Let's continue with the detailed cheat sheet for Section 3: Validate Blueprints, Runbooks, Playbooks, and Automation Settings of the Nutanix NCP-MCA 6.5 exam.

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📝 Nutanix NCP-MCA 6.5 Exam Cram Sheet (Continued)

📚 Section 3: Validate Blueprints, Runbooks, Playbooks, and Automation Settings

📘 Objective 3.1: Determine the Causes of a Blueprint or Runbook Deployment Failure

• Key Knowledge Areas:

  • Using Audit Trails to Identify Failures:
    • Audit Trails provide detailed logs of each step in a blueprint or runbook deployment. Use them to identify which task failed and the exact reason for the failure (e.g., missing dependencies, script errors).
  • Interpreting Error Messages:
    • Given an error message, identify the type of issue (e.g., network configuration, authentication failure, resource exhaustion). Use the context provided by the message to determine the root cause.
  • Common Causes of Deployment Failures:
    • Resource Utilization Issues: Lack of CPU, memory, or storage can cause failures.
    • Network Configuration Errors: Misconfigured network settings, such as incorrect IP addresses or VLANs.
    • Script Execution Errors: Syntax errors, unsupported commands, or missing files in deployment scripts.
    • Authentication Failures: Incorrect credentials or lack of required permissions.

• Practical Examples:

  • 💡 Using Audit Trails for Troubleshooting:
    • If a deployment fails, navigate to the Self-Service Audit Tab to view detailed logs and identify the failing task.
  • 🛠️ Analyzing Error Messages:
    • Error: "Authentication failure during task execution" – Check credentials and user permissions associated with the task. Ensure the correct key or password is being used.

• Tools to Know:

  • Self-Service Audit Tab: Provides detailed logs for troubleshooting deployment issues.
  • Applications Overview: Helps monitor application states and identify potential issues during deployment.
  • VM Logs: Review logs for specific VMs to identify errors related to the operating system or application.

• Dos and Don’ts:

  • ✅ Do:
    • Check the Audit Trails immediately to identify which task failed and why.
    • Review Logs and Error Messages carefully to understand the context and determine the root cause.
    • Test Credentials and Network Settings before deployment to avoid common errors.
  • ❌ Don’t:
    • Ignore Warning Messages: Warnings can indicate potential issues that may lead to failure later.
    • Assume a Generic Cause: Each failure can have a unique reason; always investigate thoroughly.

• References:

  • Self-Service Audit Tab
  • Applications Overview
  • Logon Session Termination Errors

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📘 Objective 3.2: Describe Where to Find Information to Assist in Validation

• Key Knowledge Areas:

  • Troubleshooting Data Collection:
    • Understand how to collect logs and diagnostic data for troubleshooting Self-Service issues. Use tools like Rsyslog to forward logs to a centralized server.
  • Locating Logs for Playbooks:
    • Use Calm’s Playbook Logs feature to view detailed execution information, including task statuses, outputs, and any errors encountered.
  • Specific Platform Troubleshooting:
    • Know where to find platform-specific troubleshooting information, such as Azure or AHV logs, to address issues unique to those environments.

• Practical Examples:

  • 💡 Collecting Logs Using Rsyslog:
    • Configure Rsyslog on Nutanix nodes to forward logs to a remote syslog server for centralized monitoring and analysis.
  • 🔍 Locating Playbook Logs:
    • Navigate to the Playbook Management Interface to find logs related to playbook executions, including manual or automated runs.

• Tools to Know:

  • Self-Service Applications Auditing: Provides a centralized location to view logs for all Self-Service applications.
  • Rsyslog Configuration: Tool for configuring log forwarding on Nutanix nodes.
  • Playbook Logs Interface: Access detailed logs for playbook execution.

• Dos and Don’ts:

  • ✅ Do:
    • Configure Centralized Logging to streamline log collection and analysis.
    • Regularly Review Playbook Logs to identify recurring issues or patterns.
  • ❌ Don’t:
    • Forget to Enable Logging: Ensure that logging is enabled for all critical components.
    • Neglect Platform-Specific Logs: Different platforms have unique logs that may provide critical insights.

