vRealize Automation -VRA 8.10 Deploying, Configuring, and Testing on vSphere 8

Using VRA Easy installer ISO, we can deploy – vRealize identity manager, vRealize Suite Lifecycle Manager, and vRealize Automation.

Basic Overview: –

Deploying vRealize Automation (VRA) required vRealize Lifecycle Manager (VRLCM) and vRealize Identity Manager (VIDM)

vRealize Life Cycle Manager: – VMware vRealize Suite Lifecycle Manager delivers a comprehensive, integrated product and lifecycle management solution for VMware vRealize Suite.

vRealize Identity Manager (VIDM): – Identity Manager is integrated into the vRealize Automation appliance and provides tenant identity management. Identity Manager synchronizes with the Active Directory domain

vRealize Automation (VRA) (New name – VMware Aria Automation): –VRA is a modern infrastructure automation platform with event-driven state management. It is designated to help organizations control and secure self-service multi-cloud with governance and DevOps-based infrastructure delivery.

VRA components: –

1. Cloud Assembly

VMware Cloud Assembly™ is a multi-cloud provisioning service that provides a cloud API layer utilized by the templating engine. Cloud Assembly also supports powerful custom extensibility frameworks, including the serverless function Action-Based Extensibility (ABX), VMware vRealize Orchestrator workflows, and event-broker subscriptions.

2. Service Broker

Service Broker aggregates content from multiple resources and platforms, including Cloud Assembly, vRealize Orchestrator, and native public clouds, into a common catalog accessible via a graphical interface or APIs. It provides a self-service model with flexible, policy-based governance to regulate service and resource consumption.

3. Code Stream

Code Stream automates the application and infrastructure delivery process with release pipeline management, including visibility and analytics into active

pipelines and their status for troubleshooting. It allows DevOps teams to leverage existing tools and processes with out-of-the-box integration

4.vRealize Orchestrator

vRealize Orchestrator simplifies and automates complex data center infrastructure tasks, delivering consistent remediation of issues, extensibility

and fast service delivery.

5. vRealize Automation SaltStack Config

SaltStack Config can easily define optimized, compliant software states and enforce them across your entire environment—virtualized, hybrid or public

cloud—with powerful, intuitive configuration automation.

Basic Requirements For deploying VRA on vSphere: –

1. VRA compatible vCenter and ESXi version. (Check VMware computability matrix portal)

2. VRA lcm-installer ISO file.

3. Three IPs and DNS entries.

4. VRA License

My Deployment details: –

vSphere version – 8.0

	Hostname	IP
vRealize Life Cycle Manager	Vrlcm	172.90.0.7
vRealize Identity Manager	Vidm	172.90.0.8
vRealize Automation	Vracloud	172.90.0.9
NTP	0.in.pool.ntp.org
DNS	Kdinesh.in	192.168.5.150

Deployment Steps: –

1. Download Easy Installer ISO.
2. Configuring required DNS entries.
3. Deploying VRLCM, VIDM, VRA
4. Configuring VIDM and VRA
5. Testing VRA Deployment
6. Download Easy Installer ISO

Downloaded ISO from VMware Portal.

1. Configure DNS Entries

Created required DNS entries in the Windows DNS server.

1. Deploy VRLCM, VIDM, VRA

Opens Easy Installer ISO > open – vrlcm-ui-installer folder

Open the win32 folder (If you’re using a different OS, based on OS choose the folder)

Next, run the installer file.

Click on install

Click on Next

Accept License > Next.

Enter vCenter Details (On which vCenter you want to deploy VMs)

Accept Certificate warning

Choose Location > Next.

Choose to Compute Resource > Click Next.

Select Datastore (Where you want to deploy VMs) > Click Next.

Enter Network details > Click Next.

Enter Password > Click Next

Enter Life cycle manager details > Click Next.

Choose new Install New Identity manager (Incase already if you’re using VIDM in env, you can use existing VIDM; you can choose the import existing option), and specific username (after deployment, you need to login to VRA using an admin user account)

Select Deployment standard (if you want HA, you can choose cluster deployment)> Next

Review all entered details > Click on Submit.

You can check the deployment process and status (it will take a few minutes based on your environment)

Once deployment is completed, you can check the Interfaces of VRLCM, VRA, and VIDM.

