multiple servers

[orian]

Hi,

I have a blueprint which allows the user to create one server.

In this blueprint, when the user requests for a new server, he fills the hostname, ip, domain and submits the request.

Is it possible in one deployment to allow the user to add multiple servers according the blueprint I configured?

Thanks!

[daphnissov]

You posted in vRO but this sounds like vRA. Are you using IaaS blueprints or XaaS?

[orian]

I moved it to correct forum

I use Iaas blueprint.

[daphnissov]

Yes, it's possible to have multiple machines requested. Entitle the user in the blueprint to request more than one and he/she can change the number.

I'll also say that what you're doing as far as asking the user to supply IP, hostname, etc. is really not good policy. After all, one of the main points of any CMP is to remove that detail from users and have it supplied automatically in the backend.

[orian]

where exactly am I configured it?

Unfortunantly I'm not able to hide these fields from the user.

So every machine (for now) has different nane, ip and domain.

[daphnissov]

I don't have my lab running, but you go to the blueprint and ensure that 'Instances' is not locked down to one.

So every machine (for now) has different nane, ip and domain.

You can still have vRA generate this for you automatically without requiring the users to supply it. Doing otherwise highly defeats the purpose of using a tool like vRA.

[orian]

Ok, so if the user choose 3 instanses, all the servers will have the same name,ip and domain provided, correct?

[daphnissov]

Based on how you've written your blueprint and form (which I've not seen), probably not. Is this possible with vRA by having this information be assigned dynamically and uniquely? Absolutely. I do it all the time.

[orian]

I thought that if I choose 3 instances in my request, I will receive 3 different form to fill.

Eventually 3 different servers will be created.

So now, if I choose 3 instances, I receive one form and eventually only one server is created and the others fail because they are the same name like the first one.

In order to slove this problem for now I jusr need to request 3 time the same request with different name...

[daphnissov]

Without seeing how you've designed your blueprint and what the request form looks like, that may not be possible.

[eoinbyrne]

There are a few possible ways to do this

A. The simplest might be a composite multi-machine blueprint which just has 3 copies of your single machine BP. If this works as I think it does you should be offered properties for each child Blueprint to fill in when you request the MMBP and so you should be able to just set a hostname for each.

B. Next you could continue with the multi-instance blueprint you have and use custom properties to request/capture a numbered hostname for each instance. Then you'd need an EBS workflow to trigger on each

VM request and do this

- identify which instance number the workflow is running for

- load the numbered hostname from the properties

- rename the VM to the correct hostname

C. Build an XaaS form to capture 3 hostnames and then make 3 x blueprint requests for a single machine with the hostname set in the backing vRO workflow

I've done the latter two and both will work. The first one is a bit of conjecture on my part but I believe that's how composite blueprints are designed to work for simple use cases

Still, I'd have to strongly agree with daphnissov​ and say that you need to move away from statically setting these (and/or expecting the requestor to know them!). The point of automation here is to remove those problems and simplify the task

Anyway, HTH