NetIQ Documentation: NetIQ Cloud Manager 2.3 Procedures Guide - Importing Multiple Virtual Machines into Cloud Manager Business Services

15.4 Importing Multiple Virtual Machines into Cloud Manager Business Services

Roles that Can Perform This Task: Cloud Administrator

The following methods explain how to import multiple virtual machines to become workloads inside a number of Cloud Manager business services.

To import a single virtual machine, see Section 15.3, Importing a Single Virtual Machine into an Existing or a New Business Service.

15.4.1 Bulk Importing Multiple Virtual Machines

Because your data center environment probably has one or more hypervisors where many existing virtual machines are already configured and running, you should take full advantage of Cloud Manager’s Orchestration components to discover these machines and list them as unassigned virtual machines. These unassigned VMs have the potential of being fully imported into the Cloud Manager environment, where they can be assigned as workloads and associated to Cloud Manager business services, business groups, and organizations.

Use these steps to import multiple, unassigned VMs discovered by the Cloud Manager Orchestration components:

On the Cloud Manager Web Console main navigation bar, click Business Services, then click Virtual Machines to display the Unassigned Virtual Machines list.
From the list, select the virtual machines that you want to import (press and hold the Ctrl key to multi-select).
Click Export to move the existing virtual machine configuration data to a Microsoft Excel (.xls) spreadsheet.
Open the exported spreadsheet with a compatible spreadsheet application, then for each VM (that is, each row in the spreadsheet), enter additional data. At a minimum, you must enter information into the gray-shaded columns; these are required.

For more information about the export VM spreadsheet, see About the Bulk Import Spreadsheet.
Validate the virtual machine configurations:
1. On the Virtual Machines tab, click Bulk Import to display the Bulk Import dialog box.
2. Browse to and download the bulk import spreadsheet file you exported and edited in Step 3 and Step 4.
3. Click Validate to upload the data to the Application Server, where it is processed and evaluated for validity.
4. Check the validation results either in the Bulk Import dialog box or in the spreadsheet, then correct the errors in the spreadsheet and save it again.
5. Repeat all of the steps Step 5.b through Step 5.d until every row in the spreadsheet is valid.
Click Import to add the virtual machines to the Cloud Manager environment (that is, as workloads associated to business services, business groups, and organizations).

HINT:If you have incorporated NetIQ Access Manager authentication into your Cloud Manager environment, a two minute HTTP timeout is enforced on your browser (that is, the Cloud Manager Web console where you observe the import). When the limit is reached, the Bulk Import dialog box displays a Ready to Import message, which you can ignore: the process actually continues on the Application Server until completion. Close the Bulk Import dialog box instead. (In this scenario, if you click Get Results instead of closing the dialog box, the server returns inaccurate import data. If you click Import, the server generates specious import errors.)

After you close the dialog box, wait for a server-generated email message with an attached .pdf file. The email signals the end of the import process and the .pdf details its results.

If you want to change the Access Manager HTTP timeout, specify a different value for Data Read Timeout field, as explained in the Configuring TCP Listen Options for Clients section of the NetIQ Access Manager 3.2 SP2 Access Gateway Guide.
Click Close to close the Bulk Import dialog box.

At this point, you can change the imported workload’s resources if necessary. Making such changes constitutes a change to the business service(s), and so this requires one or more change requests to go through the approval process and the imported workload(s) to be rebuilt. See Section 15.8, Changing Deployed Business Services.

Using the Get Results Function

After you browse to and perform an initial validation of the bulk import spreadsheet, the Get Results function becomes available on the Bulk Import dialog box. This function can be accessed at any time. It also creates an .xls spreadsheet: one that provides more exact results of the current state of the VM import process, including:

The deletion of superfluous rows (that is, either blank or containing information that is not used in the validation)
More verbose results of the validation status.
Workload IDs assigned to the VMs after an initial import.

Get Results is useful if you experienced a successful import process and you want to keep a detailed record of that event.

