Catalog content sources can include cloud templates, actions, and workflows. Content sources are entitled to projects. Projects link a set of users, that is, project members, with one or more target cloud zones. When users request a catalog item, the deployment location depends on the project.

Content Source Design for VMware Aria Automation Service Broker in VMware Aria Automation

Before you can release content, such as VMware Aria Automation Assembler cloud templates and actions, to the VMware Aria Automation Service Broker catalog for project members, you must add a content source for the content type and project.

To import certain content types into the catalog, you create content sources in VMware Aria Automation Service Broker.

Table 1. Content Types in VMware Aria Automation Service Broker

Content Source Type

Description

Cloud templates

VMware Aria Automation Assembler versioned and released cloud templates that are created and managed in a project. Can be either created directly in VMware Aria Automation Assembler or imported from a Git repository.

Actions

VMware Aria Automation Assembler versioned and released extensibility actions that are created and managed in a project. Can be either created directly in VMware Aria Automation Assembler or synchronized with a Git repository.

Note:

ABX using Amazon Web Services or Microsoft Azure is not applicable to this design.

Workflows

VMware Aria Automation Orchestrator workflows:

  • Versioned workflows created or managed in VMware Aria Automation Orchestrator or imported.

  • Available from the VMware Aria Automation Orchestrator integration with instance embedded in the VMware Aria Automation cluster.

Pipelines

VMware Aria Automation Pipeline are the continuous integration and delivery model of your software release process.

Note:

Not applicable to this design.

Marketplace

OVA images from the VMware Marketplace.

CloudFormation templates

Amazon CloudFormation templates, which are specifications for services or applications that you can deploy to an Amazon Web Services cloud account.

Note:

Not applicable to this design.
By default, content items are refreshed every six hours. After the refresh, any released changes in an item from the source are reflected in the catalog. Content can also be refreshed outside the standard cycle by initiating an on-demand import operation.
Table 2. Design Decisions on Content Sources for VMware Aria Automation Service Broker in VMware Aria Automation

Decision ID

Design Decision

Design Justification

Design Implication

PCA-VAA-SB-CFG-001

Add a cloud template content source for each VMware Aria Automation Assembler project where cloud templates are authored and released.

Provides the ability to share released cloud templates with project members or other projects.

None.

PCA-VAA-SB-CFG-002

Add an extensibility actions content source for each VMware Aria Automation Assembler project where actions are authored and released.

Provides the ability to share released actions with project members.

None.

PCA-VAA-SB-CFG-003

Add a VMware Aria Automation Orchestrator workflows content source for each VMware Aria Automation Assembler project, as required.

Provides the ability to share specific workflows with project members.

None.

Content Customization Design for VMware Aria Automation Service Broker in VMware Aria Automation

To enhance the user experience and capture additional workload inputs, you customize icons and request forms for catalog items in VMware Aria Automation Service Broker. You use the content list to view the import source and entitled projects for each item. For each item, you can customize the catalog item icon and request form that is presented to the project members during a request. With the icon customization, you can use non-default icons to represent the catalog item and provide a better user experience to project members. With the form customization, you can add and configure elements and data validation on a custom request form.

By using input parameters, you can create useful forms and design how the information appears at request time, how the parameter values are populated, and add any specialized constraints. You can activate or deactivate custom forms on a per catalog item basis.

Table 3. Design Decisions on Content Customization for VMware Aria Automation Service Broker in VMware Aria Automation

Decision ID

Design Decision

Design Justification

Design Implication

PCA-VAA-SB-CFG-004

For each shared content item, customize the form based on the catalog item and user experience requirements.

You can create an intuitive user experience by using simple and discoverable forms that capture additional user inputs and in-form validations.

Requires customization of request forms per catalog item.

Content Sharing Design for VMware Aria Automation Service Broker in VMware Aria Automation

After you create a content source and import content items, you can share the items based on the release scope. When creating a cloud template in VMware Aria Automation Assembler, you set the scope for sharing in VMware Aria Automation Service Broker. You can restrict the cloud template to be shared only within its own project or make it available to any project in the organization.

For each project, you add released content items that are shared with project members. Items can be added by using two methods:

Table 4. Content Sharing Methods in VMware Aria Automation Service Broker

Method

Description

Content source

A dynamic method to share all content items from the content source. When new items are added to a content source, each is made available in the catalog for the members of a target project.

All content

A static method for sharing specific content items within a project. When new items are added to the content source, you must make them available in the catalog individually.

You choose the content sharing method depending on your organizational requirements, project structure, and the level of control required when releasing content to the catalog.