Cloud Management, VCF Automation

Zero to Hero Aria Automation – VMware Automation 8.18.1 Quickstart…Part 3 of 3

Continuing from parts 1 & 2, the following section will be creating a Template, testing it and even deploying it.

Click ‘New From >> Blank Canvas

Populate the fields and assign the project created in Part 1, we only have one project and I will change to the second option for “Allow an administrator to share with any project…”

Once the canvas appears you can begin interacting with objects by dragging and dropping onto the canvas and then interact with those objects.

We’re going to be adding a vSphere Machine object to the canvas, as you click on it, the right-side pane will display customization options for that object.

Clicking on the object on the canvas and then ‘Properties’ we can populate it with some quick settings by selecting our Image.

We can perform a single Test (this does not execute a deployment of the machine) and so far so good, in no way completed but a good start to begin adding and trying customizations.

Ok, now we’re having some fun, dragging and dropping additional vSphere objects and tying them together using the lines, as you select an object the respective YAML code to the right highlights

After adding the 2 additional objects for vSphere network and Storage, our Test worked.

Now, let’s test a Deployment of this Template, click the blue ‘DEPLOY’ button.

Monitor the deployment through the console

My VM deployed successfully in my vCenter but there are more adjustments I need to make such as fixing the network and perhaps some more additions, so from the same monitoring console, I will Delete the VM and keep trying

While this is not fully ready to go, it’s a start on getting a VM deployed from the template and the rest is doing some additional practice.

Cloud Management, VCF Automation

Zero to Hero Automation – VMware Aria Automation 8.18.1 Quickstart…Part 2 of 3

In the first part of the blog I cover the simple steps of completing the Quickstart, you can jump to that here. The following will be to deploy a single vSphere machine using Aria Automation

[Optional] The first thing I want to do for my lab is add my second vCenter (that is in Enhanced Linked Mode)

Throughout this blog series, I will be working primarily out of Assembler which contains the configurations for projects, resources, mappings, design, and much more.

From Assembler >> Infrastructure >> Cloud Zones >> + Add Cloud Account

Select vCenter

Configured the information of my second vCenter and click ‘Create’

This is a prerequisite that can be done before getting started, creating a VM Template in vCenter, I will make this a template basic (not on a Content Library…for now) Once that is completed proceed.

Back into Aria Automation >> Assember >> Infrastructure >> Cloud Accounts >> Open the Cloud Zone where my template is and perform a ‘Sync Images’ because I want to expedite it a little bit.

Back under Infrastructure >> Resources >> Images we will find our template is available now

Next step I will want to create a Flavor Mapping..Small, Meduim, Large deployments as an example

Assember >> Infrastructure >> Configure – Flavor Mappings click +New

Next will be Image Mapping

Assembler >> Infrastructure >> Configure – Image Mappings, customize and click ‘Create’ You may repeat this step for the different sizing options you want to offer.

I chose to do all 3 sizes per the VMware documentation for testing purposes and made all sizes available for both regions (vCenters)

Now that we have our templates in vSphere we want to map them as an Image. I’m creating a mapping for my Windows Server 2022 template, leaving a lot of defaults.

For the next step we want to create a Network Profile under Assembler >> Infrastructure >> Configure >> Network Profiles

Click ‘Networks’ and +Add Networks and click Add

Before we can add a range a network range and in this lab there is NO IPAM integration, I have to manually add some CIDRs to my network.

Click on the Hyperlink of the network

Fill out the information and click Save.

Now that a CIDR is defined, we can add some IP ranges

Configure the range and click ‘Add’ and continue to Save until you’re back in Assembler.

For now, I believe I have enough to get a VM provisioned..please continue to Part 3 of this blog.

Cloud Management, VCF Automation

Zero to Hero Automation – VMware Aria Automation 8.18.1 Quickstart…Part 1 of 3

“Fresh out the frying pan and into the oven..” Just got Aria Automation in the homelab upgraded to 8.18.1 and I FINALLY want to deploy a single VM.

Please also follow VMware documentation Tutorial on Deploying a virtual machine in Automation Assembler

The following steps will demonstrate going through the Quickstart

I will be integrating vCenter instances

Adding a single vCenter for now

For NSX, I will select ‘None’ and click ‘Next Step’

I have no content for now, so will just move to next step

For now assigning my Active Directory account as an owner for the following project

Leaving ‘Policies’ as default

Please continue to Part 2..