You can perform automated operations in vCenter Server by running workflows from the standard library or workflows that you create.
For example, you can create a virtual machine by running the Create simple virtual machine workflow.
Prerequisites
Verify that you have configured the vCenter Server plug-in. For details, see Installing and Configuring VMware vCenter Orchestrator.
Procedure
1 | From the drop-down menu in the Orchestrator client, select Run. |
2 | Click the Workflows view. |
3 | In the workflows hierarchical list, open to navigate to the Create simple virtual machine workflow. |
4 | Right-click the Create simple virtual machine workflow and select Start workflow. |
5 | Provide the general parameters and click Next.
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Virtual machine name
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Name the virtual machine orchestrator-test.
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Virtual machine folder
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a |
Click Not set for the Virtual machine folder value.
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b |
Select a virtual machine folder from the inventory.
The Select button is inactive until you select an object of the correct type, in this case, VC:VmFolder.
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Size of the new disk in GB
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Type an appropriate numeric value.
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Memory size in MB
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Type an appropriate numeric value.
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Number of virtual CPUs
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Select an appropriate number of CPUs from the Number of virtual CPUs drop-down menu.
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Virtual machine guest OS
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Click the Not set link and select a guest operating system from the list.
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Make the disk thin provisioned
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Select whether to make the disc thin or thick provisioned.
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6 | Provide the infrastructure parameters.
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Host on which to create the virtual machine
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Click Not set for the Host on which to create the virtual machine value and navigate through the vCenter Server infrastructure hierarchy to a host machine.
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Resource pool
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Click Not set for the Resource pool value and navigate through the vCenter Server infrastructure hierarchy to a resource pool.
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The network to connect to
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Click Not set for the The network to connect to value and select a network.
Press Enter in the Filter text box to see all the available networks.
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Datastore in which to store the virtual machine files
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Click Not set for the Datastore in which to store the virtual machine value and navigate through the vCenter Server infrastructure hierarchy to a datastore.
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7 | Click Submit to run the workflow.
A workflow token appears under the Create simple virtual machine workflow, showing the workflow running icon.
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8 | Click the workflow token to view the status of the workflow as it runs. |
9 | Click the Events tab in the workflow token view to follow the progress of the workflow token until it completes. |
10 | Click the Inventory view. |
11 | Navigate through the vCenter Server infrastructure hierarchy to the resource pool you defined.
If the virtual machine does not appear in the list, click the refresh button to reload the inventory.
The orchestrator-test virtual machine is present in the resource pool.
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12 | (Optional) Right-click the orchestrator-test virtual machine in the Inventory view to see a contextual list of the workflows that you can run on the orchestrator-test virtual machine. |
The Create simple virtual machine workflow ran successfully.
What to do next
You can log in vSphere Client and manage the new virtual machine.