---
title: "Provisioning Infoblox vNIOS for AWS using Elastic Scaling"
canonical: "https://docs.infoblox.com/space/NAIG/37716415/Provisioning%20Infoblox%20vNIOS%20for%20AWS%20using%20Elastic%20Scaling"
format: markdown
---
<span style="color: #000000">When you provision Infoblox vNIOS for AWS instances using the NIOS Elastic Scaling feature, most procedures are similar to those used when you do not use Elastic Scaling for instance provisioning. The primary difference involves differences in the AWS </span><span style="color: #000000">*Configure*</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">*Instance*</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">*Details*</span><span style="color: #000000"> page's </span><span style="color: #000000">**User**</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">**data**</span><span style="color: #000000"> field, including the entry of an Infoblox token and certificate pair, which you generate in the Grid Master and use one time only, when you pre-provision the Infoblox vNIOS for AWS instance.</span>  
<span style="color: #000000"> This section provides a list of cross-references to the sequence of procedures to provision a new Infoblox vNIOS for AWS instance in AWS, and also provides the procedures specific to using Elastic Scaling.</span>

> ⚠️ **Note**
> ⚠️ 
> ⚠️ <span style="color: #000000">Ensure that you have the necessary feature licenses for each of your Infoblox vNIOS for AWS instance, including dynamic licenses to support Elastic Scaling. For information, refer to </span><span style="color: #000000">*Managing*</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">*Licenses*</span><span style="color: #000000"> in the </span><span style="color: #000000">*Infoblox*</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">*NIOS*</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">*Documentation*</span><span style="color: #000000">.</span>

# <span style="color: #000000">Initial Infoblox vNIOS for AWS Configuration with Elastic Scaling</span>

<span style="color: #000000">To begin provisioning a new Infoblox vNIOS for AWS instance with Elastic Scaling, do the following:</span>

1. <span style="color: #000000">Load the Infoblox vNIOS for AWS AMI from the Infoblox Community AMI page. For different methods to launch an instance and attach an AMI, see </span><span style="color: #000000">*[Initiating the Instance Creation from the AWS Console](https://infoblox-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/NAIG/pages/2646933509)*</span><span style="color: #000000">.</span>
2. <span style="color: #000000">Click </span><span style="color: #000000">**Next:**</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">**Configure**</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">**Instance**</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">**Details**</span><span style="color: #000000"> to define networking settings and User Data configuration for your new Elastic Scaling Infoblox vNIOS for AWS instance.</span>
  - <span style="color: #000000">Define the networking settings for your new Infoblox vNIOS for AWS instance, including the required two interfaces. For information, see </span><span style="color: #000000">*[Defining Network Settings for the vNIOS for AWS Instance](https://infoblox-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/NAIG/pages/2646540293)*</span><span style="color: #000000">.</span>
  - <span style="color: #000000">In the </span><span style="color: #000000">*Configure*</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">*Instance*</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">*Details*</span><span style="color: #000000"> page, open the </span><span style="color: #000000">**Advanced**</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">**Details**</span><span style="color: #000000"> section, which displays the </span><span style="color: #000000">**User**</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">**data**</span><span style="color: #000000"> settings.</span>
  - <span style="color: #000000">Continue to the following section.</span>

# <span style="color: #000000">Defining AWS User Data Settings for Infoblox vNIOS for AWS Instances using Elastic Scaling</span>

<span style="color: #000000">When you provision using Elastic Scaling, Infoblox vNIOS for AWS instances require different User Data settings on the AWS </span><span style="color: #000000">*Configure*</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">*Instance*</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">*Details*</span><span style="color: #000000"> page. In AWS, you enter User Data for new instances in plain text format. You use the following data fields for Elastic Scaling provisioning of new instances:</span>