Ongoing Bulk Import Issues

When an administrator performs a bulk import of VMs, one column in the bulk import spreadsheet allows the inclusion of an add-on service with the VM, giving the impression that information for the add-on service will be put through to the workload after import. Although a VM be imported successfully with this designated add-on service, Cloud Manager does not recognize its add-on configuration and throws an error:

Additional Information is needed.

This indicates that no AOS information was actually included during the import. You will need to edit the imported workload and add text for the user that instructs him or her to provide configuration instructions to the build administrator. For more information, see Section 12.6, Add-On Services.

15.4.2 About the Bulk Import Spreadsheet

Many large data centers keep detailed spreadsheet or .csv records of their virtual machines and the details of the respective VM configurations. If your enterprise keeps such records, you or someone on your staff can map that VM data to the Cloud Manager VM export spreadsheet. Cloud Manager uses this specially formatted .xls spreadsheet as the principal mapping tool to import unassigned VMs to the Cloud Manager environment, where they are configured by the Cloud Manager Application Server to become Cloud Manager workloads.

If you want to perform such a mapping, perhaps from .csv format to .xls format, we suggest that you initially choose one VM from the Unassigned Virtual Machines list, create an export file (see Step 3 above), perform the mapping based on your analysis of the Cloud Manager spreadsheet, then delete the populated data for the single VM before you import your mapped .csv file with data from all the VMs you want to import. If auto-generating a .csv file destined to be converted into a .xls file, many of the column headings are examined to verify the spreadsheet’s structure. Be sure to match column headings exactly to ensure a successful import into Cloud Manager.

You can also choose to export many or all of the Cloud Manager unassigned VMs to the spreadsheet and then manually adjust the configuration of each virtual machine according to the requirements for import.

When first launched, many of the columns of the spreadsheet are prepopulated with data discovered by the Orchestration Server and available in the respective VM details. Do not change the column order or the prepopulated columns. The column names are helpful for you to remember the purpose of the respective VM data. Other things you should know about the spreadsheet include the following:

Many of the column heads include associated comments that help you understand the purpose of the data in the column and whether it is required as part of the mapping process. You can identify those columns by the small red rectangle in the upper right-hand corner of the cell and by its gray shading. Hover over a column to display the comment. Look for the word required in the comment header.
When you complete your changes (which can be accomplished manually or through automatic merging of other spreadsheet data) to the individual columns, use the Validate function to upload the data to the Application Server. The server validates the contents, adds missing details, and provides validation messages inside the spreadsheet. You can keep the spreadsheet open and make changes while using the Validate function repeatedly.
The bulk import spreadsheet is also a worksheet. The Validation Status column of the spreadsheet provides a list of reasons preventing the VM from being imported. Use this information to adjust the configuration for the VMs that show errors, then click Get Results to revalidate until all errors are corrected.
If you don’t know database IDs, provide the name, you might want names for other people looking at the spreadsheet
IDs are fast lookup vs. names
provide IDs ahead of time if you can / providing both is good for both human and machine (lookup)

Required Columns in the Spreadsheet

The bulk import spreadsheet includes many columns, only a few of which are required. The data you provide in the required columns is passed to the Application Server, where the actual VM to workload configuration and conversion takes place. The information you provide in the non-required columns is informational only, and although passed to the workload, it is not essential to its configuration.

NOTE:The exception to the non-essential data is column 3: Validation Status. Although the information in this column is not required for configuring the workload, it is provided by the Application Server, and is essential for your guidance during the validation process as you adjust the column information for each row (that is, VM) listed in the spreadsheet.

