VRA CustomHostnaming

1 General

I created this as an exercise, hopefully this is useful for others too. This workflow got developed and tested with vRealize Automation 7.1.

File: defineHostname.js

// ----------------------------------------------- GLOBAL SETTINGS -----------------------------------------------------
var fallback_hostname_number_length = 4;

// ----------------------------------------------- FUNCTIONS -----------------------------------------------------------
// fill numbers with leading zeros
function pad(n, width, z) {
  z = z || '0';
  n = n + '';
  return n.length >= width ? n : new Array(width - n.length + 1).join(z) + n;
}

// ---------------------------------------------- GET DATA -------------------------------------------------------------
// Retrieve the machine properties
var machine = payload.get("machine");
// Check the machine properties exists
if(machine != null) {
    // Retrieve the values required
    virtualMachineId = machine.get("id");
}
 
var machineProperties = machine.get('properties');
//Read the hostname generated by vRA
newHostname = machine.get('name');
System.log(workflow.currentWorkflow.name+" Default hostname is "+newHostname);

var custom_hostname_prefix_group = machineProperties.get("Custom.Hostname.Prefix.Group");
var custom_hostname_prefix = machineProperties.get("Custom.Hostname.Prefix."+custom_hostname_prefix_group);
var custom_hostname_uppercase = machineProperties.get("Custom.Hostname.Prefix."+custom_hostname_prefix_group+".UpperCase");


// -------------------------------------------- CHECK DATA VALIDITY ----------------------------------------------------
// check hostname prefix validity
if(!custom_hostname_prefix){
	throw("custom_hostname_prefix is null");
}else if(custom_hostname_prefix == ''){
	throw("custom_hostname_prefix is empty");
}

// ------------------------------------ CONSTRUCT NEW HOSTNAME NUMBER --------------------------------------------------
// -----------------hostname number length------------------
var element_exists = false;
var element_name = custom_hostname_prefix.toLowerCase()+"_number_length";
for each(element in PrefixConfigElement.attributes){
	if (element.name.toLowerCase() == element_name){
		element_exists = true;
		System.log("Configuration element "+PrefixConfigElement.name+" / "+element_name+" does exist" );
	}
}
if(!element_exists){
	System.warn("Configuration element "+PrefixConfigElement.name+" / "+element_name+" does not exist, so I create new one" );
	PrefixConfigElement.setAttributeWithKey(element_name , fallback_hostname_number_length);
}
var custom_hostname_number_length = PrefixConfigElement.getAttributeWithKey(element_name.toLowerCase()).value;

// -----------------hostname number-------------------------
var element_exists = false;
var element_name = custom_hostname_prefix.toLowerCase()+"_number";
for each(element in PrefixConfigElement.attributes){
	if (element.name.toLowerCase() == element_name){
		element_exists = true;
		System.log("Configuration element "+PrefixConfigElement.name+" / "+element_name+" does exist" );
	}
}
if(!element_exists){
	System.warn("Configuration element "+PrefixConfigElement.name+" / "+element_name+" does not exist, so I create new one" );
	PrefixConfigElement.setAttributeWithKey(element_name , 1);
}else{
	System.warn("Configuration element "+PrefixConfigElement.name+" / "+element_name+" does not exist, so I create new one" );
	PrefixConfigElement.setAttributeWithKey(element_name , Number(PrefixConfigElement.getAttributeWithKey(element_name.toLowerCase()).value) + 1);
}
var custom_hostname_number = PrefixConfigElement.getAttributeWithKey(element_name.toLowerCase()).value;

// ------------------------------------ CONSTRUCT NEW HOSTNAME ---------------------------------------------------------
// Build new hostname
newHostname = custom_hostname_prefix+pad(custom_hostname_number, custom_hostname_number_length);

// set to upper case or lower case
var convertToUpperCase = (custom_hostname_uppercase == 'true');
if(convertToUpperCase){
	newHostname= newHostname.toUpperCase()
}else{
		newHostname= newHostname.toLowerCase()
}

System.log(workflow.currentWorkflow.name+" New hostname will be "+newHostname);

1.1 Concept

• Select DropDown "hostname set" as a property in vRA
• Store Hostname Numbers for every pattern as configuration element in vRO
• Store hostname number length as configuration element in vRO
• If configuration elements do not exist (eg. new pattern) create them automatically
• Make it easy to work with property group in vRA to add prefix collection to blueprint component

2 Configuration

2.1 Workflows

You can import my package from github:
https://github.com/joe-speedboat/vRealizeOrchestrator/blob/master/ch.bitbull.hostname.package

2.2 vRA Event Broker

Create new Subscription.
Add the following conditions:

• Data > Lifecycle state name Equals VMPSMasterWorkflow32.BuildingMachine
• Data > Lifecycle state phase Equals PRE
• Data > Machine > Machine type Equals Virtual Machine

Do not forget to hand over the properties from EB to vRO, by setting this custom property to Blueprint Component:

Extensibility.Lifecycle.Properties.VMPSMasterWorkflow32.BuildingMachine = *

2.3 Create Properties / Property Group

Create vRA properties like:
Note: PRD is a placeholder for a set of hostname prefixes

Extensibility.Lifecycle.Properties.VMPSMasterWorkflow32.BuildingMachine -> *
Custom.Hostname.Prefix.Group -> empty (set in property group)
Custom.Hostname.Prefix.PRD -> drop down list with needed prefixes
Custom.Hostname.Prefix.PRD.UpperCase -> [true|false] (as you need)

Below you can find an example:

Add all the needed patterns to the dropdown list

2.4 Final note

Now you can add the property group to a blueprint component and get the desired dropdown.

3 Links

• https://www.definit.co.uk/2016/03/vrealize-automation-7-custom-hostname-with-event-broker-eb-subscription/