Virtual servers are created from templates and are deployed on compute, storage, and networking resources. To create a vCenter virtual server, you need to launch a wizard. The wizard walks you through several steps to get your virtual server up and running. You can create vCenter virtual servers from instance packages or custom set of resources. In this document, you can find a detailed guidance on how to create a custom vCenter virtual server but first take a look at the following section. 

Infrastructure Mode

An infrastructure mode allows you to manage with OnApp only the infrastructure layer without any post actions (e.g. formatting disk after adding it, or assigning an IP address after adding a network interface). To create a vCenter virtual server in infrastructure mode, you need to have the Infrastructure mode permission enabled for your role and move the Infrastructure mode slider to the right at the Properties step in wizard. 

To create a vCenter virtual server, follow the next procedure:

  1. Go to your Control Panel and click Create Server on the top bar. 
  2. Click Create Virtual Server Beta to launch the wizard.
  3. Follow the step-by-step instructions below to complete the wizard.
  4. After you are finished, click the Create Virtual Server button. 

Cloud Locations

The Cloud Locations step applies to those users who have compute zones assigned to location groups in their bucket. If Cloud Locations are not available, the wizard starts from the Templates step. This Cloud Locations step will be present in the wizard if both of the following requirements are met:

  • All compute resources available to the user are assigned to location groups.
  • Compute resources are assigned to different locations.

When you are at the Cloud Locations step, select a location for your virtual server: 

  • Country -  choose the country, where the cloud is located, from the drop-down menu.
  • City - specify the city, where the cloud is located, from the drop-down menu.

Click Next to proceed to the following step of the wizard.


Templates

To select a template, follow the next procedure:

  1. Click the required group icon on the right (vCenter) to expand the list of templates on the left. Every template contains the following info:
    • Label
    • Min memory size that is required to create a VS from this template
    • Min disk size that is required to create a VS from this template
    • Virtualization type 
    • Price per hour

  2. Select the template.

    What template to choose

    • You can use RHEL, Windows and Debian templates to create vCenter virtual servers.
    • To be able to use Ubuntu templates later than 9 version for vCenter virtual server creation, you need to remove the absolute pathnames in /etc/pam.d/vmtoolsd file. For example: /lib/security/pam_unix.so > pam_unix.so
    • Please make sure that the Windows password policy defined inside the template is compliant with the password policy set in the OnApp CP. This will ensure that there are no password related issues when provisioning Windows.

  3. Click Next.

Additional Information for Windows Templates

The Windows Licensing Type box appears for Windows templates and includes license options that you configure for a corresponding template store. You can select one of the following license types:

  • MAK - the default licensing type applicable to all Windows-based virtual servers. If you don't select the licensing type, MAK is set by default.
  • KMS - the licensing type applicable to every virtual server since Windows 7, Windows Server 2008, and the following Windows versions. Click KMS and then select a licensing Server.
  • User license - type your license key

When you create a virtual server from a Windows template, consider the following:

  • You can create Windows-based vCenter virtual servers without running Sysprep. Disable the Run Sysprep option while creating or editing a destination compute zone.
  • If multiple vCenter virtual servers are deployed from the same template without running Sysprep, they will have identical security identifiers (SIDs) that can result in the system conflict.
  • You can't select KMS or your own license when you create a Windows vCenter virtual server from a custom template. As a workaround, you can create a vCenter VS from a template used for custom template creation.
  • It is not possible to set VS password when creating a Windows-based vCenter virtual server without running a sysprep.



Properties

You can create a virtual server having specified only the required parameters and configure it later. Specify the following virtual server properties:

  • Infrastructure mode - move the slider to the right to enable the Infrastructure mode for this virtual server

  • Label - enter the label of the virtual server

  • Hostname - enter the host name of the virtual server

    • Hostname may contain letters (A-Z), numbers(0-9) and hyphens (-) but no spaces or periods (.). The name may not consists entirely of digits.
    • For Windows-based VSs, the hostname length should be between 1 and 15 characters.
  • Domain - enter the domain name of the virtual server
  • Password - enter the password of the virtual server or leave black for the password to be auto generated
  • Password confirmation - enter the password again to confirm it

  • Encrypt password - move the slider to the right to encrypt your password. For more information on the password encryption, see FAQ.

  • Encryption passphrase - enter a passphrase for encryption

  • Encryption passphrase confirmation - repeat the passphrase for encryption

  • I want to create a VS with custom resources - move the slider to the right to create a virtual server based on a set of custom resources. If you don't select the checkbox, you can create a virtual server from instance packages. 

  • Replace recipes - move the slider to the right to create a virtual server with service add-ons instead of recipes.

Click Next to proceed to the following step of the wizard where you select a custom set of resources.

