Infoblox API Guide - Managing Infoblox vNIOS for Microsoft ... · Infoblox API Guide – Managing...

© 2017 Infoblox Inc. All rights reserved. Infoblox API Guide – Managing Infoblox vNIOS for Microsoft Azure March 2017 Page1 15

INFOBLOX API GUIDE FOR MICROSOFT AZURE

Infoblox API Guide - Managing Infoblox vNIOS for Microsoft Azure Appliances


Contents

Introduction....................................................................................................................................... 3

Prerequisites .................................................................................................................................... 3

Limitations ........................................................................................................................................ 3

Introduction to Scripting ................................................................................................................... 3

Infoblox Use Cases for Scripting with Microsoft Azure ....................................................... 3

Getting Started ................................................................................................................................. 4

Azure CLI ................................................................................................................................... 4

How to get it ........................................................................................................................ 4

How to use it ....................................................................................................................... 4

Additional Resources ..................................................................................................................... 10

Windows PowerShell ............................................................................................................... 11

PowerShell Basics ............................................................................................................ 11

PowerShell Applications.................................................................................................... 12

PowerShell Usage ............................................................................................................. 12

Command Examples ......................................................................................................... 13

Helpful Cmdlet Examples .................................................................................................. 14


Introduction

Infoblox vNIOS for Azure is a virtualized Infoblox appliance designed for deployment as a VM (virtual

machine) in Microsoft Azure, a collection of integrated cloud services in the Microsoft Cloud. Infoblox

vNIOS for Azure enables you to deploy robust, manageable, and cost effective Infoblox appliances in the

Microsoft Cloud. Infoblox NIOS is the underlying software running on Infoblox appliances and provides

core network services and a framework for integrating all the components of the modular Infoblox

solution. It provides integrated, secure, and easy-to-manage DNS (Domain Name System), IPAM (IP

address management) and other services.

Azure CLI is a command line based application which enables automation and command line based

management of Microsoft Azure services. The Azure CLI is also leveraged when managing Microsoft

Azure services via scripting (API), providing additional functions beyond what may be available through

the standard GUI based Azure web portal and automation of tasks through the use of scripts.

Windows PowerShell is a command line based shell with its own scripting language, commonly used by

system administrators and other users for automation of tasks, execution of advanced commands or for

performing administrative actions not available through the standard GUI based interfaces.

Prerequisites

The following are prerequisites for managing an Infoblox vNIOS for Azure appliance using scripting:

Valid login and subscription in Microsoft Azure.

Azure CLI 1.0

Appropriate permissions in Microsoft Azure to stop and start a VM instance.

Limitations

The Azure CLI is constantly evolving. At the time of this writing, version 2.0 of the Azure CLI is in preview

mode and the syntax for the commands referenced here, while minimal, will change. It can be expected

that any steps documented here can change at any time and without notice. Additionally, not all use

cases can be covered in this guide.

The example scripts provided in this guide use BASH, a Unix based shell. To be able to execute these

scripts using a Windows based computer, UnxUtils (Unix Utilities) may be required. For more information

regarding UnxUtils, refer to https://sourceforge.net/projects/unxutils/.

Introduction to Scripting

The use of scripting can be very useful when attempting to automate administrative tasks or execute

commands that may not be available through other means (such as through the Azure Portal). Azure

provides libraries through the Azure CLI which enable connectivity into the Azure cloud platform using a

variety of different platforms. This allows for highly flexible and customizable scripts to be used for

completing nearly any required task and using nearly any desired scripting language. These scripting

languages can include (but not limited to) bash (as demonstrated in this guide) and Python.

Infoblox Use Cases for Scripting with Microsoft Azure

The following are common use cases for using scrips to manage an Infoblox vNIOS for Azure VM:

a. You are deploying an Infoblox vNIOS for Azure appliance and require a configuration not

supported using the wizard in the Azure Portal (https://portal.azure.com/).

b. You need to automate the deployment, shutdown, restart or termination of an Infoblox vNIOS for

Azure appliance.

https://sourceforge.net/projects/unxutils/

https://portal.azure.com/


The Custom Deployment Use Case In this use case, you must deploy an Infoblox vNIOS for Azure VM using parameters that may not be

configurable or allowed with the solution template that is called upon by the wizard when creating the VM

through the Azure Portal (https://portal.azure.com/).

The Automation Use Case For this use case, an administrator can automate the deployment, shutdown and restart or termination of

an Infoblox vNIOS for Azure appliance. This can be helpful in lab or QA environments where appliance

availability requirements can change rapidly and would allow for administrators to automate any changes

as required.

