Network configuration using the OVF Tool
The VMware™ OVF Tool is a command line utility that supports fast and robust hardware configuration and validation. OVF supports efficient, secure distribution of vApps and virtual machine templates. You can create a virtual machine within VMware vSphere and use the OVF Tool to export it into an OVF package for installation, either within your organization or for distribution to other organizations.
About this task
You can use the OVF Tool on the command line to specify configuration properties, including IP address, gateway, and netmask, saving you from the time consuming tasks of configuring numerous machines individually.
vmtoolsd
,
options specified using the --prop
option are not
passed through to deployed virtual machines.Deploying an IBM API Connect OVA with the OVF Tool
The following example shows how you can use the OVF Tool to deploy an IBM® API Connect OVA:
Example
/usr/lib/vmware-ovftool/ovftool --quiet --overwrite --powerOffTarget --powerOn --acceptAllEulas --noSSLVerify -n=APIM-v2015XXXX-01 -dm=thin -ds="ESX NFS (1)" -nw="VM Network" --prop:"ConfigNET.ipaddr.1"="1.1.1.1" --prop:"ConfigNET.gateway.1"="1.1.9.1" --prop:"ConfigNET.netmask.1"="255.255.255.0" --prop:"ConfigNET.hostname.1"="myAPIM01" --prop:"ConfigNET.domain.1"="test.ibm.com" --prop:"ConfigNET.search.1"="test.ibm.com" --prop:"ConfigNET.pri_dns.1"="1.1.9.2" --prop:"ConfigNET.sec_dns.1"="1.1.9.3" --prop:"ConfigNET.ntp.1"="1.1.9.4" /path/to/APIManagement-ManagementAppliance-2015XXXX.ova vi://serverUN:serverPW@myVMserver
After the machine in the previous example boots up, you can deploy another machine and join it to the first one, as the next example shows
/usr/lib/vmware-ovftool/ovftool --quiet --overwrite --powerOffTarget --powerOn --acceptAllEulas --noSSLVerify -n=APIM-v2015XXXX-02 -dm=thin -ds="ESX NFS (1)" -nw="VM Network" --prop:"ConfigNET.ipaddr.1"="1.1.1.2" --prop:"ConfigNET.gateway.1"="1.1.9.1" --prop:"ConfigNET.netmask.1"="255.255.255.0" --prop:"ConfigNET.hostname.1"="myAPIM02" --prop:"ConfigNET.domain.1"="test.ibm.com" --prop:"ConfigNET.search.1"="test.ibm.com" --prop:"ConfigNET.pri_dns.1"="1.1.9.2" --prop:"ConfigNET.sec_dns.1"="1.1.9.3" --prop:"ConfigNET.ntp.1"="1.1.9.4" --prop:"ConfigCastIron.mgmt_username.1"="admin" --prop:"ConfigCastIron.mgmt_password.1"='adminPassword' --prop:"ConfigCastIron.mgmt_ipaddr.1"="1.1.1.1" /path/to/APIManagement-ManagementAppliance-2015XXXX.ova vi://serverUN:serverPW@myVMserver
With the exception of three additional properties (which join the second machine to the first machine), the commands in the two examples are identical. Here is a breakdown of each option in the second command:
/usr/lib/vmware-ovftool/ovftool
// required binary, they must also have the correct license for their VM server
--quiet --overwrite --powerOffTarget --powerOn --acceptAllEulas --noSSLVerify
// various ovftool deploy options
-n=APIM-v2015XXXX-02
// desired VM name
-dm=thin -ds="ESX NFS (1)" -nw="VM Network"
// deploy method, server disk to use, and server network to use
--prop:"ConfigNET.ipaddr.1"="1.1.1.2" --prop:"ConfigNET.gateway.1"="1.1.9.1" --prop:"ConfigNET.netmask.1"="255.255.255.0" // static network values
--prop:"ConfigNET.hostname.1"="myAPIM02" --prop:"ConfigNET.domain.1"="test.ibm.com" --prop:"ConfigNET.search.1"="test.ibm.com" // more static network values
--prop:"ConfigNET.pri_dns.1"="1.1.9.2" --prop:"ConfigNET.sec_dns.1"="1.1.9.3" --prop:"ConfigNET.ntp.1"="1.1.9.4"
// even more static network values
--prop:"ConfigCastIron.mgmt_username.1"="admin" --prop:"ConfigCastIron.mgmt_password.1"='adminPassword' --prop:"ConfigCastIron.mgmt_ipaddr.1"="1.1.1.1"
// login information to talk to the first server
/path/to/APIManagement-ManagementAppliance-2015XXXX.ova vi://serverUN:serverPW@myVMserver
// URI of OVA and VM server
If the deploy command is successful, the second machine's network will appear as follows:
myAPIM02/APIManagement> net show all
Hostname (Static): myAPIM02
Domain (Static): test.ibm.com
Domain Search (Static): test.ibm.com
Nameservers (Static): 1.1.9.2 1.1.9.3
Gateway (Static on eth0): 1.1.9.1
NTP (Static): 1.1.9.4
Carrier timeout: 30 seconds
Eth0 (00:50:56:8a:2d:3f): Static
Address: 1.1.1.1, Netmask: 255.255.255.0, Broadcast: 1.1.1.255
MTU: 1500
Link Status is not available
Routes: [None]
myAPIM02/APIManagement> net show status
Last attempt to start networking: Wed Sep 16 19:06:18 2015 GMT
Last time networking started: Wed Sep 16 19:06:18 2015 GMT
Last time networking stopped: Wed Sep 16 19:06:06 2015 GMT
Reason for last networking stop: Normal shutdown
Current activity: Monitoring network