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Installing the VCF Automation Backend Plugin#

This guide will help you install and set up the VCF Automation backend plugin in your Backstage instance.

Prerequisites#

Before installing the plugin, ensure you have:

  1. A running Backstage backend instance
  2. Access to a VCF Automation service
  3. VCF Ingestor Plugin - Required for entity synchronization

Installation Steps#

1. Add the Package#

Install the plugin package using yarn:

yarn --cwd packages/backend add @terasky/backstage-plugin-vcf-automation-backend

2. Add to Backend#

Modify your backend in packages/backend/src/index.ts:

import { createBackend } from '@backstage/backend-defaults';

const backend = createBackend();

// Add the VCF Automation backend plugin
backend.add(import('@terasky/plugin-vcf-automation-backend'));

backend.start();

3. Configure Authentication#

Add authentication configuration to your app-config.yaml:

Single Instance:

vcfAutomation:
  baseUrl: 'https://your-vcf-automation-instance'
  name: demo
  majorVersion: 8
  authentication:
    username: 'your-username'
    password: 'your-password'
    domain: 'your-domain'

Multi Instance:

vcfAutomation:
  instances:
  - name: my-vcf-01
    baseUrl: 'https://your-vcf-automation-instance'
    majorVersion: 9
    orgName: my-org # This is needed only in VCFA 9 and above
    authentication:
      username: 'your-username'
      password: 'your-password'
  - name: my-vcf-02
    baseUrl: 'https://your-vcf-02-automation-instance'
    majorVersion: 8
    authentication:
      username: 'your-username'
      password: 'your-password'
      domain: 'your-domain'

What's Next?#

Verification#

After installation, verify that:

  1. The plugin appears in your package.json dependencies
  2. The backend starts without errors
  3. API endpoints are accessible
  4. Authentication is working
  5. Permissions are enforced

Troubleshooting#

Common issues and solutions:

  1. Authentication Issues

    • Verify credentials
    • Check environment variables
    • Test VCF service access
    • Review error logs

  2. API Connection Problems

    • Check service URL
    • Verify network access
    • Review proxy settings
    • Test API endpoints

  3. Permission Errors

    • Check role configuration
    • Verify user permissions
    • Review access policies
    • Test with admin account

  4. Event Streaming Issues

    • Check WebSocket connection
    • Verify event subscription
    • Review stream configuration
    • Test event flow

For configuration options and customization, proceed to the Configuration Guide.