Adding and Configuring BIG-IP VE Devices in a VMware Environment

Configuring BIG-IP VE Devices Located in a Third-Party Cloud Environment

Supported VMware cloud environments

BIG-IQ supports creating BIG-IP VE devices in ​​VMware ESXi OS and vCenter Server versions 6.0, 6.5, 6.7, and 7.0.

Preparing a VMware environment for BIG-IP VE devices

You must prepare your VMware environment to create a BIG-IP VE in it by performing the following tasks:

• Install the vCenter host root certificate onto the BIG-IQ system for secure communication.
• Import the BIG-IP VE OVA for each BIG-IP version you want to use as a VMware template.
• Set the CPU number and amount of memory based on the usage and provisioning you want (for example, you’ll need at least 4 CPU and 16GB RAM to provision LTM, AFT, and APM). For details on the resources required for your particular needs, refer to Determine the resources required for deployment on support.f5.com.
• Deploy the OVA/OVF to your vCenter server.
• Install the VMware tools on the template/clone. For details on how to create a VMware clone, refer to Create a BIG-IP clone template on support.f5.com.
• Verify the VMware environment is on a Datastore that is available to the ESXi host or cluster.

How do I create and configure BIG-IP VE devices in a VMware environment?

BIG-IQ Centralized Management makes it easy for you to create, configure, and manage BIG-IP VE devices in a VMware environment.

To start managing a BIG-IP VE device in a VMware environment, you must first complete the following tasks.

Assign user access in your VMware vCenter environment

Before a user can manage BIG-IP devices, you must add them to a group in your VMware vCenter that includes the following roles:

• Datastore
• Resource
• Virtual machine
• vApp

Refer to your VMware documentation for details on managing VMware vCenter groups and roles.

Install the vCenter host root certificate onto the BIG-IQ system for secure communication

From the BIG-IQ command line, copy the root certificate from the vCenter host cert file /etc/vmware-sso/key/ssoserverRoot.crt to the BIG-IQ system’s cert directory /config/ssl/ssl.crt then type the following command to create a symbolic link to this certificate using the certificate’s hash: ln -s ssoserverRoot.crt openssl x509 -hash -noout -in ssoserverRoot.crt.0 Then delete ssoserverRoot.crt.

Create an IP address pool on BIG-IQ

Create an IP address pool to manage the IP addresses for the self IP or management addresses on the BIG-IP VE devices. This is mandatory for all VMware templates. This step is optional.

Specify your cloud provider details on BIG-IQ

Specify the cloud provider’s credentials so you can access the cloud environment from BIG-IQ.

Configure your cloud environment on BIG-IQ

Configure your cloud environment on BIG-IQ by specifying the cloud-specific properties for that environment.

Create a BIG-IP VE device

Create a BIG-IP VE device from BIG-IQ in the cloud environment you configured.

Onboard your BIG-IP VE device and BIG-IP VE device cluster

Provide the configuration details for the BIG-IP VE device or BIG-IP VE device cluster, and provision the services you want BIG-IQ to import through the onboarding process. BIG-IQ applies the configuration to the BIG-IP VE devices through a declarative onboarding API call. For more information about declaration onboarding API specific to BIG-IP VE devices, see https://github.com/F5Networks/f5-declarative-onboarding

After you save the configuration for the BIG-IP VE devices you created, BIG-IQ sends an API call to apply that configuration to the targeted BIG-IP VE devices. After BIG-IQ successfully applies the configuration, it then discovers and imports the services the device is licensed for. This means you don’t have to discover and import services in a separate step. When the onboarding process is complete, you can start managing the BIG-IP VE devices from the Devices > BIG-IP DEVICES screen.

Create a BIG-IP VE clone template

This task assumes that you know how to do routine tasks in the VMware environment. If you need details for a particular step, refer to the VMware documentation.

