Understanding vSphere Auto Deploy
vSphere Auto Deploy can provision hundreds of physical hosts with ESXi software. You can
specify the image to deploy and the hosts to provision with the image. Optionally, you can specify
host profiles to apply to the hosts, a vCenter Server location (datacenter, folder or cluster), and
assign a script bundle for each host.
Introduction to vSphere Auto Deploy
When you start a physical host that is set up for vSphere Auto Deploy, vSphere Auto Deploy uses
PXE boot infrastructure in conjunction with vSphere host profiles to provision and customize that
host. No state is stored on the host itself. Instead, the vSphere Auto Deploy server manages state
information for each host.
State Information for ESXi Hosts
vSphere Auto Deploy stores the information for the ESXi hosts to be provisioned in different
locations. Information about the location of image profiles and host profiles is initially specified in
the rules that map machines to image profiles and host profiles.
Table 5-12. vSphere Auto Deploy Stores Information for Deployment
Information
Type Description Source of Information
Image state The executable software to run on an ESXi host. Image profile, created with vSphere ESXi Image
Builder.
Configuration
state
The configurable settings that determine how
the host is configured, for example, virtual
switches and their settings, driver settings, boot
parameters, and so on.
Host profile, created by using the host profile UI.
Often comes from a template host.
Dynamic state The runtime state that is generated by the
running software, for example, generated
private keys or runtime databases.
Host memory, lost during reboot.
Virtual machine
state
The virtual machines stored on a host and virtual
machine autostart information (subsequent
boots only).
Virtual machine information sent by vCenter
Server to vSphere Auto Deploy must be
available to supply virtual machine information
to vSphere Auto Deploy.
User input State that is based on user input, for example,
an IP address that the user provides when
the system starts up, cannot automatically be
included in the host profile.
Host customization information, stored by
vCenter Server during first boot.
You can create a host profile that requires user
input for certain values.
When vSphere Auto Deploy applies a host
profile that requires user provided information,
the host is placed in maintenance mode. Use
the host profile UI to check the host profile
compliance, and respond to the prompt to
customize the host.
vSphere Auto Deploy Architecture
The vSphere Auto Deploy infrastructure consists of several components.
VMware ESXi Installation and Setup
VMware, Inc. 102