How to deploy multiple VM instances sequentially within a single deployment?

[vmsiul]

One of the workflows have changed in a way were multiple VMs need to be requested as part of the request form (template). For example the user will select the number of VMs the need. 

-The name can be automated sequentially - something like MYVM01, MYVM02, MYVM03, MYVM04 etc. 

-The user needs to provide the number of VMs that they need - for example I need to create 5 VMs. 

I was able to get something like this to work:

https://vcloudinsights.com/2020/10/27/publish-a-blueprint-as-catalog-items/

But I can't get beyond 10 VMs per deployment. Also it's very confusing for the user to understand what numbers are being used versus which ones aren't. 

The goal is to have the user to type the number of VMs that they need to be created, include some numbers sequentially after the name (0001,0002,0003, etc) and some way to control that the hostname and numbers aren't already being used.    

Another way I was testing was using "count" in the cloud assembly but I don't know if it's possible to create a user input with “count”  

Cloud_vSphere_Machine_1

    type: Cloud.vSphere.Machine

    properties:

      image: Images

      count: 2      ------------------- not sure how to use .input here to let the user select the number that will go here. 

      cpuCount: 1

      totalMemoryMB: 1024

In the above we use count 2 to create 2 VMs, can we create an input for count so the user can specify the number for the count with an input?

Any help will be appreciated. 

Thank you!

[vmsiul]

I've been trying different options to manage the count and input. I am have been trying with the following code.  

formatVersion: 1
inputs:
  count:
    type: integer
    title: Machine Count
    description: The number of machines that you want to deploy.
    maximum: 12
    minimum: 1
    default: 1
    enum:
        - 1
        - 2
        - 3
        - 4
        - 5
        - 6
        - 7
        - 8
        - 9
        - 10
        - 11
        - 12
resources:
  Cloud_Network_1:
    type: Cloud.Network
    properties:
      constraints: null
      networkType: existing
  Cloud_vSphere_Machine_1:
    type: Cloud.vSphere.Machine
    properties:
      image: Ubuntu_20.04
      count: ${input.env-size == "2" ? 1}
      #count: 2
      cpuCount: 1
      totalMemoryMB: 1024
      awaitIp: false
      customizeGuestOs: false

Something like a drop down menu with the number of VMs that you want to deploy, then select the number and it will be used by the count in the template. 

With the above if they select for example number 2 can we get this into count to say if 2 is selected then count the count value is 2, if 5 is selected then 5 will be the count value, etc  

The issues that I am trying to solve: 

1. Syntax 

I get a syntax error : Error while validating count property string found, integer expected  ---- I am not understanding why it's complaining about this? 

2. How can I get the logic for count so when they select a number then count gets it as a value and the correct number of VMs are created. 

count: ${input.env-size == "2" ? 1}

Ideally it will be better if the user could just type the number of VMs needed rather than a drop down menu but I am unable to get that one to work at all. 

Thanks for your help. 

[Ankush11s · Accepted solution]

There are 2 correction which are needed , you are specifying the if condition but you have not specified what would have if environment size is not equal to 2 and you missed to add quotes as syntax for use in yaml.
here is the sample which would work.

formatVersion: 1
inputs:
  environmentsize:
    type: integer
    title: 'Environment Size'
    enum: 
      - 2
      - 4
  totalvm:
    type: integer
    title: 'Enter Total Number of VM'
    enum: 
      - 0
      - 1
      - 2
      - 3
      - 4
resources:
  Cloud_vSphere_Network_1:
    type: Cloud.vSphere.Network
    properties:
      networkType: existing
  Cloud_vSphere_Machine_1:
    type: Cloud.vSphere.Machine
    properties:
      image: Linux
      cpuCount: 1
      totalMemoryMB: 1024
      count: '${input.environmentsize == to_number(2) ? 2 : 1 }'
      networks:
        - network: ${resource.Cloud_vSphere_Network_1.id}

If resolved your issue , Mark this thread as resolved and right answer 

[vmsiul]

Thanks Ankush, will test shortly and provide an update. Would it be possible to replace the enum (drop down menu with numbers) with a way for the user to type the number of VMs instead, so for example, the user will type 100 VMs and then that value will be send to the count as the new value to create 100 VMs as part of the request. Thank you so much!

[Ankush11s · Accepted solution]

Yes you can do with below

formatVersion: 1
inputs:
  totalvm:
    type: integer
    title: Enter Total Number of VM
    default: 1
    maximum: 100
resources:
  Cloud_vSphere_Network_1:
    type: Cloud.vSphere.Network
    properties:
      networkType: existing
  Cloud_vSphere_Machine_1:
    type: Cloud.vSphere.Machine
    properties:
      image: Linux
      cpuCount: 1
      totalMemoryMB: 1024
      count: ${input.totalvm}
      networks:
        - network: ${resource.Cloud_vSphere_Network_1.id}

[vmsiul]

Thanks the count works great, but I just realized after testing further that the ansible part fails with the following error:

If the count is 1 then ansible executes (I guess it's a 1 VM to 1 Ansible ratio) but if the count is more than 1 then it fails with the error above. I feel it's getting confused when there is more than 1 count (VM) because it might be expecting another Ansible action?  Something like cloud_ansible_1 (object) per  Cloud_vSphere_Machine_1 works (1:1) but because there are multiple Cloud_vSphere_Machine_XXX because of the count = XXX and just one cloud_ansible_1 (object) fails. 

Here's the yaml code for the template:

formatVersion: 1
inputs:
  totalvm:
    type: integer
    title: Enter Total Number of VM
    default: 1
    maximum: 100
  leaseDays:
    type: integer
    minimum: 60
    maximum: 120
    description: The lease values accepted are between 60-120 days.
resources:
  Cloud_vSphere_Machine_1:
    type: Cloud.vSphere.Machine
    cloudConfig: |
      #cloud-config
      preserve_hostname: false
      runcmd:
        - hostnamectl set-hostname ${env.deploymentName}
    properties:
      image: Ub
      count: ${input.totalvm}
      cpuCount: 2
      totalMemoryMB: 4096
      awaitIp: false
      customizeGuestOs: false
  Cloud_vSphere_Network_1:
    type: Cloud.vSphere.Network
    properties:
      networkType: existing
  Cloud_Ansible_1:
    type: Cloud.Ansible
    properties:
      authentication: usernamePassword
      inventoryFile: /home/ansible/inventory
      username: ansible
      password: xxx
      groups:
        - lin
      playbooks:
        provision:
          - /home/ansible/ub.yml
      hostVariables: |
        message: Hello ${env.requestedBy}
        project: ${env.projectName}
        hostName: ${env.deploymentName}
        reqUser: ${env.requestedBy}
      osType: linux
      maxConnectionRetries: 4
      account: Ansible
      host: ${resource.Cloud_vSphere_Machine_1.*}

I don't know how to handle this scenario with count and ansible?

Thanks 

[Ankush11s]

Please open different thread as it is separate query than reported on this thread

[vmsiul]

Sure. The new one is here. Thanks. 

https://communities.vmware.com/t5/vRealize-Automation-Tools/Multiple-VM-instances-Getting-Error-when...