- <span style="color: #000000">The</span>` #infoblox-config`<span style="color: #000000"> header.</span>
- <span style="color: #000000">A required </span>`gridmaster`<span style="color: #000000">: field that remains blank (this signifies to AWS that the appliance that is serving the Infoblox vNIOS for AWS instance is a Grid Master). The next three fields are subordinate to this field:</span>
  - `ip_addr`<span style="color: #000000">: A required field that specifies the private IP address of the current Infoblox vNIOS for AWS instance.</span>
  - `token`<span style="color: #000000">: A field that provides the string for the generated token for the new instance. Here, you paste in the Infoblox NIOS Elastic Scale token for the new Infoblox vNIOS for AWS instance. The token and certificate are generated in the Grid Master when you pre-provision the vNIOS instance.</span>
  - `certificate`<span style="color: #000000">: A field that provides the string for the generated Infoblox NIOS certificate credential associated with the token. The token and certificate are generated in the Grid Master when you pre-provision the vNIOS instance. The token and certificate values are valid only for a period of time or until the new Infoblox vNIOS for AWS instance joins the Grid; at which point the token and certificate expire. For information, see </span><span style="color: #000000">*About*</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">*Elastic*</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">*Scaling*</span><span style="color: #000000"> in the </span><span style="color: #000000">*Infoblox NIOS Documentation*</span><span style="color: #000000">.</span>

> ⚠️ **Note**
> ⚠️ 
> ⚠️ - <span style="color: #000000">You may also use different User Data settings to manually provision new Infoblox vNIOS for AWS instances without using Elastic Scaling. You can use other fields for enabling the remote console and a default admin password. For information, see the </span>*[Initializing New Infoblox vNIOS for AWS Instances with the AWS User Data Field](https://infoblox-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/NAIG/pages/2647064580)*<span style="color: #000000"> section.</span>
> ⚠️ - <span style="color: #000000">When you deploy a vNIOS for AWS instance, the LAN1 and MGMT IP addresses are allocated from the AWS DHCP server. Even if you try to set different IP addresses using a cloud_int script, IP addresses are allocated from the AWS DHCP server only.</span>


<span style="color: #000000">After you complete the configuration and launch the new Infoblox vNIOS for AWS instance, the Grid Master and the new instance communicate, and the new instance automatically joins the Grid. Further communications with the instance take place through Grid Manager and the NIOS CLI.</span>  
<span style="color: #000000"> In the </span><span style="color: #000000">*Advanced*</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">*Details*</span><span style="color: #000000"> section on the </span><span style="color: #000000">*Configure*</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">*Instance*</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">*Details*</span><span style="color: #000000"> page, complete the following steps:</span>

1. <span style="color: #000000">Select the </span><span style="color: #000000">**As**</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">**text**</span><span style="color: #000000"> option above the entry field.</span>
2. <span style="color: #000000">In the </span><span style="color: #000000">**User**</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">**data**</span><span style="color: #000000"> field, enter or paste the required data fields, token, and certificate information as shown in the diagram </span><span style="color: #000000">*Adding the Grid Master, Token, and Certificate information to the AWS vNIOS Instance*</span><span style="color: #000000">. A text example:</span>  
`#infoblox-config`  
`gridmaster:`  
`ip_addr: 172.16.1.2`  
`token: NyLGqDNK6NVRREqm3w0ddyxnPS913cml`  
`Certificate: <copy and paste certificate here>`  
  
*Adding the Grid Master, Token, and Certificate information to the AWS vNIOS Instance*  
> Macro (inline-media-image)

  
The token and certificate are used only once, and expire when the Infoblox vNIOS for AWS instance joins the Grid.
3. <span style="color: #000000">After entering your information in the </span>*Advanced Details*<span style="color: #000000"> section, click </span>**Next:**<span style="color: #000000"> </span>**Add**<span style="color: #000000"> </span>**Storage**<span style="color: #000000"> to continue setting up the new Infoblox vNIOS for AWS instance.</span>

# <span style="color: #000000">Continuing Infoblox vNIOS for AWS Instance Configuration</span>

<span style="color: #000000">After defining the settings for supporting Elastic Scaling, configuring a new Infoblox vNIOS for AWS instance uses the same procedures for configuring an appliance without Elastic Scaling. Do the following to complete instance configuration:</span>

> ⚠️ **Note**
> ⚠️ 
> ⚠️ Check the top of the AWS console page to see the wizard configuration step location. Click the **Previous** button at any time to navigate to previous configuration pages.

