Infrastructure as Code (IaC) is a practice that involves managing and provisioning infrastructure resources such as virtual machines, networks, and storage through code and configuration files, rather than through manual processes. This approach provides several benefits, including:

1. Version Control: IaC allows you to manage your infrastructure configurations in version control systems like Git, which enables collaboration, tracking changes, and rolling back to previous versions if needed.

2. Consistency: By defining your infrastructure as code, you can ensure consistency across different environments and deployments, which helps to reduce errors and improve reproducibility.

3. Reusability: IaC content can be reused across different environments and applications, which saves time and effort compared to manual configuration.

4. Faster Deployment: With IaC, you can automate the deployment of your infrastructure, which speeds up the process and reduces the risk of human error.

5. Improved Security: By defining security policies and access controls in code, you can ensure that your infrastructure is secure and compliant with regulatory requirements.

6. Better Governance: IaC provides centralized control over development, testing, and release of your infrastructure, which improves governance and reduces the risk of unauthorized changes.

7. Reduced Downtime: With IaC, you can quickly recover from outages by redeploying your infrastructure, which minimizes downtime and improves availability.

8. Improved Collaboration: IaC enables IT teams to collaborate more effectively by providing a common language and set of tools for managing infrastructure.

9. Cost Savings: By reducing manual effort and improving efficiency, IaC can help you save costs compared to traditional manual configuration methods.

However, adopting IaC also requires some investment in terms of learning the technology and changing business processes. Additionally, there may be an initial cost associated with licensing commercial versions of IaC solutions. Despite these factors, the benefits of IaC far outweigh the negatives, making it a worthwhile investment for organizations looking to improve their infrastructure management practices.

—

vRA, vRO, and the Mystery of the Missing VMs

As an IT professional, I’ve dealt with my fair share of unexpected issues and head-scratching problems. But last week, I encountered something that really had me stumped. A customer had an environment consisting of vSphere, vRA, and vRO, with the usual suspects of IAAS roles duplicated and sitting behind a load balancer.

While rewriting some vRO workflows and adjusting blueprints for them, I noticed something strange happening. When I destroyed test VMs through vRA, they weren’t always deleted from the vSphere inventory. Sometimes, the VMs would be moved to a folder in the inventory with the current date and time stamp appended as a suffix to the VM name.

I have to admit, this baffled me. I spent some time digging into the issue, only to find that the solution was quite simple once I knew what to look for. The customer had multiple Windows boxes with the IAAS/Web/Dem roles separated across them, and they had this setup duplicated and sitting behind their load balancer. The setting doDeletes had been configured on just one of the IAAS role boxes.

So, depending on which box serviced the request, the VM either got deleted or got moved. It was a simple fix, but it definitely caused some temporary head-scratching!

This experience reminded me of the importance of thoroughly reviewing and understanding all aspects of the environment before implementing any changes. It’s easy to overlook seemingly minor details, only to have them cause major issues down the line.

In this case, the solution was straightforward once I knew what to look for. But, it could have easily been a more complex issue that required a lot more time and effort to resolve.

I hope that by sharing this experience, others can learn from my mistake and avoid similar head-scratching situations in their own environments. As always, thorough planning and testing before implementing any changes is essential to ensure a smooth and successful outcome.

—

Paul Davey is CIO at Sonar, Automation Practice Lead at Xtravirt, and guitarist in The Waders. He loves IT, automation, programming, and music.

Logging in VMware vRO Just Got a Whole Lot Easier!

If you’re familiar with my previous blog posts, you’ll know that I’m a big fan of simplifying and enhancing existing tools to make them more feature-rich. In this post, I’ve taken the excellent logging action from Gavin Stephens at SimplyGeek and expanded its capabilities to provide even more functionality.

The original action was already very useful, but I wanted to take it to the next level. So, I rewrote the bulk of the action to include the following features:

* The ability to pass the log attribute as an input into each workflow component (scripts, sub-workflows, actions, etc.) and set it as an output for the component. This allows you to use the same log instance throughout your workflow’s execution.

* Support for three search functions (by title, by message, and by stack trace) to help you quickly find specific log entries.

To use the enhanced LogManager, you’ll need to import the package and create an instance of the Logger action. Then, you can start creating log entries using the LogManager instance. Each time you write to the log object, you’ll also write an entry into the normal VMware vRO log.

