vSphere Auto Deploy 6.5 (Web Client Steps)

Testing the new Auto Deploy GUI with vSphere 6.5

Step 1: Log into the vCenter and go to the Home page. Notice the plugin is not showing.

Step 2: One the left side, click on System Configuration.

Step 3: On the left side, click on Services.

Step 4: Right click on the Auto Deploy service and enable/start it. Also start the Image Builder service. Make sure to change them to start automatically. Both are needed for the plugin to show up.

Step 5: Log out and log in again. The plugin now appears.

Step 6: Click on the Auto Deploy icon.

Step 7: Go to the Software Depot tab.

Step  8: Clicking on the Up Arrow icon to create an offline depot. Nameit and point to the zip file downloaded from the VMware site. Click on Upload.

Step 9: Create a custom depot. Give it a name.

Step 10: Select the Original Depot and under Image Profiles, click on clone.

Step 11: Name the clone, specify the vendor and point to your custom depot.

Step 12: Verify that your custom depot is using the cloned image profile.

Step 13: Go to Image Profiles, select the new one and export it to a zip file by clicking on the Down Arrow icon.

Step 14: Click on Generate Image and wait a few seconds.

Step 15: Now download the new image and click on close.

Step 16: Click on the Deploy Rules tab. Notice you have no rules yet.

Step 17: Click on New Deploy Rule. Name your rule. This rule could be for all your hosts (All hosts) or for individual hosts. In this case, it is for a future esxi host with a particular IP.

Step 18: select the Image Profile to use and click on Next.

Step 19: Bind this rule a a particular Host Profile.

Step 20: Verify and click on Finish.

Step 21: Congratulations, you just created your first rule. Notice the rule is inactive.

Step 22: Click on Activate/Deactivate Rules.

Step 23: Select the rule, click on activate. Then click on Next and Finish.

Step 24: Wait a few seconds and verify that the rule was activated.

Final Steps: Now configure a DHCP and TFTP server and test your new host.