The OVF for cloudbase init does not get mounted and throws a "no drive with label ovf env could be found" error.

Products

• VMware Aria Suite

Issue/Introduction

We are trying to implement cloudbase init on windows and running into an issue where the OVF does not get mounted as part of the startup procedure.

We used the instructions provided here https://blogs.vmware.com/management/2019/11/cloudbase-init-windows-initialization.html as well as https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-Aria-Automation/8.18/Using-Automation-Assembler/GUID-6A17EBEA-F9C3-486F-81DD-210EA065E92F.html#GUID-6A17EBEA-F9C3-486F-81DD-210EA065E92F

The log just throws out a generic error "no drive with label ovf env could be found" such as:

ERROR cloudbaseinit.metadata.services.ovfservice [-] No drive with label OVF ENV could be found: cloudbaseinit.metadata.services.base.NotExistingMetadataException: No drive with label OVF ENV could be found
ERROR cloudbaseinit.metadata.services.ovfservice Traceback (most recent call last):
ERROR cloudbaseinit.metadata.services.ovfservice   File "C:\Program Files\Cloudbase Solutions\Cloudbase-Init\Python\Lib\site-packages\cloudbaseinit\metadata\services\ovfservice.py", line 42, in load
ERROR cloudbaseinit.metadata.services.ovfservice     self._get_ovf_env()
ERROR cloudbaseinit.metadata.services.ovfservice   File "C:\Program Files\Cloudbase Solutions\Cloudbase-Init\Python\Lib\site-packages\cloudbaseinit\metadata\services\ovfservice.py", line 74, in _get_ovf_env
ERROR cloudbaseinit.metadata.services.ovfservice     ovf_env_path = self._get_ovf_env_path()
ERROR cloudbaseinit.metadata.services.ovfservice                    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
ERROR cloudbaseinit.metadata.services.ovfservice   File "C:\Program Files\Cloudbase Solutions\Cloudbase-Init\Python\Lib\site-packages\cloudbaseinit\metadata\services\ovfservice.py", line 62, in _get_ovf_env_path
ERROR cloudbaseinit.metadata.services.ovfservice     drive_path = self._get_config_drive_path()
ERROR cloudbaseinit.metadata.services.ovfservice                  ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
ERROR cloudbaseinit.metadata.services.ovfservice   File "C:\Program Files\Cloudbase Solutions\Cloudbase-Init\Python\Lib\site-packages\cloudbaseinit\metadata\services\ovfservice.py", line 56, in _get_config_drive_path
ERROR cloudbaseinit.metadata.services.ovfservice     raise base.NotExistingMetadataException(
ERROR cloudbaseinit.metadata.services.ovfservice cloudbaseinit.metadata.services.base.NotExistingMetadataException: No drive with label OVF ENV could be found
ERROR cloudbaseinit.metadata.services.ovfservice
ERROR cloudbaseinit.init [-] No metadata service found: cloudbaseinit.exception.MetadataNotFoundException: No available service found

Environment

VMware Aria Automation 8.x

 

Cause

User data for the OVF service is not found.

Resolution

Check the vSphere configuration as the CD-ROM is likely not correctly configured, and is preventing the VM to get OVF properties from the ISO image.

Remove the CD-ROM if is not required, or enable CDROM client-device in Passthrough mode.

Make sure that the the correct CDROM type is selected, e.g. Client Device, not datastore:

Additional Information

Windows guest initialization with Cloudbase-Init in vCenter:

https://blogs.vmware.com/management/2019/11/cloudbase-init-windows-initialization.html

Windows Automation Assembler image for vSphere:

https://techdocs.broadcom.com/us/en/vmware-cis/aria/aria-automation/8-18/assembler-on-prem-using-and-managing-master-map-8-18.html#GUID-6A17EBEA-F9C3-486F-81DD-210EA065E92F