Image Baseline

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An Image Baseline is a Baseline that identifies the controlled inputs, definitions, dependencies, configuration, hardening, compliance settings, and build processes used to produce a Machine Image.

The Image Baseline may identify installation media, operating-system version, processor architecture, partitioning, filesystems, packages, provisioning roles, security settings, compliance profiles, source revisions, and build-tool versions.

An Image Baseline defines how an image is reproduced. The resulting Machine Image is an artifact produced from that Baseline rather than the Baseline itself.

Within Crucible, an Image Baseline may serve as a source layer in a Baseline Composition and may support multiple provider-specific image realizations.

baseline that identifies the controlled inputs, definitions, dependencies, configuration, hardening, compliance settings, and build processes used to produce a machine image

Generalized from machine-image engineering, configuration management, infrastructure automation, and reproducible-build usage and specialized for the Crucible architecture and operational model.

An Image Baseline differs from a Machine Image. The Image Baseline defines the controlled configuration and process, while the Machine Image is a realized build artifact.

Changes to operating-system media, packages, provisioning logic, hardening settings, or compliance settings may require a new Image Baseline.

An Image Baseline identifies the Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 9 installation medium, required packages, Packer configuration, Ansible roles, STIG profile, remediation setting, processor architecture, and pinned source revisions used to produce a hardened guest image.