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VMware System and Permission Requirements

Before installing Palette on VMware, review the following system requirements and permissions. The vSphere user account used to deploy Palette must have the required permissions to access the proper roles and objects in vSphere.

Start by reviewing the required action items below:

  1. Create the two custom vSphere roles. Check out the Create Required Roles section to create the required roles in vSphere.

  2. Review the vSphere Permissions section to ensure the created roles have the required vSphere privileges and permissions.

  3. Create node zones and regions for your Kubernetes clusters. Refer to the Zone Tagging section to ensure that the required tags are created in vSphere to ensure proper resource allocation across fault domains.

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The permissions listed in this page are also needed for deploying a Private Cloud Gateway (PCG) and workload cluster in vSphere through Palette.

Create Required Roles​

Palette requires two custom roles to be created in vSphere before the installation. Refer to the Create a Custom Role guide if you need help creating a custom role in vSphere. The required custom roles are:

  • A root-level role with access to higher-level vSphere objects. This role is referred to as the Spectro root role. Check out the Root-Level Role Privileges table for the list of privileges required for the root-level role.

  • A role with the required privileges for deploying VMs. This role is referred to as the Spectro role. Review the Spectro Role Privileges table for the list of privileges required for the Spectro role.

The user account you use to deploy Palette must have access to both roles. Each vSphere object required by Palette must have a Permission entry for the respective Spectro role. The following tables list the privileges required for the each custom role.

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For an in-depth explanation of vSphere authorization and permissions, check out the Understanding Authorization in vSphere resource.

vSphere Permissions​

The VMware vSphere user account that deploys host clusters or private cloud gateways requires all the vSphere privileges listed in the following sections for specific vSphere objects.

Spectro Root Role Privileges​

A Spectro root role must be created that contains each privilege in the following table.

Select the tab for the vSphere version you are using to view the required privileges.

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The System.* privileges are added to all custom vSphere roles by default.

CategoryPrivileges
CNSSearchable
DatastoreBrowse datastore
HostConfiguration: Storage partition configuration
NetworkAssign network
SessionsValidate session
Storage ViewsView
SystemAnonymous
Read
View
VM Storage PoliciesView VM storage policies
vSphere TaggingCreate vSphere Tag
Edit vSphere Tag
Click here to view the latest vSphere version's raw API permission
  • Cns.Searchable
  • Datastore.Browse
  • Host.Config.Storage
  • InventoryService.Tagging.CreateTag
  • InventoryService.Tagging.EditTag
  • Network.Assign
  • Sessions.ValidateSession
  • StorageProfile.View
  • StorageViews.View
  • System.Anonymous
  • System.Read
  • System.View

Spectro Root Role Assignments​

The privileges associated with the Spectro root role must be granted via role assignments on specific vSphere objects for either the user or a group containing the user. Review the required role assignments to ensure that your user has all required privileges on all required objects.

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Propegation refers to the inheritance of permissions from a parent vSphere object to a child object. If a permission is propagated to a child object, the child object inherits the permission from the parent object.

vSphere ObjectPropagationRoleCondition
vCenter RootNoSpectro root role
Target DatacenterNoSpectro root role
Target ClusterNoSpectro root role
Distributed SwitchNoSpectro root roleIf the Target Network is a Distributed Port Group

Spectro Role Privileges​

A Spectro role must be created that contains each privilege in the following table.

Select the tab for the vSphere version you are using to view the required privileges.

CategoryPrivileges
CNSSearchable
DatastoreAllocate space
Browse datastore
Low level file operations
Remove file
Update virtual machine files
Update virtual machine metadata
FolderCreate folder
Delete folder
Move folder
Rename folder
Host Local OperationsReconfigure virtual machine
NetworkAssign network
ResourceApply recommendation
Assign virtual machine to resource pool
Migrate powered off virtual machine
Migrate powered on virtual machine
Query vMotion
SessionsValidate session
Storage ViewsView
SystemAnonymous
Read
View
TasksCreate task
Update task
vAppImport
View OVF environment
vApp application configuration
vApp instance configuration
VM Storage PoliciesView VM storage policies
vSANCluster: ShallowRekey
vSphere TaggingAssign or Unassign vSphere Tag
Create vSphere Tag
Delete vSphere Tag
Edit vSphere Tag

The following table lists Spectro role privileges for VMs by category. All privileges are for the vSphere object, Virtual Machines.

