When deploying to vSphere in Automation Assembler, you can assign a static IP address but must take care not to introduce conflicts between cloudConfig initialization commands and customization specifications.

Sample designs

The following designs safely apply a static IP address without any conflict between cloud template initialization commands and customization specifications. All contain the assignment: static network setting.

Design Sample Cloud Template Code

Assign a static IP address to a Linux machine that has no cloud-init code

 
resources:
  wpnet:
    type: Cloud.Network
    properties:
      name: wpnet
      networkType: public
      constraints:
        - tag: sqa
  DBTier:
    type: Cloud.vSphere.Machine
    properties:
      flavor: small
      image: linux-template
      networks:
        - name: '${wpnet.name}'
          assignment: static
          network: '${resource.wpnet.id}'

Assign a static IP address to a Linux machine with cloud-init code that doesn't contain network assignment commands.

NOTE: The vSphere customization spec is applied whether you set the customizeGuestOs property to true or omit the customizeGuestOs property.

Ubuntu sample

resources:
  wpnet:
    type: Cloud.Network
    properties:
      name: wpnet
      networkType: public
      constraints:
        - tag: sqa
  DBTier:
    type: Cloud.vSphere.Machine
    properties:
      flavor: small
      image: ubuntu-template
      customizeGuestOs: true
      cloudConfig: |
        #cloud-config
        ssh_pwauth: yes
        chpasswd:
          list: |
            root:Pa$$w0rd
          expire: false
        write_files:
          - path: /tmpFile.txt
            content: |
              ${resource.wpnet.dns}
        runcmd:
          - hostnamectl set-hostname --pretty ${self.resourceName}
          - touch /etc/cloud/cloud-init.disabled
      networks:
        - name: '${wpnet.name}'
          assignment: static
          network: '${resource.wpnet.id}'

CentOS sample

resources:
  wpnet:
    type: Cloud.Network
    properties:
      name: wpnet
      networkType: public
      constraints:
        - tag: sqa
  DBTier:
    type: Cloud.vSphere.Machine
    properties:
      flavor: small
      image: centos-template
      customizeGuestOs: true
      cloudConfig: |
        #cloud-config
        write_files:
          - path: /test.txt
            content: |
              deploying in power off.
              then rebooting.
      networks:
        - name: '${wpnet.name}'
          assignment: static
          network: '${resource.wpnet.id}'

Assign a static IP address to a Linux machine with cloud-init code that contains network assignment commands.

The customizeGuestOs property must be false.

Ubuntu sample

resources:
  wpnet:
    type: Cloud.Network
    properties:
      name: wpnet
      networkType: public
      constraints:
        - tag: sqa
  DBTier:
    type: Cloud.vSphere.Machine
    properties:
      flavor: small
      image: ubuntu-template
      customizeGuestOs: false
      cloudConfig: |
        #cloud-config
        write_files:
          - path: /etc/netplan/99-installer-config.yaml
            content: |
              network:
                version: 2
                renderer: networkd
                ethernets:
                  ens160:
                    addresses:
                      - ${resource.DBTier.networks[0].address}/${resource.wpnet.prefixLength}
                    gateway4: ${resource.wpnet.gateway}
                    nameservers:
                      search: ${resource.wpnet.dnsSearchDomains}
                      addresses: ${resource.wpnet.dns}
        runcmd:
          - netplan apply
          - hostnamectl set-hostname --pretty ${self.resourceName}
          - touch /etc/cloud/cloud-init.disabled
      networks:
        - name: '${wpnet.name}'
          assignment: static
          network: '${resource.wpnet.id}'

CentOS sample

resources:
  wpnet:
    type: Cloud.Network
    properties:
      name: wpnet
      networkType: public
      constraints:
        - tag: sqa
  DBTier:
    type: Cloud.vSphere.Machine
    properties:
      flavor: small
      image: centos-template
      customizeGuestOs: false
      cloudConfig: |
        #cloud-config
        ssh_pwauth: yes
        chpasswd:
          list: |
            root:VMware1!
          expire: false
        runcmd:
          - nmcli con add type ethernet con-name 'custom ens192' ifname ens192 ip4 ${self.networks[0].address}/${resource.wpnet.prefixLength} gw4 ${resource.wpnet.gateway}
          - nmcli con mod 'custom ens192' ipv4.dns "${join(resource.wpnet.dns,' ')}"
          - nmcli con mod 'custom ens192' ipv4.dns-search "${join(resource.wpnet.dnsSearchDomains,',')}"
          - nmcli con down 'System ens192' ; nmcli con up 'custom ens192'
          - nmcli con del 'System ens192'
          - hostnamectl set-hostname --static `dig -x ${self.networks[0].address} +short | cut -d "." -f 1`
          - hostnamectl set-hostname --pretty ${self.resourceName}
          - touch /etc/cloud/cloud-init.disabled
      networks:
        - name: '${wpnet.name}'
          assignment: static
          network: '${resource.wpnet.id}'

When basing the deployment on a referenced image, assign a static IP address to a Linux machine with cloud-init code that contains network assignment commands.

The customizeGuestOs property must be false.

In addition, the cloud template must not include the ovfProperties property, which blocks customization.

 
resources:
  wpnet:
    type: Cloud.Network
    properties:
      name: wpnet
      networkType: public
      constraints:
        - tag: sqa
  DBTier:
    type: Cloud.vSphere.Machine
    properties:
      flavor: small
      imageRef: 'https://cloud-images.ubuntu.com/releases/focal/release/ubuntu-20.04-server-cloudimg-amd64.ova'
      customizeGuestOs: false
      cloudConfig: |
        #cloud-config
        ssh_pwauth: yes
        chpasswd:
          list: |
            root:Pa$$w0rd
            ubuntu:Pa$$w0rd
          expire: false
        write_files:
          - path: /etc/netplan/99-netcfg-vrac.yaml
            content: |
              network:
                version: 2
                renderer: networkd
                ethernets:
                  ens192:
                    dhcp4: no
                    dhcp6: no
                    addresses:
                      - ${resource.DBTier.networks[0].address}/${resource.wpnet.prefixLength}
                    gateway4: ${resource.wpnet.gateway}
                    nameservers:
                      search: ${resource.wpnet.dnsSearchDomains}
                      addresses: ${resource.wpnet.dns}
        runcmd:
          - netplan apply
          - hostnamectl set-hostname --pretty ${self.resourceName}
          - touch /etc/cloud/cloud-init.disabled
      networks:
        - name: '${wpnet.name}'
          assignment: static
          network: '${resource.wpnet.id}'

Day 2 customizations

Like an initial deployment, a Day 2 action also might include network configuration. To skip customization during Day 2 actions, add the following property:

customizeGuestOsDay2: false

Designs that won't work or might produce unwanted results

  • The cloud-init code doesn't contain network assignment commands, and the customizeGuestOs property is false.

    Neither initialization commands nor customization spec are present to configure network settings.

  • The cloud-init code doesn't contain network assignment commands, and the ovfProperties property is set.

    Initialization commands aren't present, but ovfProperties blocked the customization spec.

  • The cloud-init code contains network assignment commands, and the customizeGuestOs property is missing or set to true.

    Application of the customization spec conflicts with initialization commands.

Other workarounds for cloud-init and customization specs

When deploying to vSphere, you can also customize an image to work around cloud-init and customization spec conflicts. See the following external repository for more information.

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