the **Image filename** field. The image file name must not contain spaces. The supported file name extensions are `.ova`, `.ova.gz`, `.tar`, `.tar.gz`, and `.tgz`. You can compress image files by using `gzip`. For example: `Aix_7200-03-02-1846_cldrdy_112018.ova.gz`. 4. Enter the name of your bucket in the **Bucket name** field. If your image file is stored in a subfolder in the bucket, specify the full path by using the `bucketName/optional/folders` format. To identify your bucket name, go to **Navigation menu** > **Resource list** > **Storage** and click your Cloud Object Storage instance name. Your buckets are listed on the **Buckets** tab. 5. Copy the `access_key_id` value from your COS service credentials and paste it into the **HMAC access key** field. To find your service credentials, go to **Navigation menu** > **Resource list** > **Storage**, click your Cloud Object Storage instance name, and then go to **Service credentials** > **View credentials**. 6. Copy the `secret_access_key` value from your COS service credentials and paste it into the **HMAC secret access key** field. 7. Set **Validate import with checksum file** to **On** to verify the imported file against the checksum file. You must store the checksum file and the boot image file in the same COS bucket. You can generate the checksum file when you export the boot image file to the IBM Cloud Object Storage bucket. The checksum file name is based on the name of the boot image file and uses the `.sha256` file extension. If you create your own boot image, you can create a checksum file and store it with your boot image in the same bucket. You can generate the checksum file by running the `shasum -a 256 ` or `sha256sum ` command. For more information about generating a checksum file, see [Using the Power Virtual Server user interface to capture and export a VM](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/power-iaas?topic=power-iaas-capturing-exporting-vm&format=markdown#console-capture-export). Validating the import file against the checksum file might increase the import time. {: note} 7. Click **Next**. 8. Enter the following information in the **Destination** section: 1. In the **Custom image name** field, enter a name for the imported boot image. 2. Optional: In the **User tags** field, enter tags to organize or categorize this boot image. User tags are visible to all users in the account. Do not include sensitive data in tag names. {: note} 3. In the **Tier** field, select one of the following storage type options: - **Tier 0 (25 IOPs / GiB)** - **Tier 1 (10 IOPs / GiB)** - **Tier 3 (3 IOPs / GiB)** - **Fixed IOPs (5000 IOPs)** A VSI cannot use Tier 1 and Tier 3 storage types simultaneously. For more information, see [Storage tiers](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/power-iaas?topic=power-iaas-on-cloud-architecture&format=markdown#storage-tiers). {: note} 4. In the **Storage pool** field, select a storage pool option. Power Virtual Server places one or more custom image storage volumes in the storage pool based on the option that you select: **Auto-select**, **Affinity**, or **Anti-affinity**. The boot volume of any VSI that you deploy by using this image is created in the same storage pool. For more information about storage volumes, see [Adding and managing storage volumes](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/power-iaas?topic=power-iaas-modifying-instance&format=markdown#modifying-volume-network). The following storage pool options are available: - **Auto-select**: Creates the storage volume in a storage pool with sufficient capacity automatically. - **Affinity**: Identifies the storage pool for the boot volumes, based on an existing VSI or storage volume from your account. Power Virtual Server stores the custom image storage volumes in the same storage pool in which the affinity object exists. If the affinity object is a VSI, Power Virtual Server determines the storage pool based on the boot volume of the VSI. - **Anti-affinity**: Identifies one or more storage pools that you want to exclude. Power Virtual Server does not consider the excluded storage pools when placing boot volumes. The pools to exclude are identified based on existing VSIs or storage volumes in your account. When you select this option, Power Virtual Server excludes the storage pools where the anti-affinity objects exist when it creates the custom image storage volumes. If you use VSIs as the anti-affinity objects, Power Virtual Server excludes the storage pools based on the boot volume of each VSI. 9. Click **Import image**. Large