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Mantle 2.0 Guide: Build Management

Overview

Build management in Mantle 2.0 covers the common setup, workflow selection, launch steps, and monitoring patterns used across supported deployment paths. It provides the operational glue between uploaded assets, appliance settings, and the specific build workflow the operator chooses.

Use this guide when you need to:

  • Prepare the appliance before launching a build
  • Understand the available build paths in the UI
  • Run a template-driven network build
  • Track build execution and review results
  • Hand off into the deeper VMware, Linux, or physical network workflow guides

1. Build Workflow Model

Across Mantle 2.0, build execution follows the same basic pattern:

  1. Prepare the appliance and required assets.
  2. Select the workflow type.
  3. Complete or import the required build inputs.
  4. Validate the workflow.
  5. Deploy the build.
  6. Track execution and review logs.

This model keeps routine workflows predictable even when the underlying targets differ.

2. Prerequisites

Several requirements apply before operators launch any build:

Appliance setup

  • Configure any required serial ports when the workflow depends on console or BIOS automation.
  • Set the Build Interface so Mantle uses the correct appliance NIC for build-network traffic.
  • Confirm physical cabling matches the intended management and build paths.

Resource setup

  • Upload the templates, ISOs, playbooks, licenses, and related assets that the workflow references.
  • Verify device templates, JSON imports, or kickstart content align with the exact files present in the asset library.
  • Confirm target devices or servers are in the expected power state before deployment begins.

Operator readiness checks

  • Confirm the correct license is applied.
  • Confirm required files are available in Mantle.
  • Confirm connectivity to the target environment is stable.
  • Confirm any serial, PXE, or out-of-band control paths are ready before launch.

3. Build Types in the UI

The build selection area groups several workflow paths under one operational entry point:

  • Datacenter Build
  • Network Build
  • Virtual Network Build
  • Network Utilities Build

In practice:

  • Network Build is a template-driven workflow for physical network configuration
  • Datacenter Build covers VMware and Linux build paths and is documented in the deeper workflow guide
  • Additional build types may appear depending on deployment scope, platform capabilities, or feature exposure

Use this page for the shared operator flow, then move into the specialized guides when the target environment requires more detail.

4. Launch a Network Build

Use this workflow to create a new network build from a blank configuration:

  1. From the home page, open Build Network/Datacenter. Build Network and Datacenter entry point on the Home page
  2. Click New Build. New Build button in the build workspace
  3. Select Network Build, then continue. Selecting Network Build from the build type list
  4. Choose New to start from a blank configuration. Starting a new blank network build
  5. Select the Port, Device Name, and Template for the build. Selecting the port, device name, and template for the network build
  6. Review the selected template if needed, then complete the required variables. Reviewing the selected device template Completed network build configuration variables
  7. Wait for validation to complete, then click Deploy. Workflow validated message before deployment

The build form is driven by the selected template, so required fields and validation behavior change based on the device model and uploaded configuration source.

5. Track Deployment and Review Results

After deployment starts, use the built-in monitoring views to confirm progress and troubleshoot failures:

  • The Track Build page shows the active job state and detailed logs
  • The Dashboard presents current build status alongside the build list
  • Validation errors generally point back to missing template variables, missing assets, or setup issues on the appliance

Track Build page showing deployment progress and logs Dashboard showing track build status and the list of builds

When reviewing failures, check the sequence in this order:

  1. Asset presence and version
  2. Build interface and serial port setup
  3. Template selection and variable completeness
  4. Physical target readiness

Not every workflow should be documented in this page. Use the specialized guides when you move beyond the shared build-management pattern:

  1. VMware & Linux Builds for datacenter workflows that PXE provision hosts, deploy vCenter, or build Linux systems
  2. Physical Network Builds for serial-driven switch and router automation
  3. Templates for reusable build inputs and baseline configuration assets

This keeps build management focused on operator flow while the platform-specific guides handle the implementation detail.