VRLCM

VRA

VIDM

1. VIDM and VRA configuration
2. Integrate AD with VIDM ## After integrating AD users to VIDM, AD users can log in to VRA.
3. Assign roles to the users/groups ## Assign VRA services based on requirements.
4. Registering vCenter with VRA ## Once VRA is integrated with vCenter, VRA will fetch all the information from vCenter.
5. Crating project ## you Can create multiple projects EX: – dev, test, production …etc.
6. Crating Flavor Mapping ## flavor means vCPU and RAM information EX: – small (1vCpu,2gb Memory) Medium (2vCPU,4Gb). etc.
7. Crating Image Mapping ## Mapping vCenter template
8. Creating Network Profiles ## Which network do you want to use on VRA, based on requirement we can configure network profiles
9. Crating Storage Profiles ## Where you deploy VRA VMs, based on the requirement, we can configure multiple storage profiles
10. Integrating with AD ## optional config – If you want to ADD VRA deployed VMs to existing AD. Once AD is integrated with VRA. After deploying the VRA machine, the user can log in using their AD account username and password.
11. Crating Sample Blueprint ## Blueprint will contain all the VM config information
12. Publishing Blueprint to Catalog ## After publishing the blueprint, the end user can deploy their VM based on their requirements.
13. Integrate AD with VIDM: –

First, we need to integrate AD with VIDM (In my case, I already created a cloud admin group in AD, in cloudadmin group, add user1 as a user)

Login to VIDM > Identity & Access Management > Add.

Enter AD details > Save & Next

You can check the AD Group/users sync status.

1. Assign roles to the users/groups:-

Next, assign permission to users > Roles > Select role > add a role to group/user > Save.

Login to VRA using the local admin account (during deployment, specified username, and password)

Select system domain > enter username and password.

Next, Assign services permission to groups/users > Identity & Access management > Enterprise Groups.

Search ad user/group assign service role (in my deployment – cloudadmin group add and assign all service admin role, so clouadmin group users will get full admin privileges to all VRA services)

To change the default VRA Branding VMW logo, you can choose the branding option, upload your logo, and choose colour> apply.

Now you can log in with AD user to VRA > choose your domain and > next.

After login in, you can check the assigned service.

1. Registering vCenter with VRA: –

Now select cloud assembly service for configuring VRA.

Select Infrastructure option >Continue

Choose vCenter (Based on your env, you may choose diff option)

Enter vCenter Details > Validate details (It will fetch all vCenter details – dc, cluster, storage, network…etc.) > ADD.

1. Creating project:-

Infrastructure > Select project > New project

Enter project name > Users

Add group/users (which user/group part of the project) or share the project with all groups/users (based on your requirement, you can choose option -In My deployment allowed all projects to all users, not specifying any particular group/users) > provision.

Add Zones

Select Cloud zone

Select cloud zone (In my deployment, only one centre is registered with VRA) > Ad.

You can find specific custom naming for VMs in the custom naming section > Create

1. Crating Flavor Mapping: –

Next, Configure the Flavor > Flavor mappings > new flavour mappings.

Enter Flavor name > Select Account > CPU value > Memory > Create

1. Creating Image Mapping: –

Before configuring Image mapping, create a Template in vCenter (In my deployment – I crate Windows VM and convert it into the template -winodws2022). You can create templates in vCenter and map with VRA image mapping if you want more templates.

Infrastructure > configure > Image Mapping > New image mapping > Enter image name > Account > Select template > create

1. Creating Network Profile: –

Automatically VRA will fetch all the available networks in vCenter; we need to select which network we want to use for vra deployments.

Infrastructure> Network profiles > new network profile.

Select vcenter account > Enter name > select networks option

Select ADD NETWORK option

You can see all available networks in vCenter, and select a network based on your requirement (which network you want to use for VRA machines deployment, you can choose multiple networks also). In my deployment, select vm-mgmt-90 network> After selecting a network, click on ADD.

Open newly added network

Enter the selected network Gateway, domain …etc. Details and Save

Select Network > Manage IP Ranges.

Click on NEW IP RANGE

Enter name and specific start Ip address and End Ip address (VRA will assign IPs to vra deployed VMS from the below-specified range)

Click on Close

Now Click on CREATE. Network profile configuration completed.

1. Creating Storage Profile: –

Next, Configure the Storage profile (VRA automatically fetches all the available datastore in vCenter, we need to select which datastores we need to use for VRA deployment). select Infrastructure > Storage Profile > Crate NEW STOAREG PROFILE

Select based on your requirement (In my case, selected DISK0 datastore only and thin provision) > Create

1. VRA Integrating with AD: –

We can integrate VRA with AD, so machines automatically add to AD after deployment, and you can log in using AD accounts.

Infrastructure > Integrations > Add integrations

Click on Active Directory

Enter name. Enter AD details > Validate details > ADD.

Open created AD and add project > Save.

