Streamline Infrastructure Automation with Nutanix Cloud Manager Self-Service 4.0

The Nutanix Cloud Manager (NCM) Self-Service 4.0 release introduces a powerful new feature that simplifies the creation and management of complex infrastructure workflows. This release focuses on streamlining the process of creating, provisioning and connecting resources to enable seamless automation through runbooks.

The Challenge Before the NCM Self-Service 4.0 Release

Previously, automating tasks like creating subnets, provisioning VMs and mounting file shares or CRUD operations on any cloud resource involved a significant amount of manual coding and integration effort. Each step required separate scripts or API calls within the runbook, which created redundancy and complexity, especially when managing multiple runbooks across different use cases. Here's a breakdown of the prior workflow for a few of the example resources:

• Subnet creation: Not readily available as a built-in task. Users relied on HTTP APIs or eScript, which added complexity to subnet creation and UUID retrieval.
• VM provisioning: Developers used HTTP or eScript to create VMs and pass subnet information as macros, which increased the potential for errors.
• File share creation and mounting: Further scripting or API calls were necessary to create and mount file shares, which added a layer of complexity to the process.

The Self-Service 4.0 Solution

Self-Service 4.0 introduces an abstraction layer that simplifies these operations. Core resources (subnets, VMs, file shares) and their associated actions are defined once and become accessible across all runbooks. This eliminates the need for repetitive coding in individual runbooks and dramatically streamlines the automation process.

Key Benefits of Self-Service 4.0

• Simplified development: The complexities of IaaS and PaaS operations are abstracted away, allowing developers to focus on business logic rather than infrastructure management.
• Reusability: Predefined actions can be reused across multiple runbooks, reducing redundancy and development time.
• Increased efficiency: By simplifying the workflow, Self-Service 4.0 reduces operational overhead and accelerates the development of automated workflows.

Example Use-Case

Consider a common scenario: Creating a subnet, provisioning a VM within that subnet, and mounting a file share to the VM. With Self-Service 4.0, this entire workflow is now easily executed through a single runbook, which demonstrates the power and efficiency of this new feature. It marks a significant step forward in infrastructure automation and empowers developers to create and manage complex workflows with ease.

Conclusion

NCM Self-Service 4.0 represents a significant advancement in simplifying and streamlining infrastructure automation. By abstracting away the complexities of IaaS and PaaS operations, this new capability enables developers to focus on business logic, accelerate development cycles and improve overall efficiency.

With its reusable components and simplified workflows, NCM Self-Service 4.0 can transform how organizations manage infrastructure automation to achieve greater agility and scalability.

To learn more about NCM Self-Service, visit https://www.nutanix.com/products/cloud-manager/self-service

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