The following table provides more details about the columns of a typical bulk import spreadsheet:

Column Name	Represents	Required	Details About the Cell
VM Name or VM ID	Virtual Machine name	Yes	If you use the VM Export tool to create the spreadsheet, Cloud Manager populates the cell for you. If you create your own spreadsheet, you must enter the name exactly as it appears in the Orchestration Server zone. The lookup function of the import process is case sensitive.
Validation Status	Bulk Import validation status	Provided by the Cloud Manager Application Server	Provides the list of reasons preventing the current virtual machine from being importable. To see the validation status, use the Get Results button on the bulk import dialog box.
Zone Name or Zone ID	Name of the Cloud Manager Orchestration Zone containing the VM	Yes	Case sensitive. Enter the name of the CMOS zone containing the VM. Provided when exporting VMs from Cloud Manager.
Org Name or Org ID	Cloud Manager Organization Name	No (Conditional)	- Case sensitive. - This field is required. However, it can be derived from the provided pre-existing Business Service or Business Group. If it can be derived from these other objects, you do not need to enter the value here.
BG Name or BG ID	Cloud Manager Business Group Name	No (Conditional)	- Case sensitive. - This field is required. However, it can be derived from the provided pre-existing Business Service. In that case, it is not required.
BS Name or BS ID	Cloud Manager Business Service Name	Yes	- Case sensitive if used to find a pre-existing Business Service. Not case sensitive if used to create a new Business Service. - If creating a new Business Service, the first spreadsheet row referencing the BS will create the Business Service object. Subsequent rows referencing the same BS will import into the previously created BS.
BS Purpose	Cloud Manager Business Service Purpose	No	no comment
License Cost	Cost to License the Workload	No	no comment
BS Expire Date	Cloud Manager Business Service Expiration Date	No	Date FormatDate must be entered in m/d/yyyy format
BS Custom 1 ⁽¹⁾	Custom Field Added to the Cloud Manager Business Service	No	no comment
WL Name	Cloud Manager Workload Name	Yes	- Enter the desired name of the created Workload object. - Default to the VM Name when exporting VMs from Cloud Manager
WL ID	Cloud Manager Workload ID	Provided	Provided after import. The created workload ID will be written to the results spreadsheet when successfully imported. If providing the Get Results spreadsheet as the input to a subsequent Import, any rows with an existing, valid Workload ID will be skipped without errors.
WLT Name or WLT ID	Cloud Manager Workload Template Name	No	- Case sensitive. - Must match VM details (os type, hypervisor, & resource ranges). - If multiple RPPs are associated with the WLT, the RPP column is then required.
RG Name or RG ID	Cloud Manager Resource Group Name	No (Conditional)	- Case sensitive. - Specified RG must be available to Business Group. - RG’s hypervisor must match virtual machine’s hypervisor - Required if multiple resource groups match the VM’s details. - If not provided, Cloud Manager will attempt to discover the matching Resource Group, and will succeed if only 1 match is found.
RPP Name or RPP ID	Cloud Manager Resource Pricing Package Name	No (Conditional)	- Case sensitive. - Must be available to the Workload Template identified in the WLT columns - Must match the resource ranges of the WLT and the actual resource allocations of the VM.
SL Name or SL ID	Name of the Cloud Manager Service Level to Be Associated to this Workload	Yes	- Case sensitive. - Must be available to the Resource Group identified in the RG columns - Required if multiple Service Levels match the Resource Group. - If not provided, Cloud Manager will attempt to discover the matching Service Level, and will succeed if only 1 match is found.
VNC Password	Password used to gain remote access to this VM’s VNC Console	No	- Case sensitive - Passwords are never written to the spreadsheet when exported. - Providing a password during import may cause the VM to be restarted (Confirm with Norm)
Computer Name	Computer Name for Windows systems Hostname for Linux systems	No	- For Windows VMs, provide the computer name.- For Linux VMs, provide the hostname
