Hi, John, There are a few steps involved here. From 30,000 feet, the VCL sees your vCenter cluster as one big host computer, so you can have an arbitrary number of physical machines inside the cluster. That said, there is only a single endpoint exposed to the vcl.
For instance, assume the following physical machines: vcl-h01 vcl-h02 vcl-h03 In order for DRS (vMotion) to be used, you’ll need the enterprise VMware license for each host. Each machine must also be using a shared backend SAN. Each will need RW access to either two directories of a single datastore, or RW access to two separate datastores. Our system is set up such that we use two different datastores: /vmfs/volumes/vcl_master (for the “golden” images — the “Virtual Disk Path” in the VCL interface — this is a datastore that we back up, and it is on reasonably fast disk) /vmfs/volumes/vcl_workspace (for the running VMs — the “VM Working Directory Path” in the VCL interface — this is a datastore that we do not back up, and the backend disks are much faster — SSD is ideal, though that’s not what we’re using) That is, each of the three hosts above must be configured to have access to these datastores. In addition, we have a third, much larger, but much slower datastore for our shared repository: /vmfs/volumes/vcl_shared_repository (this is the “repository path”) This datastore is accessible by each VMware infrastructure (i.e. on different campuses). It is not needed if you have only a single virtual host infrastructure. This datastore is connected to the various VM hosts via VLAN with jumbo frames turned on. And the traffic between the campuses (about 10 miles apart) is handled by a very fast local fiber network — I am not sure that I’d try this if the traffic had to go long distances over the public internet. All of these virtual hosts (i.e. the ones at our campus) are exposed through a single vSphere API endpoint: vcl-cluster01 (this is the computer hostname in the “computers” table) And the host cluster is set up in VMware’s inventory tree sort of like this: /dc-vcl/cluster-vcl (The naming is somewhat arbitrary, but you will need to know it in order to enter it as the “resource path” in the VCL interface — in the VM host profile) The vCenter cluster is also configured with at least two network interfaces. For example: VM Network 0: VLAN-private VM Network 1: VLAN-public (I believe that the order for public/private networks is not important at this point — it is for running VMs though) You will also need to add the username and password to the profile. I will note that the user credentials are stored in plain text in the database. If this is a concern to you, talk to me about a patch for doing asymmetric encryption of the credentials. The fix is already part of the 2.4 release series, but I don’t believe that is slated for release until sometime in the winter-spring timeframe. Once this VM host profile is set up, you can apply it to the “computer” that you created in the VCL as your vmhost. (I.e. convert to vmhostinuse). After that is complete, you can add the “computers” that will become VMs on the cluster (“Manage Computers”). For example, vcl-n001 … vcl-n100 These will all be added to the “computers” table (along with such information as IP addresses for the networks, MAC addresses, etc, etc. Once added to the database, these virtual computers can be assigned to your host cluster (“Manage Virtual Hosts” -> “VM Hosts” -> (select a host) -> “Configure Host” button) At this point, you have added the computers (vcl-n001, etc) to the vmhost (vcl-cluster01). You will notice, however, that no VMs are actually running in the vcl yet. First you must create a base image. -------------------------- To create a base image, take a look at your “computers” table, and jot down the MAC addresses for one of the machines (e.g. vcl-n001). Next, start up a VMware client application, and in that system, manually create a new Virtual Machine. The instructions for this are available here:http://vcl.apache.org/docs/baseimagecreation#vmware-esxi-4x If you are going to use an existing VM that you have in your vCenter infrastructure, then you’ll just need to make sure that its MAC addresses are set up to match a computer in the VCL system and that the management node can login to the computer. If you are going to create a Windows image, the documentation here will also be helpful:https://cwiki.apache.org/confluence/display/VCL/Create+a+Windows+Base+Image After getting the machine set up (including Cygwin if using Windows), confirm that: (a) the management node can login with an SSH key (b) the machine can access the internet (c) the machine is getting the proper IP addresses (on each network interface) from the DHCP server(s) Then, you can use the "$VCL_HOME/bin/vcld -setup” command to begin the capture. Assuming this completes without incident, this process will have placed a copy of the VMDK file in your “golden” image datastore (i.e. /vmfs/volumes/vcl_master). Another copy will go to /vmfs/volumes/vcl_shared_repository if you have one set up — and this will make that image available to other datacenters. Now, the VCL is ready to provision running machines. In order to do this, it will create linked clones from that golden image in the “master” repository. That VMDK file will only be read from — never written to; all of the writes go to various subdirectories of /vmfs/volumes/vcl_workspace, which is why that should be on the fastest disk you have access to. I hope that helps, Regards, Aaron -- Aaron Coburn System Administrator / Programmer Web Services, Amherst College On Nov 5, 2013, at 11:25 AM, John Peters <[email protected]> wrote: > I'm just confused with this whole process. Documentation states vcl creates > virtual images automatically, how is that accomplished? I'm at the step > where I added the vcenter system, which I'm not certain is configured > properly but I'm moving forward anyway. So how do I go about creating the > base image now, so I use an existing VM in my vcenter cluster? > > > On Tue, Nov 5, 2013 at 10:20 AM, John Peters <[email protected]> wrote: > >> Thanks Josh, >> >> I appreciate all the help. I guess I need to wait for Andy or Aaron to >> Chime in as I'm kind of stuck at this point. Wish there were some >> instructions on setting up vcl with vcenter system. Thanks again >> >> >> On Tue, Nov 5, 2013 at 9:51 AM, Josh Thompson <[email protected]>wrote: >> >>> -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- >>> Hash: SHA1 >>> >>> John, >>> >>> You need to create a "computer" for your vCenter system. It's not >>> actually >>> referring to a real computer or VM, but the vCenter system. VCL started >>> out >>> with virtualization only doing direct control of hypervisors. So, they >>> had >>> computer entries. It just worked out to be the simplest thing to have a >>> vCenter installation be a "computer". So, if you have not created this >>> yet, >>> you'll need to go to Manage Computers->Edit Computer Information->Add >>> Single >>> Computer to create it. >>> >>> Every resource in VCL has an owner. This ensures there is someone that >>> can >>> manage the resource if administrative rights to that resource have not >>> been >>> granted to it by having it in a resource group. So, the owner would be >>> the >>> account you use to log in to your VCL system. >>> >>> I'm not sure of a good set of instructions for configuring VCL with a >>> vCenter >>> system. >>> >>> One other thing - you'll need to install the perl vsphere sdk for perl on >>> your >>> management node if you haven't done that yet. >>> >>> Thanks, >>> Josh >>> >>> On Tuesday, November 05, 2013 9:30:21 AM John Peters wrote: >>>> Thanks Josh. So far I have not added anything to manage computers so I >>> just >>>> have add single computer and multiple computer. When you refer to "the >>>> computer" you have created for your vcenter are you specifically >>> referring >>>> to the physical server that we have that is running vcenter? I'm >>> following >>>> the directions at the link below but it seems not to be geared towards >>>> using vcenter. What would the owner field be? Thanks for all your help. >>>> >>>> https://cwiki.apache.org/confluence/display/VCL/VCL >>>> +2.3+-+Further+Steps+if+Using+VMware >>>> >>>> On Tue, Nov 5, 2013 at 9:07 AM, Josh Thompson <[email protected] >>>> wrote: >>>>> -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- >>>>> Hash: SHA1 >>>>> >>>>> John, >>>>> >>>>> First, you need to create a new VM Host Profile or modify an existing >>> one >>>>> to >>>>> match your setup. When using vCenter, you need to set a Resource >>> Path. >>>>> >>>>> Hover >>>>> >>>>> over the ? icon next to that field for a description of how to set it. >>>>> You >>>>> can leave the Image field blank. You will need to set a value for >>> each of >>>>> the >>>>> * items. You'll also need to fill in the Username and Password >>> fields. >>>>> >>>>> Next, you need to go to Manage Computers->Edit Computer Information >>> and >>>>> click >>>>> Edit next to the "computer" you have created for your vCenter system. >>> Set >>>>> the >>>>> Provisioning Engine to "None", the State to "vmhostinuse", and set >>> the VM >>>>> Host >>>>> Profile to the one you just configured in the previous step. The >>>>> information >>>>> you found about setting the computer to the vmhostinuse state in the >>>>> database >>>>> is outdated. You'll want to set the RAM for the system to something >>> quite >>>>> high as VCL does not overbook the RAM of a VM host. So, for a vCenter >>>>> "Host" >>>>> you need to set it to the combined RAM of all the nodes under vCenter >>>>> (note >>>>> to other reading this - increasing this value for a non vCenter host >>> to >>>>> force >>>>> overbooking does not work because vcld will later update the RAM to >>> the >>>>> real >>>>> value of the node). >>>>> >>>>> I'm not as familiar with how VCL works with vCenter clusters as others >>>>> are. >>>>> The Resource Path may be what distinguishes this. Andy or Aaron C. >>> can >>>>> probably give more info. >>>>> >>>>> Josh >>>>> >>>>> On Monday, November 04, 2013 4:28:02 PM John Peters wrote: >>>>>> I'm reading some more posts and starting to gain a better >>> understanding. >>>>> >>>>> So >>>>> >>>>>> from what I have read, I need to manage computers then choose either >>>>> >>>>> blade >>>>> >>>>>> lab or virtual machine. What I'm confused about is I read on this >>> list >>>>> >>>>> that >>>>> >>>>>> vcl can see vcenter as one big host so I can take advantage of >>> vmotion >>>>> >>>>> etc. >>>>> >>>>>> DO I choose lab for type and then per the instructions edit it to >>>>>> cmwareinuse? basically I'm trying to use the vmware vcenter >>> profile. I'm >>>>>> just not clear by reading the documentation. Thanks. Any help is >>>>>> appreciated. >>>>>> >>>>>> On Mon, Nov 4, 2013 at 3:35 PM, John Peters <[email protected]> >>>>> >>>>> wrote: >>>>>>> Well, I found the below link whichs helps but basically I want >>> to be >>>>>>> able to turn on DRS and vmotion from the vshpere client so do I >>> need a >>>>>>> vcenter host profile or do I need a profile for each host under >>> that >>>>>>> cluster. SO if my datacenter is PMA 440 -> Academic Cluster under >>>>>>> vsphereclient , would the resource path be / PMA 440/Academic >>> Cluster >>>>>>> ? >>>>>>> do the spaces matter? >>>>>>> >>>>>>> link was very helpful thank you >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>> https://cwiki.apache.org/confluence/display/VCL/VMware+Configuration >>>>>>> >>>>>>> On Mon, Nov 4, 2013 at 2:53 PM, John Peters <[email protected] >>>> >>>>> >>>>> wrote: >>>>>>>> Hello all. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> I'm at the point in my vcl install where I need to add vm hosts. >>> In >>>>> >>>>> our >>>>> >>>>>>>> vcenter we have three Clusters, I'd like to add this VCL to the >>>>>>>> "Academic" Cluster. I'm not 100% sure on what fields I need to >>> fill >>>>>>>> in >>>>>>>> under Virtual Hosts -> VM Host profiles. DO i need to choose >>>>>>>> VcenterProfile and if so, Basically we have a shared iscsi >>> network >>>>>>>> storage and the three esxi hosts 5.1 are connected to the >>> "Academic" >>>>>>>> cluster. I'm not to sure on what to put in Resource path >>> VMworking >>>>>>>> Directory Path. Any help or sample configurations are >>> appreciated. >>>>>>>> perhaps some screen shots would help. >>>>> >>>>> - -- >>>>> - ------------------------------- >>>>> Josh Thompson >>>>> VCL Developer >>>>> North Carolina State University >>>>> >>>>> my GPG/PGP key can be found at pgp.mit.edu >>>>> >>>>> All electronic mail messages in connection with State business which >>>>> are sent to or received by this account are subject to the NC Public >>>>> Records Law and may be disclosed to third parties. >>>>> -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- >>>>> Version: GnuPG v2.0.19 (GNU/Linux) >>>>> >>>>> iEYEARECAAYFAlJ4+7cACgkQV/LQcNdtPQO+WQCeL9MI97GTVDC4xnEdgGUA1Sn2 >>>>> td4An1FKvgxmWfd3mA1JYdyjyJ5Hdd0V >>>>> =QUSa >>>>> -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- >>> - -- >>> - ------------------------------- >>> Josh Thompson >>> VCL Developer >>> North Carolina State University >>> >>> my GPG/PGP key can be found at pgp.mit.edu >>> >>> All electronic mail messages in connection with State business which >>> are sent to or received by this account are subject to the NC Public >>> Records Law and may be disclosed to third parties. >>> -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- >>> Version: GnuPG v2.0.19 (GNU/Linux) >>> >>> iEYEARECAAYFAlJ5BfoACgkQV/LQcNdtPQO8YQCePxx66kLTL2xZMNDeO0g5eufX >>> PY4AnipPjh2G2fhh8t7C7prlevN/Kx0P >>> =9v3W >>> -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- >>> >>> >>
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