NCM SELF-SERVICE 3-TIER APPLICATION BLUEPRINT WORKFLOW
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Blueprint: Win3TierwithPackageInstall
Platform: Nutanix Prism Central 7.5 / NCM Self-Service
Target OS: Microsoft Windows Server 2022
Application Stack: SQL Server 2022 Express, IIS, ASP.NET
1. HIGH-LEVEL WORKFLOW
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Start
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Access Nutanix Prism Central 7.5
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Open NCM Self-Service
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Create 3-Tier Application Blueprint
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Configure Administrator Credentials
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Add DB_Server, App_Server and Web_Server
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Configure VM Compute, Memory, Disk and Network
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Configure Windows Sysprep and WinRM
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Create Tier Dependencies
Web_Server -> App_Server -> DB_Server
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Configure DB_Server Installation Tasks
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Configure App_Server Installation Tasks
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Configure Web_Server Installation Tasks
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Validate Blueprint and Runtime Macros
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Save and Launch Blueprint
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Provision Windows Server 2022 VMs
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Execute DB Tier Automation
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Execute Application Tier Automation
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Execute Web Tier Automation
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Validate Web -> App -> Database Connectivity
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Application Deployment Completed
2. BLUEPRINT INITIALIZATION
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1. Sign in to Nutanix Prism Central 7.5.
2. Open NCM Self-Service.
3. Navigate to Blueprints.
4. Select Create Blueprint.
5. Enter blueprint name: Win3TierwithPackageInstall.
6. Select or create the required project.
7. Create/select the Default Application Profile.
8. Remove unused/orphaned services such as VM_Service.
Expected Outcome:
A clean blueprint canvas is available for the three application tiers.
3. CREDENTIAL CONFIGURATION
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1. Open the Credentials section.
2. Create credential object: admin_password.
3. Configure username as Administrator or .\Administrator.
4. Enter the password associated with the Windows Server 2022 source image.
5. Set the credential as default where required.
Expected Outcome:
NCM Self-Service can connect to Windows VMs and execute automation tasks.
4. VM SERVICE CREATION
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DB_Server
- Role: Microsoft SQL database tier
- vCPU: 2
- Memory: 8 GB
- OS Disk: 80 GB
- NIC: 1
App_Server
- Role: IIS and ASP.NET application tier
- vCPU: 2
- Memory: 4 GB
- OS Disk: 60 GB
- NIC: 1
Web_Server
- Role: IIS front-end web tier
- vCPU: 2
- Memory: 4 GB
- OS Disk: 60 GB
- NIC: 1
For each VM:
1. Select the AHV cluster.
2. Select the Windows Server 2022 image.
3. Select the required subnet.
4. Configure CPU and memory.
5. Configure the OS disk.
6. Associate admin_password credential.
7. Enable Windows guest customization.
5. APPLICATION DEPENDENCY WORKFLOW
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Web_Server
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| Depends on
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App_Server
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| Depends on
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DB_Server
Dependency connections:
1. Web_Server -> App_Server
2. App_Server -> DB_Server
Actual installation/execution order:
DB_Server -> App_Server -> Web_Server
6. WINDOWS GUEST CUSTOMIZATION WORKFLOW
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VM Provisioned
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Windows Sysprep Executed
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Administrator Account Configured
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PowerShell Execution Enabled
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WinRM Enabled
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Basic Authentication Enabled
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WinRM Port 5985 Allowed
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VM Ready for NCM Automation
Activities:
1. Set PowerShell execution policy to RemoteSigned.
2. Enable PowerShell remoting.
3. Enable WinRM Basic authentication.
4. Allow unencrypted WinRM where required for the controlled lab configuration.
5. Allow TCP port 5985 through Windows Firewall.
Security Note:
Basic authentication and unencrypted WinRM should be limited to controlled lab/HPOC environments. Production environments should use HTTPS-based WinRM (TCP 5986), trusted certificates and appropriate network access controls.
