vCAC Network Profile IP Ranges

[amacbeth]

I'd like to define custom IP ranges for different Server Types within my Network Profile.

As an example:

Network Profile A:

     IP Range A: 10.10.10.0 - 10.10.10.99

     IP Range B: 10.10.10.100 - 10.10.10.199

Then when I request a machine via my Blueprint, I would like to be able to define which IP Range the machine uses for the the IP allocation.  It's clearly a function to add multiple ranges to a profile, but what's not clear is how to actually use the different ranges in any sort of intelligent manner.

My use case would be that for Client A they have 3 networks, but each network would have ranges defined by Server type (Application, Domain Controller, SQL, etc) so that we can have IPs automatically allocated but still falling within an address standard.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[SkyCoop]

The custom property VirtualMachine.NetworkX.ProfileName should refer to the Network Profile that has the range of IP's you would like to use (change X to the number of the NIC you want the IP assigned to, so if you only have 1 NIC refer to it as VirtualMachine.Network0.ProfileName). You can hard code that into the blueprint (via custom properties there, or with an associated build profile), or create a Property Dictionary that has the acceptable values in a drop down list if you want to allow the requestor to pick what IP range to pick.

[amacbeth]

So, using what you said, I attempted the following:

Created a Network Profile (Profile A) with two IP Ranges (Range A and Range B😞

     Profile A

          Range A: 10.10.10.0 - 10.10.10.10

          Range B: 10.10.10.20 - 10.10.10.30

Profile A is assigned to a network within Reservation A for use with Static Routing (as I believe is required).

I created a Property Dictionary item "VirtualMachine.Network0.ProfileName" as a DropDownList.  The DropDownList has a value of: Range A, Range B

I then added the "VirutalMachine.Network0.ProfileName" property as a Custom Property on my Blueprint that is utilizing Reservation A.

When I select the Blueprint for a New Request I get Range A and Range B in the drop down, but when I select one of them and Submit the request I get the error:

     Error requesting machine. A network profile with the name 'Range A' for network 0 cannot be found.

So it's looking for the Profile and not the Range.  How do I specify the Range?

I'd also be ok with just statically setting the IP, but when I add the "VirtualMachine.Network0.Address" as a Custom Property it doesn't use the value that's set during the New Request and just uses the first available IP from the Range associated with the Network Profile.

I guess I'm confused as to why they would let you add multiple Ranges to a Network Profile without giving us some way to manipulate which Range to use for IP assignements.

[SkyCoop · Accepted solution]

ProfileName = Network Profile (not range) as you discovered, you are able to specify different ranges within a given profile so that if there are non-contiguous blocks of IP's (already allocated, existing servers, etc). You can use the VirtualMachine.Network0.XXXX block to set the static IP, but you probably have associated the specific network profile with the port group in the reservation. If you plan to assign a static IP, make sure the reservation has the network port group selected, but no profile assigned there.

Could you create two network profiles, and associate range a to one, range b to the other, do not select a profile in the reservation, and use your original drop down example pointing to the two different network profiles?

[amacbeth]

So I removed the Network Profile from the Reservation and changed the Property Dictionary Item to be the Network Profile instead of the Profile Range.  I also added the "VirtualMachine.Network0.Address" as a Custom Property to the Blueprint.

The VM provisions successfully but it is still just selecting the first available IP address from the Network Profile as opposed to the IP address that I put into the text field during the Request.

I could just create multiple network profiles, but I'm trying to limit the number of objects that need to be added into the system.  The way our environment works I would need to add roughly 10 network profiles per client which can quickly get out of hand.

[SkyCoop]

If you use the .ProfileName property, you will get an IP from the profile specified, the VirtualMachine.Network0.Address" should be used if you are NOT using network profiles, it is one or the other. If you do not use the .ProfileName custom property, be sure to include the additional properties associated with setting the static IP, search the operating guide for VirtualMachine.Network and it should take you to the various properties for setting default gateway, DNS, subnet mask, etc. Many of these things can be filled out, and not set to prompt user to provide if they are the same for each request.

[amacbeth]

Ok, so I was right in thinking that the Network Profile overwrites any Custom Network Property settings.

It looks like I'll just have to consider the cost:benefit ratio of the design as it relates to management versus user functionality.  I'd prefer the IP addresses to be managed by the system rather than having the users select the IPs and since I can't manipulate the Range in any way, I may just have to have multiple Network Profiles for each client.

Unfortunately I can't do exactly what I want but I at least have found a path to accomplish my goals.

You have answered my questions and I thank you for your time and assistance.