View source for Deploying your first VNF with TCA

I have shown you how to set up the complete infra with TCA and VCD [[Deploy a NFV Lab with VMware TCA and VCD|here.]]

In this article, I will show you how to deploy your first VNF.

==Configuration Steps==

There are two ways to upload the application VMs.

# Using vCenter Server
## Import the OVA's in vCenter Server, not power them on and convert them to a Template
# Using VCD
## Import the files into a catalog

I am going to show you both ways.

* STEP 1:  Upload OVA Virtual Machines using vCenter Server (Templates)
* STEP 2:  Upload OVA Virtual Machines using VCD Catalogs
* STEP 3: Upload the TOSCA template to TCA
* STEP 4: Instantiate the VNF (using the vSphere Templates)
* STEP 5: Instantiate your first VNF (using the VCD Catalog)

The application that I am onboarding will consist out of three Virtual Machines:

* centos-small-lb
* centos-small-app
* centos-small-db

I will upload/deploy copies of the same VM in vSphere and VCD, and even though you only need them in one place I will show you how to deploy them from both places.

==STEP 1:  Upload OVA Virtual Machines using vCenter Server (Templates)==

I have deployed each OVA (lb, app and db) using vCenter Server:

<span style="border:3px solid #f4c613;display: inline-block;">[[File:NFV2-STEP-01-1.png|800px]]</span>
<div style="clear:both"></div>

When the deployment was done I have converted the VM's to a Template:

<span style="border:3px solid #f4c613;display: inline-block;">[[File:NFV2-STEP-01-2.png|800px]]</span>
<div style="clear:both"></div>

This resulted that all three Virtual Machines are now Template objects inside the vCenter Server.

<span style="border:3px solid #f4c613;display: inline-block;">[[File:NFV2-STEP-01-3.png|800px]]</span>
<div style="clear:both"></div>

==STEP 2:  Upload OVA Virtual Machines using VCD Catalogs==

I have also uploaded the same VMs using the catalog feature inside VCD.

You need to log in as the Organization "administrator" account of the Organization.

Inside the Organization Portal select "Libraries" and create a new "Catalog"

<span style="border:3px solid #f4c613;display: inline-block;">[[File:NFV2-STEP-02-1.png|800px]]</span>
<div style="clear:both"></div>

Provide a name for the new "Catalog".

<span style="border:3px solid #f4c613;display: inline-block;">[[File:NFV2-STEP-02-2.png|800px]]</span>
<div style="clear:both"></div>

Verify if the "Catalog" is correctly created without any errors.

<span style="border:3px solid #f4c613;display: inline-block;">[[File:NFV2-STEP-02-3.png|800px]]</span>
<div style="clear:both"></div>

Click on "vApp Templates" and create a new vApp Template.

<span style="border:3px solid #f4c613;display: inline-block;">[[File:NFV2-STEP-02-4.png|800px]]</span>
<div style="clear:both"></div>

Select the OVA you want to upload.

<span style="border:3px solid #f4c613;display: inline-block;">[[File:NFV2-STEP-02-5.png|800px]]</span>
<div style="clear:both"></div>

Review the details.

<span style="border:3px solid #f4c613;display: inline-block;">[[File:NFV2-STEP-02-6.png|800px]]</span>
<div style="clear:both"></div>

Provide a name for the vApp Template and specify a catalog where you want to place this template in. This is the catalog that I have just created.

<span style="border:3px solid #f4c613;display: inline-block;">[[File:NFV2-STEP-02-7.png|800px]]</span>
<div style="clear:both"></div>

Complete the vApp Template configuration.

<span style="border:3px solid #f4c613;display: inline-block;">[[File:NFV2-STEP-02-8.png|800px]]</span>
<div style="clear:both"></div>

Verify if the vApp Template is correctly created without any errors.

<span style="border:3px solid #f4c613;display: inline-block;">[[File:NFV2-STEP-02-9.png|800px]]</span>
<div style="clear:both"></div>

Do the same with the other two remaining OVA Templates, as you have now only created a vApp Template for the "centos-small"lb" VM.