There are two reasons to create a BIG-IP VE clone template. First, when you perform this task, it starts the VMware tools service in your VMware environment. BIG-IQ and VMware need this service when you use declarative onboarding (DO) to create a device or when you create a service scaling group (SSG). Second, a BIG-IP VE clone is one good way to manage the image that VMware uses when it creates new BIG-IP VE instances for an SSG or DO device.

1. Create the BIG-IP VE clone template based on the original BIG-IP VE instance.

2. Power on the new clone template instance.

3. Log in to the command line of the running BIG-IP VE clone template instance.

4. Delete f5-rest-device-id directory files.

   To delete these files, type the following command.

   Copy

   rm -f /config/f5-rest-device-id

   This forces the REST device ID files to be uniquely generated the next time you start the clone.

5. Delete the BIG-IP VE clone instance-generated SSH keys.

   To delete these keys, type the following command:

   Copy

   rm -f /config/ssh/ssh_host_* 

   Copy

   rm -f /shared/ssh/ssh_host_*

   This forces the SSH keys to be uniquely generated the next time you start the clone.

6. Delete the bigip.license file.

   To delete this file, type the following command:

   Copy

   rm -f /config/bigip.license

7. If your BIG-IP VE instances are version 14.1.0 and later, you need to reset the device administrative account passwords to their default values.

   To reset these passwords, type the following commands:

   Copy

   echo "root:default" | chpasswd
   echo  "admin:admin" | chpasswd

8. Power off the BIG-IP VE clone template instance.

   To power off the instance, type the following command:

   Copy

   shutdown -h now

For BIG-IP version 14.1.0 and later, when you first log in to a BIG-VE, you must change the default passwords.

Create an IP address pool for new BIG-IP VE devices in VMware environment

You create an IP address pool so that you can control the IP addresses for the management addresses on the BIG-IP VE that BIG-IQ creates.

1. At the top of the screen, click Devices then, on the left, click IP Pools.

   The screen displays the list of the IP pools defined on this device.

2. Click Create.

   The Create New IP Pool screen opens.

3. Fill in the details for this IP address pool and then click Save & Close.

   This creates a new IP pool that you can be use to assign IP addresses to BIG-IP VE created on VMware.

Specify VMware credentials required to connect to a vCenter server

Before you can create a VMware cloud provider, you must know the vCenter host name.

You create a new VMware cloud provider so that you can specify the VMware credentials required to connect to the vCenter server. You can use this connector to communicate from BIG-IQ to the VMware cloud environments connected to that server.

1. At the top of the screen, click Applications then, on the left, click ENVIRONMENTS > Cloud Providers.

2. Click Create.

   The New Cloud Provider screen opens.

3. After you name this new cloud provider, from the Provider Type list, select VMware and supply the provider details.

To use this provider to create BIG-IP VE devices in, you must now specify the cloud environment details.

Configure your VMware environment on BIG-IQ

You define a new cloud environment to specify the parameters that the BIG-IQ needs so it can communicate with vCenter to create and manage the BIG-IP VE devices created and managed in the VMware cloud environment.

1. At the top of the screen, click Applications then, on the left, click ENVIRONMENTS > Cloud Environments.

2. Click Create.

3. From the Cloud Provider list, select the name of the VMware provider you want to use for this environment.

   The screen shows the VMware Properties settings.

4. Specify the VMware properties.

   1. For Deploy To, select an option to identify the VMware destination to which you want new BIG-IP VE devices to deploy:

      Important: If you identify the destination using a cluster name, the VMware host must have DRS enabled before you try to deploy BIG-IP VE devices, or the deployment will fail. If you use the ESXi hostname, the DRS setting is optional.

      • Select Cluster, and type the name of the cluster.
      • Select ESXi Hostname, and type either the IP address or the FQDN of the ESXi host.

   2. If you want to include an Annotation that will appear in the notes section of the virtual machine summary for the BIG-IP VE devices, type one in.

