Merge pull request #2864 from fabriziopandini/how-to-connect-VCenterS…

…imulator

📖 Document how to connect to VCenterSimulators

test/infrastructure/vcsim/README.md

@@ -72,6 +72,54 @@ $ source vcsim.env
 $ cat <your template> | envsubst | kubectl apply -f -
 ```
 
+#### Using govc with vcsim
+
+[govc](https://github.com/vmware/govmomi/tree/main/govc) is a vSphere CLI built on top of govmomi.
+
+The [vcsim.sh](scripts/vcsim.sh) script described above, also sets the `GOVC_URL` and the `GOVC_INSECURE` env vars required to
+use govc against the vcsim instance generated by applying the `VCenterSimulator` resource.
+
+It is required to setup connectivity to the pod where this vcsim instance in running first.
+
+From terminal window #1:
+
+```shell
+source vcsim.env
+kubectl port-forward -n vcsim-system deployments/vcsim-controller-manager ${VSPHERE_SERVER##*:}
+```
+
+From terminal window 2:
+
+```shell
+source vcsim.env
+govc ls
+```
+
+#### Accessing the workload cluster
+
+Even if the workload cluster running on vcsim machines is fake, it could be interesting to use kubectl to 
+query the fake API server.
+
+Also in this case it is required to setup connectivity to the pod where the fake API server in running first;
+this connection must be used when using kubectl.
+
+From terminal window #1:
+
+```shell
+# from terminal window 1
+source vcsim.env
+kubectl port-forward -n vcsim-system deployments/vcsim-controller-manager $CONTROL_PLANE_ENDPOINT_PORT
+```
+
+From terminal window 2:
+
+```shell
+source vcsim.env
+
+clusterctl get kubeconfig -n $NAMESPACE $CLUSTER_NAME > /tmp/kubeconfig
+kubectl --kubeconfig=/tmp/kubeconfig --server=https://127.0.0.1:$CONTROL_PLANE_ENDPOINT_PORT get nodes
+```
+
 ### Cluster provisioning with vcsim
 
 In the previous paragraph we explained the process and the components to setup a test environment with a 

test/infrastructure/vm-operator/README.md

@@ -28,13 +28,6 @@ As you might notice, it is required to have an additional component taking care
 and vCenter as required by the vm-operator. This component exist in different variants according to the use cases
 described in following paragraphs.
 
-## Building and pushing the VM-operator manifest
-
-Run `make release-vm-operator` to build build & publish vm-operator manifest and image to the CAPV staging bucket.
-
-Note: we are maintaining a copy of those artefacts to ensure CAPV test isolation and to allow small customizations
-that makes it easier to run the vm-operator in the "limited version of the supervisor", but this might change in the future.
-
 ## Tilt for CAPV in supervisor mode using vcsim
 
 NOTE: As of today we are not supporting Tilt development of CAPV in supervisor mode when targeting a real vCenter.
@@ -45,6 +38,8 @@ To use vsphere in supervisor mode it is required to add it to the list of enable
 (note that we are also adding `vsphere-supervisor`, which is a variant that deploys the supervisor's CRDs);
 in this case, it is also required to add both the `vm-operator` and `vcsim.
 
+NOTE: before using `vm-operator` for the first time, you have to run `make vm-operator-manifest-build` in the CAPV folder.
+
 ```yaml
 ...
 provider_repos:
@@ -100,3 +95,10 @@ A subset of CAPV E2E tests can be executed using the supervisor mode and vcsim a
 Note: The code responsible for E2E tests setup will take care of creating the `VCenterSimulator`, the `ControlPlaneEndpoint`
 and to grab required variables from the corresponding `EnvVar`. On top of that, the setup code will also 
 create the required `VMOperatorDependencies` resource for configuring the test namespace.
+
+## Building and pushing the VM-operator manifest
+
+Run `make release-vm-operator` to build & publish vm-operator manifest and image to the CAPV staging bucket.
+
+Note: we are maintaining a copy of those artefacts to ensure CAPV test isolation and to allow small customizations
+that makes it easier to run the vm-operator in the "limited version of the supervisor", but this might change in the future.