Data Center Automation with vRealize Orchestrator and vSphere PowerCLI

This five-day course teaches experienced VMware vSphere® administrators how to use the powerful automation tools that all vSphere customers have access to. Using real-world use cases and examples, you will learn how to automate day-to-day administration tasks with VMware vSphere® PowerCLI and VMware vRealize® Orchestrator. During class, you will use these tools to automate tasks in a realistic lab environment.

Intended Audience

Experienced vSphere administrators who want to use available tools to automate day-to-day tasks.

Prerequisites

Completion of the following courses, or equivalent experience with vSphere deployments:

vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage 

Objectives

By the end of the course, you should be able to meet the following objectives:

• Describe the features and benefits of automation in a vSphere environment 
• Understand the role of the vSphere Web Services API in automation
• Use the Managed Object Browser (MOB) to view the structure of VMware vSphere® API and VMware vCenter Server® inventory     
• Use vSphere PowerCLI to deploy and manage virtual machines and virtual infrastructure 
• Run and manage library vRealize Orchestrator workflows
• Design, develop, and run custom reusable vRealize Orchestrator workflows
• Incorporate JavaScript into vRealize Orchestrator workflows
• Select the appropriate tool for automating day-to-day tasks in vCenter Server

Course Modules

Course Introduction

• Introductions and course logistics
• Course objectives 

Automation in vSphere

• Identify the tools available to vSphere administrators for automation
• Understand the benefits of automation
• Understand the function of black boxes in programming 

vSphere API

• Identify the function of an API
• Recognize the components of the vSphere Web Services API 
• Understand how the vSphere Web Services API is used by automation tools
• Understand object-oriented terminology relevant to the vSphere Web Services API
• Use the MOB to explore the vSphere object model and invoke methods 

vSphere PowerCLI Basics

• Describe features of vSphere PowerCLI
• List common tasks to perform with vSphere PowerCLI
• Connect vSphere PowerCLI to vCenter Server and VMware ESXi hosts
• Define variables to use in vSphere PowerCLI
• Use basic vSphere PowerCLI cmdlets
• Describe features of the command pipeline
• Examine vSphere PowerCLI objects 
• View vSphere PowerCLI object properties
• Invoke vSphere PowerCLI object methods 

vSphere PowerCLI Use Cases

• Perform day-to-day management tasks with vSphere PowerCLI 

Advanced vSphere PowerCLI concepts

• Examine View objects with the Get-View cmdlet
• Convert View objects to VIObjects
• Invoke vSphere Web Services API methods
• Use the Onyx tool to capture vSphere PowerCLI code 

vRealize Orchestrator Basics  

• Identify vRealize Orchestrator components
• Understand the function of plug-ins
• Add a vCenter Server instance to the vCenter Server plug-in 
• List the components of a workflow
• Create a vCenter Server object with a library workflow
• Distinguish between workflow variable types
• Create a simple workflow
• Create workflow input and output parameters
• Set a workflow input parameter as an attribute
• Understand the role of binding in workflows
• Use a library workflow in a new workflow
• Use the setup wizard to perform parameter binding 

Developing vRealize Orchestrator Workflows

• Identify and use common vRealize Orchestrator workflow elements
• Implement vRealize Orchestrator workflow nesting
• List methods for calling other workflows in vRealize Orchestrator workflows
• Identify the information required to develop a workflow
• Use the vRealize Orchestrator workflow scripting debugger 

vRealize Orchestrator Advanced

• Create basic decision loops in workflows
• Use a for-each loop in a workflow
• Understand how exceptions are handled in vRealize Orchestrator
• Use action elements in workflows
• Capture JavaScript with Onyx and use it in a workflow 

vRealize Orchestrator Use Case

• Create a workflow that deploys multiple virtual machines according to a customer specification 

vRealize Orchestrator PowerShell Plug-In

• Add Windows PowerShell hosts to the vCenter Server inventory
• Invoke scripts on Windows PowerShell hosts
• Create Windows PowerShell workflows 

Guest Operations with vRealize Orchestrator and vSphere PowerCLI

• Understand the architecture of virtual machine guest operations
• Identify the requirements for using guest operations
• Perform guest operations with vRealize Orchestrator and vSphere PowerCLI