   3. Type the name of the vSphere Datacenter that houses the VMware resources on which the BIG-IP VE devices will reside.

   4. If you want to specify a Resource Pool, type the name of the resource pool the ESXi host uses.

   5. If you want to specify a Folder, type the name of the shared folder the ESXi host uses.

   6. Type the User name and Password for the vCenter user that you configured for this VMware environment.

   7. Specify how you want VMware to create the virtual machines it uses when it creates a BIG-IP device.

      • To use a VMware template, in the VM Image field, type the name of the template.
      • To use a VM snapshot:
        1. For VM Image, type the name of the BIG-IP image used to create the snapshot.
        2. For Linked Clone, select Yes, and then type the name of the snapshot you created for this image in Snapshot name for Linked Clone. Note: When you set up the VM image that you want to create your clone from, it must reside on storage that is accessible to all ESXi hosts for that cluster.

      Note: Details about creating a virtual machine in your VMware environment are provided in the BIG-IP Virtual Edition 13.1.0 and VMware ESXi: Setup guide on support.f5.com

      Note: The BIG-IP VE in vCenter must have VMware tools installed on it. After you deploy the BIG-IP VE to vCenter, use the procedure in the article: https://support.f5.com/csp/article/K44134742 to install the VMware tools.

   8. In the Network Interface Mapping fields, specify the network interface mappings for the BIG-IP VE devices created.

      The mappings you specify must match the settings that were used when the virtual machine network interfaces were defined as part of the BIG-IP VE deployment to your VMware environment.

      Note: For additional detail on NIC configuration, refer to the BIG-IP Virtual Edition 13.1.0 and VMware ESXi: Setup on support.f5.com.

      You can click + if you want to specify additional NICs for this environment.

5. For IP Pool Alias Mapping, you can map existing IP pools from BIG-IP devices to specific aliases to be referenced later.

   This is optional. The full list of IP pools is available to choose from when you create the BIG-IP VE device. You can click + if you want to specify additional aliases for this environment.

6. Click the Save & Close button at the bottom of the screen.

   BIG-IQ creates the new cloud environment. This VMware environment is available for you to create BIG-IP VE devices in it from BIG-IQ.

Create a BIG-IP VE device in a VMware cloud environment

You’ll need to have a VMware environment configured before you can create a BIG-IP VE device in it.

You create a BIG-IP VE device so you can then configure it and start managing it from BIG-IQ Centralized Management.

1. At the top of the screen, click Devices.

2. On the left, click BIG-IP VE CREATION.

3. Click Create.

4. Type a name for this task

5. For BIG-IP VE Name, type a name to identify the BIG-IP VE you are creating.

6. From the Cloud Environment list, select your VMware environment.

7. From the Address list, select an option for the type of addresses you want to use for new BIG-IP VE devices.

8. In the Number of BIG-IP VE to Create field, specify the number of devices you want to create.

   You can create up to five at a time.

9. Click the Create button at the bottom of the screen.

When BIG-IQ successfully completes a BIG-IP VE creation task, the task displays on the BIG-IP VE creation screen. The BIG-IP VE creation process can take up to 10 minutes, depending on the cloud environment and the BIG-IP VE configuration.

You can now configure t his BIG-IP VE device through the onboarding process.

Configure a BIG-IP VE device in a VMware cloud environment through onboarding

You must configure your cloud environment and create BIG-IP VE devices in it before you can configure the BIG-IP VE devices.

You can configure BIG-IP VE devices through a process called declarative onboarding (DO), also referred to as just onboarding. When you onboarda BIG-IP VE, you specify all of the details of its configuration, and discover and import their services in one procedure. After you onboard BIG-IP VE devices, you can start managing them from the BIG-IQ Devices > BIG-IP DEVICES screen.

1. At the top of the screen, click Devices.

2. On the left, click BIG-IP VE CREATION.

   Alternatively, you can click BIG-IP ONBOARDING on the left and onboard the BIG-IP VE from that screen.

