vSphere customization specifications in Automation Assembler templates

When deploying to vSphere based cloud zones in Automation Assembler, customization specifications can apply guest operating system settings at deployment time.

Enabling the customization specification

The customization specification must exist in vSphere, at the target that you deploy to.

Edit the cloud template code directly. The following example points to an automation-assembler-linux customization specification for a WordPress host on vSphere.

resources:
  WebTier:
    type: Cloud.vSphere.Machine    
    properties:     
        name: wordpress      
        cpuCount: 2
        totalMemoryMB: 1024
        imageRef: 'Template: ubuntu-18.04'      
        customizationSpec: 'automation-assembler-linux'      
        folderName: '/Datacenters/Datacenter/vm/deployments'

Whether to use customization specifications or cloudConfig commands

If you want the provisioning experience to match what you are currently doing in vSphere, continuing to use customization specifications might be the best approach. However, to expand to hybrid or multiple cloud provisioning, a more neutral approach is cloudConfig initialization commands.

For more about cloudConfig sections in cloud templates, see Configuration commands in Automation Assembler templates.

Commands and customization specifications might not mix

When deploying to vSphere, proceed carefully if you attempt to combine embedded cloudConfig command and customization specification initialization. They aren't formally compatible and might produce inconsistent or unwanted results when used together.

For an example of how commands and customization specifications interact, see vSphere static IP addresses in Automation Assembler.