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Using Blueprints

This article describes the steps required to use blueprints.

Refer to the article Managing Blueprints for detailed steps on how to manage existing blueprints.

Create a Blueprint

This section provides the steps required to create a simple generic blueprint.

Prerequisites

  • Composer access to the Broker UI

Configuration Steps

  1. Log in to the Broker UI
  2. Navigate to Composer > My Blueprints
  3. Click the Add Blueprint tile
  4. In the Add Blueprint screen, provide the following information
    • Blueprint Name: A unique name for the Blueprint
    • Provider: Select a blueprint type - this example uses the Generic type
  5. Click Add
  6. The blueprint composer is displayed
  7. From the Node Selector, drag and drop a Linux OS Image onto the canvas
    With the VM node selected, edit the node properties as required
    Click Save

Publish a Blueprint

Publishing a Blueprint makes it available for end-user consumption. Published Blueprints are presented via the Catalog in the Buttonwood Broker.

This section provides the steps required to publish a Blueprint.

Prerequisites

  • Composer access to the Broker UI

Configuration Steps

  1. Log in to the Broker UI
  2. Navigate to Composer > My Blueprints
  3. Click on the Blueprint to be published
    The Blueprint is opened in the Blueprint designer
  4. Click the Actions menu
    Select Publish
  5. On the Catalog Item Details screen, select or enter the following information
    • Category: The item category to publish - select Blueprints
    • Environment: Select an Environment to publish to
    • Description: A description for the published Blueprint
  6. Click Next
  7. On the Policies screen, review the existing effective policy
    If required, modify the existing policies or click the Add another policy button to activate more policies
  8. Click Next
  9. On the Access screen, review the access permissions for the published Blueprint
    If required, click the Add User button to grant additional access, or click the  Remove button to remove access
  10. Click Next
  11. On the Summary screen, review the configured settings
  12. Ensure that the Publish Immediately option is checked
  13. Click Publish
  14. The Published marker will now indicate that the Blueprint is published

Deploy a Blueprint

Deploying a Blueprint creates the workloads in a cloud service provider.

This section provides the steps required to publish a Blueprint which has been published the the Catalog.

Prerequisites

  • Permissions granted to published blueprint(s)

Configuration Steps

  1. Log in to the Broker UI
  2. Navigate to Catalog
  3. The Catalog lists all published Blueprints which the logged in user has been granted permissions
  4. Click on the Blueprint to deploy
  5. On the Deploy screen, select of enter the following information
    • Name: A unique name for the deployment
    • Cost Centre: The Cost Centre which this deployment will obtain its budget
    • Lease End Date: The date that the deployment should be reserved to
    • Description: A deployment description
    • Deployment Failure Action
      • Terminate all resources: All resources associated with the deployment will be deleted in the event that the deployment fails
      • Do not terminate all resources: All resources associated with the deployment will remain in the event that the deployment fails - this is useful for debugging deployments, allowing manual resumption of the deployment while troubleshooting
  6. Click Next
  7. The Broker determines the best location to deploy the workload depending on:
    • Cost
    • Configured service providers and network mappings
    • Adherence to the Effective Policy
  8. The recommended deployment location is returned
    Optionally, review resources that the Broker has determined it will deploy
    Optionally, review other options for the deployment target
  9. Click Deploy
  10. A status message indicates that the deployment job has commenced
  11. Click the View Deployment button to monitor and view the deployment properties
  12. The Deployment Details is an interactive screen allowing end users to view and drill down into the resources within the deployment as well as any associated resources.
  13. The Blueprint has been deployed

Cloning a Blueprint

This section describes the steps required to clone a blueprint.

Cloning a blueprint creates a separate copy of the blueprint. To create a new version within the same copy, refer to the section Blueprint Versions.

  1. Log in to the Broker UI
  2. Navigate to Composer > My Blueprints
  3. For the blueprint to be cloned, click the ellipses menu (tile view) or the Composer drop-down menu (list view)
     
  4. Click Clone
  5. In the Clone Blueprint screen, provide the following information:
    • To New Name: A name for the new blueprint
  6. Click Clone
  7. A message indicates the status of the request

Export/Import Blueprint Data

This section describes the steps required to export/import a blueprint.

Blueprints are exported into a JSON formatted file and saved to the local computer. Inversely, JSON formatted blueprint files can be imported from the local computer.

  1. Log in to the Broker UI
  2. Navigate to Composer > My Blueprints
  3. For the blueprint to be exported/imported, click the ellipses menu (tile view) or the Composer drop down list (list view)
  4. Click Composer
  5. From the Actions menu, click Export Blueprint Data or Import Blueprint Data

Removing a Blueprint

This section describes the steps required to delete a blueprint.

  1. Log in to the Broker UI
  2. Navigate to Composer > My Blueprints
  3. For the blueprint to be deleted, click the ellipses menu (tile view) or the Composer drop-down menu (list view)
  4. Click Remove
  5. Click Delete Blueprint
  6. The blueprint has been removed