You can use cloud templates (formerly blueprints) in VMware Aria Automation Assembler to define specifications for the machines or appliances that you want to provision. VMware Aria Automation Assembler stores cloud templates as code making it easier to manage and reuse. When you deploy a cloud template VMware Aria Automation workflows are run based on the configuration defined for resources in the cloud template.

To create a cloud template and deploy it, complete the following steps:

1. Log in to the VMware Aria ‌Automation Cloud Services Console.

2. Launch the Assembler service.
   The VMware Aria ‌Automation Assembler is displayed.

3. On the Design tab, in the left panel, click Cloud Templates.

4. To create a new template, from the NEW FROM drop-down list, choose Blank canvas and complete the following:

   1. Name: Enter a name for the cloud template.

   2. Project: Click the search field and select a project.
      Every template must be associated with a project.

   3. Click CREATE to create the template.
      The cloud template window opens.

5. Add resources to the deployment and connect them:

   1. From the list of resources in the left panel, drag and drop the required resources on to the canvas. For example the Machine and Network resources.

   2. Click the connection point on the network resource and drag it to connect it to the machine resource.

6. On the Code tab at the right-hand side, configure the IPAM properties for each resource. To edit:

   1. Click a resource in the canvas to view its code in the Code tab editor.

   2. Edit the Infoblox IPAM properties on the Code tab.
      For the list of Infoblox properties that you can define and the combination of properties allowed for a deployment, see the Infoblox IPAM Properties.
      For more information about property groups, see the Creating a Property Group section.
      Sample code:
      formatVersion: 1 inputs: Allocate: type: object $ref: /ref/property-groups/<name of your property group> resources: Cloud_Network_1: type: Cloud.Network networkType: existing properties: constraints: - tag: infoblox Cloud_Machine_1: type: Cloud.Machine properties: NetworkProfileType: EXTERNAL name: ${input.Allocate.hostname} Infoblox.IPAM.createHostRecord: ${input.Allocate.createHostRecord} Infoblox.IPAM.createAddressRecord: ${input.Allocate.createAddressRecord} Infoblox.IPAM.createFixedAddress: ${input.Allocate.createFixedAddress} Infoblox.IPAM.createAddressAndPtrRecords: ${input.Allocate.createAddressAndPtrRecords} Infoblox.IPAM.restartIfNeeded: ${input.Allocate.restartIfNeeded} Infoblox.IPAM.createReservation: ${input.Allocate.createReservation} Infoblox.IPAM.Network0.Domain: ${input.Allocate.dnsSuffix} Infoblox.IPAM.Network0.enableDns: ${input.Allocate.enableDns} Infoblox.IPAM.Network0.enableDhcp: ${input.Allocate.enableDhcp} image: ubuntu flavor: small constraints: - tag: infoblox networks: - network: ${resource.Cloud_Network_1.id} assignment: static

       

7. Test the configuration defined on the Code tab before deploying the cloud template. To test, click TEST.

   1. The extensibility actions InfobloxIPAM_AllocateIP and InfobloxIPAM_DeAllocateIP are run to allocate an IP address to, and then deallocate the IP address from the VM, respectively. The actions trigger the Allocate and Release workflows.

   2. Test result with its status as Successful is displayed.

8. To deploy the template, click Deploy.
   
   

   Open

   

9. In the Deploy <template_name> dialog box, complete the following:
   Note that the Deploy dialog box that displays may differ based on the configuration defined in the template code.

   1. Deployment Type: Ensure Create a new deployment is selected in the drop-down list.

   2. Deployment Name: Enter a name for the deployment.

   3. Cloud Template Version: Retain Current Draft.

   4. Click NEXT.

   5. Specify values for the input properties. For the list of supported properties, see Infoblox IPAM Properties.

   6. Click DEPLOY.

      1. The deployment runs the extensibility action InfobloxIPAM_AllocateIP, which triggers the Allocate workflow that allocates an IP address to the VM.

      2. After allocating an IP address, the extensibility action InfobloxIPAM_Update is run. The action triggers the Update workflow that updates in NIOS the MAC addresses of the records associated with the VM.

Viewing the Progress of the Deployment

You can view the progress of a deployment, the actions and the workflows that are triggered by the deployment.

• In VMware Aria Automation Assembler:

  1. To view the progress of the deployment:
     Navigate to the Resources tab -> Deployment tab of VMware Aria Automation.

  2. To view the actions that run:

     1. In VMware Aria Automation Assembler, navigate to the Extensibility tab -> Activity -> Action Runs.

     2. On the Action Runs page, select ALL RUNS from the drop-down list.
        The list of actions that got triggered by a deployment are displayed.

     3. Click the name of an action to view its details.

• In VMware Aria Automation Orchestrator, to view the status of the VMware Aria Automation workflow that gets triggered:

  1. Log in to the VMware Aria Automation Orchestrator console.

  2. Go to Dashboard -> Recent Workflow Runs.
     The list of workflows that are run are displayed.

  3. Click the name of a workflow to view its details.
     After a successful run, the status of the workflow displays as Completed.