Custom Naming for VM in vRA 8.x using Action Based Extensibility

In this blogpost you will learn how to create custom names  using action script  options in vRA 8.X to create custom names for VMs.

 

vRealize Automation 8, you mostly noticed that when you create  the Virtual Machine it gets a standard machine name something  likes Cloud_vSphere_Machine_1-mcm799-143460688242 but it will not help to meet customer standard VM naming. Our most customers has their own standard name convention. After this blog you will be able to create Custom Naming for VM to meet customer standard name convention.

 

Create a Action Based Extensibility

Open Cloud Assembly and navigate Extensibility > Actions > NEW ACTION. Enter a Name, Description and select the Project to contain the action

Click on Load Template 

Select Rename VM and Click Load.

Left side in script pane, add [customProperties] in line 12 for the new_name inputs. 

Right side properties tab, remove the all input variables and select On prem as FaaS Provider.

 

Save the action 

Now time to create new Blueprint and create Custom Properties as per your convenience . In my case  I have created  “newname”. 

Save and close the blueprint.

Let ‘s create New Subscription.

Go back to Extensibility. Click Subscriptions. Click New Subscription.

Enter a Name and select Compute Allocation as Event Topic

In my case  I will filter based on the blueprintId to ensure that only my blueprint triggers the execution. Finally, I will assign my ABX Action and ensure it’s a blocking task so that the blueprint deployment will not continue until the action has executed.

Note- Before going to test , make sure that your Project should not be configured with a Custom Naming template. 

 

 Request  for blueprint and Enter a custom VM name.

Go back to the Extensibility tab. Under Activity click Action Runs. Here you can see your actions being run after being triggered by an event broker subscription

Now time to check in vcenter if we have correct vm Name . In my case I have given “ICDS-test01 “

I hope you enjoy reading this blog as much as I enjoyed writing it. Feel free to share this on social media if it is worth sharing.