When all vApp Templates are created for all VMs the screen should look like this:

<span style="border:3px solid #f4c613;display: inline-block;">[[File:NFV2-STEP-02-10.png|800px]]</span>
<div style="clear:both"></div>

==STEP 3: Upload the TOSCA template to TCA==

Now that the VM Templates are "in place" you can start uploading the TOSCA template to the TCA Manager.

===Onboard a network function===

Click on "Catalog" and choose "Onboard Network Function".

<span style="border:3px solid #f4c613;display: inline-block;">[[File:NFV2-STEP-03-1.png|800px]]</span>
<div style="clear:both"></div>

Provide a name for the new "Network Function" and select the CSAR file.

<span style="border:3px solid #f4c613;display: inline-block;">[[File:NFV2-STEP-03-2.png|800px]]</span>
<div style="clear:both"></div>

After you have clicked on "upload" a Topology will be presented. Now you are ready to instantiate a VNF based on this Network Function/Topology.

<span style="border:3px solid #f4c613;display: inline-block;">[[File:NFV2-STEP-03-3.png|800px]]</span>
<div style="clear:both"></div>

==STEP 4: Instantiate the VNF (using the vSphere Templates)==

Select the Network Function you want to instantiate a VNF form and click on "instantiate".

<span style="border:3px solid #f4c613;display: inline-block;">[[File:NFV2-STEP-04-1.png|800px]]</span>
<div style="clear:both"></div>

Provide a name for the new "VNF" and select a "Cloud" (Organization VDC) and the "Compute Profile".

I have NOT enabled the "Use vApp Template" switch because I want to instantiate from the vSphere Template VMs. 

<span style="border:3px solid #f4c613;display: inline-block;">[[File:NFV2-STEP-04-2.png|800px]]</span>
<div style="clear:both"></div>

This is how the screen will look like when you need to select a "Cloud".

<span style="border:3px solid #f4c613;display: inline-block;">[[File:NFV2-STEP-04-3.png|800px]]</span>
<div style="clear:both"></div>

This is how the screen will look like when you need to select a "Compute Profile".

<span style="border:3px solid #f4c613;display: inline-block;">[[File:NFV2-STEP-04-4.png|800px]]</span>
<div style="clear:both"></div>

The networks for APP and DB will be created automatically as an "isolated" network. The Loadbalancer VM will need an external connection that you need to specify.

<span style="border:3px solid #f4c613;display: inline-block;">[[File:NFV2-STEP-04-5.png|800px]]</span>
<div style="clear:both"></div>

I have created the "vcd-02-vmware-web" network that is mapped to the "Seg-Web"Logical Switch/Segment on NSX-T so I will select this network.

<span style="border:3px solid #f4c613;display: inline-block;">[[File:NFV2-STEP-04-6.png|800px]]</span>
<div style="clear:both"></div>

When the external network is selected your screen will look like this:

<span style="border:3px solid #f4c613;display: inline-block;">[[File:NFV2-STEP-04-7.png|800px]]</span>
<div style="clear:both"></div>

Workflows tab: The external IP address for the Loadbalancer needs to be specified manually. In my example, I will use 192.168.1.211.

<span style="border:3px solid #f4c613;display: inline-block;">[[File:NFV2-STEP-04-8.png|800px]]</span>
<div style="clear:both"></div>

Loadbalancer tab: The external IP address for the Loadbalancer needs to be specified manually here as well and the Prefix and the Gateway. All other fields/tabs are populated automatically based on the code in the CSAR.

<span style="border:3px solid #f4c613;display: inline-block;">[[File:NFV2-STEP-04-9.png|800px]]</span>
<div style="clear:both"></div>

Complete the new VNF instantiation.

