Importing service blueprints and service catalog using eZDeploy

The eZDeploy import functionality imports the BMC Cloud Lifecycle Management service blueprint as an eZDeploy package, as described in this topic. .

• • Before you begin
  • To import an eZDeploy package in interactive mode
  • To import an eZDeploy package in noninteractive mode
  • To apply a custom prefix during import

Before you begin

Ensure that you have met the following prerequisites for importing an eZDeploy package:

• BMC Cloud Lifecycle Management is installed and configured.
• The Virtual Center (VC) server name is available.
• Virtual Center templates are available.
• The datastore name is available.

• You have the software to be installed stored at a single location or multiple locations.

  Tip

  To avoid performance issues, store all software in a common, single-level directory.

• BMC Server Automation is configured:
  • The VC server is added and registered in BMC Server Automation.
  • You have run the Distribute Configuration Object (also known as DCO) job.
• (Importing in noninteractive mode) You have created an answer file (answer.txt) specifying your environment details to import a blueprint in noninteractive mode.

To import an eZDeploy package in interactive mode

1. Run the following command: 
   import –name <ezDeployPackageNameWithPath> -profile <eZDeployTargeteZDeployProfileName>.
   • ezDeployPackageNameWithPath: Full name of the eZDeploy package file.  

   • eZDeployTargeteZDeployProfileName: Target eZDeploy profileThe BMC Server Automation artifacts (system packages, software packages, and NSH scripts, if any) are imported.

     Note

     For all the third-party components not bundled with eZDeploy, you must provide a single location.

2. If eZDeploy cannot locate the software bits, download the software installable and copy it to a common location that is accessible to the BMC Server Automation Server and the Virtual Center (VC) Server; for example, BMCBladeLogicInstallationDirectory\storage. 
   You can enter the path or URL on eZDeploy as a network path.

   • Network Path—//host/pathIncludingInstallerFile)

     Ensure that the software is in a shared location and is accessible, else eZDeploy will not accept the network path while importing a blueprint.

   eZDeploy checks for an existing installable resource (a Virtual Guest Package, or VGP) available on the BMC Server Automation Server. eZDeploy prompts with the following message:  Do You Want to Select Existing Virtual Guest Package ? [y/n]. 
   If  you select y, all VGPs available on the BMC Server Automation Server are listed and you can select an ID assigned to that displayed VGP. In this scenario, you can skip step 3. If you select n, you must create an installable resource (see step 3).

3. Create an installable resource (Virtual Guest Packages) by using the following guidelines:
   • If eZDeploy detects VC Servers registered on the BMC Server Automation server and lists them on the console, enter the ID assigned to the VC Server and press Enter.
   • If eZDeploy detects VMWare templates available on the VC Server and lists them on the console, enter the ID assigned to the template name that you will use for creating a Virtual Guest and press Enter.
   • If eZDeploy detects datastores available on the VC Server and lists them on the console, enter the ID assigned to the datastore name and press Enter.
   • If your .eZ file is a Windows based service blueprint, enter the Windows license key for creating VGPs and press Enter.
   • If your .eZ file is a Windows based service blueprint, enter the Administrator password (or, for blueprints on UNIX platforms, enter the root password) and press Enter.

The VGP is created and saved on the BMC Server Automation Server with the prefix eZ followed by the VGP name. 

The functional models and deployment models, with any options, are imported.

To import an eZDeploy package in noninteractive mode

Run the following command:
import –name <ezDeployPackageNameWithPath> -profile <eZDeploySourceeZDeployProfileName> –file <AnswerFileName>

• ezDeployPackageNameWithPath: Full name of the eZDeploy package file.  
• eZDeploySourceeZDeployProfileName: Target eZDeploy profile
• AnswerFileName: Complete path details specifying the location and the file name of the answer file. 

This starts the import process according to the import parameters stated in the answer file.

To apply a custom prefix during import

You can apply a custom prefix to the following artifacts of a service blueprint during import:

• Blueprint name
• Virtual Guest Package (VGP) name
• Functional model name
• Service name in the service catalog
• Service offering name 
• Option name 
• Option choice name 
• Action name

The prefix can consist of any letters, numbers, or a combination of letters and numbers.

Run the following command:
import –name <ezDeployPackageNameWithPath> -profile <eZDeploySourceeZDeployProfileName> –prefix <customPrefix>

• ezDeployPackageNameWithPath: Full name of the eZDeploy package file
• eZDeploySourceeZDeployProfileName: Target eZDeploy profile
• customPrefix: Custom alphanumeric prefix to be added to the beginning of the name of the blueprint artifacts

This command imports the service blueprint with the custom prefix applied to all the artifacts. The following figure displays the BMC prefix applied on the service name Win2008 R2 64-bit MS .Net Framework.

Where to go from here

Validating import and export actions in eZDeploy