1. <span style="color: #000000">To define the storage capacity settings for the new instance, click </span><span style="color: #000000">**Next:**</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">**Add**</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">**Storage**</span><span style="color: #000000">, and use the </span><span style="color: #000000">*Add*</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">*Storage*</span><span style="color: #000000"> AWS wizard page to set storage configuration and define tags to be used as extensible attributes for the new instance. For information, see </span>*[Defining Storage Settings for the vNIOS for AWS Instance](https://infoblox-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/NAIG/pages/2647064632)*<span style="color: #000000">.</span>  
<span style="color: #000000">Infoblox recommends keeping at least the minimum storage capacity defaults for the new Infoblox vNIOS for AWS instance.</span>
2. <span style="color: #000000">Click </span><span style="color: #000000">**Next:Tag Instance**</span><span style="color: #000000"> to define AWS tags for matching NIOS extensible attributes.</span>  
<span style="color: #000000">Use the </span><span style="color: #000000">*Tag Instance*</span><span style="color: #000000"> AWS wizard page to define name-value pairs for categorizing, searching, and identifying Amazon objects such as EC2 instances, subnets, VPCs, and IP addresses. If you already have extensible attributes defined for your Infoblox Grid, you can add those same EAs to the new Infoblox vNIOS for AWS instance on this page. For information, see </span>*[Defining Name and Tags for the vNIOS for AWS Instance](https://infoblox-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/NAIG/pages/2647359492)*<span style="color: #000000">.</span>
3. <span style="color: #000000">Click </span><span style="color: #000000">**Next: Configure Security Group**</span><span style="color: #000000"> to configure the security settings for your new Infoblox vNIOS for AWS instance.</span>  
<span style="color: #000000">You use the </span><span style="color: #000000">*Configure Security Group*</span> AWS wizard page to define the firewall security settings for the new Infoblox vNIOS for AWS instance. For information, see the *[Defining an AWS Instance Security Group](https://infoblox-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/NAIG/pages/2646540293)* section<span style="color: #000000">[.](https://infoblox-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/NAIG/pages/37650793/Provisioning+vNIOS+for+AWS+Using+the+BYOL+Model#bookmark39)</span>
4. <span style="color: #000000">Click </span><span style="color: #000000">**Next: Review and Launch**</span><span style="color: #000000"> to review instance settings and launch your new Infoblox vNIOS for AWS instance.</span>  
<span style="color: #000000">The </span><span style="color: #000000">*Review Instance Launch*</span><span style="color: #000000"> page lists breakout sections with each category of settings, beginning with </span><span style="color: #000000">**AMI Details**</span><span style="color: #000000"> at the top. The page provides an </span><span style="color: #000000">**Edit**</span><span style="color: #000000"> link for each category (</span><span style="color: #000000">**Edit instance type**</span><span style="color: #000000">, </span><span style="color: #000000">**Edit security groups**</span><span style="color: #000000">...) for any final changes. Complete your Infoblox vNIOS for AWS instance configuration and launch the instance. For information, see </span>*[Completing Your Infoblox vNIOS for AWS Instance Launch](https://infoblox-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/NAIG/pages/2647425068)*<span style="color: #000000">.</span>
5. <span style="color: #000000">Perform additional tasks for the vNIOS for AWS configuration to ensure that the virtual appliance is functioning properly. For information, see </span><span style="color: #000000">*[Additional](https://infoblox-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/NAIG/pages/37552414)*</span><span style="color: #000000">[ ](https://infoblox-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/NAIG/pages/37552414)</span><span style="color: #000000">*[Configuration](https://infoblox-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/NAIG/pages/37552414)*</span><span style="color: #000000">[ ](https://infoblox-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/NAIG/pages/37552414)</span><span style="color: #000000">*[for](https://infoblox-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/NAIG/pages/37552414)*</span><span style="color: #000000">[ ](https://infoblox-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/NAIG/pages/37552414)</span><span style="color: #000000">*[vNIOS](https://infoblox-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/NAIG/pages/37552414)*</span><span style="color: #000000">[ ](https://infoblox-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/NAIG/pages/37552414)</span><span style="color: #000000">*[for](https://infoblox-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/NAIG/pages/37552414)*</span><span style="color: #000000">[ ](https://infoblox-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/NAIG/pages/37552414)</span><span style="color: #000000">*[AWS](https://infoblox-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/NAIG/pages/37552414)*</span><span style="color: #000000">[.](https://infoblox-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/NAIG/pages/37552414)</span>