Lab: Deploy VCF Automation and Create Cloud Template Catalog

Create Cloud Zone: Infrastructure → Cloud Zones → New Cloud Zone. Name='Lab-Zone-01', Account='vcsa-01', Compute: select management cluster. Add capability tags: 'env:lab', 'tier:standard'. Set placement policy: 'default' (spread across hosts).

Create Flavor Mappings: Infrastructure → Flavor Mappings → New Flavor Mapping. Create three sizes:

1. Name='small' → Map to vcsa-01: 2 vCPU, 4GB RAM
2. Name='medium' → Map to vcsa-01: 4 vCPU, 8GB RAM
3. Name='large' → Map to vcsa-01: 8 vCPU, 16GB RAM

Create Image Mapping: Infrastructure → Image Mappings → New Image Mapping. Name='ubuntu-2204' → Map to vcsa-01: select the Ubuntu 22.04 VM template from Content Library. Add second mapping: Name='photon-5' → Map to vcsa-01: select Photon OS 5 template.

Create Network Profile: Infrastructure → Network Profiles → New Network Profile. Name='Lab-Network-Profile'. Account='vcsa-01'. Add existing NSX segments available for deployment (management segment, workload segments). Configure IP assignment: DHCP for lab, or define static IP ranges if using IP pools.

Verify infrastructure abstraction completeness: Infrastructure → Overview. Check that all four abstractions are configured: Cloud Zones (1+), Flavor Mappings (3), Image Mappings (2+), Network Profiles (1+). The 'Configure' tab should show no warnings.

Create new template: Cloud Assembly → Design → New Cloud Template. Project='Lab Project', Name='Lab Web Server'. Start with the visual canvas — drag 'Cloud.vSphere.Machine' and 'Cloud.NSX.Network' onto the canvas. Connect them (draw line from VM network port to network resource).

Switch to YAML editor and refine the template:

formatVersion: 1
inputs:
size:
type: string
title: VM Size
description: Select compute size
enum:

• small
• medium
• large

default: small
hostname:
type: string
title: Hostname
description: VM hostname (lowercase, no spaces)
pattern: '^[a-z][a-z0-9-]{2,14}$'
resources:
web-vm:
type: Cloud.vSphere.Machine
properties:
name: '${input.hostname}'
image: ubuntu-2204
flavor: '${input.size}'
customizationSpec: linux-customization
networks:

• network: '${resource["web-net"].id}'

assignment: static
web-net:
type: Cloud.NSX.Network
properties:
networkType: existing
constraints:

• tag: 'env:lab'

Test deploy: Click 'Deploy' → Deployment Name='test-web-01' → provide inputs (size=small, hostname='test-web-01') → Deploy. Monitor deployment progress: Deployments → click deployment → watch resource provisioning steps.

Verify deployment in vCenter: confirm VM exists with correct name, CPU/RAM matching selected flavor, connected to expected NSX segment. In NSX Manager, verify the VM's logical port appears on the correct segment.

Delete test deployment: Deployments → select 'test-web-01' → Actions → Delete. Monitor cleanup: VM deleted from vCenter, NSX logical port removed. Verify no orphaned resources.

Version the template: Cloud Assembly → Design → open 'Lab Web Server' → click 'Version' → Version='1.0' → Description='Initial release: single VM with existing NSX network'. Release to catalog: check 'Release this version to the catalog'.

Enhance template with advanced inputs. Add to inputs section:

disk_size:
type: integer
title: Additional Disk (GB)
description: Size of additional data disk
minimum: 10
maximum: 500
default: 50
environment:
type: string
title: Environment
enum:

• dev
• staging
• prod

default: dev

Add to web-vm properties:
storage:
disks:

• capacityGb: '${input.disk_size}'

name: data-disk
tags:

• key: environment

value: '${input.environment}'

Configure Day-2 actions: Cloud Assembly → Design → open template → Day 2 tab. Enable actions:

1. 'Resize' — allow VM CPU/RAM changes post-deployment
2. 'Add Disk' — allow additional storage attachment
3. 'Power Operations' — allow power on/off/restart
4. 'Snapshot' — allow snapshot create/revert/delete

For each, set who can execute: 'Project Members' or 'Project Administrators only'.

Version the enhanced template: Version='2.0' → Description='Added data disk, environment tags, Day-2 actions'. Deploy v2.0 to verify: test with disk_size=50, environment=dev. Confirm additional disk attached and vSphere tag applied.

Test Day-2 action: On the test deployment → Actions → Resize → change to 'medium'. Monitor the resize operation. Verify in vCenter that CPU/RAM updated (may require VM restart depending on hot-add configuration).

Configure content source: Service Broker → Content & Policies → Content Sources → New → VMware Cloud Templates. Select the project containing 'Lab Web Server'. Validate and save. The content source syncs templates to Service Broker.

Configure content sharing: Service Broker → Content & Policies → Content Sharing → Add Items. Share 'Lab Web Server' with project 'dev-team-alpha' (created in Lab 14, or create a new project). Set sharing scope: this project only.

Create custom form: Service Broker → Content & Policies → select 'Lab Web Server' → Custom Form. Customize the request form: reorder fields, add help text to inputs, group related inputs, hide advanced options behind an 'Advanced' section. Save form.

Test self-service flow: Login as a project member (non-admin). Navigate to Service Broker → Catalog → locate 'Lab Web Server'. Fill in the request form → submit. Verify deployment starts (or enters approval queue if approval policy is configured from Lab 14).

VCDX Defense Preparation — document responses:

1. 'How does VCF Automation change the operational model from admin-provisioned to self-service?'

Answer: VCF Automation shifts IT from ticket-based provisioning (days/weeks) to catalog-based self-service (minutes). Admins define templates and governance; consumers request and manage their own infrastructure. The admin role shifts from provisioner to platform engineer.

2. 'What governance controls prevent resource sprawl?'

Answer: Five layers of governance: (a) Cloud zone resource limits, (b) Project-level instance/resource quotas, (c) Lease policies with auto-expiry, (d) Approval policies for large deployments, (e) Naming conventions for auditability. Together they create a self-service model with guardrails.

3. 'How would you design a multi-tier application template with web, app, and DB tiers on separate NSX segments?'

Answer: Three Cloud.NSX.Network resources with different networkType (routed for web-facing, isolated for app-to-DB). NSX DFW policies applied via segment tags. Tier-1 gateway for north-south traffic. Template inputs allow tier sizing independently.

4. 'What happens when a cloud template deployment fails halfway?'

Answer: VCF Automation supports partial deployment rollback. Failed resources are cleaned up; successfully created resources can be retained (configurable). Deployment history shows exactly which step failed and why. Recovery: fix the issue and re-deploy, or manually clean up orphaned resources.