boot images might take longer to import. You might experience a delay before you receive a confirmation message. {: note} The new boot image is listed on the **Boot images** page. ## Importing a boot image by using the Power Virtual Server CLI {: #cli-import-image} To import a boot image, run the [`ibmcloud pi image import`](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/power-iaas?topic=power-iaas-power-iaas-cli-reference-v1&format=markdown#ibmcloud-pi-image-import) command. To verify that the import is complete, run the [`ibmcloud pi image list`](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/power-iaas?topic=power-iaas-power-iaas-cli-reference-v1&format=markdown#ibmcloud-pi-image) command. If you are using a bring-your-own-license (BYOL) SAP HANA or SAP NetWeaver image, add the `--import-details` option to the [`ibmcloud pi image import`](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/power-iaas?topic=power-iaas-power-iaas-cli-reference-v1&format=markdown#ibmcloud-pi-image-import) command to identify the image as SAP-certified. ## Importing a boot image by using the Power Virtual Server API {: #api-import-image} To import a boot image from IBM Cloud Object Storage by using the API, use the [Create a cos-image import job](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/apis/power-cloud#pcloud-v1-cloudinstances-cosimages-post){: external} method with the required properties in the request body: `imageName`, `imageFilename`, and `bucketName`. For private buckets, you must specify `accessKey` and `secretKey`, which are the HMAC access key and secret key for your COS instance. For more information, see [Using HMAC credentials](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/cloud-object-storage?topic=cloud-object-storage-uhc-hmac-credentials-main&format=markdown). ```sh curl -X POST \ https://us-east.power-iaas.cloud.ibm.com/pcloud/v1/cloud-instances/$CLOUD_INSTANCE_ID/cos-images \ -H "Authorization: Bearer $TOKEN" \ -H "CRN: $CRN" \ -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ -d '{ "imageName": "my-image-name", "imageFilename": "my-os-image-file.ova.gz", "bucketName": "my-cos-bucket-name", "region": "us-east", "accessKey": "my-cos-access-key", "secretKey": "my-cos-secret-key", "storageType": "tier3" }' ``` {: pre} If you are using a bring-your-own-license (BYOL) SAP HANA or SAP NetWeaver image, include the `importDetails` object in the request body to identify the image as SAP-certified: ```json "importDetails": { "licenseType": "byol", "product": "Hana", "vendor": "SAP" } ``` {: codeblock} ## Viewing boot image import results {: #view-import-results} After you start a boot image import, the **Status** column on the **Boot images** page shows the import progress. To view details, click **View details** to open the "Ongoing job status" dialog. The dialog shows the following information: - Job ID - Operation type - Input resource - Creation time - Steps completed To view the boot image import job details by using the CLI, use the [`ibmcloud pi image import-show`](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/power-iaas?topic=power-iaas-power-iaas-cli-reference-v1&format=markdown#ibmcloud-pi-image-import-show) command. To view the boot image import job details by using the API, use the [Get detail of last cos-image import job](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/apis/power-cloud#pcloud-v1-cloudinstances-cosimages-get){: external} method. ## Downloading a boot image from Cloud Object Storage {: #download-boot-image-cos} To download the boot image after you import it, complete the following steps: 1. In the IBM Cloud dashboard, go to **Resource list** and click your **Cloud Object Storage** instance. 2. In the bucket where you stored your boot image, click the boot image file. 3. Click **Download objects**. For more information about the Cloud Object Storage CLI command, see [Download an object](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/cloud-object-storage?topic=cloud-object-storage-ic-cos-cli&format=markdown#ic-download-object){: external}. ## Related information {: #related-info-import} For information about exporting custom boot images, see [Exporting a boot image](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/power-iaas?topic=power-iaas-exporting-boot-image&format=markdown). For information about capturing and exporting virtual server instances, see [Capturing and exporting a virtual server instance](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/power-iaas?topic=power-iaas-capturing-exporting-vm&format=markdown).