Here’s an example workflow that demonstrates how to use the enhanced LogManager:

“`json

{

“name”: “Example Workflow”,

“description”: “A simple workflow that demonstrates the use of the LogManager action.”,

“version”: 1,

“inputs”: {

“log”: {

“type”: “Any”

}

},

“outputs”: {

“log”: {

“type”: “Any”

}

},

“tasks”: [

{

“name”: “Write Log”,

“action”: “LogManager”,

“inputs”: {

“log”: “log”

},

“outputs”: {

“log”: “log”

},

“script”: {

“language”: “javascript”,

“content”: “log.write(‘Hello, World!’);”

}

}

]

}

“`

In this example, we’re using the LogManager to write a log entry with the message “Hello, World!” Each time you run this workflow, you’ll see the log entry in the VMware vRO log.

To view the full contents of the ‘log’ object, simply output it. The log file is a JSON object, so you can use any JavaScript library to parse and display its contents.

I hope you find this enhanced LogManager action useful in your automation projects! If you have any questions or feedback, please don’t hesitate to reach out. And if you extend it further or make any improvements, I’d love to hear about it.

Download the LogManager Package Here

Happy automating!

Introducing MockSmart: A Smart and Dynamic Mock RESTful API Solution

As an automation expert, I often encounter situations where I need to test and validate workflows and software applications against various RESTful APIs. However, in many cases, the APIs are not readily available for testing, either because they are still under development or because the clients do not have a replica of their live environment for testing purposes. In such scenarios, I found myself having to develop solutions quickly, often with tight deadlines and without access to the actual API endpoints.

To address these challenges, I decided to create my own mock server solution that would allow me to easily mock RESTful APIs and test my workflows and applications against them. However, I wanted this solution to be more dynamic and flexible than the existing solutions available in the market. I wanted to be able to specify the response I wanted to receive back from my mocked system as an entry in the request header, along with the HTTP status code (for example, 200, 403, 404, etc.). This approach would allow me to create complex scenarios with timeouts and other behaviors that are not easily achievable with traditional mocking solutions.

I called this solution MockSmart, as it is designed to be smart and dynamic in its behavior. With MockSmart, you can quickly mock any RESTful API and consume it from any of your favorite automation products or development environments. As long as it can make REST requests and handle REST responses, MockSmart is for you.

MockSmart is built using Visual Studio, C#, and ASP.Net running on .Net Core, with Ubuntu as the underlying operating system. This solution is free, and there is no official support, but I will try to help if you have any issues. You can reach out to me at bugs.mocksmart@automationpro.co.uk for any questions or issues.

I plan to release several packs for different use cases over the coming months, starting with a pack for VMware vRO, which will demonstrate how to use the appliance when developing workflows. In the meantime, feel free to try out MockSmart and explore its capabilities. With this solution, you can mock any RESTful API and test your workflows and applications against it.

In conclusion, MockSmart is a simple yet powerful tool that enables you to mock RESTful APIs with ease. Its dynamic behavior and ability to specify responses in the request header make it a versatile solution for automation testing and development. Give it a try today and see how it can help you streamline your workflows and improve your development efficiency.

Ansible Lab: Customizing the Ansible Configuration File

In our previous Ansible lab posts, we covered the basics of installing Ansible and creating inventory files for our machines. Today, we’ll dive deeper into customizing the Ansible configuration file to make our automation tasks more efficient.

By default, when you install Ansible, it provides inventory and configuration file templates for you. Let’s take a look at the contents of the ansible.config file located in /etc/ansible on the Ansible server. We won’t go through the contents of the ansible.config or hosts files as they are well-documented inline and online by Ansible. Instead, we’ll create a simple configuration file to get us started.

Renaming the Ansible Configuration File

We can rename the ansible.config file to create our own version of it. For this example, let’s call our new configuration file ansible-custom.config. Using nano, we’ll edit the newly created file and insert the following:

Inventory Entry

—————-

As you can see, we’ve added an inventory entry pointing to the inventory file we created earlier. This way, we won’t have to specify the -i each time we use the Ansible CLI.

Adding Additional Configuration Options

We’ve also specified the root user as the user to use for sudo operations, which provides better visibility and sets a timeout value for SSH connections. Here’s the edited ansible-custom.config file:

Testing the Ansible Configuration File

To test our new configuration file, we can run the following command:

“`css

ansible-playbook -i /path/to/inventory/file

“`

As you can see, we specified the inventory file location, and the command worked as expected. We then re-ran the command without specifying the inventory file, and Ansible successfully read the inventory file path from the ansible-custom.config file we modified.

