After almost 2 years since Nutanix basics – Nutanix Foundation – part 1 was published I decided to write Part 3. Since mid 2014 many things changed at Nutanix products, as well as Nutanix foundation changed too. As of today (3/15/2016) we have Foundation 3.1.0.1 standalone version and build in version into Acropolis software. So, today anyone, without special permissions in Nutanix portal can use Nutanix foundation to provision new cluster, re-image old cluster or expand existing clusters.
The only requirements are:
- Acropolis Base Software (former name NOS) on version 4.5 or newer
- workstation you are working from must be within the same subnet domain as your Nutanix blocks are
- IPv6 enabled on workstation
First what you have to do is download from portal.nutanix.com FoundationApplet-offline.zip installation bundle from the Foundation download page. Run applet and you should see new blocks discovered, like on the printscreen below.
Nutanix Foundation – java applet
Step 1 – you have to choose nodes\blocks for imaging
Nutanix Foundation – choose nodes to image
In Step 2 – define cluster – provide necessary information for cluster configuration
Nutanix Foundation – cluster configuration
Step 3 – assign host names, IP addresses for hypervisor , CVMs – to proceed click validate network button
Nutanix Foundation – IP addresses
Step 4 – is last step is about to choose and upload hypervisor version and Acropolis version. In below example – I choose Microsoft Hyper-V and Hyper-v SKU
Nutanix Foundation – choose ABS and hypervisor version
Once is done – click next to proceed and wait for foundation to complete a job. Time to complete depends on number of factors like network speed, number of node, hypervisor version. But usually takes from 45 minutes to 75 minutes.
If you have to use Acropolis Base Software in older version to re-image Nutanix kit – read my two part series about standalone foundation:
We’re having issues getting the tool to discover our Nutanix nodes. We have a switch (off our network) and given the nodes and our laptop an ip on the same subnet , and have ipv6 enabled on the laptop and it is not seeing the nodes. Are we missing a prereq???
HI,
Well, I have the same problem as Ian. I’m trying on Lenovo HX3310 (release el6.nutanix.20160217.2), the servers are hooked to Lenovo G8124, ports are configured as trunk with native vlan set to the Host/CVM vlan.
The offline java applet doesn’t discover anything.., I tried setting up the network with “nutanix-network-crashcart” on one of the nodes and the opened the X.X.X.X:8000/gui page, but foundation is not able to discover the other nodes, only itself.
I tried to ping IPv6 link-local addresses of all hosts and CVM from my machine and it works but no discovery occurs!