Create a server with an emulated USB drive

Last update: April 01 2025

Create a server with an emulated USB drive

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You cannot directly connect a USB storage device to a cloud server. To connect a USB storage device, create a cloud server with a disk emulated as a USB storage device.

You may need to connect a USB storage device to import various files to the cloud server. For example, to import and use cryptographic information security tools (CPS). To connect a USB storage device, create a cloud server with a disk emulated as a USB storage device.

1. Prepare the file.

2. Create a USB flash drive image with the file.

3. Configure the OpenStack CLI.

4. Download the image.

5. Create a flavor.

6. Create a cloud server.

1. Prepare the file⁠

Prepare the file you want to import to the cloud server. The preparation process depends on the type of file to be imported.

2. Create a USB flash drive image with the file⁠

Linux

1. Open the CLI.

2. Create a USB drive image with prepared file.

   dd if=<disk_name> of=<image_name>.iso bs=4M

   Specify:

   • <disk_name> — name of the disk on which the prepared file is located — the source disk;
   • <image_name> — the name of the image that is created from the source disk.

Windows

1. Install the utility EASEUS Disk Copy.

2. In the section Disk Mode select the disk on which prepared file — the original disk.

3. Click Next.

4. Select the disk where the image will be saved — the destination disk.

5. Click Next.

6. Check the structure of the source and destination disk. You can control the structures using the menu options:

   • Autofit the disk — makes default changes to the target disk structure so it can run faster;
   • Copy as the source — repeats the structure of the source disk on the destination disk;
   • Edit disk layout — allows you to manually resize or change the partition structure on the target disk.

7. Optional: if the target disk is an SSD disk, check the checkbox Check the option if the target is SSD. This will allow you to utilize the maximum performance of the SSD drive.

8. Check that you have selected the correct source and destination disks. When copying, the data of the destination disk will be deleted.

9. Click Continue.

10. Click Proceed.

11. When copying is complete, check the structure of the destination disk.

3. configure the OpenStack CLI⁠

Use the instructions Configure OpenStack CLI using OS tools or Configure OpenStack CLI in a Docker container.

4. Download the image⁠

Use the instructions Load an image from a file.

5. Create a flavor⁠

Flavor will only be available to the project and pool you have authorized to work with the OpenStack API at to customize the OpenStack CLI in step 3.

1. Open the OpenStack CLI.

2. Create a flavor:

   openstack flavor create \
       --private \
       --vcpus <vcpu> \
       --ram <ram_size> \
       --disk <disk_size> \
       <flavor_name>

   Specify:

   • <vcpu> — number of vCPUs;
   • <ram_size> — RAM size in MB;
   • optional: <disk_size> — local disk size in GB. To create a flavor with a network disk, the value must be zero;
   • <flavor_name> — flavor name. It must be unique and not coincide with the names of previously deleted flavors. The list of existing flavors can be viewed using the command openstack flavor list.

Example of a customized flavor

Flavor with 2 vCPUs, 2 GB RAM, local disk size 80 GB

openstack flavor create \
    --private\
    --vcpus 2\
    --ram 2048\
    --disk 80\
    new_flavor

6. Create a cloud server⁠

1. Open the OpenStack CLI.

2. Create a cloud server:

       openstack server create \
       --image <image> \
       --flavor <flavor> \
       --availability-zone <pool_segment> \
       --nic net-id=<net_uuid> \
       --block-device source_type=image,uuid=<uploaded_image>,destination_type=volume,disk_bus=usb,device_type=disk,volume_size=<size> <server_name>

   Specify:

   • <image> — to create a server from an off-the-shelf or custom image. Parameter <image> — The ID or name of the image. The image must be in the same pool as the server. You can view the list of images by openstack image list;
   • <flavor> — The ID or name of the flavor. The flavors correspond to cloud server configurations and define the number of vCPUs, RAM, and local disk size of the server. You can use fixed configuration flavors or create a flavor. For example, 4011 — ID to create a Memory Line fixed-configuration server with 2 vCPUs, 16 GB RAM in a ru-9 pool. The list of flavors can be viewed using the command openstack flavor list or in a table List of fixed-configuration flavorings in all pools;
   • <pool_segment> — pool segment where the cloud server will be created, e.g. ru-9a. The list of available pool segments can be found in the instructions Availability matrices;
   • <net_uuid> — ID of the private or public network to which the server will be connected. The list of networks can be viewed using the command openstack network list;
   • <uploaded_image> — ID of the loaded disk image with prepared file. You can look in control panels: from the top menu, press Products → Cloud servers → Images → in the image card, in the UUID line, click ;
   • <size> — disk size in GB. The minimum disk size must be equal to the size of the source disk. Take into account network disk limits to the maximum size;
   • <server_name> — server name.