Getting Started

Azure CLI

For the examples provided in this guide to be able to function, the Azure CLI must first be installed. The

Azure CLI provides a simple command line interface to the Azure cloud, enabling administrators to

execute commands for operations which may not be available through the Azure web portal

(https://portal.azure.com/) and to automate many operations, helping to reduce both the administrator’s

workload and errors that can occur when commands are entered manually. The extensions added during

the installation of the Azure CLI are also leveraged for scripting access, such as by enabling the ability for

a scripting session to be able to authenticate with the Azure cloud platform and login to a subscription.

In this guide, examples for creating an Infoblox vNIOS for Azure VM through the API are provided. These

script examples are written as BASH shell scripts, a language common to Linux based operating systems.

For Windows based computers, additional supporting software or steps may be required.

How to get it

The Azure CLI is available for both Windows and Linux based operating systems. Instructions and

download information the supported platforms can be found at https://docs.microsoft.com/en-

us/azure/xplat-cli-install/.

How to use it

The installation of the Azure CLI adds libraries to your computer which are executed through either a

terminal window for *nix based computers or through a command prompt for Windows based computers.

To run commands in Azure, each command is prefixed with the command “azure”.

Example:



https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/xplat-cli-install/

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/xplat-cli-install/


Scripting Basics

Bash

Bash (Bourne-Again Shell), as its full name implies and its corresponding scripting language, is a ‘shell’

program used by default on Linux based computers (including Apple OS X). Bash is a powerful shell,

providing a vast array of features and capabilities, from very simple operations to complex commands

and scripts. In this guide, example scripts which written using bash are provided and these can be

executed from any computer which supports the bash shell and have all required dependencies installed.

Many of these dependencies are frequently met with default installations, though this will vary from

computer to computer depending on how the operating system was installed. Refer to the reference

URL’s provided earlier in this guide for more details regarding this.

JSON

JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) provides a specification used for the formatting of text in a format that

is easy for both humans and computers to read and write. In Azure, the output of properties from many

different commands is returned in JSON format and Infoblox also uses the JSON format for the parameter

files (templates) used during the creation of Infoblox vNIOS for Azure VM’s.

Script Structure

A Script used to create an Infoblox vNIOS for Azure VM consists of two pieces:

The script which sets the dynamic values that are going to be applied

The JSON formatted parameters file which sets up the configuration on the VM and the

environment that it is being deployed in.

In the script, you can control whether a new Resource Group is created or not and the name to be used

for the Resource Group. The name for the VM, network configuration and other options being enabled are

set in the parameters file.


Script Examples

In the following script example, you can see a working demonstration where a Resource Group and

Virtual Machine is created. This is followed with the parameters file, where the vNet (Virtual Network),

network interfaces, public IP address (PIP) and Availability Zone (AZ) are configured.

Before your script can be executed, your session must be authenticated. This can be done every time the

script executes by including the following line in the script:

azure login

Otherwise, simply run the command “azure login” through the CLI prior to running your script.

Once your session has been successfully authenticated, you can continue to run your script. Here is a

working example that will leverage the referenced .json parameters file and create a new Resource

Group, along with an Infoblox vNIOS for Azure VM and assign it a public IP address and Availability

Zone:

AZURE_TEMPLATE_URI=https://raw.githubusercontent.com/infobloxopen/infoblox-azure-

templates/master/main/mainTemplate.json

PARAMETERS_DIR="utils/params"

PREFIX="ext1-"

DEPLOYMENT_NAME="${PREFIX}deployment$(date +%Y%m%d%H%M%S)"

RESOURCE_GROUP="${PREFIX}group"

LOCATION="eastus"

azure group create "${RESOURCE_GROUP}" "${LOCATION}"

if azure group show ${RESOURCE_GROUP} &> /dev/null; then

echo -e "\nSuccess! Resource group '${RESOURCE_GROUP}' exists.\n"

fi

echo "-------------------"

echo -e "Creating Infoblox vNIOS for Azure appliance (Model VNIOS-TE-V1420).\nWhen

prompted, enter the value for machine size to be used.\nThe supported values are:

Standard_DS2, Standard_DS2_v2, Standard_DS3, or Standard_DS3_v2\n"

azure group deployment create \

--template-uri "${AZURE_TEMPLATE_URI}" \

--parameters-file "${PARAMETERS_DIR}/parameters.allnew.json" \

--resource-group "${RESOURCE_GROUP}" \

"${DEPLOYMENT_NAME}"

echo "-------------------"

In the above example, the values highlighted in green can be updated to reflect the names or values that

you want to use when the corresponding objects are created in Azure. This includes the directory where

the parameters file is located, the prefix that will be used when objects specified in the script are created,

name to be used for the Resource Group (appended with the prefix label), the location and the name of

the parameters file.

