How to Manage Host Templates

This section describes how to create and manage host templates in ALM.

For an overview, see Host Templates Overview.

Creating a Host Template

This task describes how to create a host template in ALM.

1. Considerations when creating host templates

   When creating host templates, make sure to:

   • Create a template for each host configuration that your testers will need. Testers can only provision cloud hosts from existing templates.
   • Clearly describe the type of host that is provisioned by each template so that testers can provision exactly the hosts they need.
   • Ensure that the number of credits consumed by a host accurately reflects the cost of provisioning that host.
2. Prerequisites

   To add a host template to ALM, you must have added at least one cloud account. See How to Manage Cloud Accounts for more information.

   When creating host templates, you need to supply the following:

   • Location. Specifies the cloud region from which the template provisions hosts. The instance types and machine images available for the template depend upon the chosen location.
   • Instance Type. Specifies the hardware configuration of hosts created from the template. Instance types are provided by your cloud provider. Familiarize yourself with each of the instance types available from your cloud provider before you start creating host templates.
   • Machine Image. Specifies the software image to use for hosts created from the template. Machine images are managed on the website of your cloud provider. Make sure to upload all required images to your cloud provider before you start creating host templates. HP also provides a set of predefined images for you to use. Microsoft Azure cloud accounts cannot use predefined images.
3. Create a host template

   To create a host template:

   1. Log into the project that created the cloud account for which you are creating host templates.
   2. Go to Cloud Settings > Host Templates.
   3. Click the New Host Template button . This opens the New Host Template Dialog Box. For more information, see New Host Template Dialog Box.
   4. Enter the details of the new host template and click OK. The host template is created. For information about what to enter in each field, see Host Templates Module Fields.

   Your new host template can now be used to provision cloud hosts.

   Note:  

   • Host templates added from user projects are private and can be used only by the projects that created them. Host templates added from Lab Management are public and can be used by any project that is linked to the template's cloud account.
   • When creating a host template, you can only select cloud accounts that were added in the same project.

Creating Images for Microsoft Azure Cloud Accounts

To create images for Microsoft Azure cloud accounts:

1. Create a new instance from the cloud console, using a Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise SP1 x64 Image. For details, see http://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/documentation/articles/virtual-machines-create-custom/.

2. Connect to the instance that you just created. For details, see http://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/documentation/articles/virtual-machines-log-on-windows-server/.

3. Install a standalone Load Generator in Performance Center.

4. Turn off firewalls using the following command:

   netsh advfirewall set allprofiles state off

5. Register the LGCloudAgent service using the following command:

   sc create LGCloudAgent binPath= "c:\Program Files (x86)\HP\Load Generator\bin\LGCloudAgent.exe" start= auto

6. Disable autostart for the LoadRunnerAgent service:

   • sc config LoadRunnerAgent start= demand

   • sc config remotemanagementagent start= demand

7. Run the System Preparation Tool using the Generalize and Shutdown options, as described in http://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/documentation/articles/virtual-machines-capture-image-windows-server/. Wait until the instance stops.

   • cd %windir%\system32\sysprep

   • sysprep (generalize, shutdown)

8. Create an image from the instance. Value the following fields:

   1. $new_image_name: The image name.

   2. $new_image_label: The image label.

   3. $service_name: The name of the service of the instance provisioned in Step 1.

   4. $deployment_name: The deployment name.

   5. $role_name: The name of the virtual machine.

Modifying Host Template Details

To modify details for a host template:

1. Log into the project that created the host template.
2. In Cloud Settings > Host Template, select a host template in the grid and click the Host Template Details button . This opens the Host Template Details Dialog Box.
3. Make any necessary changes and click OK.

Deleting a Host Template

To delete a host template:

1. Log into the project that created the host template you wish to delete.
2. In Cloud Settings > Host Templates, select a host template in the grid and click the Delete button . The host template is deleted.