3.8. Converting a RHEL image to Azure disk image

Procedure

1. Convert the image from qcow2 to raw format.

   $ qemu-img convert -f qcow2 -O raw <image_example_name>.qcow2 <image_name>.raw

2. Edit the align.sh shell script:

   $ vi align.sh
   
   #!/bin/bash
   MB=$((1024 * 1024))
   size=$(qemu-img info -f raw --output json "$1" | gawk 'match($0, /"virtual-size": ([0-9]+),/, val) {print val[1]}')
   rounded_size=$((($size/$MB + 1) * $MB))
   if [ $(($size % $MB)) -eq  0 ]
   then
    echo "Your image is already aligned. You do not need to resize."
    exit 1
   fi
   echo "rounded size = $rounded_size"
   export rounded_size

3. Run the script:

   $ sh align.sh <image_example_name>.raw

4. If the Your image is already aligned. You do not need to resize. message displays:

   1. Convert the file to a fixed VHD format:

      $ qemu-img convert -f raw -o subformat=fixed,force_size -O vpc <image_example_name>.raw <image_example_name>.vhd

      Once converted, the VHD file is ready to upload to Azure.

5. If a value displays mean the raw image is not aligned:

   1. Resize the raw file by using the rounded value as displayed above:

      $ qemu-img resize -f raw <image_example_name>.raw +1G

   2. Convert the raw image file to a VHD format.

      $ qemu-img convert -f raw -o subformat=fixed,force_size -O vpc <image_example_name>.raw <image_example_name>.vhd

      Once converted, the VHD file is ready to upload to Azure.