7. DATABASE-TIER WORKFLOW - DB_Server
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Start DB_Server Package Installation
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Download SQL Server 2022 Express Installer
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Install SQL Server Express Silently
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Configure SQLEXPRESS Instance
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Enable SQL Authentication
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Enable TCP/IP
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Configure Static TCP Port 1433
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Create Windows Firewall Rule
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Restart SQL Server Service
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Create SampleDB Database
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Create Products Table
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Insert Sample Product Records
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Create Application Login and User
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Grant Database Read Permission
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DB Tier Ready
Expected Output:
- SQL Server status: Running
- Database: SampleDB
- Table: Products
- Listener: DB_Server_IP:1433
- Application account: appuser
8. APPLICATION-TIER WORKFLOW - App_Server
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DB_Server Ready
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Start App_Server Package Installation
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Install IIS and ASP.NET Components
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Create HTTP Firewall Rule
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Resolve DB_Server.address Runtime Macro
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Generate Database Connection String
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Deploy data.aspx REST Endpoint
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Connect to SampleDB
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Query Products Table
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Serialize Results as JSON
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Publish API Through IIS
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Application Tier Ready
Runtime macro:
@@{DB_Server.address}@@
API URL:
http://<App_Server_IP>/data.aspx
Expected Result:
The API returns product information from SampleDB as JSON.
9. WEB-TIER WORKFLOW - Web_Server
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App_Server Ready
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Start Web_Server Package Installation
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Install IIS Web Server
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Create HTTP Firewall Rule
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Resolve App_Server.address Runtime Macro
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Deploy index.html
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Browser Requests Front-End Page
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JavaScript Calls App_Server API
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API Returns Product Data
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Populate Product Table
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Display End-to-End Health Status
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Web Tier Ready
Runtime macro:
@@{App_Server.address}@@
Expected status:
Status: Web -> App -> DB Connection Healthy
10. BLUEPRINT LAUNCH AND EXECUTION WORKFLOW
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Validate Blueprint
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Save Blueprint
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Select Launch
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Enter Application Name
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Confirm Runtime Variables
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Provision DB_Server
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Complete Sysprep and WinRM Configuration
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Run DB_Server Install Task
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Provision and Configure App_Server
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Run App_Server Install Task
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Provision and Configure Web_Server
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Run Web_Server Install Task
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Application Enters Running State
11. VALIDATION WORKFLOW
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Infrastructure Validation:
- Confirm all three VMs are powered on.
- Confirm IP addresses are assigned.
- Validate WinRM connectivity.
- Validate package installation tasks.
- Validate application status in NCM Self-Service.
Database Validation:
- Confirm MSSQL$SQLEXPRESS service is running.
- Confirm TCP port 1433 is listening.
- Confirm SampleDB exists.
- Confirm Products table contains records.
- Confirm appuser can read the database.
Application Validation:
- Open http://<App_Server_IP>/data.aspx
- Confirm IIS responds successfully.
- Confirm endpoint returns JSON.
- Confirm product data is retrieved from SampleDB.
- Confirm no SQL connection error is displayed.
Web Validation:
- Open http://<Web_Server_IP>
- Confirm dashboard loads successfully.
- Confirm status shows Web -> App -> DB Connection Healthy.
- Confirm product table contains database records.
- Confirm product names and prices are displayed correctly.
12. END-TO-END APPLICATION TRAFFIC FLOW
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User
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| HTTP Request
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Web_Server - IIS + index.html
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| REST API Request - TCP 80
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App_Server - IIS + data.aspx
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| SQL Request - TCP 1433
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DB_Server - SQL Server Express + SampleDB
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| Product Records
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App_Server Converts Records to JSON
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| JSON Response
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Web_Server Populates Dashboard Table
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User Views Application Data and Health Status
13. SUCCESS CRITERIA
--------------------
The use case is successfully completed when:
1. All three Windows Server 2022 VMs are provisioned.
2. Sysprep and WinRM configuration complete successfully.
3. SQL Server 2022 Express is installed and running.
4. SampleDB and Products table are created.
5. Application tier connects to the database tier.
6. Web tier connects to the application API.
7. Product data appears on the web dashboard.
8. NCM Self-Service reports the application deployment as successful.
9. The web page displays:
Status: Web -> App -> DB Connection Healthy
END OF WORKFLOW
