Using Terraformer to Import and Manage VMware Infrastructure with Terraform and AWS Backup Strategy

Organizations with hybrid cloud infrastructures often face challenges in managing on-premises resources and integrating them with cloud solutions for backup and recovery. This article outlines a strategy to use Terraformer for importing VMware infrastructure, manage it with the Terraform vSphere provider, and integrate AWS as a reliable backup and restore solution. This approach ensures efficient infrastructure management and disaster recovery capabilities.

Hybrid Infrastructure Overview

On-Premises Infrastructure

The local network infrastructure described consists of a dedicated VMware ESXi host with six virtual machines (VMs) configured to provide essential network and IT services for the company. Key components include:

1. 
   Active Directory (AD) Server: Domain controller managing user authentication, DHCP, and DNS services.


2. 
   Backup Server: Utilizing Veeam Backup & Replication for local and cloud-based backups.


3. 
   File Server: Centralized storage for shared files and documents.


4. 
   Terminal Server (TS): Hosts the ERP system for remote access by users.


5. 
   Firebird Database Server: Supports the ERP system and accounting applications.


6. 
   PFsense Firewall: Provides network security and VPN capabilities for remote access.

Cloud Integration via AWS

AWS serves as the cloud-based backup solution for redundancy and disaster recovery. The strategy involves storing Veeam backups in Amazon S3 and utilizing AWS Glacier for long-term archival.

Step 1: Use Terraformer to Import VMware Resources

1.1 Install and Configure Terraformer

1. 
   Download Terraformer: Install Terraformer from its GitHub repository.


2. 
   Set Environment Variables:
   

   export VSPHERE_USER="[email protected]"

   export VSPHERE_PASSWORD="your_password"

   export VSPHERE_SERVER="vcenter.example.com"

1.2 Run Terraformer Import

Run the following command to import existing VMware resources:

terraformer import vsphere \

  --resources=vm,datastore,network \

  --connect=vcenter.example.com \

  --user=[email protected] \

  --password=your_password \

  --path-output="./output"

• 
  --resources: Specifies the resources to import (e.g., VMs, datastores, networks).


• 
  --path-output: Directory to store generated Terraform configuration files.

1.3 Review Generated Files

Terraformer generates:

• 
  .tf Files: Represent the imported VMware infrastructure.


• 
  Terraform State File: Tracks the current state of imported resources.

Organize and modularize the configuration files as needed.

Step 2: Manage VMware Resources with Terraform vSphere Provider

2.1 Configure the vSphere Provider

Set up the Terraform vSphere provider in a provider.tf file:

provider "vsphere" {

  user           = "[email protected]"

  password       = "your_password"

  server         = "vcenter.example.com"

  allow_unverified_ssl = true

}

2.2 Refine Imported Resources

Move the imported .tf files to your Terraform project directory and refine the configuration. For example, to manage a virtual machine:

resource "vsphere_virtual_machine" "ad_server" {

  name             = "AD-Server"

  resource_pool_id = "resgroup-123"

  datastore_id     = "datastore-456"



  num_cpus   = 2

  memory     = 4096

  guest_id   = "windows9_64Guest"



  network_interface {

    network_id   = "network-789"

    adapter_type = "vmxnet3"

  }



  disk {

    label            = "disk0"

    size             = 50

    eagerly_scrub    = false

    thin_provisioned = true

  }

}

2.3 Apply Changes

Run Terraform commands to apply the refined configuration:

terraform init

terraform plan

terraform apply

Step 3: Backup and Restore Strategy with AWS

3.1 Configure Veeam for AWS S3

1. 
   Create an S3 Bucket:
   Use Terraform to create a bucket for storing backups:
   

   resource "aws_s3_bucket" "veeam_backup" {

  bucket = "veeam-backup-bucket"

  acl    = "private"



  # Define lifecycle rules for Intelligent-Tiering

  lifecycle_rule {

    id      = "intelligent-tiering"

    enabled = true



    # Transition to Intelligent-Tiering frequent access tier after creation (automatic)

    transition {

      days          = 0

      storage_class = "INTELLIGENT_TIERING"

    }



    # Transition to Intelligent-Tiering infrequent access tier after 30 days

    transition {

      days          = 30

      storage_class = "STANDARD_IA"

    }



    # Transition to Intelligent-Tiering archive access after 90 days

    transition {

      days          = 90

      storage_class = "GLACIER"

    }



    # Transition to deep archive access tier after 120 days

    transition {

      days          = 120

      storage_class = "DEEP_ARCHIVE"

    }



    # Optionally, set an expiration for objects after 365 days

    expiration {

      days = 365

    }

  }



  # Enable server-side encryption

  server_side_encryption_configuration {

    rule {

      apply_server_side_encryption_by_default {

        sse_algorithm = "AES256"

      }

    }

  }

}

1. 
   Integrate with Veeam:
   Configure Veeam Backup & Replication to use the S3 bucket for offsite backups.

3.2 Regular Backup and Testing

• Schedule daily backups to S3 with periodic testing of restore capabilities.


• Implement incremental backups to optimize storage and bandwidth.

3.3 Monitor and Optimize

• Use Amazon CloudWatch to monitor S3 bucket activity.


• Optimize costs by reviewing storage lifecycle policies and access patterns.

Conclusion

By combining Terraformer, the Terraform vSphere provider, and AWS backup strategies, you can:

1. 
   Simplify Management: Import and manage VMware resources declaratively.


2. 
   Enhance Resilience: Leverage AWS for reliable offsite backups.


3. 
   Streamline Operations: Automate infrastructure tasks for consistent and scalable management.

This hybrid approach ensures that your on-premises infrastructure is both robust and prepared for disaster recovery scenarios, delivering long-term operational efficiency.