Scale out vRealize Automation from one to three nodes

As needs expand, you can scale out a vRealize Automation deployment from one node to three nodes.

You must use features of vRealize Suite Lifecycle Manager to complete many steps of this procedure. For information about working with vRealize Suite Lifecycle Manager installation, upgrade, and management, see Lifecycle Manager product documentation.

If you are using a three node clustered deployment, vRealize Automation can typically withstand the failure of one node and still function. The failure of two nodes in a three node cluster will render vRealize Automation non-functional.

Prerequisites

This procedure assumes that you already have a functioning single node vRealize Automation deployment.

Procedure

1. Shut down all vRealize Automation appliances.
   To shut down the vRealize Automation services on all cluster nodes, run the following set of commands.

   /opt/scripts/svc-stop.sh
   sleep 120
   /opt/scripts/deploy.sh --onlyClean
   

   Now you can shut down the vRealize Automation appliances.

2. Take a deployment snapshot.

   Use the Create Snapshot option in vRealize Suite Lifecycle Manager Lifecycle Operations > Environments > vRA > View Details.

   Note: Online snapshots, taken without shutting down vRealize Automation nodes are supported from 8.0.1. For vRealize Automation 8.0 environments, you must stop vRealize Automation nodes first.
3. Power on the vRealize Automation appliance and bring up all containers.
4. Using the Locker functionality located at LCM > Locker > Certificates in vRealize Suite Lifecycle Manager, generate or import vRealize Automation certificates for all components including vRealize Suite Lifecycle Manager node FQDNs and the vRealize Automation Load Balancer fully qualified domain name.
   Add the names of all three appliances in the Subject Alternative Names.
5. Import the new certificate into vRealize Suite Lifecycle Manager.
6. Replace the existing vRealize Suite Lifecycle Manager certificate with the one generated in the previous step using the LCM Lifecycle Operations > Environments > vRA > View Details Replace Certificate option.
7. Scale out vRealize Automation to three nodes using the Add Components selection in LCM > Lifecycle Operations > Environments > vRA > View Details.

Results

vRealize Automation has been scaled to a three node deployment.