CategoryPrivileges
Change ConfigurationAcquire disk lease
Add existing disk
Add new disk
Add or remove device
Advanced configuration
Change CPU count
Change memory
Change settings
Change swapfile placement
Change resource
Configure host USB device
Configure raw device
Configure managedBy
Display connection settings
Extend virtual disk
Modify device settings
Query fault tolerance compatibility
Query unowned files
Reload from path
Remove disk
Rename
Reset guest information
Set annotation
Toggle disk change tracking
Toggle fork parent
Upgrade virtual machine compatibility
Edit InventoryCreate from existing
Create new
Move
Register
Remove
Unregister
Guest OperationsGuest operation alias modification
Guest operation alias query
Guest operation modifications
Guest operation program execution
Guest operation queries
InteractionConsole interaction
Power on
Power off
ProvisioningAllow disk access
Allow file access
Allow read-only disk access
Allow virtual machine download
Allow virtual machine files upload
Clone template
Clone virtual machine
Create template from virtual machine
Customize guest
Deploy template
Mark as template
Mark as virtual machine
Modify customization specification
Promote disks
Read customization specifications
Service ConfigurationAllow notifications
Allow polling of global event notifications
Manage service configurations
Modify service configuration
Query service configurations
Read service configuration
Snapshot ManagementCreate snapshot
Remove snapshot
Rename snapshot
Revert to snapshot
vSphere ReplicationConfigure replication
Manage replication
Monitor replication
Click here to view the latest vSphere version's raw API permission
  • Cns.Searchable
  • Datastore.AllocateSpace
  • Datastore.Browse
  • Datastore.DeleteFile
  • Datastore.FileManagement
  • Datastore.UpdateVirtualMachineFiles
  • Datastore.UpdateVirtualMachineMetadata
  • Folder.Create
  • Folder.Delete
  • Folder.Move
  • Folder.Rename
  • Host.Local.ReconfigVM
  • InventoryService.Tagging.AttachTag
  • InventoryService.Tagging.CreateTag
  • InventoryService.Tagging.DeleteTag
  • InventoryService.Tagging.EditTag
  • Network.Assign
  • Resource.ApplyRecommendation
  • Resource.AssignVMToPool
  • Resource.ColdMigrate
  • Resource.HotMigrate
  • Resource.QueryVMotion
  • Sessions.ValidateSession
  • StorageProfile.View
  • StorageViews.View
  • System.Anonymous
  • System.Read
  • System.View
  • Task.Create
  • Task.Update
  • VApp.ApplicationConfig
  • VApp.ExtractOvfEnvironment
  • VApp.Import
  • VApp.InstanceConfig
  • VirtualMachine.Config.AddExistingDisk
  • VirtualMachine.Config.AddNewDisk
  • VirtualMachine.Config.AddRemoveDevice
  • VirtualMachine.Config.AdvancedConfig
  • VirtualMachine.Config.Annotation
  • VirtualMachine.Config.CPUCount
  • VirtualMachine.Config.ChangeTracking
  • VirtualMachine.Config.DiskExtend
  • VirtualMachine.Config.DiskLease
  • VirtualMachine.Config.EditDevice
  • VirtualMachine.Config.HostUSBDevice
  • VirtualMachine.Config.ManagedBy
  • VirtualMachine.Config.Memory
  • VirtualMachine.Config.MksControl
  • VirtualMachine.Config.QueryFTCompatibility
  • VirtualMachine.Config.QueryUnownedFiles
  • VirtualMachine.Config.RawDevice
  • VirtualMachine.Config.ReloadFromPath
  • VirtualMachine.Config.RemoveDisk
  • VirtualMachine.Config.Rename
  • VirtualMachine.Config.ResetGuestInfo
  • VirtualMachine.Config.Resource
  • VirtualMachine.Config.Settings
  • VirtualMachine.Config.SwapPlacement
  • VirtualMachine.Config.ToggleForkParent
  • VirtualMachine.Config.UpgradeVirtualHardware
  • VirtualMachine.GuestOperations.Execute
  • VirtualMachine.GuestOperations.Modify
  • VirtualMachine.GuestOperations.ModifyAliases
  • VirtualMachine.GuestOperations.Query
  • VirtualMachine.GuestOperations.QueryAliases
  • VirtualMachine.Hbr.ConfigureReplication
  • VirtualMachine.Hbr.MonitorReplication
  • VirtualMachine.Hbr.ReplicaManagement
  • VirtualMachine.Interact.ConsoleInteract
  • VirtualMachine.Interact.PowerOff
  • VirtualMachine.Interact.PowerOn
  • VirtualMachine.Inventory.Create
  • VirtualMachine.Inventory.CreateFromExisting
  • VirtualMachine.Inventory.Delete
  • VirtualMachine.Inventory.Move
  • VirtualMachine.Inventory.Register
  • VirtualMachine.Inventory.Unregister
  • VirtualMachine.Namespace.Event
  • VirtualMachine.Namespace.EventNotify
  • VirtualMachine.Namespace.Management
  • VirtualMachine.Namespace.ModifyContent
  • VirtualMachine.Namespace.Query
  • VirtualMachine.Namespace.ReadContent
  • VirtualMachine.Provisioning.Clone
  • VirtualMachine.Provisioning.CloneTemplate
  • VirtualMachine.Provisioning.CreateTemplateFromVM
  • VirtualMachine.Provisioning.Customize
  • VirtualMachine.Provisioning.DeployTemplate
  • VirtualMachine.Provisioning.DiskRandomAccess
  • VirtualMachine.Provisioning.DiskRandomRead
  • VirtualMachine.Provisioning.FileRandomAccess
  • VirtualMachine.Provisioning.GetVmFiles
  • VirtualMachine.Provisioning.MarkAsTemplate
  • VirtualMachine.Provisioning.MarkAsVM
  • VirtualMachine.Provisioning.ModifyCustSpecs
  • VirtualMachine.Provisioning.PromoteDisks
  • VirtualMachine.Provisioning.PutVmFiles
  • VirtualMachine.Provisioning.ReadCustSpecs
  • VirtualMachine.State.CreateSnapshot
  • VirtualMachine.State.RemoveSnapshot
  • VirtualMachine.State.RenameSnapshot
  • VirtualMachine.State.RevertToSnapshot
  • Vsan.Cluster.ShallowRekey
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The System.* privileges are added to all custom vSphere roles by default.