3. Select the check box next to the BIG-IP VE Creation task that completed successfully, and click the Onboard button to start the onboarding task.

4. Type a name and optional description to help you identify this task.

5. Select the onboarding classes you want to use to configure the BIG-IP VE devices, and when you’re done, click the Onboard button at the bottom of the screen.

   Following is a list of the minimally required and highly recommended parameters you should specify for onboarding BIG-IP VE devices. Every environment is different, so, in addition to the classes and parameters here, consider additional configuration options you might need for your network and applications. For example, you might want to set up DNS, or add a route.

   You can view the API call that BIG-IQ makes to onboard BIG-IP devices at any time by clicking View Sample API Request at the upper right.

   • For more information about all declarative onboarding (DO) parameters and requirements, refer to: https://clouddocs.f5.com/products/extensions/f5-declarative-onboarding/latest/composing-a-declaration.html
   • For more information about clustering DO parameters and requirements, refer to: https://clouddocs.f5.com/products/extensions/f5-declarative-onboarding/latest/clustering.htm
   • For more information about the BIG-IQ version 7.1.0 API, refer to: https://clouddocs.f5networks.net/products/big-iq/mgmt-api/latest Important: You can use parameter values written as in-place references to other DO classes only from the API. For example, using a parameter value of “/Common/failoverGroup/members/0” (pointer to a different class in the same declaration) for an address, instead of the actual remote address. Do not use parameters with references to other DO classes in the user interface from the BIG-IQ > Devices > BIG-IP ONBOARDING > Create screen; instead, use the actual value for the field.

   Important: If you use a Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN) for Device Group, Owner and/or Remote Hosts, you must validate that you can resolve that FQDN with the DNS server.

BIG-IQ configures the BIG-IP VE devices in this cluster and automatically imports its provisioned services based on the **BIG-IQ Settings Onboard Classes**. When the BIG-IP VE devices are successfully onboarded, the status displays as **Onboard Finished** and the BIG-IP VE devices displays on the BIG-IP Devices screen where you can start managing them. This onboarding task remains in the list until you delete it. You can use existing onboard tasks for the basis of new onboard tasks.

API example of onboarding BIG-IP VE device in VMware cloud environment

This is an example of what you’ll see when you specify the details for an onboard declaration and click the View Sample API Request button from the Create Onboard Declaration screen. API REST URL: /mgmt/shared/declarative-onboarding For more information about declarative onboarding, refer to the API REST documentation: https://clouddocs.f5.com/products/big-iq/mgmt-api/v7.0.0/ApiReferences/bigiq_public_api_ref/r_do_onboarding.html If you use a Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN) for Device Group, Owner and/or Remote Hosts, you must validate that you can resolve that FQDN with the DNS server

{
    "class": "DO",
    "declaration": {
        "schemaVersion": "1.5.0",
        "class": "Device",
        "async": true,
        "Common": {
            "class": "Tenant",
            "myLicense": {
                "class": "License",
                "licenseType": "regKey",
                "regKey": "xxx-xx-xx-xxx"
            },
            "myProvision": {
                "class": "Provision",
                "ltm": "nominal"
            },
            "myNtp": {
                "class": "NTP",
                "servers": [
                    "ntp1.ntp.com"
                ]
            },
            "hostname": "mybigip_no3.mycompany.domain.com"
        }
    },
    "targetHost": "10.10.75.23",
    "targetUsername": "admin",
    "targetPassphrase": "Password",
    "bigIqSettings": {
        "failImportOnConflict": false,
        "conflictPolicy": "USE_BIGIQ",
        "deviceConflictPolicy": "USE_BIGIP",
        "versionedConflictPolicy": "KEEP_VERSION"
    }
}
	

Configure a cluster of BIG-IP VE devices in an VMware cloud environment through onboarding

You must configure your cloud environment and create BIG-IP VE devices in it before you can configure the BIG-IP VE devices.

