This five-day course teaches experienced VMware vSphere® administrators how to use the powerful automation tools that all vSphere customers have access to. Using real-world use cases and examples, you will learn how to automate day-to-day administration tasks with VMware vSphere® PowerCLI™ and VMware vRealize® Orchestrator™. During class, you will use these tools to automate tasks in a realistic lab environment.

Product Alignment
•  vSphere PowerCLI 6.0
•  vRealize Orchestrator 7.0

By the end of the course, you should be able to meet the following objectives:
•  Describe the features and benefits of automation in a vSphere environment
•  Understand the role of the vSphere Web Services API in automation
•  Use the Managed Object Browser (MOB) to view the structure of VMware vSphere® API and VMware
   vCenter Server® inventory   
•  Use vSphere PowerCLI to deploy and manage virtual machines and virtual infrastructure
•  Run and manage library vRealize Orchestrator workflows
•  Design, develop, and run custom reusable vRealize Orchestrator workflows
•  Incorporate JavaScript into vRealize Orchestrator workflows
•  Select the appropriate tool for automating day-to-day tasks in vCenter Server

Experienced vSphere administrators who want to use available tools to automate day-to-day tasks

Completion of the following courses, or equivalent experience with vSphere deployments:
•  VMware vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage [V6.0]

Course Introduction

    Introductions and course logistics
    Course objectives

Automation in vSphere

    Identify the tools available to vSphere administrators for automation
    Understand the benefits of automation
    Understand the function of black boxes in programming

vSphere API

    Identify the function of an API
    Recognize the components of the vSphere Web Services API
    Understand how the vSphere Web Services API is used by automation tools
    Understand object-oriented terminology relevant to the vSphere Web Services API
    Use the MOB to explore the vSphere object model and invoke methods

vSphere PowerCLI Basics

    Describe features of vSphere PowerCLI
    List common tasks to perform with vSphere PowerCLI
    Connect vSphere PowerCLI to vCenter Server and VMware ESXi™ hosts
    Define variables to use in vSphere PowerCLI
    Use basic vSphere PowerCLI cmdlets
    Describe features of the command pipeline
    Examine vSphere PowerCLI objects
    View vSphere PowerCLI object properties
    Invoke vSphere PowerCLI object methods

vSphere PowerCLI Use Cases

    Perform day-to-day management tasks with vSphere PowerCLI

Advanced vSphere PowerCLI concepts

    Examine View objects with the Get-View cmdlet
    Convert View objects to VIObjects
    Invoke vSphere Web Services API methods
    Use the Onyx tool to capture vSphere PowerCLI code

vRealize Orchestrator Basics 

    Identify vRealize Orchestrator components
    Understand the function of plug-ins
    Add a vCenter Server instance to the vCenter Server plug-in
    List the components of a workflow
    Create a vCenter Server object with a library workflow
    Distinguish between workflow variable types
    Create a simple workflow
    Create workflow input and output parameters
    Set a workflow input parameter as an attribute
    Understand the role of binding in workflows
    Use a library workflow in a new workflow
    Use the setup wizard to perform parameter binding

Developing vRealize Orchestrator Workflows

    Identify and use common vRealize Orchestrator workflow elements
    Implement vRealize Orchestrator workflow nesting
    List methods for calling other workflows in vRealize Orchestrator workflows
    Identify the information required to develop a workflow
    Use the vRealize Orchestrator workflow scripting debugger

vRealize Orchestrator Advanced

    Create basic decision loops in workflows
    Use a for-each loop in a workflow
    Understand how exceptions are handled in vRealize Orchestrator
    Use action elements in workflows
    Capture JavaScript with Onyx and use it in a workflow

vRealize Orchestrator Use Case

    Create a workflow that deploys multiple virtual machines according to a customer specification

vRealize Orchestrator PowerShell Plug-In

    Add Windows PowerShell hosts to the vCenter Server inventory
    Invoke scripts on Windows PowerShell hosts
    Create Windows PowerShell workflows

Guest Operations with vRealize Orchestrator and vSphere PowerCLI

    Understand the architecture of virtual machine guest operations
    Identify the requirements for using guest operations
    Perform guest operations with vRealize Orchestrator and vSphere PowerCLI