Best Aria Automation & Orchestrator Sessions in VMware Explore 2024

We have some great content floating in just like every year in the VMware Explore 2024 event. I was catching up a few. I found out there is some great content specific to my niche. I thought of sharing with those who missed a few of them.

We have various folks speaking on various important topics covering Aria Automation & Orchestrator, REST APIs, PowerCLI, CCI, ChatGPT and much more. Some of them are available on VMware {Code} YouTube channel and others on VMware Explore Video Library. Let’s see them one by one below.

• [CODE2202LV] Automating datacenter tasks with Aria Automation Orchestrator: In today’s dynamic datacenter environments, efficient management and automation are critical. VMware Aria Automation Orchestrator offers a powerful platform for automating tasks related to vSphere infrastructure, other VMware technologies, and third-party solutions. By leveraging a library of extensible workflows, you can streamline routine processes, enhance resource management, and accelerate service delivery. In this presentation, we’ll explore how Aria Automation Orchestrator helps to achieve operational excellence and agility within your datacenters. Speaker: Francisco Fernandez Cardarelli

• [CODE1953LV] Empowering IT Automation with the VMware Aria Automation REST API: In the ever-evolving landscape of IT operations, automation provides the cornerstone of efficiency and reliability. At the heart of this automation revolution lies the Aria Automation REST API, a powerful tool enabling seamless integration and orchestration of IT infrastructure. In this breakout session, we delve into the intricacies of invoking REST operations against the Aria Automation API and explore how it can revolutionize your IT workflows. From streamlining provisioning processes to orchestrating complex tasks, attendees will gain insights into leveraging automation to accelerate operations and mitigate human error. Speaker: Brian Watrous, Staff Technical Learning Engineer, Broadcom

• [CODE1164LV] Transform VCF Automation Inputs to ABX and Orchestrator Workflow Variables: Master the art of converting any VCF Aria Automation template input into a dynamic variable for ABX or Orchestrator Workflows. This session will guide you through the process of turning inputs into versatile properties, ready to be integrated as parameters for any script. Unlock the potential to automate virtually any task within your infrastructure. By the end of this session, you’ll realize that your creativity in variable use is the most powerful automation tool at your disposal. Speakers: Dale Hassinger, VCF Specialist Architect, Broadcom

• [VCFB1697LV] Extending VMware Cloud Foundation Cloud Consumption Interface Service to Automation Templates: VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) Cloud Consumption Interface (CCI) can help admins deliver a developer-ready experience to create and orchestrate the deployment of Kubernetes-based workloads and services. This feature has now been integrated with VCF Automation templates via CCI resource elements. CCI template elements help our customers to easily curate Kubernetes-based services and modern applications catalog items for their users, providing a simple and secure self-service cloud experience to consume all the Kubernetes-based, desired-state Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) APIs in VCF. Speaker: Maher AlAsfar, Senior Technical Marketing Architect - VCF Automation, Broadcom & Arkadiy Shapiro, Product Management, Broadcom

• [VCFB1694LV] Using Custom Resources to Expand the VCF Automation Template Capabilities: VMware Cloud Foundation automation custom resources and resource actions can leverage ABX or vRO scripts that compliment the resource types. VMware Cloud Foundation automation has a number of out-of-the-box template resources that can be dragged and dropped onto a template canvas and used for deployments. However, some use cases require a custom resource when additional customization is needed. Join us to learn how to greatly expand your IaC template capabilities. Speaker: Scott McDermott, Technical Marketing Architect - Automation, Broadcom & Anika Suri, VCF Product Management, Broadcom

• [VCFB1560LV] Extend Your IaaS Provisioning Using Custom Workflows: VMware Cloud Foundation Automation provides an on-premises function-as-a-service (FaaS) capability that offers a way to run scripts either as part of an event-triggered subscription service or as a catalog item for ad-hoc requests. Learn how VMware Cloud Foundation Automation uses scripts to provide functionality to many automations use cases. Speaker: Scott McDermott, Technical Marketing Architect - Automation, Broadcom

• [VCFB1695LV] Democratizing Automation – Infrastructure as Code Made Easy: Finding and retaining skilled IT experts in infrastructure automation, DevOps, and cloud native technologies with knowledge of coding/scripting specialized languages can be challenging. Learn how VMware Cloud Foundation Automation (VMware Aria Automation) delivers a simplified and efficient way to use Infrastructure as Code (IaC) via a “low code” approach, allowing users to effortlessly create cloud templates through a visual interface. Join this session to discover how to effectively democratize IaC, by empowering more users to deliver and consume infrastructure in a private cloud with existing skillsets. Speaker: Taka Uenishi, Product Marketing Engineer, Broadcom & Vincent Riccio, Technical Marketing, Broadcom

• [VCFB1636LV] VMware Aria Automation with Ansible: Streamlining Infrastructure as Code: This session showcases the synergy between VMware Aria Automation and RedHat Ansible Automation Platform. Learn how infrastructure as code transforms workflows, allowing you to build, manage and scale infrastructure with agility and efficiency. Starting with VMware Cloud Foundation, discover how these tools work seamlessly together to simplify IT management. Through live demos and practical code examples, we’ll show you real-world applications, best practices and common patterns that ensure resilient infrastructure. By the end of the session, you’ll have a toolkit of strategies to harness the full potential of VMware Aria Automation and RedHat Ansible Automation Platform, allowing you to streamline operations and implement agile IT practices. Don’t miss this opportunity to explore the cutting edge of IT automation and future-proof your infrastructure. Speaker: Charles Lee, Product Marketing Engineer, Broadcom & Dharmesh Bhatt, Product Marketing Engineer, Broadcom

• [CODE1169LV & CODE2571LV] Unveiling VMware’s Unified VCF SDK, Streamlining Infrastructure Automation: Join us in this session as we delve into the newly released unified VCF SDK that greatly simplifies the VCF automation experience. We’ll explore the delivery of a unified VCF SDK, its customer benefits, and collaborative enhancements aimed at empowering cloud administrators to automate the entire VCF product stack. Gain valuable insights into the future of infrastructure management automation, including an overview of key improvements offered by the common VCF SDK, along with in-depth technical details and live demonstrations. Speakers: Jatin Purohit, Product Marketing Engineer, Broadcom & Sandeep Byreddy, Director of Product Management, Broadcom

Additionally, there are some nice PowerCLI sessions listed below for the mere reason that the PowerCLI is so well embedded in both Orchestrator via Runtimes and in Automation using ABXs, so learning something new about PowerCLI further adds to your resume.

• [CODE1950LV] Automating vSphere Tasks with VMware PowerCLI: In the dynamic landscape of IT operations, automation emerges as the catalyst for efficiency and reliability. VMware PowerCLI, a robust command-line and scripting tool for vSphere tasks, is a must-have for IT admins and virtualization experts looking to streamline operations and boost reliability. This breakout session is dedicated to unraveling the capabilities of PowerCLI and demonstrating how it can revolutionize IT operations and infrastructure management. By harnessing the power of scripting and automation, attendees will learn how to accelerate operations, minimize human error, and unleash the full potential of their vSphere environments. Speaker: Brian Watrous, Staff Technical Learning Engineer, Broadcom

• [CODE1744LV & CODE2573LV] PowerCLI 201 – From the Shell to Writing Scripts: In this session we will quickly review the PowerShell basics before jumping into the advanced topics of script writing. The focus will be on how to convert the UI actions into actionable PowerShell code. This session will cover the vSphere Developer center ‘Code Capture’ feature so that new PowerCLI users can understand how to generate their own code from the Center user interface. Speaker: Justin Sider, Chief Powershell Officer, Belay Technologies