You can configure BIG-IP VE devices through a process called declarative onboarding (DO), also referred to as just, onboarding. Onboarding BIG-IP VE clusters makes it easy for you to configure more than one BIG-IP VE at one time. When you onboard a cluster of BIG-IP VE devices, you specify all of the details of their configuration, and discover and import their services in one procedure. After you onboard the BIG-IP VE devices, you can start managing them from the BIG-IQ Devices > BIG-IP DEVICESscreen.

1. At the top of the screen, click Devices.

2. On the left, click BIG-IP VE CREATION.

   Alternatively, you can click BIG-IP ONBOARDING on the left and onboard the BIG-IP VE from that screen.

3. Select the check mark next to two or more BIG-IP VE creation tasks that were successful, and then click the Onboard Cluster button.

   BIG-IQ allows you to simultaneously onboard the BIG-IP VE devices you select as a cluster.

4. Select the onboarding classes you want to use to configure the BIG-IP VE devices and when you’re done, click the Onboard button at the bottom of the screen.

   Following is a list of the minimally required and highly recommended parameters you should specify for onboarding BIG-IP VE devices. Every environment is different, so, in addition to the classes and parameters here, consider additional configuration options you might need for your network and applications. For example, you might want to set up DNS, or add a route.

   You can view the API call that BIG-IQ makes to onboard BIG-IP devices at any time by clicking View Sample API Request at the upper right.

   • For more information about all declarative onboarding (DO) parameters and requirements, refer to: https://clouddocs.f5.com/products/extensions/f5-declarative-onboarding/latest/composing-a-declaration.html
   • For more information about clustering DO parameters and requirements, refer to: https://clouddocs.f5.com/products/extensions/f5-declarative-onboarding/latest/clustering.htm
   • For more information about the BIG-IQ version 7.1.0 API, refer to: https://clouddocs.f5networks.net/products/big-iq/mgmt-api/latest Important: You can use parameter values written as in-place references to other DO classes only from the API. For example, using a parameter value of “/Common/failoverGroup/members/0” (pointer to a different class in the same declaration) for an address, instead of the actual remote address. Do not use parameters with references to other DO classes in the user interface from the BIG-IQ > Devices > BIG-IP ONBOARDING > Create screen; instead, use the actual value for the field.

   Important: If you use a Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN) for Device Group, Owner and/or Remote Hosts, you must validate that you can resolve that FQDN with the DNS server.

BIG-IQ configures the BIG-IP VE devices in this cluster and automatically imports its provisioned services based on the BIG-IQ Settings Onboard Classes. When the BIG-IP VE devices are successfully onboarded, the status displays as Onboard Finished and the BIG-IP VE devices displays on the BIG-IP Devices screen where you can start managing them. This onboarding task remains in the list until you delete it. You can use existing onboard tasks for the basis of new onboard tasks.

API example of onboarding a cluster of BIG-IP VE devices

This is an example of what you’ll see when you specify the details for an BIG-IP VE cluster onboard declaration for a BIG-IP VE cluster and click the View Sample API Request button from the Create Onboard Declaration screen. API REST URL: /mgmt/shared/declarative-onboarding For more information about declarative onboarding, refer to the API REST documentation: https://clouddocs.f5.com/products/big-iq/mgmt-api/v7.0.0/ApiReferences/bigiq_public_api_ref/r_do_onboarding.html If you use a Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN) for Device Group, Owner and/or Remote Hosts, you must validate that you can resolve that FQDN with the DNS server

