Updated April, 2020
Cloud Assembly includes integration with Infoblox IPAM within your environment. Once the integration configuration is complete, you are able to provision IP addresses using defined networks and IP blocks in Infoblox . Assigned IP blocks from Infoblox are added and made available for deployments through the Cloud Assembly network profiles. Infoblox IP assignment configuration in the Cloud Assembly network profile is similar to the built-in IPAM configuration. If you’re familiar with configuring IP ranges in network profiles, the external IPAM process will be an easy transition.
IP assignment type and specific IP addresses are defined within the Cloud Assembly blueprint. Machines deployed from Cloud Assembly will have a MAC address, and IP assigned. All of these configurations are tracked within Infoblox. IP block details are also tracked within Cloud Assembly Resources -> Networks following deployment. Additionally, Cloud Assembly will update DNS records in Infoblox with the machine name created during the deployment. Once a deployment is deleted from Cloud Assembly, the IP allocation and DNS record is removed from Infoblox.
The first thing you’ll want to do is go to https://marketplace.vmware.com/vsx and download the VMware Infoblox package for vRA Cloud or vRA 8.1. The download file will be named infoblox.zip (or similar). This package includes everything you need to enable the integration in Cloud Assembly.
Within Cloud Assembly, navigate to Infrastructure -> Integrations -> Add Integration -> IPAM to configure Infoblox within Cloud Assembly.
Add a name for your integration. I took a creative leap and named my integration Infoblox. Select Manage IPAM Providers -> Import Provider Package and select the zip file you just downloaded from the VMware Marketplace. Next you’ll need to add the credentials and hostname for your Infoblox appliance. Once that information is entered, click Validate. If all is setup properly, click Save and you’ll be in business.
We’ve shifted the IPAM IP block configuration from the Network tab in a Network Profile to Network Policies, exactly one tab to the right. You’ll find the new integration interface under IP Address Management. For external IPAM, select the External radio button, then click Add IP Block.
Choose your Infoblox provider and address space. You’ll see the pre-configured networks and IP blocks Cloud Assembly has synced from Infoblox. Pick the appropriate block for your environment. Deployments which use this network profile will use Infoblox for IP allocation.
With the addition of external IPAM support, Cloud Assembly offers powerful IP address management for your compute and networking deployments. For a deeper dive into our IPAM integrations with Infoblox, take a look at this whitepaper from our Engineering team.
We’ve also released an IPAM SDK for our partners and customers to use for building an other than Infoblox IPAM provider. Check it out at code.vmware.com.
