How to deploy the Tanzu Kubernetes Grid node VM OVA files using ovftool

Products

• Tanzu Kubernetes Grid

Issue/Introduction

This article provides instructions for deploying the Tanzu Kubernetes Grid node VM OVA files using ovftool.

Environment

This KB is not version dependent.

Resolution

1. Go to Broadcom download for TKG and log in with your Customer Connect credentials.
2. Download the Tanzu Kubernetes Grid OVAs for node VMs

Ex:

• • Kubernetes v1.19.3: Photon v3 Kubernetes v1.19.3 OVA
  • Kubernetes v1.18.10: Photon v3 Kubernetes v1.18.10 OVA
  • Kubernetes v1.17.13: Photon v3 Kubernetes v1.17.13 OVA

3.  Download the OVF tool and install it if not already done: Download

 

4. Run a command similar to the following to deploy the ovf.

.\ovftool.exe --acceptAllEulas --name=<VM_Name> --X:logFile=ovftool-log.txt --X:logLevel=verbose -dm=<Disk_Format> --datastore=<Datastore_Name> --net:"nic0"=<Destination_Networ> --ipProtocol=IPv4 <OVA_Path> vi://[email protected]:<Password>@<vCenter_FQDN>/<DataCenter>/host/<Cluster>/

Ex:
.\ovftool.exe --acceptAllEulas --name=photon-3-kube-v1.17.13-vmware.1 --X:logFile=ovftool-log.txt --X:logLevel=verbose -dm=thin --datastore=map-vol --net:"nic0"=DSwitch-Management --ipProtocol=IPv4 E:\Downloads\photon-3-kube-v1.17.13-vmware.1.ova vi://[email protected]:[email protected]/RegionA01/host/RegionA01-MGMT/

Note: You will see output similar to the following:

Opening OVA source: E:\Downloads\photon-3-kube-v1.17.13-vmware.1.ova The manifest validates The provided certificate is in valid period Source is signed and the certificate validates Certificate information:   CertIssuer:/C=US/ST=California/L=Palo Alto/O=VMware, Inc.   CertSubject:/C=US/ST=California/L=Palo Alto/O=VMware, Inc.   -----BEGIN CERTIFICATE-----   MIIDyzCCArOgAwIBAgIJAKH7xLtwMqSZMA0GCSqGSIb3DQEBBQUAME0xCzAJBgNV   BAYTAlVTMRMwEQYDVQQIEwpDYWxpZm9ybmlhMRIwEAYDVQQHEwlQYWxvIEFsdG8x   FTATBgNVBAoTDFZNd2FyZSwgSW5jLjAeFw0xMDAyMjYyMjE3NDFaFw0yNjAxMDMy   MjE3NDFaME0xCzAJBgNVBAYTAlVTMRMwEQYDVQQIEwpDYWxpZm9ybmlhMRIwEAYD   VQQHEwlQYWxvIEFsdG8xFTATBgNVBAoTDFZNd2FyZSwgSW5jLjCCASAwDQYJKoZI   hvcNAQEBBQA#######################################mtli9uA+31uAMw   9FFHAEv/it8#######################################xrkx4pXrsu0gdb   4OunHw0D8Mr#######################################JVgMsjehGt23ay   9FKOT6dVD6D#######################################/m56jvVImFjhhT   W2ASbnEUlZI#######################################BRx0D3HHOAzOKw   kkOnxJHSTN4#######################################UCAQOjga8wgaww   HQYDVR0OBBY#######################################R2MHSAFHg8KQJd   m8NPQDmYP41#######################################EGA1UECBMKQ2Fs   aWZvcm5pYTE#######################################xWTXdhcmUsIElu   Yy6CCQCh+8S7cDKkmTAMBgNVHRMEBTADAQH/MA0GCSqGSIb3DQEBBQUAA4IBAQCP   nVEBVF2jYEsgaTJ1v17HNTVTD5pBPfbQk/2vYVZEWL20PtJuLeSWwoo5+TnCSp69   i9n1Hpm9JWHjyb1Lba8Xx7VC4FferIyxt0ivRm9l9ouo/pQAR8xyqjTg1qfr5V8S   fZElKbjpzSMPrxLwF77h+YB+YjqWAJpVV+fAkAvK7K9vMiFgW60teZBxVW/XlmG0   IJaSUWSI3/A+bA6fuIy8PMmpQMtm0droHrCnViAVRhMMgEC/doMH1GqUSmoiyQ1G   PifLAp5wV5/HV+S9AGrb8HGdWIvW+kBgmCl0wSf2JFYm1bpq30CVE4EC0MAY1mJG   vSqQGIbCybw5KTCXRQ8d   -----END CERTIFICATE-----   Opening VI target: vi://administrator%[email protected]:443/RegionA01/host/RegionA01-MGMT/ Deploying to VI: vi://administrator%[email protected]:443/RegionA01/host/RegionA01-MGMT/ Transfer Completed Completed successfully

 

5. When the OVA deployment finishes, right-click the VM in the vSphere Client and select Template > Convert to Template.
6. In the VMs and Templates view, right-click the new template, select Add Permission, and assign your Tanzu Kubernetes Grid user, for example, tkg-user, to the template with the Tanzu Kubernetes Grid role, for example, TKG. Instructions for creating such a role can be found in Deploy Management Clusters to vSphere.
7. Repeat the procedure for each of the Kubernetes versions for which you have downloaded the OVA file.