JSON Template

To support the script, a JSON formatted parameters file must also be used. The following table lists the

supported parameters and allowed values that are used in the parameters file:

https://raw.githubusercontent.com/infobloxopen/infoblox-azure-templates/master/main/mainTemplate.json

https://raw.githubusercontent.com/infobloxopen/infoblox-azure-templates/master/main/mainTemplate.json


Parameter Description Allowed Values

baseURL URL for the main parameters

template

Location Default location for resources

vmName Name for the Virtual Machine

niosModel vNIOS for Azure VM type "vnios-te-v820", "vnios-te-v1420",

"vnios-te-v2220", "vnios-cp-v800",

"vnios-cp-v1400", "vnios-cp-

v2200". Default= vnios-te-v1420

niosVersion NIOS version “latest”, or other supported version

adminPassword Password for admin account

virtualNetworkName Name for vNet

virtualNetworkExistingRGName Resource Group for vNet

virtualNetworkAddressPrefix vNet address and CIDR

vnetNewOrExisting Use a new or existing vNet "new", "existing". Default= new Subnet1Name Subnet name for LAN1

Subnet1Prefix Subnet address and CIDR

Subnet1StartAddress Sets first available IP

Subnet2Name Subnet name for MGMT

Subnet2Prefix Subnet address and CIDR

Subnet2StartAddress Sets first available IP

newStorageAccountName Name for storage account used

for the VM’s disks

storageAccountType Sets the storage account type Premium_LRS

storageAccountNewOrExisting Use a new or existing storage

account

“new”, “existing”

storageAccountExistingRG Name of Resource Group for

storage account

newstorageAccountForLogsName Name for storage account used

for boot diagnostics

storageAccountForLogsType Sets the boot diagnostics

storage account type

Standard_LRS

storageAccountForLogsNewOrExisting Create a new or use an existing

boot diagnostics storage

account

"new", "existing". Default= new

storageAccountForLogsExistingRG Name of Resource Group for

boot diagnostics storage

account

publicIPAddressName Name for public IP object

publicIPDnsName DNS name for public IP

publicIPNewOrExistingOrNone Create a new, assign an

existing, or do not use a public

IP address

"new", "existing", "none". Default= none

publicIPExistingRGName Name of Resource Group for

public IP address

availabilitySetNewOrExistingOrNone Create a new, assign an

existing, or do not use an

Availability Set

"new", "existing", "none". Default= none

availabilitySetName Name for Availability Set if

being used

customData Refer to Azure Install Guide


The following example demonstrates a working JSON formatted template file:

{

"$schema": "http://schema.management.azure.com/schemas/2015-01-01/deploymentParameters.json#",

"contentVersion": "1.0.0.0",

"parameters": {

"baseUrl": {

"value": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/infobloxopen/infoblox-azure-templates/master/main/"

},

"vmName": {

"value": "test1vmallnew"

},

"niosModel": {

"value": "vnios-te-v1420"

},

"niosVersion": {

"value": "latest"

},

"adminPassword": {

"value": "Infoblox=111"

},

"virtualNetworkName": {

"value": "vnet01"

},

"virtualNetworkExistingRGName": {

"value": "test1group"

},

"virtualNetworkAddressPrefix": {

"value": "10.4.0.0/16"

},

"vnetNewOrExisting": {

"value": "new"

},

"subnet1Prefix": {

"value": "10.4.0.0/24"

},

"subnet1Name": {

"value": "subnet1"

},

"subnet1StartAddress": {

"value": "10.4.0.4"

},

"subnet2Prefix": {

"value": "10.4.1.0/24"

},

"subnet2Name": {

"value": "subnet2"

},

"subnet2StartAddress": {

"value": "10.4.1.4"

},

"newStorageAccountName": {



},

"storageAccountType": {

"value": "Premium_LRS"

},

"storageAccountNewOrExisting": {

"value": "new"

},

"storageAccountExistingRG": {


},

"newStorageAccountForLogsName": {

"value": "test1grouplogs"

},

"storageAccountForLogsType": {

"value": "Standard_LRS"

},

"storageAccountForLogsNewOrExisting": {

"value": "new"

},

"storageAccountForLogsExistingRG": {


},

"publicIPAddressName": {

"value": "test1pip"

},

"publicIPDnsName": {

"value": "test1pip"

},

"publicIPNewOrExistingOrNone": {

"value": "new"

},

"publicIPExistingRGName": {


},

"availabilitySetNewOrExistingOrNone": {

"value": "new"

},

"availabilitySetName": {

"value": "someset"

},

"customData": {

"value": "#infoblox-config\nremote_console_enabled: y\ndefault_admin_password:

yanmlpasswd\ntemp_license: cloud vnios dns"

}

}

}

In the above example, the values listed can be used as is as long as no conflict occurs. In case of conflict

or preference, replace the values marked in bold and the color green with the values you want to use for

your deployment. Note: The template file for a can also be downloaded from the Summary screen when

launching an Infoblox VM through the Azure Marketplace.


