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  • VMware vRealize Orchestrator Cookbook
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VMware vRealize Orchestrator Cookbook

VMware vRealize Orchestrator Cookbook

By : Langenhan
4 (3)
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VMware vRealize Orchestrator Cookbook

VMware vRealize Orchestrator Cookbook

4 (3)
By: Langenhan

Overview of this book

VMware vRealize Orchestrator is a powerful automation tool designed for system administrators and IT operations staff who are planning to streamline their tasks and are waiting to integrate the functions with third-party operations software. This book is an update to VMware vRealize Orchestrator Cookbook and is blend of numerous recipes on vRealize Orchestrator 7. This book starts with installing and configuring vRealize Orchestrator. We will demonstrate how to upgrade from previous versions to vRealize Orchestrator 7. You will be taught all about orchestrator plugins and how to use and develop various plugins that have been enhanced in Orchestrator 7. Throughout this book, you will explore the new features of Orchestrator 7, such as the introduction of the control center, along with its uses. You will also come to understand visual programming, how to integrate base plugins into workflows, and how to automate VMware. You will also get to know how to troubleshoot vRealize Orchestrator. By the end of this book, you will be able to get the most out of your Orchestrator installation, and will be able to develop complex workflows and create your own highly integrated automations of vRealize environments.
Table of Contents (14 chapters)
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Preface
Preface
Changes in this edition
A short history of Orchestrator
Best approaches to reading this book
What this book covers
What you need for this book
Who this book is for
Example workflows
Conventions
Reader feedback
Customer support
Free Chapter
1
1. Installing and Configuring Orchestrator
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1. Installing and Configuring Orchestrator
Introduction
Deploying the Orchestrator appliance
Important Orchestrator settings
Configuring an external database
Configuring external authentication
Connecting to vCenter
Installing plugins
Updating Orchestrator
Moving from Windows to appliance
Orchestrator Client and 4K display scaling
2
2. Optimizing Orchestrator Configuration
2. Optimizing Orchestrator Configuration
Introduction
Tuning the appliance
Tuning Java
Configuring the Kerberos authentication
Configuring access to the local filesystem
Configuring the Orchestrator service SSL certificate
Orchestrator log files
Redirecting Orchestrator logs to an external server
Backup and recovery
Control Center titbits
3
3. Distributed Design
3. Distributed Design
Introduction
Building an Orchestrator cluster
Load-balancing Orchestrator
Upgrading a cluster
Managing remote Orchestrators
Synchronizing Orchestrator elements between Orchestrator servers
4
4. Programming Skills
4. Programming Skills
Introduction
Version control
Changing elements in a workflow
Importing and exporting Orchestrator elements
Working with packages
Workflow auto documentation
Resuming failed workflows
Using the workflow debugging function
Undelete workflows and actions
Scheduling workflows
Sync presentation settings
Locking elements
5
5. Visual Programming
5. Visual Programming
Introduction
Scripting with logs
Scripting with decisions
Error handling in workflows
Scripting with loops
Workflow presentations
Linking actions in presentations
Changing credentials during runtime
6
6. Advanced Programming
6. Advanced Programming
Introduction
JavaScript complex variables
Working with JSON
JavaScript special statements
Turning strings into objects
Working with the API
Creating actions
Waiting tasks
Sending and waiting for custom events
Using asynchronous workflows
Scripting with workflow tokens
Working with user interactions
7
7. Interacting with Orchestrator
7. Interacting with Orchestrator
Introduction
User management
User preferences
Using Orchestrator though the vSphere Web Client
Accessing Orchestrator REST API
Accessing the Control Center via the REST plugin
Running Orchestrator workflows using PowerShell
Using PHP to access the REST API
8
8. Better Workflows and Optimized Working
8. Better Workflows and Optimized Working
Introduction
Working with resources
Working with configurations
Working with Orchestrator tags
Using the Locking System
Language packs (localization)
Working with policies
9
9. Essential Plugins
9. Essential Plugins
Introduction
Working with e-mail
File operations
Working with SSH
Working with REST
10
10. Built-in Plugins
10. Built-in Plugins
Introduction
Working with XML
Working with SQL (JDBC)
Working with SQL (SQL plugin)
Working with PowerShell
Working with SOAP
Working with Active Directory
Working with SNMP
Working with AMQP
11
11. Additional Plugins
11. Additional Plugins
Introduction
NSX integration
Horizon integration
vSphere Replication
SRM (Site Recovery Manager) integration
vROps (vRealize Operations Manager) integration
12
12. Working with vSphere
12. Working with vSphere
Introduction
Working with the vCenter API (to change a VM's HA settings)
Standard vSwitch and Distributed Switch ports
Getting started with vAPI
Custom Attributes and Tags (vAPI)
Executing a program inside a VM
An approval process for VM provisioning
13
13. Working with vRealize Automation
13. Working with vRealize Automation
Introduction
Working with the vRA-integrated Orchestrator
Automating a vRA instance in Orchestrator
Configuring an external Orchestrator in vRA
Adding Orchestrator as an infrastructure endpoint
Adding an Orchestrator endpoint
Integrating Orchestrator workflows as XaaS Blueprints
Managing AD users with vRA
Using the Event Manager to start workflows

