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Initialize VMs in a vSphere private Cloud using Cloud-Init Cloud-Init Datasource for VMware GuestInfo is deprecated The Web is full of explanations, how to use „Cloud-Init Datasource for VMware GuestInfo“ but https://github.com/vmware-archive/cloud-init-vmware-guestinfo it is deprecated. It is now integrated natively into Cloud-Init Cloud-Init 21.3 has been released https://discourse.ubuntu.com/t/release-of-cloud-init-21-3/23857 which integrates this software. New name: „DatasourceVMware“ https://github.com/canonical/cloud-init/pull/953, readthedocs https://cloudinit.readthedocs.io/en/latest/topics/datasources/vmware.html, I’d expect it to be in the current Ubuntu 21.10 (Impish Indri) https://cloud-images.ubuntu.com/impish/current/ – the release notes for 21.10 don’t specify the exact version. Ubuntu 20.04 (Focal Fossa) is still at cloud-init 20.1-10 according to https://wiki.ubuntu.com/FocalFossa/ReleaseNotes which is too old. Prepare a VM-Template Unfortunately Ubuntu provides theRead More →

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Terraform is a single .EXE-File so installation is about adding it’s folder to the $PATH-Variable and upgrading is about replacing „terraform.exe“ by the current version. Update Terraform Download the current release („terraform_1.0.11_windows_amd64.zip“) unzip it and copy it to the correct destination: Update vSphere-Provider Using this „.tf“-File referencing the „hashicorp/vsphere“-Provider: and initialize the project with current provider(s):Read More →

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Background VMware wants us to prepopulate an Excel-Sheet with SSH-Keys and SSL-Thumbprints of all ESXi-Hosts, who have been freshly deployed minutes before, which effectivly protects against man-in-the-middle-attacks – maybe a problem in US-datacenters. Beginning with VMware Cloud Foundation Release VCF 4.2 the Cloud-Builder-App verifies the „CN“ of all ESXi-SSL-Certificates, which is in default-setup set to „localhost“ (to be overwritten when connecting to the vCenter so this is seemed to be no issue) – not accepted, CN has to be set to <server-fqdn>. Solution plink.exe „plink.exe“ from the Putty-Suite allows to be called from PowerShell in automated fashion without interactive Password-Prompt. (In May 2021 there seemsRead More →

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Until everything in my lab runs on Terraform, PowerShell will be a valid solution for automation purposes. Install PowerShell 7 https://docs.microsoft.com/de-de/powershell/scripting/install/installing-powershell-core-on-windows?view=powershell-7.1 https://github.com/PowerShell/PowerShell/releases/tag/v7.0.4 Allow Execution of PowerShell-Scripts Install Power-CLI Allow Self-Signed Certs [Lab Environment]Read More →

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When deploying Virtual-Machines by OVF/OVA-Files in automated manner, eg. using PowerShell of Terraform, it’s crucial to set all individual deployment parameters using the provisioning system. Discover the available Properties using PowerShell OFV-Tool Using PowerShell Create a vCenter-Connection Retrieve the OVF-Config-Object Display all contained Properties („=Keys“) Deployment-Option? Using OVF-Tool OVFTOOL.EXE, provided by VMware (Download OVFTOOL) allows to inspect existing OVA/OFV-Files, too. OVF-Tool – Extra-Config? The CLI-Switch „–allowExtraConfig“ enables the support for ExtraConfig-Key/Values:Read More →

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This is a really nice feature – the Azure Pricing REST-API: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/rest/api/cost-management/retail-prices/azure-retail-prices It pulls a structured JSON-Dataset for (not only) Virtual Machines out of the Azure-Webshop. For example – the following filter: https://prices.azure.com/api/retail/prices?$filter=serviceName eq ‚Virtual Machines‘ and priceType eq ‚Consumption‘ and endswith(armRegionName, ‚europe‘) and (startswith(skuName, ‚D‘) or startswith(skuName, ‚E‘) or startswith(skuName, ‚F‘) or startswith(skuName, ‚M‘)) and endswith(skuName,‘ Spot‘) displays the price for only „VMs“ with specific properties: no Reservation in „.*europe“-Locations with Types „D.*“ or „E.*“ or „F.*“ or „M.*“ Spot-Intances but – if you don’t want „Spot“ Instances, you’d guess this filter-Statement: https://prices.azure.com/api/retail/prices?$filter=serviceName eq ‚Virtual Machines‘ and priceType eq ‚Consumption‘ and endswith(armRegionName, ‚europe‘) andRead More →