<span style="border:3px solid #f4c613;display: inline-block;">[[File:NFV2-STEP-04-10.png|800px]]</span>
<div style="clear:both"></div>

===Checking the Deployed VNF===

Verify if the VNF is correctly instantiated without any errors. The state is "Completed"

<span style="border:3px solid #f4c613;display: inline-block;">[[File:NFV2-STEP-04-11.png|800px]]</span>
<div style="clear:both"></div>

===Test the application reachability===

Verify if the Application is correctly reachable without any errors using the IP address I have specified (192.168.1.211).

<span style="border:3px solid #f4c613;display: inline-block;">[[File:NFV2-STEP-04-12.png|800px]]</span>
<div style="clear:both"></div>

==STEP 5: Instantiate your first VNF (using the VCD Catalog)==

Select the Network Function you want to instantiate a VNF form and click on "instantiate".

Provide a name for the new "VNF" and select a "Cloud" (Organization VDC) and the "Compute Profile".

this time I HAVE enabled the "Use vApp Template" switch because I want to instantiate from the VCD Catalog, and I have selected the VCD Catalog name as well.

<span style="border:3px solid #f4c613;display: inline-block;">[[File:NFV2-STEP-05-1.png|800px]]</span>
<div style="clear:both"></div>

I have NOT enabled the "Use vApp Template" switch because I want to instantiate from the vSphere Template VMs. 

<span style="border:3px solid #f4c613;display: inline-block;">[[File:NFV2-STEP-05-2.png|800px]]</span>
<div style="clear:both"></div>

I have created the "vcd-02-vmware-web" network that is mapped to the "Seg-Web"Logical Switch/Segment on NSX-T so I will select this network.

<span style="border:3px solid #f4c613;display: inline-block;">[[File:NFV2-STEP-05-3.png|800px]]</span>
<div style="clear:both"></div>

When the external network is selected your screen will look like this:

<span style="border:3px solid #f4c613;display: inline-block;">[[File:NFV2-STEP-05-4.png|800px]]</span>
<div style="clear:both"></div>

Workflows tab: The external IP address for the Loadbalancer needs to be specified manually. In my example, I will use 192.168.1.210.

<span style="border:3px solid #f4c613;display: inline-block;">[[File:NFV2-STEP-05-5.png|800px]]</span>
<div style="clear:both"></div>

Loadbalancer tab: The external IP address for the Loadbalancer needs to be specified manually here as well and the Prefix and the Gateway. All other fields are populated automatically based on the code in the CSAR.

<span style="border:3px solid #f4c613;display: inline-block;">[[File:NFV2-STEP-05-6.png|800px]]</span>
<div style="clear:both"></div>

All other fields/tabs are populated automatically based on the code in the CSAR.

<span style="border:3px solid #f4c613;display: inline-block;">[[File:NFV2-STEP-05-7.png|800px]]</span>
<div style="clear:both"></div>

All other fields/tabs are populated automatically based on the code in the CSAR.

<span style="border:3px solid #f4c613;display: inline-block;">[[File:NFV2-STEP-05-8.png|800px]]</span>
<div style="clear:both"></div>

Complete the new VNF instantiation.

<span style="border:3px solid #f4c613;display: inline-block;">[[File:NFV2-STEP-05-9.png|800px]]</span>
<div style="clear:both"></div>

===Checking the Deployed VNF===

Verify if the VNF is correctly instantiated without any errors. The state is "Processing".

<span style="border:3px solid #f4c613;display: inline-block;">[[File:NFV2-STEP-05-10.png|800px]]</span>
<div style="clear:both"></div>

You can follow along and see if new VMs are being created r of already created in the vCenter Server.

<span style="border:3px solid #f4c613;display: inline-block;">[[File:NFV2-STEP-05-11.png|800px]]</span>
<div style="clear:both"></div>

You can look at the tasks in the vCenter Server to verify the (successfully) completed tasks.

<span style="border:3px solid #f4c613;display: inline-block;">[[File:NFV2-STEP-05-12.png|800px]]</span>
<div style="clear:both"></div>

You can also follow along in vCloud Director and verify if the app and db isolated networks are created.

