Manage devices

1 Create a device to define a network virtualization system
2 Create a device for external networks in vCenter
3 Edit a device
4 Delete a device
5 Manage devices using the API

This page describes how to create a device to define a connection to a network virtualization system or to vCenter for standard networking. For background information, see About devices

Create a device to define a network virtualization system

To create a device to define a network virtualization system, such as NSX-T:

In your datacenter, go to Datacenter details view → Network → Devices
Click the + add button and enter the device details
Create a device for NAT with NSX-V

Field	Value
Plugin type	Network virtualization system (and optionally, the blueprint)
Interfaces	A list of interfaces or functionality supported by the plugin
Name	The name of the device. Identify the device to users who will create platform networks, such as external and public networks
User	The username of the account that Abiquo will use to connect to the system. For NSX-V: use a vCenter account with NSX permissions
Password	The password of the account that Abiquo will use to connect to the system.
Description	Your description of the device
Endpoint	The URL where Abiquo can connect to the device; usually requires HTTPS. For example: NSX-T: `https://nsxt.my.ip.address/` NSX-V: `https://nsxv.my.ip.address/api`
Enterprise	Optional: to restrict the device to a single cloud tenant, select the enterprise. If you do not select a tenant, the device will be the default for all enterprises that do not have a specific device assigned.

To use a network virtualization system to manage Abiquo external and public networks, the Network Administrator must first pre-create the networks in the network virtualization systems.
Then when you create the external or public network in Abiquo, select the device for your virtualization system.

Create a device for external networks in vCenter

When using standard networking, to create external networks in vCenter when the administrator creates them in Abiquo, create a device to define a connection to vCenter.
When you are using a device, Abiquo will create the port group for an external network before the user deploys the first VM in the network and keep it after the user undeploys the last VM in the network.

To create a port-group device:

In your datacenter, go to Datacenter details view → Network → Devices
Click the + add button and enter the device details
Create a device to connect to vCenter for standard networking

Field	Value
Plugin type	To create a device to connect with vCenter, select `port-group`
Interfaces	A list of interfaces or functionality supported by the plugin
Name	The name of the device. Identify the device to users who will create external networks
User	The username of the account that Abiquo will use to connect to vCenter. Use an account with network permissions
Password	The password of the account that Abiquo will use to connect to vCenter.
Description	Your description of the device
Endpoint	The IP address of the vCenter server
Enterprise	Optional: to restrict the device to a single cloud tenant, select the enterprise. If you do not select a tenant, the device will be the default for all enterprises that do not have a specific device assigned.

Edit a device

When you edit a device, the changes you can make will depend on the network virtualization system or vCenter connection.

For example for NSX-V using ECMP.

Delete a device

When you are working with NSX-T, before you delete a device, remember to delete NAT IPs and NAT networks from within Abiquo.

Manage devices using the API

This feature is available in the Abiquo API. See DeviceTypesResource , DatacenterDevicesResource and DevicesResource

When you create a device with the API, remember to set vdcDefault to true.
If you created a device to use by all enterprises, if you want to create a VDC that does not use this device, use the API to set vdcDefault to false while you create the VDC.

Related links

Configure networks in infrastructure: Network
- Configure the NSX integration
Configure platform defaults: Configuration view
Manage datacenter networks in the platform: Networks