We need to configure the vCenter end also. Log in to vCenter > Policies and Profiles.

VM Customization Specification > New

Enter Name > Select vCenter >Choose Windows (In my deployment, I am using Windows machines only) >Select generate a new SID option >Next.

Enter owner name and owner organization > Next

Click on Next

Click on Next

Enter admin AD user admin password > Next

Select Time Zone > Next

Click on Next

Click on Next

Select Windows Server domain and enter ad details > OK.

Check all the specified details and click on OK.

1. Creating Sample Blueprint: –

Login to VRA > Cloud assembly > Design > Cloud Templates > New from > Blank canvas

Enter new template name, choose a project, share options > Create

Left side, you can see options with symbols – Drag Machine and Network and Connect Machine and Network.

Update the YAML code right side

In my case -I updated a few details based on the configuration

1. Added constraints with net tag (net tag assigned to network one of the networks – VRA will assign a net tagged network to machine) (you can check above network configuration steps, net tag assigned to network)
2. Image – specified image mapping name -winodws2022(you can check above steps winodws2022 template mapped as winodws2022)
3. Flavor – specified flavour as small (you check the above steps flavour configured as small)

After updating the yaml, click on a test to check syntax errors in yaml code >one test completed, click on a version.

Enter version number > select Release this version to the catalog > create

1. Publishing Blueprint to catalogue: –

For publishing the blueprint to catalogue> select the service Broker option

Content& policies > content Sources > New

Select content sources as VMware Cloud Templates

Enter Name, Select Project, And Create & import (In my deployment, select dev project, it will import blueprints from the dev project)

Next Create policy > policies > Definitions > Scope (Select project) >content sharing > add item (select windows blueprint)

You can select specific groups/users (Suppose if you choose particular group/users, only those users can see the winodws2022 blueprint)

Publishing winodws2022 Blueprint to catalogue is completed.

1. VRA Deployment Test: –

Now Go to the Service Broker catalogue option and check whether you can see the published blueprint item. Click on the request option.

You can observe deployment initiated.

You can also check on vCenter; VM provision is started.

After a few minutes, you can check the status on VRA. Deployment completed successfully. VM name – vravm000006

You check on vCenter. vravm000006 VM is ready

You can check on the AD machine added to AD. Open the VM console and Login with the AD username and Password.

After login you can check whether the machine is added to the Domain.

VRA 8.10 Deployment, configuration, and testing on vSphere8

Using VRA Easy installer ISO, we can deploy – vRealize identity manager, vRealize Suite Lifecycle Manager, and vRealize Automation.

Basic Overview: –

Deploying vRealize Automation (VRA) required vRealize Lifecycle Manager (VRLCM) and vRealize Identity Manager (VIDM)

vRealize Life Cycle Manager: – VMware vRealize Suite Lifecycle Manager delivers a comprehensive, integrated product and lifecycle management solution for VMware vRealize Suite.

vRealize Identity Manager (VIDM): – Identity Manager is integrated into the vRealize Automation appliance and provides tenant identity management. Identity Manager synchronizes with the Active Directory domain

vRealize Automation (VRA) (New name – VMware Aria Automation): –VRA is a modern infrastructure automation platform with event-driven state management. It is designated to help organizations control and secure self-service multi-cloud with governance and DevOps-based infrastructure delivery.

VRA components: –

1. Cloud Assembly

VMware Cloud Assembly™ is a multi-cloud provisioning service that provides a cloud API layer utilized by the templating engine. Cloud Assembly also supports powerful custom extensibility frameworks, including the serverless function Action-Based Extensibility (ABX), VMware vRealize Orchestrator workflows, and event-broker subscriptions.

2. Service Broker

Service Broker aggregates content from multiple resources and platforms, including Cloud Assembly, vRealize Orchestrator, and native public clouds, into a common catalog accessible via a graphical interface or APIs. It provides a self-service model with flexible, policy-based governance to regulate service and resource consumption.

3. Code Stream

Code Stream automates the application and infrastructure delivery process with release pipeline management, including visibility and analytics into active

pipelines and their status for troubleshooting. It allows DevOps teams to leverage existing tools and processes with out-of-the-box integration

4.vRealize Orchestrator

vRealize Orchestrator simplifies and automates complex data center infrastructure tasks, delivering consistent remediation of issues, extensibility

and fast service delivery.

5. vRealize Automation SaltStack Config

SaltStack Config can easily define optimized, compliant software states and enforce them across your entire environment—virtualized, hybrid or public

cloud—with powerful, intuitive configuration automation.

