You can share your custom images to other Alibaba Cloud accounts. The shared custom images are considered as shared images. Then, the accounts can use the shared images. This topic describes how to use shared images to create Elastic Compute Service (ECS) instances and replace the operating systems of ECS instances and how to copy shared images.
Precautions
Before you use a shared image, take note of the following items:
Item | Description |
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Sharing fee |
For more information about image billing, see Images. |
Limits |
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Use a shared image to create ECS instances
You can use a shared image to create one or more ECS instances that have the same image environment.
- Log on to the ECS console.
- In the left-side navigation pane, choose .
- In the top navigation bar, select a region.
- Click the Shared Image tab, find the shared image that you want to use to create instances, and then click Create Instance in the Actions column.
- Configure parameters on the instance buy page.
- In the Image section, select Shared Image and select the shared image from the drop-down list.
- For information about other parameters, see Create an instance by using the wizard.
Copy a shared image
If you want to copy or export a shared image or if you want to use a shared image as a source image for Image Builder, you must convert the shared image to a custom image. You can copy a shared image and the shared image copy is present as a custom image in the custom image list within the same region.
- Log on to the ECS console.
- In the left-side navigation pane, choose .
- In the top navigation bar, select a region.
- Click the Shared Image tab, find the shared image that you want to copy, and then click Copy Image in the Actions column.
- In the Copy Image dialog box, configure parameters.
- Set Copy Mode to Copy or Copy and Encrypt.
- Select the region in which the shared image resides as the destination region. Note Shared images can be copied only to the region in which they reside. If you want to copy a shared image to a different region, you must make a copy of the shared image in the region in which it resides and then copy the image copy to the other region. For more information, see Copy an image.
For information about how to configure other parameters, see Copy an image.
Use a shared image to change the system disk of an instance
You can use a shared image to change the system disk of an instance. Then, the instance runs based on the shared image.
When you change the system disk of the instance by using a shared image on the Change Operating System page, select Shared Image in the Image section and select the shared image from the drop-down list. For more information, see Replace the operating system of an instance by using a non-public image.