Canaries aren't just hardware devices. You can run Canaries inside your Nutanix Infrastructure (AHV), using the same Console as the rest of your Canary fleet.
Nutanix supports VMware-style .OVA files, and we'll use these existing images to deploy.
Like other Canaries, a registered, but offline one will still occupy a license. If you've terminated a bird on your hypervisor, don't forget to decommission it on your Canary Console too. See the guide here to decommission a Canary.
Follow the steps below to create a Virtual Canary in Nutanix:
Step 1: Grab your Canary Image
Log in to your Console.
Click the + Add icon and click Add New Canary.
Click Add VMware Canary.
Click on Download, then select the OVA option to begin the download of the .ova file.
Step 2: Upload the Canary image to your Nutanix host
Head over to your Nutanix webUI and navigate to OVAs under the "Compute & Storage" drop-down list.
Click on Upload OVA.
- Name your new OVA file.
- Select the OVA file for upload, and it will begin uploading automatically.
Step 3: Deploy the VM instance
With the image uploaded, tick the checkbox next to it, then select Actions at the top of the UI, and finally select Deploy as VM.
Enter a name for your new VM and assign 2GB of RAM to the instance. 1vCPU is sufficient.
Under the resources section, there are a couple of parameters to configure:
- If there is a CD-ROM attached by default, this should be removed.
- Attach your preferred subnet.
- Remember, you'll want your Canary to sit alongside the assets you'll want to keep an eye on.
- A Canary should also not have a public IP address to avoid noise from the internet.
- Select Legacy BIOS Mode.
- Select the 1st (8GB) Disk as the primary boot device.
- Select Next when ready.
Under the Management section, these settings can be left to the default, and can be skipped.
After a review of the config, select Create VM to deploy.
With the instance created, right-click on its name and select Power On.
Step 4: Commission the Canary on your Console
On your Console, you should see a pop-up to confirm your new Canary.
- If you have multiple flocks, choose one for your new Canary.
- Click Add Canary.
Your Canary will boot and connect back to your Console. This may take a minute or two.
You can set up your Canary from within your Console using remote management by following the guide found here.