LoboCloud.unm.edu
An introduction to VMWare vCloud
Automation Center
Presented by
Damion Terrell - Systems Analyst - Virtual Infrastructure & Storage
Luke Abeling - Systems Analyst - Windows Enterprise Services
Agenda
∙Pre-Bake Demo
∙Why are we here?
∙Brief of “What is LoboCloud?”
∙Current VM Request Process
∙Process Automation through LoboCloud
∙Diving into LoboCloud
∙Demonstrations
∙Support
∙Questions?
Why are we here?
• You have an interest or a need for requesting Virtual Machines
• You have done so through UNM IT, Amazon, etc.
• Understanding the benefits of Virtual Machines over physical
•
•
•
•
Backups
Disaster Recovery
Availability
Support
• Learn about the delivery of Virtual Machines through UNM’s
Private Cloud
IT – Service Catalog: Hosting – Virtual Machines
& LoboCloud Automation Center
Virtual Machines can help departments or individuals manage their
software without needing to maintain the underlying operating
system, hardware and infrastructure. This allows departments to
focus their staff's efforts towards their specialty while offloading the
cost of day-to-day infrastructure maintenance to IT.
Base Configuration $100/month for maintenance for LoboCloud
provisioned machines including base OS requirements of storage,
cpu, and Memory; and 7 days of nightly snapshot backups.
Add-Ons include: Additional Storage: $16.66 / 250 GB; CPU: $25/per
CPU; Memory $8.33/per GB
What is LoboCloud?
(Fastinfo #7059)
LoboCloud (https://lobocloud.unm.edu/vcacselfservice) allows authorized
customers to rapidly build and manage new virtual machines to their
specifications.
Using VMWare‘s vCloud Automation Center (vCAC), UNM – IT’s
LoboCloud provides a secure portal to the IT Private Cloud,
streamlining the New Virtual Machine (VM) request process.
Once “On-Boarded”, customers will be able to spin up new VM
within minutes.
Initial offerings are Active Directory joined Windows Servers.
Requested by Department Organizational Unit Administrators,
aka OU Admins.
Note: The LoboCloud Automation Center does NOT yet offer Linux
servers, mysql databases, sql server on Windows, and large storage
requests.
The Traditional Virtual Server
Request Process
Who has ever requested a Virtual Server from IT?
• How long did it take?
• Was it an easy process?
• Were there setup fees?
IT VM Provisioning Flow Chart
Sample workflow for creating virtual file server
Automating the Process
• Over 100 manual steps to provision a VM
• Streamline the process through LoboCloud
• Using VMWare Applications to automate manual processes
• Cutting down provisioning time
• Cutting out the setup fees
How do I gain logon access to LoboCloud?
(FastInfo #7057)
For authorized access to the LoboCloud URL or self-service portal site,
first complete an Access Form at Help.UNM. Please visit help.unm.edu
(link located at bottom of this FastInfo) and search for the keyword,
"LoboCloud.“
Then select:
Business Line: Accounts & Access
Category: Enterprise Applications: General
Service: LoboCloud
Request: Type: New
The OnBoarding Process
“OnBoarding” is a one-time setup process
• Identify your Department’s “Tech Support / Sys Admin” aka OU
Admin
• Identify who can approve purchases for your department
• Provisioning Account creation
• Actions that will take place in your Active Directory Organizational
Unit
•
•
Set Server OU Permissions
LoboCloud Access Groups
• Provisioning Groups,
Reservations, and Blueprints
Approval Request Example
[LoboCloud] Machine [ABC153TECHDAYS001]
To: ABC-LoboCloud-Approver;
[ABC] Your Approval is required
Name:
ABC153TECHDAYS001 [ABC153TECHDAYS001.colleges.ad.unm.edu]
Banner Index Code:
XXXXXXX
Owner:
COLLEGES\vcacuser
Cost Center:
Blueprint
Windows 2008 R2
Cost
$100
Additional Components
Memory(MB)
Cpu's
Storage(GB)
0
0
0
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
Total Daily Cost
Total Monthly Cost
Total Yearly Cost
$3.29
$100
$1,202
*Costs reflected above may be more than actual charges due to rounding. For a complete overview of UNM-IT's
Virtual Servers costs and services please visit: http://it.unm.edu/servicecatalog/service.php?service=230
In order to approve or reject this request, please follow the link below. Your approval authorizes IT to post charges
for the services selected to your Banner index code: XXXXXXX. You acknowledge that you are authorized to sign on
the index provided.
To complete this process, you must log in to the LoboCloud as your Provisioning Group's Approver/Manager. Please
browse to this link.
Example Approval Request
[LoboCloud] Machine [ABC153TECHDAYS001]
in order to continue.
Is access to the LoboCloud restricted
or controlled in some way?
(FastInfo #6995)
Access requires you must be on a “UNM Trusted Network”
On-campus wired networks
Off-campus via Virtual Private Network (VPN)
Rules apply to:
VM Management access via RDP (Remote Desktop Protocol) / SSH
Manager Approvals
VPN is also required from:
Wireless Networks
Dorms
LoboCloud Dashboard
https://lobocloud.unm.edu/vCACSelfService
My Resources
New Request
Summary of Current Activity
My Machines
Running Machines
Stopped Machines
Expiring Machines
Pending Requests
Reclamation
Recent Events
Blueprints
What does the status of my machine mean in
LoboCloud?
(FastInfo #7100)
Status
Description
User Action
Awaiting
Approval
Approval process in progress...
Please see your approval
manager to complete
this process.
Clone
Machine
Machine is being cloned by Virtual
Center.
No action required. Wait
for LoboCloud to
complete process.
Customize Machine is being customized by Virtual
Machine
Center
No action required. Wait
for LoboCloud to
complete process
……
Other Status Exist
May or May Not require
further action.
On
Machine is ready to use.
None. The machine is
ready to use.
My Machines
Actions Menu
Connect using RDP
Power on/off
Reboot
Reprovision
Destroy
Demonstrations
LoboCloud Dashboard
Navigating the Dashboard options
New Request Options
Machine Cycles
Connect to New Machine via RDP
What’s Next?
∙Linux Servers
∙Multi-Tenancy / vCloud Network & Securty
∙Disaster Recovery
∙File Level Restore
∙Version Control
∙Virtual Desktops
∙All-The-Things-As-A-Service (Storage, Applications, Desktops, etc)
Summary
∙Why were we here
∙Brief of What LoboCloud is
∙Defined the current VM Request Process
∙Automation through LoboCloud
∙Diving into Using LoboCloud
∙Support
Questions?
IT Online Support
IT – Service Catalog: Hosting - Virtual Machines and
LoboCloud Automation Center
http://it.unm.edu/servicecatalog/service.php?service=230
FastInfo.unm.edu search for LoboCloud
•
•
•
•
What is LoboCloud?
What is a LoboCloud Access group?
Is access to the LoboCloud restricted or controlled in some
way?
More information and how-to videos are available