Basic Requirements For deploying VRA on vSphere: –

1. VRA compatible vCenter and ESXi version. (Check VMware computability matrix portal)

2. VRA lcm-installer ISO file.

3. Three IPs and DNS entries.

4. VRA License

My Deployment details: –

vSphere version – 8.0

	Hostname	IP
vRealize Life Cycle Manager	Vrlcm	172.90.0.7
vRealize Identity Manager	Vidm	172.90.0.8
vRealize Automation	Vracloud	172.90.0.9
NTP	0.in.pool.ntp.org
DNS	Kdinesh.in	192.168.5.150

Deployment Steps: –

1. Download Easy Installer ISO.
2. Configuring required DNS entries.
3. Deploying VRLCM, VIDM, VRA
4. Configuring VIDM and VRA
5. Testing VRA Deployment
6. Download Easy Installer ISO

Downloaded ISO from VMware Portal.

1. Configure DNS Entries

Created required DNS entries in the Windows DNS server.

1. Deploy VRLCM, VIDM, VRA

Opens Easy Installer ISO > open – vrlcm-ui-installer folder

Open the win32 folder (If you’re using a different OS, based on OS choose the folder)

Next, run the installer file.

Click on install

Click on Next

Accept License > Next.

Enter vCenter Details (On which vCenter you want to deploy VMs)

Accept Certificate warning

Choose Location > Next.

Choose to Compute Resource > Click Next.

Select Datastore (Where you want to deploy VMs) > Click Next.

Enter Network details > Click Next.

Enter Password > Click Next

Enter Life cycle manager details > Click Next.

Choose new Install New Identity manager (Incase already if you’re using VIDM in env, you can use existing VIDM; you can choose the import existing option), and specific username (after deployment, you need to login to VRA using an admin user account)

Select Deployment standard (if you want HA, you can choose cluster deployment)> Next

Review all entered details > Click on Submit.

You can check the deployment process and status (it will take a few minutes based on your environment)

Once deployment is completed, you can check the Interfaces of VRLCM, VRA, and VIDM.

VRLCM

VRA

VIDM

1. VIDM and VRA configuration
2. Integrate AD with VIDM ## After integrating AD users to VIDM, AD users can log in to VRA.
3. Assign roles to the users/groups ## Assign VRA services based on requirements.
4. Registering vCenter with VRA ## Once VRA is integrated with vCenter, VRA will fetch all the information from vCenter.
5. Crating project ## you Can create multiple projects EX: – dev, test, production …etc.
6. Crating Flavor Mapping ## flavor means vCPU and RAM information EX: – small (1vCpu,2gb Memory) Medium (2vCPU,4Gb). etc.
7. Crating Image Mapping ## Mapping vCenter template
8. Creating Network Profiles ## Which network do you want to use on VRA, based on requirement we can configure network profiles
9. Crating Storage Profiles ## Where you deploy VRA VMs, based on the requirement, we can configure multiple storage profiles
10. Integrating with AD ## optional config – If you want to ADD VRA deployed VMs to existing AD. Once AD is integrated with VRA. After deploying the VRA machine, the user can log in using their AD account username and password.
11. Crating Sample Blueprint ## Blueprint will contain all the VM config information
12. Publishing Blueprint to Catalog ## After publishing the blueprint, the end user can deploy their VM based on their requirements.
13. Integrate AD with VIDM: –

First, we need to integrate AD with VIDM (In my case, I already created a cloud admin group in AD, in cloudadmin group, add user1 as a user)

Login to VIDM > Identity & Access Management > Add.

Enter AD details > Save & Next

You can check the AD Group/users sync status.

1. Assign roles to the users/groups:-

Next, assign permission to users > Roles > Select role > add a role to group/user > Save.

Login to VRA using the local admin account (during deployment, specified username, and password)

Select system domain > enter username and password.

Next, Assign services permission to groups/users > Identity & Access management > Enterprise Groups.

Search ad user/group assign service role (in my deployment – cloudadmin group add and assign all service admin role, so clouadmin group users will get full admin privileges to all VRA services)

To change the default VRA Branding VMW logo, you can choose the branding option, upload your logo, and choose colour> apply.

Now you can log in with AD user to VRA > choose your domain and > next.

After login in, you can check the assigned service.

1. Registering vCenter with VRA: –

Now select cloud assembly service for configuring VRA.

Select Infrastructure option >Continue

Choose vCenter (Based on your env, you may choose diff option)

Enter vCenter Details > Validate details (It will fetch all vCenter details – dc, cluster, storage, network…etc.) > ADD.

