UCSD ESXi BareMetal Provisioning with SAN Boot and N1Kv Workkflow on Vblock 7XX with Vision IO

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Version Number	Comments
1.0	Initial Version
2.0	Uploaded newer version of workflow which is validated on UCS Director 5.2 release (Note: If workflow version 1.0 is already configured on UCS Director 5.1, it should work fine even after upgrading the UCS Director to 5.2)

Workflow Name:

Deploy_ESXi_Host_On_Vblock_7XX_with_VisionIO_v1_0

Deploy_ESXi_Host_On_Vblock_7XX_with_VisionIO_v2_0

Description: 

This workflow provisions ESXi Host booting from SAN and Integrates with vCenter Server and Nexus 1000v DVSwitch on Vblock 7XX Converged Stack. Before provisioning the ESXi Host, this workflow checks the current RCM (Release Certification Matrix) score of the Vblock 7XX from VCE Vision IO and continues only if the RCM score is equal or greater than the defined score.

Compatible UCS Director Versions:

UCS Director 5.1 (Workflow Version 1.0)

UCS Director 5.2 (Workflow Version 1.0 and 2.0)

Category:   

Virtualization, Compute, Network and Storage 

Components:

Cisco UCS Director

Cisco UCS Director Baremetal Agent

VCE Vblock 7XX with Vision IO

Prerequisites:

• The Vblock 7XX Infrastructure components (VMware vCenter, Cisco UCSM, Cisco Nexus 5Ks, MDS Switches (If any), Cisco Nexus 1000v & EMC VMAX Storage Array) are added into UCS Director
• VCE Vision IO VM is deployed and configured on Vblock 7XX
• UCS Director BMA is integrated into UCS Director
• VMware ESXi Image (with N1Kv) from VCE is configured in BMA. For more information please refer 'Configure ESXi PXE Image'
• Modify 'ks.cfg' file under /opt/cnsaroot/templates/<ESXi_Image_Name> folder to enable ESXi Install on SAN Boot LUN
  • Comment the below line with '#"
    # install --firstdisk --overwritevmfs
  • Uncomment the below line by removing '#"

                install --firstdisk=remote --overwritevmfs

• UCS Service Profile Template is created with 2 vNICs & 2 vHBAs, Boot Order is configured with FC Boot First and LAN Second, FC Target Ports are added into SAN Boot Policy and Boot LUN ID is set to '0'. vHBA-0 desired order set to '0' and vHBA-1 desired order set to '1'. Service Profile's Power State set to 'Off'.
• UCS Service Profile Template vNICs (eth0 & eth1) are configured with BMA PXE VLAN and set it as Native VLAN.
• Create 'Port Group to DV Port Group Mapping Policy' in UCS Director to Migrate ESXi default vSwitch0 to N1Kv DVSwitch during workflow execution.

• Policies --> Virtual/Hypervisor Policies --> Network --> Port Group to DV Port Group Mapping Policy
• Click on 'Add' --> Enter 'Policy Name' as 'Mgmt_DV_PortGroup_Mapping_Policy'
• Add comments to 'Description' field (optional)
• Select ‘Cloud Name’ from dropdown (vCenter Account)
• Click on 'Next'
• Click on “+” button to add the Mapping.
• Enter ‘Port Group Name’ as ‘Management Network’
• Select appropriate ‘DV Port Group Name’ from the drop down. (This port group should be for ESXi Management Network on DVSwitch)
• Click on 'Submit' and Click on 'Submit'
• ESXi Cluster's Masking View is pre-created with Initiator Group, Port Group and Storage Group on VMAX for Shared VMFS Datastore access. (Create new Masking View)

Workflow Tasks Included:

1. Get Compliance Score for a Vblock POD
2. Create UCS Service Profile from Template
3. Select UCS Server
4. Setup PXE Boot with BMA Selection
5. Generic Configure SAN Zoning
6. Create VMAX Initiator Group
7. Create VMAX Port Group
8. Create VMAX Thin Devices
9. Bind Thin Devices to VMAX Thin Pool
10. Create VMAX Storage Group
11. Add Thin Devices to VMAX Thin Group
12. Create VMAX Masking View
13. Associate UCS Service Profile
14. Reset UCS Server
15. Monitor PXE Boot
16. Create VMAX Cascaded Initiator Group (Custom Task)
17. Reset UCS Server
18. Wait for Specified Duration
19. Register Host with vCenter
20. Create VMware Port Group
21. Add Hosts to DVSwitch
22. Migrate vSwitch VMkernel Port to DVSwitch (Custom Task)
23. Migrate Default vSwitch to DVSwitch by Mapping Policy
24. Add Virtual Adapter (vMotion Interface)

User Inputs:

The below user inputs should be provided by user after executing the workflow.

User Input	User Input Description
VBLOCK_POD	Select Vblock 7XX POD for checking RCM Compliance Score
ESXI_HOSTNAME	Enter ESXi Hostname
ESXI_CLUSTER	Select ESXi Cluster to which it need to be added
ESXI_MANAGEMENT_IP	Enter ESXi Management Network IP Address
ESXI_VMOTION_IP_OR_IPPOOL	Enter an IP Address or IP Pool range for VMotion interface
N1KV_L3_CONTROL_IP_OR_IPPOOL	Enter IP Address or IP Address Pool Range for N1Kv L3 Control Access Interface.
UCS_SERVER_BLADE	Select UCS Server Blade to install VMware ESXi Hypervisor

Admin Inputs:

The Admin Input values are pre-defined in the workflow by the admin user. Edit the Workflow properties, go to user inputs section and modify the below inputs appropriately.

