Reprovisioning network containers

This topic describes how to reprovision a network container; it contains the following sections:

• • Overview
  • Before you begin
  • To reprovision a network container
  • Where to go next

Overview

The reprovisioning operation allows you to update a network container structure by using a new revision of the network container blueprint. The capability to reprovision a network container enables you to scale the container by adding new components, such as NICs, load balancer interfaces, and firewall interfaces.

You can reprovision all levels of network containers, which enables you to upgrade older network containers, rather than having to create new ones (Bronze to Silver, Bronze to Gold, and Silver to Gold reprovisioning are all supported).

For example, you might want to do any of the following modifications to a network container after it has been created:

• Expand the private data network
• Expand the NAT address pool
• Add a network
• Add a network interface
• Add a zone

Before you begin

Container reprovisioning is a potentially complex operation because it involves modifying a production container in which there could be existing virtual machines (VMs). Therefore, BMC highly recommends that you test your reprovisioning process thoroughly in a local sandbox system before applying the process to a production system.

Also, BMC recommends that you build as much scalability into the original network container blueprint as possible. Toggling the dynamic components in the network container is preferable to adding entirely new components to the network container by using the reprovisioning process.

For detailed information about reprovisioning network containers, see Reprovisioning network containers in BMC Network Automation.

To reprovision a network container

1. In BMC Network Automation, make any required changes to the container blueprint. For information about reprovisioning network containers in BMC Network Automation, see Configuring-a-reprovisioning-operation-in-BMC-Network-Automation-for-network-containers.

   Warning

   With the exception of a Network Address Translation (NAT) pool expansion, any networking component added to a blueprint targeted for container reprovisioning must be in a disabled state, otherwise the reprovisioning operation might fail.

2. Import the new blueprint revision into BMC Network Automation by using the import script. See Creating-network-container-blueprints.
3. From the BMC Cloud Lifecycle Management Administration Console, click the vertical Workspaces menu on the left side of the window and select Resources.
4. Under Quick Links on the left, click Pods under the General section.
5. Click the Import Network Container Blueprints icon to import the blueprint. For details, see Importing-network-container-blueprints.
6. Under Quick Links on the left, click Network Containers under the General section.
7. Select the network container you want to reprovision.

8. Click the Reprovision Network Container icon to launch the Reprovision Network Container dialog.

   Note

   If there are no changes available for the network container, the following message is displayed: There are no upgraded blueprints available to reprovision the network container. (ARERR 210442).

   The Reprovision Network Container dialog is displayed.
   

9. Select the blueprint version to which you want to reprovision the network container.
10. (Optional) Select Restricted mode to prevent the addition or deletion of any components (such as firewalls, load balancers, and so on) that cannot be rolled back at a later time. If this option is selected, and the container blueprint contains components that cannot be rolled back, then the reprovision operation will not be allowed.  If you do not select the option, you risk reprovisioning the network container into a non-recoverable state. For more information see Restricted Reprovisioning Mode.

11. Click Reprovision.

    Note

    While a network container is being reprovisioned, you cannot modify or delete it. Also, no VMs on this network container can be provisioned or decommissioned during reprovisioning.

Where to go next

For an example of the end-to-end process for reprovisioning a network container with a new NIC, see Examples-of-container-reprovisioning.
 For an example of how you would expand the address pool for a network container, see Container reprovisioning example - expanding the private data network.