Publishing Catalogs

This chapter contains the following sections:

Publishing Catalogs

You can create a catalog item which define VM binding parameters such as cloud name and group name. Users can provision VMs using these predefined catalog items.

To aid in managing catalogs, Cisco UCS Director allows you to group similar catalogs within a folder. While creating a catalog, you can select a specific folder, which has been created earlier on. Optionally, you can create a new folder for the catalog. A folder is visible only when it contains a catalog.

Important:

If you have upgraded Cisco UCS Director to the latest version, then all catalogs created in prior versions are grouped into the folders available by default, based on the catalog type.

Managing Catalogs

    Step 1   On the menu bar, choose Policies > Catalogs.

    The catalogs available in Cisco UCS Director are displayed. The Catalogs tab provides the following actions:

    Button Name Description

    Refresh

    Refreshes the current page.

    Favorite

    Adds this page to the Favorites tab which displays the page that you go to most often.

    Add

    Adds a catalog.

    Manage Folder

    Manages the catalog folder.

    Step 2   Choose a catalog after expanding a folder to execute the following actions on the catalog:
    Button Name Description

    Edit

    Edits a catalog.

    View

    Displays the catalog details.

    Delete

    Deletes a catalog after confirmation.

    Clone

    Clones a catalog. A cloned catalog requires a new name. Edit any properties of the cloned catalog, as needed.

    Deployability Assessment

    Provides the deployability assessment that includes the deployable hosts and the reason for excluded hosts.

    Move Up

    Organizes the catalog folder.

    Move Down

    Organizes the catalog folder.

    Creating a Catalog

    When you add a catalog, you can select the groups permitted to provision new VMs with it, and provide other basic information. The chosen application category determines which policies the vDC applies when the service is provided.

    For Windows images, there are options for VM user credential access. User credentials for the VM in a template can be shared with other users, or reset before sharing. If shared, a user can retrieve credentials for the active VM.

      Step 1   On the menu bar, choose Policies > Catalog.
      Step 2   Click Add.
      Step 3   In the Add Catalog dialog box, complete the following fields:
      Name Description

      Catalog Type drop-down menu

      Choose Standard as the catalog type.

      Step 4   Click Submit.
      Step 5   In the Basic Information pane of the Add Catalog dialog box, complete the following fields:
      Name Description

      Catalog Name field

      The name of the catalog.

      Catalog Description field

      The catalog description.

      Catalog Type drop-down list

      Displays the catalog type.

      Catalog Icon drop-down list

      Choose an icon for the catalog.

      Applied to all groups check box

      Check the check box if you want all groups to use the catalog item to provision new VMs.

      Selected Groups field

      If the catalog applies only to selected groups, click Select and choose one or more groups.

      Cloud Name drop-down list

      Choose the cloud.

      Image drop-down list

      Choose the image that is applied when VMs are provisioned using this catalog item.

      Windows License Pool field

      This field appears when you choose Windows image in the Image drop-down list. Choose the OS license to use for the selected Windows image.

      Roles field

      Click Select and choose one or more roles to install on the server.

      Features field

      Click Select and choose one or more features to install on the server.

      Select Folder drop-down list

      Choose a folder for the catalog. To create a custom folder name, click the + icon.

      Step 6   Click Next.
      Step 7   In the Application Details pane, complete the following fields:
      Name Description

      Category Name drop-down list

      Choose a category for vDC.

      Support Contact Email Address field

      The user to notify when a service request is created using this catalog item.

      Specify OS drop-down list

      Choose the OS type to be installed on the provisioned VM.

      Specify Other OS field

      Enter an OS that is not in the Specify OS drop-down list, if necessary.

      Specify Applications field

      Choose the applications to install on the VM when provisioning.

      Specify Other Applications field

      Enter applications that are not in the Specify Applications drop-down list, as required.

      Application Code field

      Enter a four-digit application code for use in the VM name.

      Step 8   Click Next.
      Step 9   In the User Credentials pane, complete the following fields (Windows image only):
      Name Description

      Credential Options drop-down list

      Choose whether to share user credentials for the VM template.

      If sharing is chosen, enter the user ID and password.

      Note   

      For Windows 7 templates, the administrator has to provide the user ID because of rules on SCVMM guest customization.

      Step 10   Click Next.
      Step 11   In the Customization pane, complete the following fields:
      Name Description
      Automatic Guest Customization

      Enable check box

      Check this check box if you want to enable automatic guest customization. For Windows images, this option is enabled by default.

      Note   

      This option is disabled for Linux templates.

      Post-Provisioning Custom Actions

      Enable check box

      Check this check box if you want to enable a postprovisioning orchestration workflow.

      Virtual Storage Catalog

      Enable check box

      Check this check box if you want to enable a virtual storage catalog.

      Cost Computation

      VM App Charge Frequency drop-down list

      Choose the application charge frequency.

      Active VM Application Cost USD field

      Enter the aggregate cost for active VMs.

      Inactive VM Application Cost USD field

      Enter the aggregate cost for inactive VMs.

      Step 12   Click Next.
      Step 13   In the VM Access pane, complete the following fields:
      Name Description
      Web Access Configuration

      Enable check box

      Check this check box if you want to enable web access to the VM.

      URL field

      This field appears when you check the Enable check box. Enter the URL of the VM.

      Label field

      This field appears when you check the Enable check box. Enter the label for the VM.

      Remote Desktop Access Configuration

      Enable check box

      Check this check box if you want to enable remote desktop access to the VM.

      Server field

      This field appears when you check the Enable check box. Enter the IP address of the server for remote access.

      Port field

      This field appears when you check the Enable check box. Enter the port number of the server for remote access.

      Label field

      This field appears when you check the Enable check box. Enter any label for this remote type of remote access.

      Step 14   Click Next.
      Step 15   In the Summary pane, review and make any necessary changes.
      Step 16   Click Submit.