How to install Fedora CoreOS on Hyper-V

Fedora Core OS It has become one of the most attractive distributions for those users looking for a Lightweight, secure and designed operating system especially for container environments. However, Its installation can be a challenge, especially if your virtualization platform is Hyper-V, Microsoft's virtualization manager. Something that allows us to run multiple operating systems as virtual machines on the same hardware.

Fedora Core OS focuses on offering an optimized solution for working with containers, so combining them is an excellent option for both developers and system administrators.

What is Fedora CoreOS?

Fedora CoreOS is a distribution light Linux kernel optimized for container environments. It is designed to be immutable, meaning that your file system is read-only, providing a greater security y stability.

Additionally, it uses Ignition, a configuration system which runs once during the first boot to customize the machine.

Necessary preparations before installation

Before you begin, you'll need a few essential items:

• Fedora CoreOS ISO Image: Download the stable image from the official Fedora CoreOS site.
• Hyper-V enabled: Make sure you have Hyper-V configured and running on your Windows operating system.
• Ignition Settings: Fedora CoreOS uses Ignition configuration files to customize the machine during first boot.

Creating the Ignition Configuration File

Ignition is the core component of Fedora CoreOS to customize the system. Start by creating a FCC (Fedora CoreOS Config) file using a text editor such as nano or Vim. A basic example configuration is:

variant: fcos
version: 1.0.0
passwd:
  users:
    - name: core
      password_hash: "$y$j9T$A0Y3wwVOKP69S.1K/zYGN.$S596l11UGH3Xj..."
systemd:
  units:
    - name: install-rpms.service
      enabled: true
      contents: |
        [Unit]
        Description=Instalar paquetes
        After=network-online.target

        [Service]
        ExecStart=rpm-ostree install nano htop docker-compose --reboot

Once the FCC file is created, you will need the Butane transpiler to convert it to an Ignition file. Run the following command:

docker run -i --rm quay.io/coreos/butane --pretty --strict < myconfig.fcc > myconfig.ign

Creating the virtual machine in Hyper-V

With Ignition configured, the next step is Create your virtual machine in Hyper-V:

• Open Hyper-V Manager and select «New» > «Virtual Machine».
• Set the RAM recommended (for example, 2048 MB) and allocate an appropriate number of CPUs.
• In the hard disk section, select “Create a virtual hard disk” and assign at least 10 GB.
• Finally, attach the ISO image of Fedora CoreOS as the boot drive.

Additional configuration during installation

When you boot the virtual machine for the first time, Fedora CoreOS will automatically look for a valid Ignition file that you have configured. There are several ways to provide this file:

• By USB: You can copy the Ignition file to a USB flash drive and attach it as a storage device in Hyper-V.
• Via HTTP server: Set up a lightweight web server like nginx to host the Ignition file.

For example, to configure nginx, you can use the following commands:

apt install nginx
mkdir /var/www/html/fcos
touch /var/www/html/fcos/myconfig.ign
systemctl start nginx

Advanced options and post-configuration

Once Fedora CoreOS is installed, you may need to perform additional configurations, such as set a static IP or adjust network routes. For this, you can use tools like nmcli:

nmcli connection mod 'Wired Connection' \
  ipv4.method manual \
  ipv4.addresses 192.168.1.100/24 \
  ipv4.gateway 192.168.1.1 \
  ipv4.dns 8.8.8.8
systemctl restart NetworkManager

Finally, You can further customize your instance by adding container services using docker-compose or trying new configurations according to your needs.

Mastering Fedora CoreOS Installation on Hyper-V Not only will it allow you to take advantage of the benefits of this distribution, but it will also will enable you to create an efficient and secure environment to manage your containersWith the tools and knowledge provided here, you'll be ready to explore its full potential.