vRA 8.1 and vRA Cloud now offer day-2 network reconfiguration using a deployment update action. This process means I can add multiple networks to a network profile and update the networks after a deployment has completed. Let’s take a look at how to set up the network profile and blueprint.
First I added the networks we will use to the network profile. Shown below, I added the App and Web networks with the constraint tags net:app and net:web respectively. We’ll use these tags to tell Cloud Assembly which networks to use when a deployment is requested. The process works with existing networks where DHCP is configured, these are networks which have already been created, vs new – on-demand networks.
Once my network profile is configured, I open my blueprint and add inputs which allows users to select the network they will use for the deployment, either App or Web. If you’re not familiar with using input parameters in a blueprint, they’re a way to customize choices users make when making deployment requests. You can read more about inputs in the vRealize Automation Cloud Assembly documentation. I also need to add an expression to the NSX network object. In this case, we add an expression to the constraints line: – tag: ‘${“net:” + to_lower(input.network)}’. This expression tags the network with a lower case value based on the selected input, either net:app or net:web. Here’s more detail on expressions. Note: you must use a vSphere cloud machine on the blueprint canvas for the update to work without redeploying the VM.
After the deployment is complete, navigate to Deployments, select the Actions drop down for that deployment and choose Update.
Cloud Assembly will present an update plan showing an update to the NSX network object, Web, and DB VMs.
Clicking Submit triggers a process to update the network attached to the VMs. You can track the progress by clicking the deployment name and choosing History. The update will progress through any approvals if applicable, updating the network associated with the deployment, updating the VMs, and that’s it.
With day-2 network updates, you now have the ability to change the network your deployments use after a deployment completes!
