Identity Manager dashboard showing Catalog and Settings options.

Configure NSX-T to use vIDM as authentication

I needed to create a few additional accounts in NSX-T for outside sources. Instead of creating individual accounts i wanted to use the existing ones from AD. To get started we need to get the certificate from the vIDM server. Log on to the vIDM server as root and run the following: openssl1 s_client -connect <FQDN of vIDM host>:443 < /dev/null 2> /dev/null | openssl x509 -sha256 -fingerprint -noout -in /dev/stdin Next we need to create the OAuth client ID in vIDM. Log in to the vIDM UI using the url SAAS/admin/app/page#!/dashboard as admin and Navigate to Catalog -> Settings ...

March 3, 2023 · Cosmin Trif

Why Choose vRealize Automation (vRA) over Ansible

Ansible and vRealize Automation (vRA) are both popular DevOps tools for infrastructure automation and provisioning. However, the two tools have different strengths and use cases, and choosing the right one for your organization can be a challenge. In this blog post, we’ll explore the key differences between vRA and Ansible and why you might choose vRA over Ansible. Complexity of Deployment Ansible is a simple, agentless tool that is easy to install and configure. However, as the complexity of your deployment increases, the simplicity of Ansible can quickly become a hindrance. vRA, on the other hand, is a complex tool that is designed to handle complex deployments, making it an ideal choice for large, complex environments. ...

February 1, 2023 · Cosmin Trif

Why Choose VMware vRealize Automation (vRA) over Terraform

In the world of infrastructure as code (IAC), there are many tools to choose from. Two popular options are VMware vRealize Automation (vRA) and Terraform. While both have their strengths, there are compelling reasons to choose vRA over Terraform. End-to-End Automation: vRA automates the entire software-defined data center (SDDC) lifecycle, from provisioning to decommissioning. Terraform is more limited, focusing only on infrastructure provisioning. User Experience: vRA provides a user-friendly interface, making it easier for non-technical users to request and manage infrastructure. Terraform, on the other hand, requires more technical expertise to use effectively. Integration with VMware: vRA integrates with other VMware products, such as vSphere, NSX, and vSAN, allowing for a seamless experience. Terraform can also integrate with VMware, but it requires more manual effort to set up the integration. Enterprise-Grade Security: vRA includes enterprise-grade security features, such as role-based access control and multi-factor authentication. Terraform does not have built-in security features, requiring additional tools or manual effort to secure the environment. Robust Compliance Features: vRA includes compliance features, such as blueprints that enforce specific policies and standards, making it easier to meet regulatory requirements. Terraform does not have built-in compliance features, leaving it up to the user to ensure compliance. Strong Support: vRA has a large, global community of users and is backed by VMware, a well-established company in the tech industry. Terraform is a relatively new tool with a smaller community, making support and resources more limited. In conclusion, vRA offers a complete automation solution for the SDDC, making it a great choice for enterprises that want a user-friendly interface, strong security features, robust compliance features, and strong support. Terraform, while a powerful tool, is better suited for infrastructure provisioning and requires more technical expertise and manual effort to secure and ensure compliance. ...

February 1, 2023 · Cosmin Trif

ccp-backups folder missing in NSX-T backup

If you like me tried to to cleanup the backups in NSX-T and ran into error Cleanup script works only in folders, that contains subfolders "cluster-node-backups", "ccp-backups" and "inventory-summary" this post is for you. I was trying to cleanup the backups before going to the next major release of nsx and i kept getting an error running the nsx_backup_cleaner.py script. It would seem that the ccp-backups folder has been removed from the backup job so it simply doesn’t exist. VMware did fix the script with the 3.2 release. ...

June 6, 2022 · Cosmin Trif

Extracting SSL Thumbprint

I recently ran in to an issue where i had to re-register my NSX server with vIDM. The ask was to extract the Thumbprint from vIDM. The command i ran to extract it was: echo -n | openssl s_client -connect hostname:443 2>/dev/null | openssl x509 -noout -fingerprint -sha256 This can be used across multiple products where the Thumbprint needs to be extracted

October 10, 2020 · Cosmin Trif
Error message shows upgrade issue; run "restart service install-upgrade" on NSX Manager.

NSX 2.5.0 to NSX 2.5.1 fails with error “restart service install-upgrade” on the NSX Manager.

I`ve recently ran through a problem when trying to upgrade NSX-T from version 2.5.0 to 2.5.1. When using the Upgrade function within the UI i was getting the following error: This page is only available on the NSX Manager where Upgrade Coordinator is running. To configure the service, run the command “restart service install-upgrade” on the NSX Manager. ...

July 16, 2020 · Cosmin Trif