Automation is increasingly important for developers working with hybrid cloud infrastructure. In this first blog in a series on automation of VMware Cloud on AWS, we provide a comprehensive list of the most useful automation resources you’ll need – including APIs, SDKs, samples, and more.
VMware Cloud on AWS is an open, extensible platform that provides a number of ways to integrate, extend, and automate IT infrastructure across VMware product and services. As automation has become increasingly important for hybrid cloud infrastructure and the expectation is to have an easy and fast way to automate and learn about new features of hybrid infrastructure, VMware Cloud on AWS provides a seamless developer experience across the entire platform with a developer center, developer tools, and automation tools.
Key Capabilities for VMware Cloud on AWS automation platform:
- Automate provisioning and management of VMware Cloud infrastructure using Infrastructure as Code (e.g. Terraform)
- Easily learn and execute the VMware Cloud Service RESTful APIs with the interactive API Explorer
- Quickly intergrate your workflows with VMware using SDK and community code samples for preferred programming languages
- Seamlessly tie your business workflows into VMware Cloud with a selection of command line interfaces
Now let’s check out some of the key resources for automation:
Developer Center: the dev center provides access to all content related to automation and integration. VMware Cloud on AWS also supports a contextual, logged-in experience for developers in the VMC Console.
- Public developer center (https://code.vmware.com/web/vmc-aws): it is accessible by everyone and has all public contents related to automation and integration. The key features include API explorer, samples, use cases, and community forums.
- In-product developer center (https://vmc.vmware.com/console/developer): it requires the access to VMware Cloud on AWS and provides a rich, contextual experience based on user profile.
Developer Tools: VMware Cloud on AWS provides a wide range of developer tools (SDK, APIs, and Samples) that enable users to use their preferred programming language and leverage the samples for automation instead of writing the code from scratch.
- REST APIs: enable admins and developers to easily build automation and integrate with their workflows
- SDKs: language specific SDKs provide an easy way to automate using your preferred programming language.
- Samples: quickly build automation by leveraging a sample from a compressive list of examples across VMware products
GitHub overview for the SDKs: https://vmware.github.io/vsphere-automation-sdk/
Links for VMware Cloud on AWS APIs & SDKs:
| REST API Documentation | https://code.vmware.com/apis/vmware-cloud-on-aws |
| Automation SDK for Python | https://github.com/vmware/vsphere-automation-sdk-python |
| Automation SDK for Java | https://github.com/vmware/vsphere-automation-sdk-java |
| Automation SDK for GO | https://github.com/vmware/vsphere-automation-sdk-go |
| Automation SDK REST | https://github.com/vmware/vsphere-automation-sdk-rest |
| CSP API Documentation | https://console.cloud.vmware.com/csp/gateway/am/api/swagger-ui.html |
| NSX VMC AWS Integration API documentation | https://code.vmware.com/apis/600/nsx-vmc-aws-integration-api |
| NSX VMC Policy API documentation | https://code.vmware.com/apis/599/nsx-vmc-policy-api |
| vSphere REST API documentation | https://www.terraform.io/docs/providers/vsphere/index.html |
Automation Tools: VMware Cloud on AWS provides high level cmdlets for PowerCLI, DCLI, and infrastructure as code (IaC) for the key infrastructure management workflows.
PowerCLI: It’s one of the most popular automation tools for VMware products and we continue to add new capabilities and enhance the platform for hybrid cloud provisioning and management.
| PowerCLI User Guide | https://code.vmware.com/docs/10242/powercli-11-5-0-user-s-guide |
| PowerCLI download link from PowerShell Gallery | https://www.powershellgallery.com/packages/VMware.PowerCLI/ |
| PowerCLI download link from code.vmware.com | https://code.vmware.com/web/tool/11.5.0/vmware-powercli |
| Data center CLI reference documentation | https://code.vmware.com/docs/5510/data-center-cli-reference |
Infrastructure as Code (IaC): There are several IaC tools/modules for VMware Cloud on AWS automation that have been developed by VMware and/or the developer community. Recently, a new HashiCorp Terraform provider for VMware Cloud on AWS has been released that can be used to provision and manage SDDC. Customers can now use this provider with vSphere Terraform provider and NSX-T Terraform provider to automate their end-to-end use cases from network & security configuration to VM provisioning.
| HashiCorp Terraform Providers | VMware Cloud on AWS | https://github.com/vmware/terraform-provider-vmc
https://blogs.vmware.com/code/2020/02/06/getting-started-terraform-vmwonaws/ |
| vSphere | https://www.terraform.io/docs/providers/vsphere/index.html | |
| NSX-T | https://www.terraform.io/docs/providers/nsxt/index.html | |
| Ansible Modules | vSphere | https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/scenario_guides/guide_vmware.html |
Blogs, Conferences, & Community Contents: VMware Cloud on AWS has a strong community for developers and you can find the latest information on VMware Cloud on AWS on several public blogs. Below are a few links that have very rich examples and information for automation across VMware services.
Other useful links:
| VMware Cloud on AWS Integration Examples | https://github.com/vmware-samples/vmware-cloud-on-aws-integration-examples |
| GoVmomi | https://github.com/vmware/govmomi |
| RbVmomi | https://github.com/vmware/rbvmomi |
- You can learn more about our VMware Cloud on AWS service at the VMware Cloud on AWS website or by viewing VMware Cloud on AWS: Overview.
- Follow us on Twitter @vmwarecloudaws and give us a shout with #VMWonAWS.
- Watch informative demos, overview videos, webinars and hear from our customers: VMware Cloud on AWS on YouTube.
- Try the VMware Cloud on AWS Lightening Lab for a first-hand immersive experience.
- Read our latest VMware Cloud on AWS blogs.
- Obtain the VMware Cloud on AWS Solution Brief and VMware Cloud on AWS TCO 1-pager.
- Follow the VMware Cloud on AWS release notes on continuing updates.
- Read Technical Guides on Operations, Applications, and Performance.
- Explore Feature Walkthroughs of Deployment, Configuration, Networking, and more.
- Listen to latest episodes of VMware Cloud on AWS Unplugged Podcast
