ESX deployment appliance v1.05

[brugh]

https://solutionexchange.vmware.com/store/products/esx-deployment-appliance-eda

ESX Deployment Appliance (EDA) is a small and easy to use appliance

that makes deploying ESX servers a breeze. It has a very intuitive

web-interface that can configure and deploy dozens of ESX servers in

minutes. It has a script-builder that will allow any admin to create

%post-scripts that will do most anything one needs to get the ESX hosts

up and running! Even if deploying with RDP/Altiris or the UDA, this

script-builder can help setting those up very quickly.

[Arrow1]

I'm always happy to help

BTW: I would suggest adding a "go home" or "go parent" in some pages (on configure dhcp server).

[pto]

Has there been a definitive answer on the hostname issues? I've just started testing with EDA v0.87 and have run into the same issues as others.

Example of the hostname I need: "AAA-A-AAA01-02" (in this case 01 is a cluster indicator and 02 is a host indicator)

The output I get from EDA using the hostname above: "AAA-A-AAA-102"

Output if I use "#" in place of "0" (i.e. AAA-A-AAA#1-#2): "AAA-A-AAA00002"

Any ideas on how to get my desired output? Also, I saw the post about changing the "template" KS.php but is there a way for me to upload my own KS for a specific host? We already have custom KS's with post install scripts and would rather not re-build these in EDA.

Thanks in advance!

[Kosch]

Hi

Awesome appliance I like it alot many thanks for producing it

I seem to have a problem that when I type in a host name it always adds a 0 on the end which is causing me a few problems (see attached)

Can anyone suggest why this is happening?

• EDIT**

Hmm well I did a bit of fiddling and tried to remove the 0 from /var/www/eda/var.inc file (Making sure I used a compliant text editor)

and when refreshing I ended up with

Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in /var/www/eda/index.php on line 62
+ ks file+
Warning: array_shift() http://function.array-shift: The argument should be an array in /var/www/eda/index.php on line 68
+ Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in /var/www/eda/index.php on line 78+

Still have no clue what is causing this weird Zero to be added to the end of host names.

Did some fiddling around and updated with my findings.

[brugh]

huh, i think there's a 'Home' link at the top of the dhcp page. as far as i know there's no dead ends in the interface. if there is i'll go change that because i took care to add those

[brugh]

i know.. the input routine is not completely foolproof and i really really should fix that soon..

[brugh]

editing the 'inc' files is not really recommended the syntax is quite curious to say the least. they're serialized object dumps from php.

but i'll go fix the input routine asap! too many people are adding hostnames in formats i didnt take into account.

[Kosch]

editing the 'inc' files is not really recommended the syntax is quite curious to say the least. they're serialized object dumps from php.

but i'll go fix the input routine asap! too many people are adding hostnames in formats i didnt take into account.

Many thanks Brugh Will there be a quick way to hotfix this as I'm rather keen to start rolling out the new ESX builds

Do you know if it would be possible to assign a vlan to the service console as well during deployment?

Many thanks

Kosch

[hwg]

Alas; the link http://virtuall.eu/knowledge/eda-v0.87.zip seems to be down...

any chance of putting it up again?

[racerzer0]

Backup/Restore question... I have 2 different ESX hardware platforms, HP and SUN. My plan was to have 2 different backup configs, which I would then do a restore for the config I wanted. The restore worked once.. and there after, even though I choose the other config, nothing changes.

Am I missing something?

[MightyR1]

Brugh,

the download link doesn't work. Is there a secondary site?

gr

Patrick

[jbruelasdgo]

I was trying to download, and the link seems to be broken

Jose

[UBIGestSyst]

Hy i am using EDA 0.87 to deploy up to 40 ESX 3.5 Update 3 and 4.

I know that EDA has not native support to ESX 3.5 but with some workaround it is possible, abouth this brugh if you whant i can give you an help to add support EDA to deploy this version of ESX.

But i need to ask some help to some problem that i have.

• the esx hostname form das not support all caracter that i need. For example my esx al called "abcd00efgh4" the last number is an progressive. The name will automaticly change to "abcdefgh4", without the 2 zero in the middle. Also when i finish the progressive last number and using a letter like "abcd00efghA" it weell be changed to "abcdefghA0". To fix these problem i need to rename the server in the post install script and to do many changes.

• another problem that i have is to call the information of the esx hosts like ipadr, vmipadr and also gateway, netmask ecc.. inside the post installation script. I have tried to use the same sintax present in ks.php but i didnt find a solution.

Thanks in advance

PTB

[ProtegimusVA]

brugh, could you please authorise someone to provide an alternative download location for the appliance to cover the period of disruption while the original link is down?

Can anyone assist with an alternative download location?

Thanks

[johnwilk]

I can put up an alternate download location tomorrow if Herco authorises it.

[brugh]

i'm very sorry guys! i've been working 12-14 hours a day and i'm way behind on my email.

one of the things i was working on is our new website. with that we had to move the domainname for viruall.eu. unfortunately the domain name record wasn't created (and still isn't. somehow the @ record seems to be hard to create :P). that means that the link on www.virtualappliances.eu[www.virtualappliances.eu|http://www.virtualappliances.eu] doesn't work simply because it refers to virtuall.eu and not www.virtuall.eu! i fixed that as soon as i saw it so the downloads should be back up!

also, last weekend i created a few patches for the multiple host input routine and some extras for the main interface and fs.php page. i was going to put them up as a small patch to 0.87 but simply haven't had the time to test them properly. it's high on my list to get this up as soon as possible since a lot of people are having trouble with their hostnames!

as for 0.9, esx 4 installs work somewhat and the basic steps to stateless ESXi servers is in code but so far untested. once that's working i can finally release it.. may be a couple of weeks though. first some presentations, then off to las vegas, but after that i should have more time!

so again, i'm very sorry to keep everybody in the dark last week. things should be up and running again.

[brugh]

tha'ts odd... the way it's set up there's no reason why it should work only once. you sure that nothing changes? no post script? hostnames? did you try to factory reset it and then reload the config? that shouldn't be necessary but if that works i'll have a better clue where to look for the problem.

[brugh]

heheh, EDA has native 3.5 support. i deploy my hosts at my customers with it all the time so that definately works. i am curious what you changed though. can you post that here or on a PM?

as for the hostnames, that's a known issue. i have a fix ready and will release that soon. timeline is a bit uncertain (read 2 posts back :P).

and once you're inside the post script, the esx host is fully up and running so you have access to everything the service console has to offer. that means you can use ifconfig to grep ip address and netmasks. as for the vmotion address, there's a shortcut. if you insert the 'enable vmotion' scriptpart it shows a line where a part gets replaced by the address. you can use that part elsewhere in the script too..

[ProtegimusVA]

Many thanks for sorting the d/l link so quickly!

[racerzer0]

Brugh.. correct, I checked and nothing changed. And, yes, I did try the factory reset... the only thing that appeared to reset was the DHCP config and the profiles were deleted. Nothing else.. even the post script.. changed.

[tsmit]

Hello Herco,

I have a few questions about your wonderful applicance.

1. Is there a possibility to add a command just before de blue EOF2 statement below the input screen on the left. A like to add a final reboot over there.

2. Is there some kind of log file available where I can see what the installation procedure is doing. I'm asking this because some command is failing and I have absolutely no clue why it is failing because on the command it is working fine. (I'm not a linux gu, so if this is some standard linux, forgive me).

3. It is a great applicance. (sorry this is not a question).

I like to hear from you. Thanks in advance.

Kind regards

Tom Smit