Chapter 10: Creating a Debian Image on Oracle Cloud (OCI)

Why Debian?

Debian is a lightweight, stable, and secure Linux distribution —distribution, perfect for hosting services like Nginx Proxy Manager.
It’s clean, efficient, and widely used in production environments.

BUT…OCI (Oracle Cloud Infrastructure) doesn’t offer a ready-made Debian image in its default list.
No worries —so we’ll build our own using the official ISO from Debian’s site and Oracle’s custom image tools.

Let’s go step by step

Step 1: Download the Official Debian Image

Go to the official Debian cloud image repository:

https://cloud.debian.org/images/cloud/bullseye/latest/

Choose:

• Version: Debian 11 (or the latest stable)
• Architecture: amd64
• Format: Oracle-compatible .qcow2 image (usually under the genericcloud folder)

Step 2: Upload the Image to OCI Object Storage

1. In the OCI Console, go to:
   Storage > Object Storage > Buckets

Create a new bucket (e.g., debian-images)

Click "Upload" and send the .qcow2 file you just downloaded

Tip: It may take a few minutes depending on your file size and connection.

Step 3: Create a Custom Image from the Uploaded File

Once the image is uploaded:

1. Go to Compute > Custom Images
2. Click "Import Image"
3. Fill out the form:
   • Name: debian-11-custom
   • Operating System: Debian
   • Operating System Version: Choose the closest available option
   • Image Type: QCOW2
   • Source: Object Storage URL (select your uploaded file)

Click "Import" and OCI will process your image.