VRA multi machine build with different OS type

[Anthony Hughes]

Hey All,

Thought I'd ask out to the brains trust with a few things I am trying to work out this is all around building multiple machines with various OS types.

So currently for operating system I use these two to build for one os type multiple machines.

  operatingSystem:

    type: string

    default: ubuntu2204

    title: Operating System

    description: Choose Operating System to install <br><b>

    oneOf:

      - title: Linux RHEL 8

        const: rhel8

      - title: Ubuntu 20.04

        const: ubuntu2004

      - title: Linux RHEL 9

        const: rhel9

      - title: Ubuntu 22.04

        const: ubuntu2204

      - title: Windows Server 2022

        const: win2022

      - title: Windows Server 2019

        const: win2019

 and

  numvms:

    type: integer

    title: Number of Machines

    minimum: 1

    maximum: 3

    default: 1

resources:

  Cloud_vSphere_Machine_1:

    type: Cloud.vSphere.Machine

    properties:

      leaseDays: ${input.leaseDays}

      image: ${input.operatingSystem}

      flavor: ${input.flavorSize}

      count: ${input.numvms}

So the issue I have is this being only build one OS multiples at a time ideally I'd want to be able to build say 4 windows then 6 Linux machines all a part of the same deployment would changing the OperatingSytem to array work issue is then how does it pass in the const I am using as the image to use? Then the numvms how is it best to allow building multiple for the different os types?

I've seen a few examples which I've borrowed from but they all usually say multiple builds of 1 os type not a mix and match scenario.

[Rob_4U70]

Hey Anthony,

yes its possible, you have to input your machines via Object-Array and map it under the properties in the Ressource-Part of the Cloud Template.

Here is a simple example, to Install Ubuntu and Windows machines. Important is the "allcoatePerInstance" Property, so every VM is configured individually.

# important property: allocatePerInstance: true
FormatVersion: 1
inputs:
  win:
    type: array
    title: Windows
    minItems: 0
    maxItems: 10
    items:
      type: object
      properties:
        os:
          type: string
          title: OS
          default: '2019'
          enum:
            - '2016'
            - '2019'
            - '2022'
        flavor:
          type: string
          title: Flavor
          description: |-
            <b> Select the size of the deployment. </b> <br>
            Micro = 1 CPU - 1 GB RAM, <br>
            Small =  1 CPU - 2 GB RAM, <br>
            Medium = 2 CPU - 4 GB RAM, <br> 
            Large = 2 CPU - 8 GB RAM <br>
          enum:
            - tiny
            - small
            - medium
            - large
        name:
          type: string
          title: Hostname
          maxLength: 10
  ubu:
    type: array
    title: Ubuntu
    minItems: 0
    maxItems: 10
    items:
      type: object
      properties:
        os:
          type: string
          title: OS version
          default: '2004'
          enum:
            - '1804'
            - '2004'
            - '2104'
        flavor:
          type: string
          title: Flavor
          description: |-
            <b> Select the size of the deployment. </b> <br>
            Micro = 1 CPU - 1 GB RAM, <br>
            Small =  1 CPU - 2 GB RAM, <br>
            Medium = 2 CPU - 4 GB RAM, <br> 
            Large = 2 CPU - 8 GB RAM <br>
          enum:
            - tiny
            - small
            - medium
            - large
        name:
          type: string
          title: Hostname
          maxLength: 10
resources:
  Windows:
    type: Cloud.vSphere.Machine
    allocatePerInstance: true
    properties:
      image: Win${input.win[count.index].os}-CS
      flavor: ${input.win[count.index].flavor}
      name: win${input.win[count.index].os}
      count: ${length(input.win)}
      customizationSpec: forensik-workgroup
      networks:
        - network: ${resource.Cloud_vSphere_Network_1.id}
          assignment: static
  Ubuntu:
    type: Cloud.vSphere.Machine
    allocatePerInstance: true
    properties:
      image: Ubuntu${input.ubu[count.index].os}
      flavor: ${input.ubu[count.index].flavor}
      name: ubu${input.ubu[count.index].os}
      count: ${length(input.ubu)}
      networks:
        - network: ${resource.Cloud_vSphere_Network_1.id}
          assignment: static
  Cloud_vSphere_Network_1:
    type: Cloud.vSphere.Network
    properties:
      networkType: existing
      constraints:
        - tag: np:default

[Carl Linkletter]

I agree with Rob.  The key to your problem is "I'd want to be able to build...".  That means that the way you are presenting the options to the user (your inputs) are incorrect.  If you want to allow the user to have a choice of how many windows vs. how many linux systems they want, then you will have to present that as inputs.  So, as Rob suggested, having an input for the windows config and another input for the linux config makes sense. 

Carl L.