Domain Name	Windows Domain Name	No (Conditional)	- Recommended for Linux VMs - Required for domain-based Windows VMs- For workgroup-based Windows VMs, leave blank and enter workgroup name in next column
Win Workgroup	Windows Workgroup Name	No (Conditional)	- Required for workgroup-based Windows VMs - Ignored for Linux systems
Win Admin Password	Windows Administrator Password	No	- Case sensitive. - Ignored for Linux systems
Win Domain User ID	Windows Domain Administrator User ID	No	- get from help system - Ignored for Linux systems
Win Domain Password	Windows Domain Administrator password	No	- get from help system - Ignored for Linux systems
Win Product Key	Windows Product Key	No	- get from help system - Ignored for Linux systems
Win RegisteredTo Name	Windows Registered To Name	No	- get from help system - Ignored for Linux systems
Run Once Commands	Windows Run Once Commands	No	- get from help system - Ignored for Linux systems
NIC1 IP DHCP ⁽²⁾	Use DHCP for IP Address on NIC 1	No	- Boolean value must be either TRUE or FALSE - If not provided in the spreadsheet during import, puts the IP DHCP setting for this NIC into an indeterminate state. Later, when changing network settings during a change request, users will be required to specify the IP DHCP setting. - Create additional NIC# sections as appropriate.
NIC1 IP ⁽²⁾	IP Address for NIC 1	No	- Enter the IP Address for this NIC - Provided when exporting VMs from Cloud Manager
NIC1 MAC ⁽²⁾	MAC Address for NIC 1	No (Conditional)	- Enter the MAC Address for this NIC - Required if providing NIC details during import - Provided when exporting VMs from Cloud Manager
NIC1 Network Name ⁽²⁾ or NIC1 Network ID	Network associated with NIC 1	No	- Case sensitive - Must match a network in the specified CMOS Zone - Provided when exporting VMs from Cloud Manager
NIC1 Mask ⁽²⁾	Subnet Mask for NIC 1	No	- Provided when exporting VMs from Cloud Manager
NIC1 DNS DHCP ⁽²⁾	Use DHCP for DNS Servers and Suffixes for NIC 1	No	- Boolean value must be either TRUE or FALSE - If not provided in the spreadsheet during import, puts the DNS DHCP setting for this NIC into an indeterminate state. Later, when changing network settings during a change request, users will be required to specify the DNS DHCP setting.
NIC1 DNS Servers ⁽²⁾	Domain Name Servers for NIC 1	No	- Enter the IP address of one or more DNS servers - Place the IP Address of each DNS Server on a separate line within the cell - Provided when exporting VMs from Cloud Manager
NIC1 DNS Suffixes ⁽²⁾	DNS Suffixes for NIC 1	No	- Enter one or more DNS suffixes - Place each suffix on a separate line within the cell - Provided when exporting VMs from Cloud Manager
NIC1 Gateways ⁽²⁾	Gateways for NIC 1	No	- Enter the IP Address of one or more gateways - Place each address on a separate line within the cell - Provided when exporting VMs from Cloud Manager
AddOn1 Name ⁽³⁾ or AddOn1 ID	Add-on Application or Service	No	- Case sensitive - Enter the name or ID of an Add-on Application or Service to be associated to this Workload in Cloud Manager - Must be available to the Workload Template specified in the WLT columns - Note that “locked” Add-ons are automatically associated and do not need to be specified here. - Create additional AddOn# sections as appropriate.

(1): You can add customized fields to every Cloud Manager business service. The fields can contain any information you want. You can add only three custom fields to the business service The first custom field is designated as BS Custom 1, the second as BS Custom 2, and the third as BS Custom 3.

(2): A workload can have multiple network cards, each of which has a unique network configuration. The first network card is designated as NIC1, the second as NIC2, and so on. The spreadsheet must provide a complete set of 10 NIC columns for each NIC. For convenience, these are color coded during the export process. Enough NIC “sections” must be defined for the greatest number of NICs in the importing list of VMs. The first NIC is designated as NIC1, the second as NIC2, and so on. Ensure column headings are labelled correctly.

(3): A workload can have multiple add-on applications or add-on services associated with it. Each can have a unique name and ID. Enough AddOn “sections” must be defined for the greatest number of AddOns in the importing VMs. The first add-on is designated as AddOn1, the second as AddOn2, and so on. Ensure column headings are labelled correctly.