User Input	User Input Description
MIN_VBLOCK_COMPLIANCE_SCORE	Enter minimum RCM compliance score for a Vblock.
ESXI_ROOT_PASSWORD	Enter ESXi root user password
ESXI_MANAGEMENT_SUBNETMASK	Enter VMware ESXi Management Network's Subnet Mask
ESXI_MANAGEMENT_GATEWAY_IP	Enter VMware ESXi Management Network's Gateway IP
ESXI_MANAGEMENT_VLAN	Enter ESXi Management VLAN ID
ESXI_VMOTION_SUBNET_MASK	Enter ESXi VMotion Subnet Mask
DOMAIN_NAME_SERVER_IP	Enter DNS Server IP Address
ESXI_HOST_LICENSE	Enter ESXi Host License Key
ESXI_VMOTION_DV_PORTGROUP	Select N1Kv DV Port Group for vMotion Interface
VCENTER_ACCOUNT	Select VMware vCenter Account
VCENTER_DATACENTER_NAME	Enter VMware vCenter Datacenter Name (The Datacenter in which the ESXi Host is going to be added to ESXi Cluster)
N1KV_DVSWITCH	Select N1Kv DV Switch Name
N1KV_L3_CONTROL_PORTGROUP	Select N1Kv L3 Control Access Port Group
N1KV_MGMT_UPLINK_PORTGROUP	Select N1Kv Management Uplink Port Group
N1KV_L3_CONTROL_VLAN	Enter VLAN ID for N1Kv L3 Control Access Interface
N1KV_L3_CONTROL_SUBNET_MASK	Enter Subnet Mask for N1Kv L3 Control Access Network
MGMT_PORTGROUP_MAPPING_POLICY	Select N1Kv Management Portgroup Mapping Policy
UCS_ORGANIZATION	Select UCS Organization
UCS_SP_TEMPLATE	Select UCS Service Profile Template
SAN_FABRIC_SWITCH_A1	Select SAN Fabric Switch A
SAN_FABRIC_SWITCH_B1	Select SAN Fabric Switch B
SANBOOT_TARGET_PORTS_FABRIC_A	Select VMAX FC Target Port for SAN Zoning on Fabric A
SANBOOT_TARGET_PORTS_FABRIC_B	Select VMAX FC Target Port for SAN Zoning on Fabric B
SAN_BOOT_STORAGE_CONTROLLER	Select SAN Boot Storage Controller
SANBOOT_LUN_THINPOOL	Select the Thin Pool for binding SAN Boot LUN
SANBOOT_LUN_SIZE	Select SAN Boot LUN Size (GB)
SANBOOT_HOST_LUN_ID	Enter SAN Boot LUN Host ID (Should match UCS Service Profile Template Boot Policy)
SELECT_VMAX_SAN_FC_TARGET_PORTS	Select VMAX SAN FC Target Ports for SAN Boot
VMAX_ESXI_CLUSTER_IG	Select VMAX ESXi Cluster Parent Initiator Group (Note: This is an optional input , if ESXi Cluster Parent Initiator Group does'nt exist, uncheck the admin input)

Workflow Additional Configuration:

After configuring the admin inputs, open the workflow using workflow designer and modify the below "TASKS" with appropriate user inputs. (Note: In upcoming versions, the below inputs should be able to configured as admin input values)

• Select UCS Server (Select UCS Server for ESXi Host): Open the Task ---> Click 'Next' ---> Click 'Next' ---> Click on 'Revalidate' button --> Select appropriate 'UCSM' account, Click 'Next' ---> Click 'Submit'
• Setup PXE Boot with BMA Selection (Configure PXE Server for ESXi Install):   Open the Task ---> Click 'Next' ---> Click 'Next' ---> Select BMA Account ---> Select configured ESXi OS Image in BMA and Set appropriate 'Timezone', Click 'Next' ---> Click 'Submit'
• Generic Configure SAN Zoning (Configure SAN Zones on Fabric-A and Fabric-B): Click 'Next' ---> Click 'Next' ---> Click on 'Revalidate' button --> Under 'Fabric A', Storage Account Type should be set to 'EMC VMAX Solutions Enabler' and appropriate VMAX account is selected for Storage Account Name (Primary). Under 'Fabric B', Storage Account Type should be set to 'EMC VMAX Solutions Enabler' and appropriate VMAX account is selected for Storage Account Name (Primary), Click 'Next' ---> Click 'Submit'
• Register Host with vCenter (Add ESXi Host to Cluster on vCenter):   Open the Task ---> Click 'Next' ---> Click 'Next' ---> Select VMware vCenter Account Name, Click 'Next' ---> Click 'Submit'

Instructions for Use:

1. Download the attached .ZIP file below to your computer. *Remember the location of the saved file on your computer.
2. Unzip the file on your computer. Should end up with a .WFDX file.
3. Log in to UCS Director as a user that has "system-admin" privileges.
4. Navigate to "Policies-->Orchestration" and click on "Import".
5. Click "Browse" and navigate to the location on your computer where the .WFDX file resides. Choose the .WFDX file and click "Open".
6. Click "Upload" and then "OK" once the file upload is completed, Then click "Next".
7. Click "Submit".
8. A new folder called 'Vblock-7XX-Validated' should appear in "Policies-->Orchestration" that contains the imported workflow. You will now need to update the included tasks with information specific to the environment. (See Above)