API for BIG-IP 1

{
  "class": "DO",
  "declaration": {
    "schemaVersion": "1.5.0",
    "class": "Device",
    "async": true,
    "Common": {
      "class": "Tenant",
      "myDbVariables": {
        "class": "DbVariables",
        "configsync.allowmanagement": "enable"
      },
      "myProvision": {
        "asm": "nominal",
        "ltm": "nominal",
        "class": "Provision"
      },
      "myNtp": {
        "class": "NTP",
        "servers": [
          "0.pool.ntp.org",
          "1.pool.ntp.org",
          "2.pool.ntp.org"
        ],
        "timezone": "UTC"
      },
      "admin": {
        "class": "User",
        "userType": "regular",
        "partitionAccess": {
          "all-partitions": {
            "role": "admin"
          }
        },
        "password": "Mypassword2020!"
      },
      "myConfigSync": {
        "class": "ConfigSync",
        "configsyncIp": "10.0.0.65"
      },
      "myDeviceGroup": {
        "type": "sync-only",
        "class": "DeviceGroup",
        "owner": "bigip01.example.com",
        "asmSync": true,
        "members": [
          "bigip01.example.com",
          "ip-10-0-0-179.ec2.internal"
        ],
        "autoSync": true,
        "networkFailover": true
      },
      "myDeviceTrust": {
        "class": "DeviceTrust",
        "remoteHost": "bigip01.example.com",
        "localUsername": "admin",
        "remoteUsername": "admin",
        "localPassword": "Mypassword2020!",
        "remotePassword": "Mypassword2020!"
      }
    }
  },
  "targetUsername": "admin",
  "targetHost": "54.224.38.217",
  "targetSshKey": {
    "path": "/var/ssh/restnoded/joeyawsveF_3_12869.pem"
  },
  "bigIqSettings": {
    "failImportOnConflict": false,
    "conflictPolicy": "USE_BIGIQ",
    "deviceConflictPolicy": "USE_BIGIP",
    "versionedConflictPolicy": "KEEP_VERSION",
    "clusterName": "myawscluster"
  }
}
	

API for BIG-IP 2

 {
  "class": "DO",
  "declaration": {
    "schemaVersion": "1.5.0",
    "class": "Device",
    "async": true,
    "Common": {
      "class": "Tenant",
      "myDbVariables": {
        "class": "DbVariables",
        "configsync.allowmanagement": "enable"
      },
      "myProvision": {
        "asm": "nominal",
        "ltm": "nominal",
        "class": "Provision"
      },
      "myNtp": {
        "class": "NTP",
        "servers": [
          "0.pool.ntp.org",
          "1.pool.ntp.org",
          "2.pool.ntp.org"
        ],
        "timezone": "UTC"
      },
      "admin": {
        "class": "User",
        "userType": "regular",
        "partitionAccess": {
          "all-partitions": {
            "role": "admin"
          }
        },
        "password": "Mypassword2020!"
      },
      "myConfigSync": {
        "class": "ConfigSync",
        "configsyncIp": "10.0.0.65"
      },
      "myDeviceGroup": {
        "type": "sync-only",
        "class": "DeviceGroup",
        "owner": "bigip01.example.com",
        "asmSync": true,
        "members": [
          "bigip01.example.com",
          "ip-10-0-0-179.ec2.internal"
        ],
        "autoSync": true,
        "networkFailover": true
      },
      "myDeviceTrust": {
        "class": "DeviceTrust",
        "remoteHost": "bigip01.example.com",
        "localUsername": "admin",
        "remoteUsername": "admin",
        "localPassword": "Mypassword2020!",
        "remotePassword": "Mypassword2020!"
      }
    }
  },
  "targetUsername": "admin",
  "targetHost": "54.198.50.34",
  "targetSshKey": {
    "path": "/var/ssh/restnoded/joeyawsveF_4_12862.pem"
  },
  "bigIqSettings": {
    "failImportOnConflict": false,
    "conflictPolicy": "USE_BIGIQ",
    "deviceConflictPolicy": "USE_BIGIP",
    "versionedConflictPolicy": "KEEP_VERSION",
    "clusterName": "myawscluster"
  }
}