Creating the Infoblox vNIOS for Azure VM

When running the script such as the example provided here, there is a single prompt where you must

specify the model to be used for the Infoblox vNIOS for Azure VM and allowed values are displayed on

the screen prior to this prompt. To execute the script, be sure that the examples have been saved to a file

on the computer where you will be running them from. The script should use a .sh extension and be

called using bash or other compatible program, while the parameters file should use a .json extension. Be

sure that parameters file is also located in the correct directory (update the path for this in the script file as

required).

Once ready to run the script, you would call it by entering the command “bash”, followed by the file name

used for the file the script was saved to. The following screenshot demonstrates how this will appear:

As the script runs, the status for each completed step will be displayed and assuming no errors are

encountered, a final summary will be displayed once the enter script finishes:


Additional Resources

Windows PowerShell

Windows PowerShell, also referred to as Microsoft PowerShell or just PowerShell, provides a scripting

shell which can be used to automate tasks an administrator may need to complete when managing an

Infoblox vNIOS for Azure appliance. Commands executed in PowerShell are referred to as cmdlets and

the names of which are generally structured with a verb

followed by the command name. Example: Get-Help

PowerShell is built on Microsoft .NET framework and

allows you to call .NET classes and methods directly

from your PowerShell console. Cmdlets provide

shortcuts to the .Net classes and would return the

corresponding .NET object. As an example, executing

the cmdlet Get-Date would return the

System.DateTime .NET object, showing that executing

the Get-Date cmdlet is equivalent to executing

[System.DateTime]::Now command, both of which

can be run in the PowerShell console and would return

the same results.

PowerShell Basics

Before implementing Infoblox vNIOS for Azure, an administrator must understand common terms or

objects available in Azure related to the implementation of vNIOS. The following are common objects and

terms:

PowerShell Framework: PowerShell uses the .NET Framework common language runtime and the .NET

Framework. When running commands, PowerShell values and variables are always sent and received as

objects. This is contrary to most other scripting shells which are text based.

Cmdlet: The commands which run in PowerShell. Core/base cmdlets are included in PowerShell. Custom

cmdlets are also supported and can be added using snap-ins. Multiple cmdlets can be run in a single

command.

Providers: PowerShell gives you access to your computers file system by default. A provider enables

access to other data stores, including the Windows Registry.

Snap-in: A Microsoft .NET Framework assembly which holds providers and/or cmdlets.

Class: A segment of code structured into a usable command that can be called upon in a program. These

can be used to make a cmdlet.

Namespace: A collection of Classes that are grouped together.

Object: When running a command, PowerShell builds objects for each result which holds any data

returned. This would be similar to an array for those familiar with other programming languages.

Variable: Used to assign a name for any object or property being sent or received in a command.

PowerShell is object oriented so any output from a command is returned in an object. Common practice is

to first assign a variable to the object that will result from your command and then call that variable to be

able to view the results. The objects are stored in memory for your current PowerShell session and can

be referenced repeatedly as needed.

Function: Similar to a class, a function creates a command that can be called upon in other commands

or directly in the console during your current PowerShell session.


Intellisense: Included in some PowerShell windows (such as the script pane in ISE). As you type a

command, a drop-down menu of available options will be displayed and filters the results as you type.

This provides a way to auto-complete commands and to verify options that might be supported for the

command you are executing.

PowerShell Applications

PowerShell commands are run in the PowerShell Command Prompt. The Windows PowerShell ISE

(Integrated Scripting Environment) application includes both the Command Prompt (Console), along with

a script pane and an add-on displaying a list of available commands. The Command Prompt is a simple

interface which operates the same way as a traditional Windows command prompt, allowing you to run

commands:

PowerShell ISE is a much more robust application and is frequently used for script development or even

for just an easy to use interface:

PowerShell Usage

PowerShell provides a vast library of cmdlets already built-in. To manage your Infoblox vNIOS for Azure

appliances, you can leverage any number of these cmdlets, or even create your own in order to fit your

needs. In this guide, we provide samples demonstrating commands that may be useful for administrators

just starting out with Microsoft Azure and who wish to manage some of their VM’s (including Infoblox

vNIOS for Azure appliances) using PowerShell.


