Write a Rule and Assign a Host to a Folder or Cluster

vSphere Auto Deploy can assign a host to a folder or cluster. When the host boots, vSphere Auto Deploy adds it to the specified location on the vCenter Server. Hosts assigned to a cluster inherit the cluster's host profile.

Prerequisites

Prepare your system and install the Auto Deploy Server. For more information, see Prepare Your System for vSphere Auto Deploy.
Verify that the folder you select is in a data center or in a cluster. You cannot assign the host to a standalone top-level folder.

Procedure

In a PowerCLI session, run the Connect-VIServer cmdlet to connect to the vCenter Server system that vSphere Auto Deploy is registered with.
```
Connect-VIServer ipv4_or_ipv6_address
```
The cmdlet might return a server certificate warning. In a production environment, make sure no server certificate warnings result. In a development environment, you can ignore the warning.
Define a rule in which hosts with certain attributes, for example a range of IP addresses, are assigned to a folder or a cluster.
```
New-DeployRule -Name testrule3 -Item "my folder"	-Pattern "vendor=Acme,Zven", "ipv4=192.XXX.1.10-192.XXX.1.20"
```
This example passes in the folder by name. You can instead pass in a folder, cluster, or data center object that you retrieve with the Get-Folder, Get-Cluster, or Get-Datacenter cmdlet.
Add the rule to the rule set.
```
Add-DeployRule testrule3
```
By default, the working rule set becomes the active rule set, and any changes to the rule set become active when you add a rule. If you use the NoActivate parameter, the working rule set does not become the active rule set.

What to do next

Assign a host already provisioned with vSphere Auto Deploy to the new folder or cluster location by performing test and repair compliance operation. See Test and Repair Rule Compliance.
Power on unprovisioned hosts to add them to the specified vCenter Server location.