Infrastructure as Code: Automating Nutanix and Dell PowerFlex with Ansible and Terraform

Introduction

The modern data center is in a constant state of flux. Business agility, cloud-like automation, and reliable operations are now mandatory, not optional. As organizations scale and diversify, manual provisioning and configuration become bottlenecks. This is where Infrastructure as Code (IaC) takes center stage, delivering automation, repeatability, and consistency across hybrid environments.

In this article, we dive deep into how IT architects and admins can automate Nutanix and Dell PowerFlex deployments using Ansible and Terraform. We will cover real-world scenarios, show you exactly how to build your first playbooks and templates, and explain how governance and security are handled in an automated world.

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The Rise of Infrastructure as Code (IaC)

IaC represents a fundamental shift in how infrastructure is managed. Instead of manually clicking through GUIs or entering shell commands, you now declare your desired state in code. Tools like Ansible and Terraform interpret these declarations and automate the provisioning, scaling, and lifecycle management of your systems.

Benefits include:

• Consistency and repeatability across sites and environments
• Version control and auditability via code repositories (Git)
• Faster deployments, fewer human errors
• Easier integration with CI/CD pipelines and DevOps workflows

Both Nutanix and Dell PowerFlex have embraced IaC. Nutanix offers robust APIs and official Ansible and Terraform integrations, while PowerFlex provides REST APIs, a strong Ansible collection, and community Terraform providers.

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Platform Automation Support

Nutanix

• Terraform Provider: Official HashiCorp Nutanix provider supports VM, network, storage, and more.
• Ansible Modules: Nutanix offers official Ansible modules for VM provisioning, Prism management, AHV operations, and files.
• REST APIs: Comprehensive API coverage for all Nutanix objects.

Dell PowerFlex

• Ansible Modules: Dell provides a PowerFlex collection in Ansible Galaxy for storage provisioning, snapshot management, and protection.
• REST API: Full-featured REST endpoints for advanced automation and custom workflows.
• Terraform Provider: Community-supported Terraform provider for PowerFlex storage operations.

Key Takeaway: You can automate almost everything in both platforms, whether you prefer a declarative (Terraform) or procedural (Ansible) style.

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Building Your First Playbook/Template

Let’s walk through a simple end-to-end automation: provisioning a new VM with attached storage on Nutanix, then automating PowerFlex storage with Ansible and Terraform.

1. Terraform Example: Deploy a Nutanix VM

Provider Configuration

provider "nutanix" {
  username = var.nutanix_username
  password = var.nutanix_password
  endpoint = var.nutanix_endpoint
  insecure = true
}

Create a VM Template

resource "nutanix_virtual_machine" "web_server" {
  name       = "web-server-01"
  memory_mb  = 4096
  num_vcpus_per_socket = 2
  num_sockets          = 1

  disk_list {
    data_source_reference {
      kind = "image"
      uuid = var.vm_image_uuid
    }
    disk_size_mib = 32768
  }

  nic_list {
    subnet_uuid = var.subnet_uuid
  }
}

How to Use:

• Place in your Terraform repo, set variables for credentials and UUIDs, run terraform init, then terraform apply.
• Use terraform destroy to decommission.

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2. Ansible Example: PowerFlex Storage Automation

Install the PowerFlex Collection

ansible-galaxy collection install dell.dellemc_powerflex

Playbook: Provision a Storage Volume

- name: Create PowerFlex Volume
  hosts: localhost
  collections:
    - dell.dellemc_powerflex
  tasks:
    - name: Create a volume
      powerflex_volume:
        gateway_host: "{{ powerflex_host }}"
        gateway_user: "{{ powerflex_user }}"
        gateway_password: "{{ powerflex_pass }}"
        name: "prod-db-volume"
        size: 100 # GB
        storage_pool: "pool1"
        state: present

How to Use:

• Store your PowerFlex credentials in Ansible Vault or environment variables.
• Run with ansible-playbook create_volume.yml.

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3. Combined Lifecycle Management

Both tools support scaling, updating, and destroying resources by simply updating your code and re-running your automation. You can use variables, modules, and templates for greater flexibility.

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Reusable Code Patterns

Modular Templates

• Terraform: Use modules for VM, network, storage—define once, reuse everywhere.
• Ansible: Roles and reusable tasks for repeated workflows (e.g., patching, backup).

Example Terraform Module Structure:

modules/
  nutanix_vm/
    main.tf
    variables.tf
    outputs.tf

Call modules in your root config:

module "db_vm" {
  source     = "./modules/nutanix_vm"
  vm_name    = "db01"
  memory_mb  = 8192
  ...
}

Example Ansible Role Structure:

roles/
  powerflex_provision/
    tasks/
      main.yml
    defaults/
      main.yml

Call roles in your playbook:

- hosts: localhost
  roles:
    - powerflex_provision

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Parameterization

• Use variables for environment-specific values (site, size, credentials).
• Store secrets in Vault (Ansible) or environment variables (Terraform).
• Integrate with CI/CD to auto-generate configurations per environment.

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Real-World Use Case: Automated New Site Deployment

Suppose your organization is launching a new branch office. Instead of days of manual setup, you trigger a CI/CD pipeline. Your IaC code:

1. Provisions Nutanix clusters, storage, and VMs using Terraform modules
2. Deploys PowerFlex storage pools, volumes, and protection policies via Ansible playbooks
3. Configures networking, security rules, and monitoring integrations

With everything versioned, repeatable, and audited, you minimize errors and speed up delivery. If a rollback is needed, code and automation make it simple.

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Governance and Security

Policy-as-Code

• Use tools like Sentinel (for Terraform) and Ansible Lint to enforce rules (naming, resource sizing, tags).
• Version all code in Git for full audit trails.
• Integrate with CI/CD for pre-merge checks and approval gates.

Compliance Checks

• Check for hardcoded secrets and use Vault wherever possible.
• Validate all changes against compliance baselines before deployment.
• Monitor infrastructure for drift and unauthorized changes.

Example: Terraform Sentinel Policy Snippet

import "tfplan/v2" as tfplan

main = rule {
  all tfplan.resource_changes as _, rc {
    rc.type is "nutanix_virtual_machine" and
    rc.change.after.memory_mb >= 2048
  }
}

This policy blocks any VM creation with less than 2GB RAM, ensuring compliance.

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Conclusion

By adopting Infrastructure as Code with Ansible and Terraform, Nutanix and PowerFlex environments become faster to deploy, easier to govern, and more reliable. Architects and admins can now deliver infrastructure that is consistent, auditable, and secure—whether on-premises or across hybrid clouds. Manual effort drops. Repeatability, compliance, and operational excellence soar.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not represent the opinions of Dell, Nutanix, or any affiliated organization. Always refer to the official Dell and Nutanix documentation before production deployment.