• References:

  • Self-Service Applications Auditing
  • Configuring Rsyslog for Policy VM
  • Azure Troubleshooting in Self-Service

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📘 Objective 3.3: Determine the Correct Method to Validate Required Playbook Configurations

• Key Knowledge Areas:

  • Validating Playbook Configurations:
    • Understand the prerequisites and configuration steps for playbooks, such as ensuring all necessary triggers, actions, and dependencies are correctly set up.
  • Common Configuration Issues:
    • Recognize typical configuration errors, such as missing triggers, incorrect action parameters, or failed integrations (e.g., ServiceNow, Ansible).
  • Using Alerts and Manual Triggers:
    • Ensure that alerts are configured correctly to trigger playbooks as expected, and manual triggers are tested for functionality.

• Practical Examples:

  • 💡 Configuring Triggers in a Playbook:
    • Create a playbook that is triggered by an alert when a VM exceeds 90% CPU usage. Ensure the trigger and subsequent actions are correctly configured.
  • 🔄 Testing Playbook Actions:
    • Validate that actions such as “Send Email” or “Run SSH Command” execute as expected by manually running the playbook and checking the output.

• Tools to Know:

  • Playbook Actions: Various tasks that can be automated in a playbook, such as VM actions, notifications, and HTTP requests.
  • Creating Playbooks Using Alert: Use alerts to automate playbooks based on specific events.
  • Manual Trigger Configuration: Set up and test manual triggers for playbook execution.

• Dos and Don’ts:

  • ✅ Do:
    • Test All Triggers and Actions: Verify that each component of the playbook works correctly before deployment.
    • Regularly Update Playbooks: Keep playbooks up-to-date with the latest configurations and requirements.
  • ❌ Don’t:
    • Ignore Error Logs: Always check logs after testing a playbook for any hidden errors.
    • Overlook Dependencies: Make sure all dependencies are defined and validated to avoid execution failures.

• References:

  • Creating Playbooks Using Alert
  • Running a Playbook (Manual Trigger)
  • Integrating Ansible Action in Playbooks

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📘 Objective 3.4: Determine the Causes of Issues Associated with Automation

• Key Knowledge Areas:

  • Identifying Automation Issues:
    • Use diagnostic tools and logs to identify the cause of automation failures. Look for errors related to network connectivity, VM creation, resource allocation, or script execution.
  • Interpreting Logs and Screenshots:
    • Given a log or screenshot, identify common issues such as RPC errors, credential misconfigurations, or policy mismatches.
  • Optimizing Workflows:
    • Review and optimize workflows to align with best practices. This may involve simplifying tasks, reducing dependencies, or improving error handling.

• Practical Examples:

  • 💡 Troubleshooting a VM Creation Error:
    • Error: "VM creation RPC request failed" – Check the network configuration, including firewall settings, and ensure that all required services are running.
  • 🔄 Optimizing a Deployment Workflow:
    • Simplify a complex multi-step workflow by removing redundant tasks and using macros to automate common functions.

• Tools to Know:

  • Self-Service Audit Tab: Use to view detailed logs of all automation actions and identify the root cause of errors.
  • VM Logs and RPC Diagnostics: Tools to troubleshoot issues related to VM creation and RPC requests.
  • Policy Engine Logs: Review logs to identify policy mismatches or enforcement errors.

• Dos and Don’ts:

  • ✅ Do:
    • Use Diagnostic Tools Effectively: Leverage all available tools (e.g., logs, audits, diagnostics) to find the root cause of issues.
    • Optimize Workflows for Efficiency: Regularly review and update workflows to ensure they follow best practices.
  • ❌ Don’t:
    • Ignore Repeated Errors: Recurring issues may indicate underlying configuration problems that need addressing.
    • Rely Solely on Defaults: Customize settings based on specific environment requirements and best practices.

• References:

  • VM Creation RPC Request Errors
  • Windows Blueprint Deployment Process Errors
  • Blueprint Launch Errors Due to Account Verification

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Next Steps:

This detailed cheat sheet covers the key concepts, practical examples, tools, dos and don'ts, and references for Section 3 of the Nutanix NCP-MCA 6.5 exam. Let me know if you'd like to focus on any specific areas in more detail or if there's another section you would like to explore further!