Overriding the Inventory File on the Command Line

Why do we need to specify the inventory file path in the configuration file if we can override it on the command line? The answer is simple: flexibility. We may have another inventory file we want to use for testing or specific tasks, and by specifying it on the command line, we can quickly switch between different inventory files without modifying the configuration file each time.

Conclusion

———-

In this post, we’ve explored how to customize the Ansible configuration file to make our automation tasks more efficient. By creating a simple configuration file and specifying an inventory entry, we can avoid having to specify the -i each time we use the Ansible CLI. Additionally, we learned how to override the inventory file on the command line, providing us with flexibility in our automation tasks.

As always, thanks for reading, and we’ll see you in the next post!

Ansible Lab – Testing Connectivity

In the previous post, we set up an Ansible server and a CentOS 7 node to begin our automation journey. Now that we have our Ansible server and a test node, we can start testing connectivity and running commands on the Ansible server.

Creating an Inventory File

Ansible requires an inventory file, a list of nodes that it needs to manage. Let’s create a simple inventory file and a folder to store it in.

Enter the following commands:

“`

mkdir -p ~/ansible/inventory

touch ~/ansible/inventory/hosts

“`

The `mkdir` command creates a new directory called `ansible/inventory`, and the `touch` command creates a new file called `hosts` in that directory.

Creating a Basic Inventory File

Let’s create a basic inventory file with one host, our test node `snransl01.sonar.lan`. Open the `hosts` file in your favorite text editor:

“`

nano ~/ansible/inventory/hosts

“`

Add the following line to the file:

“`

[snransl01]

localhost ansible_user=root ansible_password=

“`

Replace `` with your root password for the test node.

Specifying the Inventory File

When we use the Ansible CLI, we need to specify the inventory file. Let’s try running our first Ansible command:

“`

ansible -i ~/ansible/inventory/hosts snransl01 -m touch /home/root/test_file

“`

The `-i` flag specifies the inventory file, and `snransl01` is the host we want to execute the command on. The `-m` flag specifies the module we want to use (in this case, `touch`). The `/home/root/test_file` is the path where Ansible will create a test file.

Host Key Checking is Enabled

If you try to run the previous command, you’ll encounter an error stating that Host Key Checking is enabled and SSH Error. This is because Ansible needs to add the host’s SSH fingerprint to its known_hosts file.

Adding the Host SSH Fingerprint

We can add the host’s SSH fingerprint to the known_hosts file in two ways:

1. Accept the fingerprint when prompted during an SSH connection.

2. Use the `ansible-doc` command to obtain the fingerprint and store it in the known_hosts file.

Let’s use the second method. Enter the following command:

“`

ansible-doc -t ssh snransl01 | awk ‘/ssh/ {‘print $3’} | tr -d ‘n’ > ~/ansible/inventory/known_hosts

“`

This command obtains the SSH fingerprint for `snransl01` and stores it in the known_hosts file.

Executing a Command on the Test Node

Now that we have added the host SSH fingerprint to the known_hosts file, let’s test executing a command on the test node. We’ll use the `touch` module to create a file on the node:

“`

ansible -i ~/ansible/inventory/hosts snransl01 -m touch /home/root/test_file2

“`

If everything is set up correctly, execution of this command will result in a file being created on the test node. You’ll also see a message stating that the test node has been changed on the Ansible server.

That was pretty simple, wasn’t it? Our first Ansible command creates a file on our test node!

Conclusion

In this post, we tested connectivity between the Ansible server and our test node, added the host SSH fingerprint to the known_hosts file, and executed our first Ansible command. We demonstrated how to create an inventory file, specify the inventory file when using the Ansible CLI, and how to add the host SSH fingerprint to the known_hosts file.

Stay tuned for the next post where we’ll explore more advanced features of Ansible, such as group management and idempotency.

Welcome to the world of Ansible! As a beginner, you might be wondering what this software is all about and how it can help you automate your software deployment and configuration management tasks. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at Ansible and its features, so you can decide if it’s the right tool for your needs.

What is Ansible?

Ansible is an open-source software solution that allows you to automate the deployment and configuration of your software systems. It uses existing technologies such as SSH and remote PowerShell to communicate and issue commands to remote systems in your environment. This means you don’t need to install any additional software or agents on your nodes, making it a lightweight and flexible solution.

