So it seems VMware are actually listening to the feedback and this just happened… vRealize Orchestrator - with the following new features: RBAC in the Control Center - Yes! vRealize Automation - with the following new features: Integration with Puppet - Yes! Automatic failover for the IaaS Manager Service - Yes! Enhanced logging - Yes! NSX improvements - Yes! It’s good that a release make someone a #HappyBunny rather than a #SadPanda!

Written by Christopher Lewis on May 17, 2017 .

VMware vRealize Automation vRealize Orchestrator

A very quick post on the latest version of VMware’s PowerCLI, v6.5.1. See VMware’s Official Blog here . This is now a MODULE available from the PowerShell Gallery which is #Awesome because it has been a major annoyance not being able just to type Install-Module PowerCLI to install it. Instead you had to go through a standard windows install package in the past. At a Glance Remove existing PowerCLI installation.

Written by Christopher Lewis on April 24, 2017 .

PowerCLI PowerShell VMware

Prerequisites A VMCA SSL Certificate (such as root_signing_cert.cer) A RSA Private Key (such as root_signing_cert.key) Process Overview The high level steps are as followed: Log into the External Platform Services Controller. Replace the Root Certificate. Connect to the PSC Appliance. Renew the Machine SSL Certificate. Renew the Solution User Certificate. Connect to the VCSA Appliance. Renew the Machine SSL Certificate. Renew the Solution User Certificate. Reboot the Platform Services Controller. Process Breakdown Log into External Platform Services Controller Navigate to https://psc-appliance.

Written by Christopher Lewis on March 25, 2017 .

Platform Services Controller vCenter VCSA VMCA VMware vSphere

It was not an unsurprising email I got last week from VMware certification services confirming what I expected but sincerely hoped wouldn’t happen. I had narrowly failed at my first attempt at the VCAP6-CMA Deploy exam (see my original post here ). As I had complained/registered with the exam center after the exam, they raised a case with Pearson Vue for me. I took to twitter to vent my frustration at PearsonVue and with VMware Education about the quality of the exam (hardly a “world class service” that I’m now expected to pay more money for!

Written by Christopher Lewis on March 20, 2017 .

VCAP6-CMA VCIX6 vRealize Automation

Objective Overview Objective 8.2 - Configure vRealize Business Standard Costing and Reporting Knowledge: Configure cost drivers according to a deployment plan: Assign cost for operating system licensing Edit cost for server hardware, storage, and network Create a monthly cost for facilities and maintenance Configure CPU and memory utilization costs Configure Consumption Analysis: Edit consumer hierarchy Edit price value according to a deployment plan Edit/Import budget to estimate your cost Generate vRealize Business vCenter Server report Generate a vRealize Automation Report Select and export the appropriate report Filter and Search for specific reports based on customer requirements IMPORTANT NOTE: The steps in this guide utilise vRealize Business for Cloud.

Written by Christopher Lewis on March 15, 2017 .

VMware VCAP6 VCAP6-CMA

Objective Overview Objective 7.1 - Deploy and Manage a vRealize Application Services Appliance Knowledge: Assign a user the necessary permissions to gain access to Application Services. Install and set up the Application Services virtual appliance. Configure Application Services to use a proxy. Register a cloud provider with Application Services. Map a Cloud Template to a Logical Template. Map Application Services to a vRA reservation policy Objective Prerequisites The following prerequisites are assumed for this Objective:

Written by Christopher Lewis on March 13, 2017 .

VMware vRealize Automation vRealize Application Services VCAP6 VCAP6-CMA

This post is a part of a series of posts for preparation for the VCAP6-CMA Deploy exam. For the full exam prep resources check here . In this post we are covering the deployment of vRealize Application Services. Prerequisite Steps A fully deployed vRealize Automation implementation. Overview Deploy VMware vRealize Application Services Appliance. Configure VMware vRealize Application Services. Navigate to the Application Services Portal Step by Step Instructions Note: For anyone who has deployed an OVF/OVA before (such as the vRealize Automation Identity Appliance or the vRealize Automation Appliance) the steps will look very familiar!

Written by Christopher Lewis on March 12, 2017 .

VMware vRealize Automation vRealize Application Services VCAP6 VCAP6-CMA

This post is a part of a series of posts for preparation for the VCAP6-CMA Deploy exam. For the full exam prep resources check here . In this post we are covering the deployment of vRealize Business for Cloud. Prerequisite Steps A fully deployed vRealize Automation implementation. Overview Deploy VMware vRealize Business for Cloud Appliance. Configure integration with vRealize Automation. Step by Step Instructions Note: For anyone who has deployed an OVF/OVA before (such as the vRealize Automation Identity Appliance or the vRealize Automation Appliance) the steps will look very familiar!

Written by Christopher Lewis on March 12, 2017 .

Certification VCAP6-CMA VCIX6 VMware vRealize Automation vRealize Business

Today marks the end of a journey to obtain my VCP6-NV and obtain the tri-fecta of SDDC VCPs (i.e. VCP6-DCV, VCP6-CMA and VCP6-NV). I originally took the remote VMware NSX 6 ICM Course in December 2015 (run by the #awesome @JensSoeldner ). The course was hard going not only because it was in GMT+1 time zone but also (and mainly) because networking has always been a dark art. Jens actually managed to make it interesting!

Written by Christopher Lewis on March 6, 2017 .

VMware NSX-V VCP6 VCP6-NV

This morning I “sat” the VCAP6-CMA Deploy exam. As you may have noticed I have been posting a lot of study materials recently on this. (see here for my Study Resources). I turned up 10 minutes early like a good candidate, after being booked in and led into the exam room, the adjudicator attempted to log me in. That’s when the first problem hit. We were prompted with an unexplained error message that took ~1 hour to sort and it seems it was a problem between the PearsonVue software and my VMware Education account (something about not having the right entitlement).

Written by Christopher Lewis on February 13, 2017 .

VCAP6-CMA VCIX6 vRealize Automation