Configured networking components such as networks, load balancers, and security groups, can be treated as reusable objects. These objects can be inserted into Automation Assembler templates to quickly add a predefined set of network, security group, and/or load balancer settings. This capability, which is sometimes referred to as infrastructure-as-code or provider networks, allows you to reuse predefined networking and security configurations in multiple templates and/or deployments.

A configured networking component is simply an Automation Assembler template that consists of only a networking component, or a security group, or a load balancer that has been configured with settings and saved as a stand-alone template. These templates can be inserted into other templates to quickly add a previously specified configuration. Only Cloud Admins can create, define, and then save a configured networking component template. However, after a Cloud Admin creates the template, the template can be inserted into (and reused as a resource chunk) within other templates by a designer who does not have Cloud Admin privileges.

The following considerations impact whether a configured networking component can be used:
  • Deployment environment, such as simple, distributed, load-balanced, or HA.
  • User role assignments, specifically Cloud Admin or non-Cloud Admin. Only Cloud Admins can create the reusable configured networking component template. But non-Cloud Admins can insert a configured networking component template into their own templates. However, non-Cloud Admins cannot change the configured networking component content /settings after they are inserted into their own templates.