This post explains a simple way to use Opalis to automate provisioning a virtual machine from System Center Virtual Machine Manager (SCVMM). There are a few prerequisites that are necessary before your Opalis server comes into play. In this example we will be using a virtual machine template on our SCVMM server. The objects in the workflow replace the manual steps creating a VM. This sample workflow ends kind of suddenly, but that is where you take over you can add whatever task you need to perform after the VM is up and spinning on your domain. Remember that by default once this new computer is added to your test domain the Windows Firewall is shields up. This will prevent the communication with our Opalis server so take that into consideration and address that in a manner that is consistent with your environment’s standards. This post is an "AS IS" offering and please test and retest this solution to verify it works for you and your environment.

Prerequisites

System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2008 with an available VM template

Opalis Server 6.3 with the SCVMM Integration Pack installed and configured

Provision VM Using Opalis Workflow

 

Right click each object in the workflow to edit the properties of each object. The screen shots below describe the properties that I used to get the work flow to provision a VM.

 

  1. Create VM from Template
    1. Configuration > Physical Server with System Center Virtual Machine manager installed and where the VM template resides
    2. Host Name > FQDN of Physical Server
    3. Path > Path to VHD files on Physical Server
    4. VM Name the name of the Virtual Machine
    5. Source Template Name > VHD template used to create VM
    6. Destination Computer Name > Windows Computer Name


  1. Get VM
    1. Configuration > Physical Server with System Center Virtual Machine manager installed and where the VM template resides

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  1. Click Add > To add the published data from the "Create VM from Template"
  2. In Filter Settings > Right click in the Value field > Subscribe > Published Data


  1. Select VM Name from Published Data > OK


  1. Start VM
    1. Configuration > Physical Server with System Center Virtual Machine manager installed and where the VM template resides


    1. Right Click in the VM ID field > Select Subscribe > Published Data


    2. Select the Get VM> VM ID


  2. Get Service Status
    1. Computer > Right click in computer field > Select Published Data


  1. Select VM Name> Click OK


  1. Click the ellipsis in the Service field > Choose the Netlogon Service


  2. Right Click Get Service Status > Select Looping



 


 

Additional Comments

At this point in the workflow the new VM is up and spinning. The Get Service Status buys us time for the VM to be available for the next task in Opalis. If we do not pause here in step 4 the next task will run before the VM is available and the task will fail.

Category: infrastructure