Development

Development

vCO data refresh from vCD weirdness

Question: Just curious if you have ever experienced a lag in what VMware vCenter Orchestrator (vCO) sees in vCloud Director (vCD)? I discovered that the workflows are failing because it seems like the data gets stale. Sometimes the new vApp shows up to vCO and other times it takes time... sometimes it seems like things are completely stale. I waited about 30 minutes and it still wasn't showing up when I queried the vApps available.

How to Deploy VM's form template in Orchestrator

This topic is under discussion at the VMware Communities thread here. In addition to the comments currently there.... You would get started with this task by using one of the "Clone" workflows found in the vCO Workflow Library. There are several to choose from depending on how you wish to do your clone: Clone virtual machine from properties Clone virtual machine, no customization etc... There are also specific workflows for doing Windows Clones with Customization, Linux Clones with Customization, and even Linked Clones.

How can I write to files?

When scripting workflows in VMware vCenter Orchestrator (vCO) it is often desirable to read or write to local files on the vCO server whether this is a .conf, .txt, .cmd, .bat, .xml, or any other text file. In order to do so, you must be sure to either work with files in a pre-approved folder or add your custom folder to a configuration file. For full details on the following information, please see page 64 of the vCenter Orchestrator Administration guide, section "

How do I create a webview?

Creating webviews can be a daunting task. Your best bet to get started is by downloading the vCenter Orchestrator Developer's guide and going to page 298. Then, follow the step-by-step instructions on how to Create a Simple Web View Using the Default Template. The guide provides a wealth of information around the technology used in vCO webviews as well as sample usage and syntax. In addition to the resource mentioned above, we recently published part 3 in our series on a self service provisioning portal that includes step by step details on creating a webview.

What features does a plug-in typically provide ?

This is a list of what a plug-in can provide, not all the features are mandatory. Objects and methods on the orchestrated technology. A hierarchical inventory of these objects. Choosers and pickers to be able to select these objects. Events on object states and gauges. An API documentation for using these. Scripts for function level functionality. Workflows for higher level operations. Transparent session management. Object caching. Object persistence.

What programming language is used ?

Java is the language used to develop plug-ins. You can bridge Java to other technologies using standard communication interfaces and bridge technologies.

What scripting language is used ?

Javascript. Specifically, vCO provides a Mozilla Rhino implementation. Jacascript is used for vCO actions and within vCO scriptable boxes.