Updating Orchestrator

Here we will describe the update process for the Orchestrator appliance as well as the best way to get from 5.x or 6.x to 7. As a Windows install isn't supported in 7 anymore, please see the recipe Moving from Windows to appliance in this chapter. If you are updating a cluster, please see the recipe Upgrading a cluster in Chapter 3, Distributed Design first.

Getting ready

We need an older version of Orchestrator as well as access to a VMWare webpage.

How to do it...

There are two methods for updating the appliance. First there is updating via an ISO file and second, directly accessing the update repository.

Tip

Before you start updating

Make sure you have a backup or at least a snapshot of the Orchestrator VM. If you are using an external database, make a backup of the DB as well.

Using an ISO file

Follow these steps if you wish to use the ISO file.

  1. Open vmware.comin your web browser and then click on Download and vSphere.
  2. Look for VMware vRealize Orchestrator Appliance and click on Go to Downloads.
  3. At the very end of the download, you should find the .iso Update Repository Archive. Click on Download now.
  4. After the download has finished, go to your vCenter and mount the image to the Orchestrator appliance.
  5. Browse to the Orchestrator backend:https://[Orchestrator]:5480
  6. Navigate to Update | Settings.
  7. Continue with Apply the Update.

Using the VMware repository

Follow these steps if you wish to use the VMware repository. Your Orchestrator needs a HTTPS connection to the VMware website ( vmware.com )

  1. Open a web browser and browse to the Orchestrator backend:https://[Orchestrator]:5480.
  2. Navigate to Update | Settings.
  3. Continue with Apply the Update.

Applying the update

After we have the update source in place, we can finally update the appliance.

  1. From where we left off, click on Check Updates.
  2. You should now see the version you'd like to upgrade to if that's not the case check the source of the update (for example, ISO file or iNET connection).
  3. Click on Install Updates:

    Applying the update

  4. Accept the EULA and acknowledge you would like to update with OK.
  5. The update process will take some time. Wait until Orchestrator tells you: System reboot is required to complete the update.
  6. Reboot the Orchestrator appliance.
  7. After the reboot, access the Control Center and check that everything is fine.

How it works...

The update process of Orchestrator is pretty simple and straightforward. All versions have the default repository configured and with Internet access, you can use it directly.

Before you update, you should always read the release notes of the newest Orchestrator release to see if there are any problems you might encounter. The update from 5.5 or 6.x to 7 is pretty easy and just requires the newest 7 ISO.

Tip

If you are upgrading from 5.5 or 6 to 7 you might want to change the authentication to vsphere to make use of the vSphere 6 features.

In the Update | settings, there is also the ability to automatically check for updates as well as to automatically check and install updates. I personally wouldn't use the feature in any production setting; an update should always be a controlled process.

Tip

After an upgrade, you need to check your workflows. I have had several cases where a method, a standard library workflow, or a plugin wasn't working the same anymore. If you find something like that please report it to VMware so they can fix it in the next release.

There's more...

If your Orchestrator has no Internet connection but you would still like to use the repository feature and you have a web server (for example IIS), you can do the following:

  1. Download the .zip Update Repository Archive from vmware.com.
  2. Unpack the ZIP file. After unpacking, copy the contents of the following directory into the web server so that it can be accessed using http(s)\build\mts\release\bora-3571217\publish\exports\Update_Repo.
  3. The web server should now contain two folders; manifest and package-pool. Make sure that the folders are browseable and that they are accessible. In IIS you might need to add the .sig and .sha265 file type as a text/scriptlet MIME type.
  4. Open a web browser and browse to the Orchestrator backend: https://[Orchestrator]:5480.
  5. Navigate to Update | Settings.
  6. Select Use Specified Repository and enter your web server URL into Repository URL and, if needed, the subdirectory where the patch files are located.
  7. Now just follow the recipe to update from the repository.

    There's more...

See also

The recipe Upgrading a Cluster in Chapter 3, Distributed Design.

End of Section 9
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