You can load ISO images into the Image Service. You can subsequently boot an ISO image using Compute. Obtain the ISO image. For example, ubuntu-13.04-server-amd64.iso. In the Image Service, run the following command: $ glance image-create --name ubuntu.iso \ --is-public True --container-format bare \ --disk-format iso < ubuntu-13.04-server-amd64.iso In this command, ubuntu.iso is the name for the ISO image after it is loaded to the Image Service, and ubuntu-13.04-server-amd64.iso is the name of the source ISO image. Optionally, confirm the upload in Compute. Run this command: $ nova image-list Run this command: $ nova boot --image ubuntu.iso \ --flavor 1 instance_name In this command, ubuntu.iso is the ISO image, and instance_name is the name of the new instance.