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nlopezs
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vRA 8 - Configure and Deploy Windows Servers on On-prem vCenter

Hello everyone,

Could someone answer this for me? is cloudbase-init a requirement to configure and deploy Windows servers using vRA 8?

Is it possible to still customize the OS without additional software?

I've being trying to deploy cloudbase-init on a Windows 2019 server which ends up in an infinite reboot loop.

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haloOne
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I'm calling ansible\AWX from a subscription for that. i just ported over what i was doing in 7.6 ,havent had much luck ( or time) with cloud-init on windows yet. A basic blueprint properties looks something like this.

  Cloud_vSphere_Machine_1:

    type: Cloud.vSphere.Machine

    properties:

      imageRef: '${input.winOS}'     

      hostname: '${input.hostname}'

      ansTimezone: '${input.timezone}'

      ansInstallDocker: '${input.Docker}'     

      ansService: '${input.service}'

      ansJobtemplate: 'windows'

      cpuCount: '${input.cpuCount}'

      totalMemoryMB: '${input.totalMemoryMB}'

      cloudConfig: null

      customizationSpec: windows

i use the ans* inputProperties for the palybook run

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nlopezs
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I made some progress with this issue. It appears that the ovfservice.py script is missing during installation. Refer to document for remediation steps.

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haloOne
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You can customize the os with out cloud-init ,in the properties of the blueprint

properties:

  name:

  cpuCount:

  totalMemoryMB:

  customizationSpec:

..etc

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nlopezs
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haloOne​, I am assuming you are referring to the VM's resources and Display name. How about manipulating the VM's hostname or any other setting inside the guest Operating System?

like stop/start a service, run a command or batch script inside the OS, etc...

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haloOne
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I'm calling ansible\AWX from a subscription for that. i just ported over what i was doing in 7.6 ,havent had much luck ( or time) with cloud-init on windows yet. A basic blueprint properties looks something like this.

  Cloud_vSphere_Machine_1:

    type: Cloud.vSphere.Machine

    properties:

      imageRef: '${input.winOS}'     

      hostname: '${input.hostname}'

      ansTimezone: '${input.timezone}'

      ansInstallDocker: '${input.Docker}'     

      ansService: '${input.service}'

      ansJobtemplate: 'windows'

      cpuCount: '${input.cpuCount}'

      totalMemoryMB: '${input.totalMemoryMB}'

      cloudConfig: null

      customizationSpec: windows

i use the ans* inputProperties for the palybook run

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nlopezs
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Ok, I see you are using "customizationSpec: windows" which leverages the vCenter customization files.

anyway you could share a blueprint file?

Thanks

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nlopezs
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If anyone is interested, attached is one of my blueprints and a sample catalog item

pastedImage_0.png