Spectro Role Assignments​

The privileges associated with the Spectro role must be granted via role assignments on specific vSphere objects for either the user or a group containing the user. Review the required role assignments to ensure that your user has all required privileges on all required objects.

vSphere ObjectPropagationRoleCondition
Target NetworkYesSpectro role
Target ClusterNoSpectro roleRequired if using a cluster's default Resources resource pool.
Target Resource PoolYesSpectro roleRequired if using a non-default resource pool.
All ESXi hosts within the Target ClusterNoSpectro role
Target DatastoreYesSpectro role
spectro-templates FolderYesSpectro roleMust be manually created in advance, assigned permissions, and populated with Spectro Cloud VM Templates.
Target VM FolderYesSpectro roleFor air-gapped installs, it must be manually created in advance and permissions assigned. For connected installs it is created automatically.

Zone Tagging​

You can use tags to create node zones and regions for your Kubernetes clusters. The node zones and regions can be used to dynamically place Kubernetes workloads and achieve higher availability. Kubernetes nodes inherit the zone and region tags as Labels. Kubernetes workloads can use the node labels to ensure that the workloads are deployed to the correct zone and region.

The following is an example of node labels that are discovered and inherited from vSphere tags. The tag values are applied to Kubernetes nodes in vSphere.

topology.kubernetes.io/region=usdc topology.kubernetes.io/zone=zone3 failure-domain.beta.kubernetes.io/region=usdc
failure-domain.beta.kubernetes.io/zone=zone3
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To learn more about node zones and regions, refer to the Node Zones/Regions Topology section of the Cloud Provider Interface documentation.

Zone tagging is required to install Palette and is helpful for Kubernetes workloads deployed in vSphere clusters through Palette if they have persistent storage needs. Use vSphere tags on data centers and compute clusters to create distinct zones in your environment. You can use vSphere Tag Categories and Tags to create zones in your vSphere environment and assign them to vSphere objects.

The zone tags you assign to your vSphere objects, such as a datacenter and clusters are applied to the Kubernetes nodes you deploy through Palette into your vSphere environment. Kubernetes clusters deployed to other infrastructure providers, such as public cloud may have other native mechanisms for auto discovery of zones.

For example, assume a vCenter environment contains three compute clusters, cluster-1, cluster-2, and cluster-3. To support this environment you create the tag categories k8s-region and k8s-zone. The k8s-region is assigned to the datacenter, and the k8s-zone tag is assigned to the compute clusters.

The following table lists the tag values for the data center and compute clusters.

vSphere ObjectAssigned NameTag CategoryTag Value
Datacenterdc-1k8s-regionregion1
Clustercluster-1k8s-zoneaz1
Clustercluster-2k8s-zoneaz2
Clustercluster-3k8s-zoneaz3

Create a tag category and tag values for each datacenter and cluster in your environment. Use the tag categories to create zones. Use a name that is meaningful and that complies with the tag requirements listed in the following section.

Tag Requirements​

The following requirements apply to tags:

  • A valid tag must consist of alphanumeric characters.

  • The tag must start and end with an alphanumeric characters.

  • The regex used for tag validation is (([A-Za-z0-9][-A-Za-z0-9_.]*)?[A-Za-z0-9])?