PowerCLI

During the installation of the Update Manager, you can select to install the optional VMware Infrastructure Update Manager – PowerShell Library. VMware Update Manager – PowerShell Library is a set of commandlets for scanning and remediating virtual machines or hosts, downloading software updates, and creating baselines. It can be installed and used on any machine that has VMware Infrastructure Toolkit (for Windows) installed and access to a VirtualCenter Server. VMware Infrastructure Update Manager – PowerShell Library is an experimental feature and is supported only in English.

Jonathan Walz & Hal Rottenberg, the guys behind the PowerScripting Podcast have a great show lined up for you.  They will be talking to Carter Shanklin from VMware about their PowerShell Toolkit.  He’s got some exciting NEW news to share with us, so that’s cool.  They also bring you news, resources, tips and whatever else they can scrape up.

Do you think you have what it takes to be the best PowerShell scripter? VMware is challenging the world’s VI administrators to a contest of skill, creativity and raw scripting talent. If you think you have what it takes to be the best and an all expenses paid trip to VMworld Las Vegas is your cup of tea – this is for you.

Prizes:

First Prize: Airfare, hotel and admission to VMworld 2008 Las Vegas (up to $5,000 in value) or $5,000 USD Cash Prize

Second Prize: Macbook Air with VMware Fusion or $2,500 USD

Third Prize: Xbox 360 Elite or $500 USD

Make sure you use the Latest Released Version: 1.0 | 07/25/08 | 103777 | 2.54 MB  :-)

Jonathan Walz & Hal Rottenberg, the guys behind the PowerScripting Podcast interviewed Carter Shanklin. In Episode 34 they spoke with Carter, a Product Manager over at VMware about the VI Toolkit for Windows. The VI Toolkit will become general available this weekend and will contain a lot of new CmdLet’s. Here’s the output from a pre-GA build v1.0.101511 "Get-Command –psssnapin vmware*". Carter’s next project is the VIX API. The VMware VIX API allows you to automate VM and guest operations on VMware Server, Workstation and ESX. He started a blog about this subject recently. I also had the opportunity to ask Hal about the progress on his upcoming “Managing VMWare with Windows PowerShell�? book. Hal reported it's coming along. You can read his take on these and other technologies at his blog TechProsaic.

The VMware Infrastructure (VI) Toolkit (for Windows) 1.0 includes more than 120 cmdlets, a set of sample scripts, and a function library that make managing and automating the VMware Infrastructure easier than ever before.

Here's a link to my accidental discovery: Latest Released Version: 1.0 | 07/25/08 | 103777 | 2.54 MB

PoshCode is a collection of PowerShell functions, scripts and modules that are free for public use. As you find things useful, they only ask that you contribute back to the community.

AutoIt v3 is a freeware BASIC-like scripting language designed for automating the Windows GUI.  It uses a combination of simulated keystrokes, mouse movement and window/control manipulation in order to automate tasks in a way not possible or reliable with other languages. AutoItX is a DLL version of AutoIt v3 that provides a subset of the features of AutoIt via an ActiveX/COM and DLL interface. This means that you can add AutoIt-like features to your VMware PowerShell script.

Invoke-Item c:\windows\notepad.exe
Get-VIServer esx35.ntpro.local -User root -Password vmware
$autoitx=new-object -com autoitx3.control
$MyHost = Get-VMHost esx35.ntpro.local
$HostView = Get-View $MyHost.ID
$NetworkSystem = get-view $HostView.ConfigManager.NetworkSystem
$AllPortGroups = $NetworkSystem.NetworkInfo.Portgroup
$autoitx.winactivate("Untitled - Notepad","")
foreach ($HostPortGroup in $AllPortGroups){$autoitx.send($HostPortGroup.Spec.Name + "`r") }