A method, a computing device, and a non-transitory machine-readable medium for booting a virtual machine. In response to a launch or initialization of a virtual machine, the virtual machine may attach a boot volume within a cloud-associated storage system. The boot volume contains a boot program. The boot program is loaded to the virtual machine from the boot volume. The virtual machine uses the boot program to acquire a boot configuration that includes a set of parameters and one or more commands for interfacing with a networked storage system and attaching a root volume within the networked storage system using a network-based storage interface protocol. The virtual machine boots its operating system from the root volume within the networked storage system.