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Bring Your Own Cloud-Init Image

Cloud-Init lets you boot a custom qcow2 image and execute first-boot automation (user creation, key injection, package installs) without touching the console. Make sure you keep independent backups—the upload process wipes the VPS disk.
Cloud-Init is a lightweight framework baked into many Linux templates. On first boot it reads your #cloud-config instructions, creates users, injects SSH keys, installs packages, and runs commands so the server is ready without manual steps.

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Why Use Cloud-Init?

  • Automated onboarding – preconfigure users, passwords, SSH keys, and services.
  • Repeatable builds – the same image and user-data produce identical environments across regions.
  • Custom stacks – ship bespoke templates or vendor images instead of the standard automated installers.

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Prepare Your Image

🧰 Build & Clean

Export a qcow2 disk that already includes Cloud-Init. Remove SSH host keys and temporary data so the instance generates fresh credentials on first boot.

📝 Bring user-data

Keep your #cloud-config YAML handy. You’ll paste it in Expert mode if you want to run custom tasks on first boot.

🔒 Verify & checksum

Confirm the image boots locally and note its checksum. This helps you detect corruption before uploading and keeps reinstalls predictable.

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Upload & Provision (Existing VPS)

1

Open the Installation tab

Sign in to the EDBB VPS Portal, choose your VPS, and switch to the Installation tab.
2

Select Custom Image

Choose the Custom Image sub-tab to reveal the Cloud-Init upload interface.
3

Upload the qcow2 file

Drag & drop your qcow2 (or click browse). The portal stores the image temporarily for this reinstall.
Upload custom Cloud-Init image
4

Configure Expert mode (optional)

Toggle Expert mode if you want to paste Cloud-Init user-data or SSH keys. Supply a strong password—or rely on keys only—and tick the confirmation acknowledging that the disk will be erased.
5

Start the installation

Click Proceed. The VPS is rebuilt from your qcow2 image and executes the supplied Cloud-Init directives on first boot.
Uploading a qcow2 image removes the existing disk content permanently. Keep an external backup and verify the checksum of your image before you begin.

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Sample #cloud-config

#cloud-config
users:
  - default
  - name: deploy
    groups: sudo
    shell: /bin/bash
    ssh_authorized_keys:
      - ssh-ed25519 AAAAC3NzaC1lZDI1NTE5AAAAIExampleKeyHere
package_update: true
package_upgrade: true
packages:
  - nginx
  - fail2ban
write_files:
  - path: /etc/motd
    permissions: "0644"
    owner: root:root
    content: |
      Welcome to your automated VPS!
runcmd:
  - [systemctl, enable, --now, nginx]
  - [ufw, allow, "OpenSSH"]
power_state:
  mode: reboot

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Validate & Troubleshoot

  • Run sudo cloud-init status --wait after first boot to confirm success.
  • Check /var/log/cloud-init.log for detailed logs if tasks fail.
  • Re-upload a revised image or update the YAML and rerun the installation if you need adjustments.