Configuring network paths

In the Network Paths tab (on the Service Deployment Definitions tab), you can perform the following actions:

• Define new network paths using the ad hoc path editor
• Approve pending network paths that are based on unidirectional connections (shown in the following figure).
  • The green check mark indicates an approved network path.
  • The yellow triangle indicates pending network paths.

This topic contains the following sections:

• • Before you begin
  • To configure a new network path
  • To approve a pending network path
  • To delete a network path

Before you begin

To approve a pending network path, you must define a connection between components in different resource sets. For example, the following figure illustrates two different connections:

• Unidirectional connection (Conn1) between the App Tier and the Web Tier
• Unidirectional connection (Conn2) between the App Tier and the DB Tier

If the connections point to the same resource set, no pending network path is created.

To configure a new network path

1. Click the Network Paths tab.
2. Click New .
    The Network Path Details dialog box appears. You use this editor to create ad hoc network paths.
   
3. From the Transport Protocol menu, select a protocol (for example, TCP).
4. Enter a required destination port number (up to 5 numeric characters) for the network path.
    The port number is required by BMC Network Automation.
5. To allow network traffic, click Permit (the default) in Network Traffic.
    Otherwise, click Deny to prevent network traffic.
6. To turn on the network path, click Enabled (the default).
    Otherwise, clear the Enabled check box to disable the network path.

7. Under Source or Destination end-points, choose from the following options:

   Option	Description
   Resource Set: NIC	Select a resource set and then a NIC from the menus. Each resource set has its own list of possible NICs. Note The source and destination cannot use the same Resource Set:NIC.
   Resource Set: VLB Note This option is not available for the network path Source.	Select a resource set and a VLB from the menus.
   Network: Tag	Select or create a tag that identifies the network.
   Network: Address/Mask	Enter the Address and the subnet mask of the range (if you are administering a general firewall rule not tied to any particular VM, but rather intended to permit or deny traffic to or from an entire range of addresses). For example, enter the following numeric characters: 123.123.123.123 and its mask, 255.255.255.0.
   Host: IP Address	Enter the IP address (for example, 10.1.1.13).

   Best practice

   • You can mix-and-match options between source and destination as needed. For example, the source might use Resource Set:NIC and the destination might use Network:Tag.
   • Either the source or the destination should be tied to a Resource Set (NIC or VLB Pool), to prevent a failure when a second service offering instance is provisioned.
8. Click OK to save the network path.
    The ad hoc network path is now added to the list of actual paths. If you hover your mouse over ad hoc network path, a tooltip displays helpful information about the path.
   
9. Click Save to commit the blueprint and all your changes.

To approve a pending network path

1. Click the Network Paths tab.
    Any connections previously defined between components in different resource sets are displayed as Undefined (that is, pending). If you hover your mouse over the network path, the tooltips summarize helpful information about the path.
   
2. Select the undefined connection, and then click Edit Network Path .
    The Network Path Details dialog box displays the connections previously defined. Because you already defined the source and destination when you created the connection, it presents fewer options than if you defined the network path from scratch.
3. From the Transport Protocol menu, select a protocol (for example, TCP).
4. Enter a required destination port number (up to 5 numeric characters) for the network path.
    The port number is required by BMC Network Automation.
5. Select whether you want to permit network traffic or enable the network path.
6. For the source connection, select a different NIC (if one is available).
7. For the destination connection, select a NIC or VLB Pool.
8. Click OK to save the network path.
    The network path is no longer in a pending state (indicated by a yellow triangle) but has become an actual path (indicated by a green check mark).
   
9. Click Save to commit the blueprint and all your changes.
    If you do not click Save, all changes to the service blueprint are discarded.

To delete a network path

1. Click the Network Paths tab.
2. Select a network path from the list.
3. Click Delete .
    Deleting a network path has two possible outcomes:
   • If you created a new ad hoc network path, it is deleted from the list.
   • If you delete a network path that is based on an underlying connection between components, the Delete action reverts the network path to the Undefined state (that is, a pending connection).
4. Click Save to commit the blueprint and all your deletions.
    If you do not click Save, the delete action is discarded.