Start-AzureRmVM -Name "virtual-machine-name" -ResourceGroupName "resource-group-name"

Get-AzureRmSubscription | select SubscriptionId, State

Get-AzureRmSubscription

Login-AzureRmAccount

Select-AzureSubscription -SubscriptionName "your-subscription-name-here"

Command Examples

The script samples provided here are intended to allow an administrator to restart, shutdown, or terminate

an Infoblox vNIOS for Azure appliance using PowerShell. These are not Infoblox specific scripts and can

be applied to any Virtual Machine operating in the Microsoft Azure cloud platform. As PowerShell is a

constantly evolving environment, these examples are subject to change without notice and are provided

without any warranty.

Initial Connection Prior to running any cmdlets to manage your Infoblox vNIOS for Azure appliance, you will first need to

login to Azure and connect to your Subscription. To login to Azure:

Follow the prompts to complete the login process.

To verify your Subscription details:

Note: For easier to read output, you can include an additional cmdlet to limit the results so that you only

see the Subscription name and ID:

If you have multiple Subscriptions available and need to change the selected Subscription:

Restart an Infoblox vNIOS for Azure appliance Once logged in and connected to the Subscription that your Infoblox vNIOS for Azure appliance resides

in, you can use the following example to restart it:

Restart-AzureRmVM -Name "virtual-machine-name" -ResourceGroupName "resource-group-name"

Note: In the above example, replace the strings encapsulated in quotation marks with the correct values

(the names for both your VM and Resource Group).

Shutdown an Infoblox vNIOS for Azure Appliance There may be cases where you wish to be able to shut down a VM, such as if it is used for testing

purposes and you do not wish to leave it running while it is not being used. To shut down the VM, use the

following example:

Stop-AzureRmVM -Name "virtual-machine-name" -ResourceGroupName "resource-group-name"


(the names for both your VM and Resource Group).

Start an Infoblox vNIOS for Azure Appliance If a VM has been shut down, you can start it by using the following example:


(the names for your VM and Resource Group).


### Do NOT modify this code. This is to be executed as a single

command.

function Get-AzureRmVMPowerStatus {

[CmdletBinding()]

param (

#The name of the resource group your VM's are found in

[Parameter(Mandatory=$true)]

[string]

$ResourceGroupName

,

# Filter for VM names

[Parameter()]

[string]

$Name = '*'

)

Get-AzureRmVM -ResourceGroupName $ResourceGroupName |

Get-AzureRmVM -Status |

Select-Object -Property Name, Statuses |

Where-Object {$_.Name -like $Name} |

ForEach-Object {

$VMName = $_.Name

$_.Statuses |

Where-Object {$_.Code -like 'PowerState/*'} |

ForEach-Object {

New-Object -TypeName psobject -Property @{

Name = $VMName

Status = $_.DisplayStatus

} } } }

#### Do NOT modify the code provided in this example.

Helpful Cmdlet Examples

Resource Groups Get a listing of available Resource Group names and their locations:

Get-AzureRmResourceGroup | select ResourceGroupName, Location

Example:

PS C:\scripts> Get-AzureRmResourceGroup | select ResourceGroupName, Location

WARNING: The output object type of this cmdlet will be modified in a future release.

ResourceGroupName Location

----------------- --------

resourcegroup1 westus

resourcegroup2 westus

Virtual Machine Status You can also get the current status for all VM’s in a specific Resource Group using PowerShell. To do

this, you must first create a function. A function is essentially a cmdlet that can be used in your current

PowerShell session. With a function, you create it first and then execute it in a subsequent command,

calling the name that you specified when you created it and any parameters that you must enter would be

entered at that point.


Once the Get-AzureRmVMPowerStatus function has been created, the following example demonstrates

the syntax to list the status for all VM’s in the specified Resource Group:

Get-AzureRmVMPowerStatus -ResourceGroupName "your-resource-group-name-here"

Note: In the above example, replace the string in between the quotation marks with the name for your

Resource Group. Examples:

PS C:\scripts> Get-AzureRmVMPowerStatus -ResourceGroupName "resourcegroup1"

Name Status

---- ------

azure-vm1 VM running

azure-vm2 VM stopped

PS C:\scripts> Get-AzureRmVMPowerStatus -ResourceGroupName "resourcegroup2"

Name Status

---- ------

azure-vm3 VM deallocated

Infoblox API Guide - Managing Infoblox vNIOS for Microsoft ... · Infoblox API Guide – Managing...

Documents

Transcript of Infoblox API Guide - Managing Infoblox vNIOS for Microsoft ... · Infoblox API Guide – Managing...