vRA 7.4 - Add Windows\Linux disk and format it

[oiiio]

Hi,

We are facing 2 problem about disk adding:

1) How can we add disks to a machine before provisioning and format them ? (Windows and Linux)

2) How can we do the same thing , but as a Day 2 Operation ? (Windows and Linux)

Note: for example on windows , we want the add task will add it to the machine , format them , assign letter, and will show on "my computer"

Is there any Built-in way to do this ?

[daphnissov]

Unfortunately, no, this is something you'll have to script via a variety of possibilities. I think the reason this functionality wasn't included was because there are so many different ways to use disk space which has been added that they left it open-ended for the customer to figure out.

[oiiio]

So if we need to develop it, should it be "Custom Action" or we should we do it with "Event Broker" ?

[daphnissov]

It'd probably need to be a custom action which uses a guest script run at the target machine.

[Merijndk]

You can use both if you ask me.  Naja that is how we do it with our vRA.

It depends when you like to use the option/workflow "mount disk". You need to design you workflow like. 

1. Workflow master workflow that will "add disk" (is also the workflow name) to the vc:virtualmachine object. And than using the guest script for mounting this disk. 

2. And two wrapper workflows:

           1. With for the EBS that translate the payload into the vc:virtualmachine. You need to use this workflow as pre/post of the provisioing state (VMPSMasterWorkflow32.MachineProvisioned)

           2. A workflow wrapper that change the Day2 form into the master worflow. This one is easier to build because if oyu like to use Day2 actions it  already the vc:virtualmachine object as input of the workflow.

Anyhow it is possible(already doing it since vra 6.2) but it needs some brainpower to build it. I hope my comments make it a bit clear for you:)