Compute Resources

  • RAM - set the amount of virtual server's RAM.
  • CPU Cores - set the amount of virtual server's CPU cores.

  • CPU Priority (or CPU Units) - set virtual server's CPU priority. If the CPU units are switched on in the bucket for this user, then CPU priority is replaced with CPU units. Refer to Billing Calculation for details on CPU units and CPU priority.

  • Datacenter - select the data center for the data store.

  • Cluster - select the cluster to import networks and data stores from.

Storage Resources

Primary Disk

  • Size - set the primary disk size.
  • Data Store Zone - choose a data store zone for this VS's primary disk.
  • Data Store - select a primary data store for this VS's primary disk.

Swap Disk

Select the following properties for a swap disk: 

  • Size - enter a size for a swap disk
  • Data Store Zone - select a data store zone for a swap disk
  • Data Store - select a data store for a swap disk
  • Disable - select the checkbox to disable swap disk creation 

Only enabled data stores will be available for selection at this step. You can enable or disable a data store at your Control Panel > Admin > Settings menu by clicking the Actions button next to the data store you want to change, and then clicking Edit. Move the Enabled slider to the right to enable a data store.

Network Resources

Network Interface 1

Selection of IP net, IP range, and IP address is not available for VSs in Infrastructure mode.

  • Network group - select the network zone or leave Any
  • Network - select the network from which the VS should get the IP address or leave Any
  • IP net - select from the drop-down list the IP net from which the IP address should be assigned or leave Any
  • IP range - select from the drop-down list the IP range from which the IP address should be assigned or leave Any
  • IP address - select an IP address to be assigned from the drop-down box or leave Any
  • Port Speed - set the port speed for this VS or select the Unlimited checkbox

Since VSS networks cannot be managed on OnApp side, it will not be possible to configure traffic shaping for them, so the Port speed field at the Edit NIC page and the Resources step of the VS Creation wizard will be disabled.

Service Add-ons or Recipes

This step is not available for VSs in Infrastructure mode.

During this step, you can assign service add-ons or recipes to your virtual server. The availability of service add-ons or recipes depends on the permissions Manage Service Add-ons for all/own virtual servers and Manage Recipes for all/own virtual servers. If you have only one of these permissions enabled, you will see only a corresponding tab in the wizard.

Service Add-ons

To create a virtual server with service add-ons instead of recipes, you should move the slider Replace recipes in the Properties step. If you do not move the slider, you will be able to create a virtual server with recipes.

Replace recipes slider is visible if Manage Service Add-ons for all virtual servers permission or Manage Service Add-ons for own virtual servers  permissions are enabled.

Service add-ons are available under the following conditions:

  • Manage Service Add-ons for all virtual servers permission or Manage Service Add-ons for own virtual servers permission is enabled
  • Service add-on groups are available in your bucket
  • The On Provisioning option is enabled for all or some of the service add-ons available to you within a bucket. 

You can create a virtual server without service add-ons and add them later if required. To assign a service add-on to your virtual server in the wizard, follow the next steps:

  1. Click the service add-on group icon on the left to expand the list of service add-ons on the right. Every service add-on contains the following info:
    • Label
    • Description
    • Price per hour
    • Compatible with, for example, Unix, Windows, etc.
  2. Click the service add-on to select it. You can select several add-ons from different service add-on groups. Click View Selected Add-ons to see the list of selected service add-ons. You can remove the selected service add-on from the list by clicking the  button near the add-on.
  3. Click Next to proceed to the next step of the wizard that completes the virtual server creation.

Recipes

Recipes step is available only if you did not move the Replace recipes slider to the right in the Properties step.

The Recipes step is available in the wizard if there are some recipes created in the cloud. You can create a virtual server without a recipe and add them afterwards. To assign a recipe to your virtual server in the wizard, follow the next steps:

  1. Drag and drop a recipe from the Available recipes to Assigned for provisioning box. 
  2. To add a custom variable, click the "+" button next to the Custom recipe variables title bar, then specify variable details:
    • Name & Value - enter a name and value for the custom variable
    • Enabled - move the slider to the right to allow use of this variable

  3. Click Next to proceed to the next step of the wizard that completes the virtual server creation process.

Confirmation

The Confirmation step allows you to apply the following settings: 

  • Build Virtual Server - move the slider to the to the right to automatically build the virtual server. If you don't select this checkbox, you have to build your server manually after it is created.
  • Boot Virtual Server - move the slider to the right for the virtual server to be started up automatically.

The Confirmation step also provides the configuration summary of the virtual server, including information about the template, CPU cores, RAM, disks size, and network. When you are finished, click the Create Virtual Server button to start the creation process. After you click the button, several transactions are run to complete the process. You can check a status of each transaction in Activity Log of the virtual server.