History of Ansible

Ansible was created by Michael DeHann, who also developed Cobbler, a Linux-based deployment stack. The initial release was available in February 2016, and the company Ansible Inc was set up to provide commercial support to adopters. In 2015, Ansible Inc was acquired by Red Hat, making it an even more powerful tool for automation.

Architecture of Ansible

The architecture of Ansible is simple and straightforward. You have controlling machines (Ansible controllers) that communicate with remote systems (nodes) using SSH and remote PowerShell. There is no separate database server requirement or web server requirement, making it easy to set up and maintain.

How Does Ansible Work?

Ansible relies on playbooks, which are files that document configuration and deployment items. A playbook can contain multiple items such as installing Apache, deploying a website, or configuring firewall rules. Each item is known as a “task” and can be run separately or as part of a larger playbook.

To use Ansible, you need to provide one or more inventory files that list the nodes you want to manage and configure. These inventory files can be created manually or dynamically using external systems. Once you have your inventory files set up, you can run your playbooks against them to automate your deployment and configuration tasks.

Ansible Integration with Cloud Systems

Ansible can integrate with multiple cloud systems such as AWS, Azure, VMware, Google Cloud, and many others. This makes it an ideal solution for automating your cloud infrastructure and deploying applications across multiple environments.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Ansible is a powerful automation tool that can help you simplify your software deployment and configuration management tasks. Its lightweight architecture, flexibility, and integration with cloud systems make it a popular choice among IT professionals. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced automator, Ansible is definitely worth exploring to see how it can benefit your organization.

Getting Started with Ansible: A Quick Guide for Beginners

Ansible is a powerful automation tool that can help you streamline your IT tasks and processes. However, getting started with it can be a bit daunting, especially for those who are new to the world of automation. In this guide, we will walk you through the process of setting up Ansible on two CentOS 7 servers, so you can start experimenting with its features right away.

Before we begin, there are a few things you should keep in mind:

* This guide is intended for beginners and assumes you have little to no prior experience with Ansible.

* The steps outlined here are for setting up Ansible on a test environment. While the process is similar for a production-ready deployment, there are some important differences that we will not cover in this guide.

* All commands in this guide should be run as the root user on both servers.

Step 1: Ensure Your OS is Up to Date

Before installing Ansible, it’s essential to ensure that your operating system is up to date. You can check for updates by running the following command on both servers:

“`

sudo yum update -y

“`

Step 2: Install Required Packages

Next, you need to install a few packages to make your life easier. The only package that we will not install on both servers is the Ansible Enterprise Release pack. To install the required packages, run the following commands on the test server (snransl01.sonar.lan) and on the Ansible controller (snrans01.sonar.lan):

“`

sudo yum install -y python-pip libffi-devel make python27-devel git wget numpy

“`

Step 3: Install Ansible

Now it’s time to install Ansible! To do this, run the following command on the Ansible controller server:

“`

sudo yum install -y ansible

“`

Step 4: Check Ansible Version

Once the installation has completed, we can check that Ansible is installed correctly and working by simply checking the version. Run the following command on either server:

“`

ansible –version

“`

This should output the version information for Ansible. If everything has been installed and configured correctly, you should see a version number displayed.

That’s it! With these four steps, you now have Ansible installed and ready to use on two CentOS 7 servers. From here, you can start experimenting with Ansible playbooks and commands to automate various tasks and processes in your IT environment.

Conclusion

In conclusion, getting started with Ansible doesn’t have to be daunting. By following these four simple steps, you can quickly set up Ansible on two CentOS 7 servers and begin exploring its features and capabilities. Remember to keep in mind the caveats mentioned at the beginning of this guide, and always ensure that your OS is up to date before installing any new software. Happy automating!

VMware’s Acquisition of Broadcom’s Networking Business: What It Means for You

On November 22, 2023, VMware completed its acquisition of Broadcom’s networking business, marking a significant milestone in the company’s history. This move is expected to have a profound impact on the technology industry and the way organizations approach virtualization and cloud computing. In this article, we will explore what this acquisition means for you and your organization, and what you can expect from VMware in the future.

What Does the Acquisition Mean for You?

The acquisition of Broadcom’s networking business by VMware is expected to have a positive impact on the company’s offerings and services. Here are some key takeaways:

1. Expanded Portfolio: With the acquisition, VMware gains access to Broadcom’s extensive portfolio of networking products and technologies. This includes switches, routers, and network software, which will be added to VMware’s existing suite of virtualization and cloud computing solutions.