1. Creating project:-

Infrastructure > Select project > New project

Enter project name > Users

Add group/users (which user/group part of the project) or share the project with all groups/users (based on your requirement, you can choose option -In My deployment allowed all projects to all users, not specifying any particular group/users) > provision.

Add Zones

Select Cloud zone

Select cloud zone (In my deployment, only one centre is registered with VRA) > Ad.

You can find specific custom naming for VMs in the custom naming section > Create

1. Crating Flavor Mapping: –

Next, Configure the Flavor > Flavor mappings > new flavour mappings.

Enter Flavor name > Select Account > CPU value > Memory > Create

1. Creating Image Mapping: –

Before configuring Image mapping, create a Template in vCenter (In my deployment – I crate Windows VM and convert it into the template -winodws2022). You can create templates in vCenter and map with VRA image mapping if you want more templates.

Infrastructure > configure > Image Mapping > New image mapping > Enter image name > Account > Select template > create

1. Creating Network Profile: –

Automatically VRA will fetch all the available networks in vCenter; we need to select which network we want to use for vra deployments.

Infrastructure> Network profiles > new network profile.

Select vcenter account > Enter name > select networks option

Select ADD NETWORK option

You can see all available networks in vCenter, and select a network based on your requirement (which network you want to use for VRA machines deployment, you can choose multiple networks also). In my deployment, select vm-mgmt-90 network> After selecting a network, click on ADD.

Open newly added network

Enter the selected network Gateway, domain …etc. Details and Save

Select Network > Manage IP Ranges.

Click on NEW IP RANGE

Enter name and specific start Ip address and End Ip address (VRA will assign IPs to vra deployed VMS from the below-specified range)

Click on Close

Now Click on CREATE. Network profile configuration completed.

1. Creating Storage Profile: –

Next, Configure the Storage profile (VRA automatically fetches all the available datastore in vCenter, we need to select which datastores we need to use for VRA deployment). select Infrastructure > Storage Profile > Crate NEW STOAREG PROFILE

Select based on your requirement (In my case, selected DISK0 datastore only and thin provision) > Create

1. VRA Integrating with AD: –

We can integrate VRA with AD, so machines automatically add to AD after deployment, and you can log in using AD accounts.

Infrastructure > Integrations > Add integrations

Click on Active Directory

Enter name. Enter AD details > Validate details > ADD.

Open created AD and add project > Save.

We need to configure the vCenter end also. Log in to vCenter > Policies and Profiles.

VM Customization Specification > New

Enter Name > Select vCenter >Choose Windows (In my deployment, I am using Windows machines only) >Select generate a new SID option >Next.

Enter owner name and owner organization > Next

Click on Next

Click on Next

Enter admin AD user admin password > Next

Select Time Zone > Next

Click on Next

Click on Next

Select Windows Server domain and enter ad details > OK.

Check all the specified details and click on OK.

1. Creating Sample Blueprint: –

Login to VRA > Cloud assembly > Design > Cloud Templates > New from > Blank canvas

Enter new template name, choose a project, share options > Create

Left side, you can see options with symbols – Drag Machine and Network and Connect Machine and Network.

Update the YAML code right side

In my case -I updated a few details based on the configuration

1. Added constraints with net tag (net tag assigned to network one of the networks – VRA will assign a net tagged network to machine) (you can check above network configuration steps, net tag assigned to network)
2. Image – specified image mapping name -winodws2022(you can check above steps winodws2022 template mapped as winodws2022)
3. Flavor – specified flavour as small (you check the above steps flavour configured as small)

After updating the yaml, click on a test to check syntax errors in yaml code >one test completed, click on a version.

Enter version number > select Release this version to the catalog > create

1. Publishing Blueprint to catalogue: –

For publishing the blueprint to catalogue> select the service Broker option

Content& policies > content Sources > New

Select content sources as VMware Cloud Templates

Enter Name, Select Project, And Create & import (In my deployment, select dev project, it will import blueprints from the dev project)

Next Create policy > policies > Definitions > Scope (Select project) >content sharing > add item (select windows blueprint)

You can select specific groups/users (Suppose if you choose particular group/users, only those users can see the winodws2022 blueprint)

Publishing winodws2022 Blueprint to catalogue is completed.

1. VRA Deployment Test: –

Now Go to the Service Broker catalogue option and check whether you can see the published blueprint item. Click on the request option.

You can observe deployment initiated.

You can also check on vCenter; VM provision is started.

After a few minutes, you can check the status on VRA. Deployment completed successfully. VM name – vravm000006

You check on vCenter. vravm000006 VM is ready

You can check on the AD machine added to AD. Open the VM console and Login with the AD username and Password.

After login you can check whether the machine is added to the Domain.