A base image represents a specific instance of a virtual machine, that is, an operating system version running in the cloud.  Base images are used as the raw material for components in a lab template.  In other words, base images become server objects in a lab template environment.

OrasiLabs provides you a basic set of base images to get started.  These include several standard Windows and Linux instances.  However, you can define additional base images from your own Amazon Machine Images or from existing lab template components that you've designed and customized.

Base images are also inherently reusable.  They are, in essence, the basic building blocks for an OrasiLabs lab template.  When you create a new lab template from a base image, the lab template inherits its configuration from the base image.  You can then further customize the lab template and use it to define yet another base image.

For an brief description of base images and an example of how to create one quickly, view the video below:

Base images are created in one of two ways.  When you first start using OrasiLabs, you'll probably want to import Amazon Machine Image (AMI) instances that you've previously defined and customized in Amazon EC2.  Doing so creates new base images that you can use to build lab templates.  

Once you've used OrasiLabs for a while, you'll probably develop your own customized lab templates that were created from these original base images.  If you find that you reuse a lab template frequently, you can then save that lab template as a new base image.  This make it much easier to reuse in subsequent lab templates and classes.

For a brief example of importing existing AMI images, view the video below.  For more detailed instructions, click the link above for the related article.

For a brief example of reusing an existing lab template as a base image, view the video below.  For more detailed instructions, click the link above for the related article.

Creating a Base Image from an Amazon Machine Image (AMI)
Creating a Base Image from an existing Lab Template  

Lab Template Overview