Guidance: Getting Started with vCloud

vCloud Basics

If you are completely unfamiliar with vCloud Director then this documentation has been designed to make you more familiar the basic options available and get you up and running with your first vApp, Virtual Machines (VMs), Catalogs and user accounts.

Remember, if you’re still having trouble you can view VMware’s catalogue of vCloud materials online at: https://www.vmware.com/support/pubs/vcd_pubs.html or you can contact Secura support on the details listed at the end of the article.

In this first overview, we will be performing some basic tasks within the vCloud, including setting up a new vApp, taking an overview of the basic actions available to control Virtual Machines within vApps, creating a custom Catalog and adding new user accounts.

We will be covering further and more advanced actions in future posts.

Accessing your vCloud

The URL for your vCloud will be included in your Welcome Pack however, if you are having trouble locating it, please contact support who can provide you with the details you need.

vCloud Main Interface

When you login to your vCloud you’ll be presented with the main Home interface through which you can perform a number of different actions including:

• Manage VDCs
• Manage and add vApps
• Start, stop and suspend vApps
• Create and manage Catalogs
• Administer User Accounts

Above: The Main vCloud Interface.

Getting Started with vApps

The vApp is a container for one or more virtual machines (VMs) and their network configuration. vApps can contain multiple VMs and the complexity varies depending upon your design and requirements.

In our example, will deploy a vApp already available from the Public Catalog.

Steps:

• On the Home tab select the Add vApp link from the right-hand menu
• Select the vApp template you would like to install from either the My Organizations Catalogs or the Public Catalogs dropdown and click Next
• Name the vApp and add a description and select the Virtual Datacenter in which it will be stored from the dropdown and click Finish
• Click Cancel to close the setup wizard

Above: Add a New vApp

Starting, Stopping and Suspending a vApp

It is simple to quickly start, stop or suspend a vApps (and the VMs within them) at any time from the main Home screen of vCloud:

Steps:

• Select the Home tab
• Look at the Quick Access pane to view the vApps currently available
• Start, suspend or stop the vApp using the icons in each vApp pane

Above: Control Your vApps

Changing Default Stop Action

By default, vApps are set to Power Off when Stopped. You can change the default stop action to Shut Down by doing the following:

Steps:

• From the Home tab click on the Manage vApps link on the right-hand side (You can also reach these options by click on the My Cloud tab next to Home and selecting vApps)
• Right click on the vApp you want to manage and selecting Properties
• From the menu that appears select the Starting and Stopping VMs tab
• Select Shut Down from the Stop Action dropdown
• Click OK to save your changes

Above: Changing the vCloud Default Stop Action for vApps

Accessing and Controlling Virtual Machines (VMs)

Virtual Machines (VMs) have an operating system installed on them and can then run any software that is compatible with that installed OS.

Your VMs can be viewed and accessed by selecting the My Cloud tab and then selecting VMs from the list on the left of the screen.

Some of the basic actions you can perform from this screen include starting, stopping, suspending, resetting and deleting VMs.

To perform any of the actions listed above:

Steps:

• Click on the My Cloud tab
• Click VMs from the list on the left
• Select the appropriate VM from the list
• Right click on the VM
• Select the chosen action from the displayed list

Above: Access and Control Virtual Machines

Firewalls and Enabling Access to the Internet

To make services running on your virtual servers accessible to the outside world, you need to allow access through the firewall. Network services such as DHCP, firewall, NAT, static routing, VPN, and load balancing are handled by Edge Gateway, a virtual router within vCloud.

To access and manage Edge Gateways within your vCloud:

Steps:

• Select the Administration tab
• Click on the Virtual Datacenter you want to configure
• Select the Edge Gateways tab

Above: Configure vCloud Edge Gateways

To access your firewall and grant external access:

Steps:

• Select the Administration tab
• Click on the Virtual Datacenter you want to configure
• Select the Edge Gateways tab
• Right click on the Edge displayed on the right of the screen and click on Edge Gateway Services
• Select the Firewall tab from screen that appears
• Click Add
• Enter the details adding your external IP address in the Destination field
• Click OK to finish

Above: Configure vCloud Firewalls

Catalogs

You may want to upload your own ISO images and VM templates to your vCloud and to do so you first need to create a Catalog.

To create a catalog:

Steps:

• From the Home screen, click the Catalogs tab
• Select My Organizations Catalogs from the list on the left
• Select the Catalogs tab beneath My Organizations Catalogs header
• Click the green Add Catalog plus icon
• Name your catalog and provide a description (optional) and select Next
• Select the storage options for the catalog (you can specify the specific VDC storage policy for a catalog or use any storage that is available) and click Next
• (Optional) You can share your catalog with members of your organisation in this step by selecting member or groups, selecting an access level and then clicking Next
• Review the summary of your choices and then click Finish

Above: Add a New Catalog

Adding an ISO Image to a Catalog

To add an ISO image to a created catalog:

Steps:

• From the Home screen, click the Catalogs tab
• Select My Organizations Catalogs from the list on the left
• Click the Media tab located to the right of the screen
• Click the Upload icon
• Under the Source options enter a URL for the resource or click Browse and select the file from your local machine
• Under the Destination options, type a name and description for the media and select the catalog you want to add the media to from the Catalog dropdown
• Click Upload

Above: Add Media to a Catalog

User Accounts

You may need to add additional users to your vCloud account. These users can be added with a range of roles that confer different access rights and privileges, so please ensure you assign the correct role to your users.

To create new user access for your vCloud administration please follow the steps listed below.

Steps:

• Click the Home tab
• Click the Administer Users link from the right-hand menu
• Click the Green Plus Icon to add a new user
• Under Credentials complete username and password details and toggle if the users is currently enabled
• Under Role, select the role you wish to assign to this user from the dropdown
• Complete user contact details under the Contact Info section
• Finally, under the Quotas section, specify the number of VMs that the user can control and have running on at one time
• Click OK

Above: Add User Accounts to vCloud.

Support

If you require further support with your vCloud you can contact support using the details below.

You can raise a ticket by emailing servicedesk@secura.cloud or contact support direct on 0207 183 2540 (option 2) if your request is urgent.

Neal Wilkinson

Head of Marketing

Neal works in the marketing team at Secura and makes sure everyone uses the correct font size on their emails. Sometimes he succeeds.

Tweet me at:
@securacloud