VM/Host Groups & Rules --> can I automate the placement of new VM's in my VM Group

[condon1671]

Hi,

For vSAN stretched cluster to work properly, you are required to configure VM-Host affinity rules:

Chapter 9 explains this:

https://storagehub.vmware.com/export_to_pdf/vsan-stretched-cluster-2-node-guide

example:

Host Groups (2 groups - adding hosts at each "data" site in its respective fault domain in each group)

and

VM Groups (adding in all VM’s you want to reside in Which Group/site) so that the VM’s you want to stay at one site stay on those hosts

I am looking for a way to automatically place new Virtual Machines that get created in a specific group. 

We are using Instant Clone functionality with Horizon View, therefore we will have different VM's created randomly at different times.  I do not want to have to go into the VM Group manually and add all of my new Virtual Machines to the VM Group everyday.

We have a primary site that we will want all of our VDI VM's runninng on and the secondary site for a failover scenario.  We want to keep the VM's at the *preferred* site and have them automatically get placed in the VM Group.

I have seen people using Powercli scripts for this, but that is not optimal.

[mhampto]

Hi,

The 2 products are fully interoperable, so this should work. However, you may need to change how the Instant clones are triggered to make it possible to automatically put them in a VM group.

This documentation section touches on how this should be done:

Securing Virtual Machines

This blog covers the new cmdlets used to address VM groups:

Spotlight on the New DRS Groups and VM-Host Rule Cmdlets! - VMware PowerCLI Blog - VMware Blogs

This blog covers using PowerCLI to work with Instant Clones:

VMware Instant Clone is now at your fingertips with the updated PowerCLI Extensions fling! - VMware ...

Hope that helps.

[condon1671]

Thanks mhampto,

So what you are saying is the only way to do this successfully with a VSAN stretched cluster is to use an external script, correct?  There is no native functionality that will allow the instant clones to automatically get placed in a certain VM Group?

Thanks!

-Pete

[ibur]

Hi,

I know this is a an old thread but I have the same issue with my Nutanix metro cluster configuration with Horizon View.

How to place a new a new instant clone or linked clone VM and it's base replicas in a pre-defined host group???

Thanks in advance. for your help.

[depping]

This is a vSAN specific forum, I would recommend asking this question in the vSphere section @ibur .