<span style="border:3px solid #f4c613;display: inline-block;">[[File:NFV2-STEP-05-13.png|800px]]</span>
<div style="clear:both"></div>

You can also follow along in NSX-T Manager and verify if the app and db isolated networks are created.

<span style="border:3px solid #f4c613;display: inline-block;">[[File:NFV2-STEP-05-14.png|800px]]</span>
<div style="clear:both"></div>

This time you see that the state has ended in "Error"

<span style="border:3px solid #f4c613;display: inline-block;">[[File:NFV2-STEP-05-15.png|800px]]</span>
<div style="clear:both"></div>

A closer look at the error shows that there is something wrong with the Credentials.

<span style="border:3px solid #f4c613;display: inline-block;">[[File:NFV2-STEP-05-16.png|800px]]</span>
<div style="clear:both"></div>

I decided to do a "rollback" of this VNF and delete all the VMs and Networks that were created.

<span style="border:3px solid #f4c613;display: inline-block;">[[File:NFV2-STEP-05-17.png|800px]]</span>
<div style="clear:both"></div>

The issue is that VCD "turns on" Guest Customization for the vApp Templates you created and there is no way to turn this off during the creation of the vApp Templates.

What you CAN do is create a VM from the vApp Template and edit the Guest Customization (turn it off) and upload it as a new vApp Template in the Catalog with a new name (or use a new Catalog. This procedure is shown below.

===Workaround to make VCD Catalog Items work===

Add a new vApp from Catalog.

<span style="border:3px solid #f4c613;display: inline-block;">[[File:NFV2-STEP-05-18.png|800px]]</span>
<div style="clear:both"></div>

Select the Organization VDC.

<span style="border:3px solid #f4c613;display: inline-block;">[[File:NFV2-STEP-05-19.png|800px]]</span>
<div style="clear:both"></div>

Select the vApp Template that you want to use for the import.

<span style="border:3px solid #f4c613;display: inline-block;">[[File:NFV2-STEP-05-20.png|800px]]</span>
<div style="clear:both"></div>

Provide a name.

<span style="border:3px solid #f4c613;display: inline-block;">[[File:NFV2-STEP-05-21.png|800px]]</span>
<div style="clear:both"></div>

Configure the Resources (leave the defaults in).

<span style="border:3px solid #f4c613;display: inline-block;">[[File:NFV2-STEP-05-22.png|800px]]</span>
<div style="clear:both"></div>

Configure the Compute Policies (leave the defaults in).

<span style="border:3px solid #f4c613;display: inline-block;">[[File:NFV2-STEP-05-23.png|800px]]</span>
<div style="clear:both"></div>

Customize the hardware (leave the defaults in).

<span style="border:3px solid #f4c613;display: inline-block;">[[File:NFV2-STEP-05-24.png|800px]]</span>
<div style="clear:both"></div>

Customize Networking (leave the defaults in).

<span style="border:3px solid #f4c613;display: inline-block;">[[File:NFV2-STEP-05-25.png|800px]]</span>
<div style="clear:both"></div>

Customize the Properties (leave the defaults in, so leave everything blank)).

<span style="border:3px solid #f4c613;display: inline-block;">[[File:NFV2-STEP-05-26.png|800px]]</span>
<div style="clear:both"></div>

Complete the vApp from Template creation.

<span style="border:3px solid #f4c613;display: inline-block;">[[File:NFV2-STEP-05-27.png|800px]]</span>
<div style="clear:both"></div>

Do the same with the other two remaining vApps, as you have now only created a vApp for the "centos-small"lb" VM. Make sure you DO NOT POWER ON any of the newly created VMs.

When all vApp/VMs are created for all VMs the screen should look like this:

<span style="border:3px solid #f4c613;display: inline-block;">[[File:NFV2-STEP-05-28.png|800px]]</span>
<div style="clear:both"></div>

Now you need to go into the vApp and go to the Virtual Machine and click on the VM to DISABLE the Guest Customization.

<span style="border:3px solid #f4c613;display: inline-block;">[[File:NFV2-STEP-05-29.png|800px]]</span>
<div style="clear:both"></div>

Click on "Edit".