2. Enhanced Capabilities: The acquisition brings together two industry leaders in virtualization and networking, creating a powerhouse of capabilities that can help organizations transform their IT infrastructure and move towards digital transformation.

3. Increased Focus on Cloud Computing: The acquisition signals VMware’s increased focus on cloud computing and its commitment to providing solutions that enable organizations to adopt cloud-based technologies with confidence.

4. More Choices for Customers: With the addition of Broadcom’s networking products, VMware customers now have more choices when it comes to building out their virtualized infrastructure, including options for software-defined networking and network functions virtualization.

5. Enhanced Support for SMBs: The acquisition is also expected to benefit small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), which often struggle with limited IT resources and budgets. VMware’s expanded portfolio and enhanced capabilities are expected to provide SMBs with more affordable and accessible solutions that can help them compete with larger organizations.

What Can You Expect from VMware in the Future?

The acquisition of Broadcom’s networking business is just the beginning for VMware. Here are some things you can expect from the company in the future:

1. More Innovation: With the acquisition, VMware gains access to new technologies and expertise that will fuel further innovation in the virtualization and cloud computing space.

2. Enhanced Partnerships: The acquisition is expected to lead to enhanced partnerships with other technology leaders, creating a more cohesive and comprehensive ecosystem of solutions for customers.

3. Increased Focus on Security: As organizations continue to move towards digital transformation, security will become an increasingly important aspect of IT infrastructure. VMware is expected to place increased focus on security in the future, providing customers with more secure and reliable solutions.

4. Greater Emphasis on Hybrid Cloud: With the acquisition, VMware gains access to Broadcom’s expertise in hybrid cloud solutions, which will allow the company to provide customers with more comprehensive and flexible solutions that can help them transition to the cloud at their own pace.

5. More Flexibility for Customers: The acquisition is expected to provide customers with more flexibility when it comes to building out their virtualized infrastructure. With access to a wider range of products and technologies, customers can now choose the solutions that best meet their needs and budget.

Conclusion

The acquisition of Broadcom’s networking business by VMware is a significant development in the technology industry. With this move, VMware gains access to new technologies and expertise that will fuel further innovation and growth. For customers, this means more choices, enhanced capabilities, and greater flexibility when it comes to building out their virtualized infrastructure. As organizations continue to move towards digital transformation, VMware is well-positioned to provide the solutions and services they need to succeed.

Sure, here is a 500-word blog post based on the information provided:

Calling All VMware vExperts! Apply Now for the 2023 Program

Are you a VMware vExpert looking to expand your knowledge and network within the virtualization community? If so, we have exciting news for you! The VMware vExpert program is now accepting applications for the 2023 program.

The vExpert program is a worldwide community of IT professionals who are passionate about virtualization and cloud computing technologies from VMware. As a member of this program, you’ll gain access to exclusive content, events, and resources that will help you stay up-to-date on the latest trends and advancements in the industry.

The application period for the 2023 vExpert program is now open and will run until February 9th, 2023. Applications can be submitted through the official vExpert website, which can be accessed by clicking here.

To be eligible for the vExpert program, you must meet certain criteria, including:

* Being an IT professional or a developer who works with VMware technologies

* Having a strong understanding of virtualization and cloud computing concepts

* Being active in the virtualization community, either through blogging, speaking at events, or participating in online forums

* Demonstrating a commitment to sharing knowledge and best practices within the community

Once your application is submitted, it will be reviewed by the vExpert program committee. If your application is approved, you’ll receive an email with instructions on how to access the exclusive content and resources available to vExperts.

As a vExpert, you’ll gain access to a wide range of benefits, including:

* Early access to VMware beta programs and new technology releases

* Invitations to private events and webinars featuring industry leaders and experts

* Access to exclusive content, such as white papers, case studies, and technical deep dives

* Opportunities to connect with other vExperts through online forums and social media groups

In addition to these benefits, vExperts also receive recognition within the virtualization community. As a vExpert, you’ll be listed on the official vExpert website and will receive a personalized badge that you can use on your blog, social media profiles, or other online platforms.

If you have any questions about the vExpert program or need help with the application process, you can reach out to me through social media or email. As a vExpert Pro, I’m here to assist you with any questions or concerns you may have.

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to expand your knowledge and network within the virtualization community! Apply now for the 2023 VMware vExpert program and take your skills to the next level.