OVA and OVF in Axis Frequently Asked Questions

What is an OVF?

The OVA is a newer version of the OVF format. The main difference is that OVF is built from several files while OVA is comprised of files that were bundled together. Some virtualization environments require the use of OVF instead of OVA.

Is the connector machine secure?

The Atmos Connector is installed using CentOS community edition which is one of the most hardened and secure OSs for VM.

What are the benefits of using OVA instead of installation script?

The script downloads the connector files and all their dependencies from Atmos Cloud. This process takes about 5-15 minutes and can fail due to connectivity problems or incompatible network configurations. In addition, the OS type and configuration on the OVA file are optimized for the Atmos Connector, and thus using them will prevent unnecessary bugs or clashes with existing software.

When should the installation script be used instead of the OVA?

If admins want to use their own machine or OS, or if the organization’s compliance rules prohibit them from using external OVAs, they can install the connector on their own machine using the installation script.

What operating systems does OVA support?

The operating system is configured on the OVA file itself so there is no need to create a machine with a specific OS prior to the installation. Axis recommends using the default CentOS Stream (Community RedHat) but can also provide customers with an Ubuntu version.

What type of machine should be created?

The OVA file contains the recommended configuration for the machine (2 CPUs, 8GB memory, 40GB disk space). There is no need to manually change these configurations unless the admin specifically wants a stronger machine. Axis recommends deploying multiple connectors instead of overpowered machines for high availability.

What ports does the OVA machine listen to?

The machine listens to ports 22, 6443, 10250, and 7190.

How long will the connector installation process take using OVA?

The installation process can take under 3 minutes, not including the OVA download time which depends on the network download speed.

What is the OVA file size?

The OVA file is 2.3GB

Who is responsible for updating the connector machine?

Updates to the host OS are the organization's responsibility. The Connector software is designed to be compatible with updates to the host OS. Axis recommends updating the host OS regularly.

How to install a connector using OVA?

1. Create a new connector in the Management Console
2. Download an OVA/OVF. To learn more, see the Prerequisite section, Deploying an OVA using vSphere.
3. Deploy the machine.
4. Copy the provisioning code snippet from the new connecter into the OVA machine.

What is the role of the provisioning code?

The token authorizes the connector's access to the Axis cloud and allows Axis to match the connector machine with the right tenant and connector in the Management Console.