<span style="border:3px solid #f4c613;display: inline-block;">[[File:NFV2-STEP-05-30.png|800px]]</span>
<div style="clear:both"></div>

Uncheck the "Enable guest customization" checkbox.

<span style="border:3px solid #f4c613;display: inline-block;">[[File:NFV2-STEP-05-31.png|800px]]</span>
<div style="clear:both"></div>

Verify if the Guest customization is disabled now.

Do the same for the other vApps/VMs.

<span style="border:3px solid #f4c613;display: inline-block;">[[File:NFV2-STEP-05-32.png|800px]]</span>
<div style="clear:both"></div>

Before I am going to convert the vApps/VMs back into vApp Templates and will first create a new Catalog, as I like to keep things organized and separated.

<span style="border:3px solid #f4c613;display: inline-block;">[[File:NFV2-STEP-05-33.png|800px]]</span>
<div style="clear:both"></div>

Provide a name for the new "Catalog".

<span style="border:3px solid #f4c613;display: inline-block;">[[File:NFV2-STEP-05-34.png|800px]]</span>
<div style="clear:both"></div>

Verify if the Catalog is correctly created without any errors.

<span style="border:3px solid #f4c613;display: inline-block;">[[File:NFV2-STEP-05-35.png|800px]]</span>
<div style="clear:both"></div>

Create a template from the vApp/VM.

<span style="border:3px solid #f4c613;display: inline-block;">[[File:NFV2-STEP-05-36.png|800px]]</span>
<div style="clear:both"></div>

Add the new vApp Template to the new Catalog.

<span style="border:3px solid #f4c613;display: inline-block;">[[File:NFV2-STEP-05-37.png|800px]]</span>
<div style="clear:both"></div>

Do the same for all vApps/VMs.

When you look at the Catalog you see that the amount of vApp Templates is now set to "3". So our new Catalog is correctly populated with our new vApp Templates with the Gues Customization Disabled.

<span style="border:3px solid #f4c613;display: inline-block;">[[File:NFV2-STEP-05-38.png|800px]]</span>
<div style="clear:both"></div>

Before you can instantiate a new VNF using the catalog I need to change the code in the CSAR file to point to the new "v2" vApps/VMs that are contained in the new VCD Catalog.

You can edit the existing CSAR, Save it as DRAFT, and save it as a new template with a new name.

<span style="border:3px solid #f4c613;display: inline-block;">[[File:NFV2-STEP-05-39.png|800px]]</span>
<div style="clear:both"></div>

===Checking the (Re)Deployed VNF===

After following the same steps from STEP 5 I have now a new VNF that is in the "Complete" state using the vApp Templates from the new VCD Catalog.

<span style="border:3px solid #f4c613;display: inline-block;">[[File:NFV2-STEP-05-00.png|800px]]</span>
<div style="clear:both"></div>

===Test the application reachability===

This time I have used the external IP address of 192.168.1.212 for the Load Balancer and you can see that the Application is reachable.

<span style="border:3px solid #f4c613;display: inline-block;">[[File:NFV2-STEP-05-40.png|800px]]</span>
<div style="clear:both"></div>

In the next article, I will show you how you can scale the VNF by adding a second application VM/Server behind the load balancer.

===Summary of deployed VNFs===

In the figure below you will see a summary of all the deployed VNFs and what VNF used what Template Sources.

<span style="border:3px solid #f4c613;display: inline-block;">[[File:NFV2-SUMM-1.png|800px]]</span>
<div style="clear:both"></div>

In [[Scaling out your VNF (with TCA)|this next article]], I will show you how to scale this VNF using TCA.

==Related Articles==
* [[Deploy a NFV Lab with VMware TCA and VCD|Deploy an NFV Lab with VMware TCA and VCD]]
* [[Deploying your first VNF (with TCA)]]
* [[Scaling out your VNF (with TCA)]]

[[Category:NSX]]
[[Category:Networking]]
[[Category:VMware]]