ESXi Powershell Commandlets

Scope of This Document

This document covers ESXi powershell commands that I find useful

Install Powershell PowerCli Modules

Install-Module -Name VMware.PowerCLI -AllowClobber
Set-PowerCLIConfiguration -Scope AllUsers -ParticipateInCeip $false -InvalidCertificateAction Ignore

Controlling SSH service

get-cluster dfw-mx740c-new | Get-VMHost | Get-VMHostService | Where { $_.Key -eq "TSM-SSH" } | select VMHost, Label, Running
get-cluster dfw-mx740c-new | Get-VMHost | Get-VMHostService | Where { $_.Key -eq "TSM-SSH" } | Start-VMHostService
get-cluster dfw-mx740c-new | Get-VMHost | Get-VMHostService | Where { $_.Key -eq "TSM-SSH" } | Stop-VMHostService

VMware Tools Update without Reboot (reboot must be performed later of course)

Show All VMs in Cluster that need VMtools Update

Get-Cluster CLUSTERNAME | Get-VM | % { get-view $_.id } |Where-Object {$_.Guest.ToolsVersionStatus -like "guestToolsNeedUpgrade"} |select name, @{Name="ToolsVersion"; Expression={$_.config.tools.toolsversion}}, @{ Name="ToolStatus"; Expression={$_.Guest.ToolsVersionStatus}}| Sort-Object Name

Perform VMtools Update for all VMs in cluster without reboot

$OutofDateVMs = Get-Cluster CLUSTERNAME  | Get-VM | % { get-view $_.id } |Where-Object {$_.Guest.ToolsVersionStatus -like "guestToolsNeedUpgrade"} |select name, @{Name="ToolsVersion"; Expression={$_.config.tools.toolsversion}}, @{ Name="ToolStatus"; Expression={$_.Guest.ToolsVersionStatus}}| Sort-Object Name
ForEach ($VM in $OutOfDateVMs){Update-Tools -NoReboot -VM $VM.Name -Verbose}

Automatic VMtools Upgrade/Check at Boot

Check VMs which do or do not automatically check and upgrade tools and boot

Get-Cluster dfw-mx740c-new | Get-VM dfw-m* | Get-View | select name,@{N='ToolsUpgradePolicy';E={$_.Config.Tools.ToolsUpgradePolicy } }

Set VMs that need to have Automatic Tools Upgrade

$ManualUpdateVMs = Get-VM dfw-m* | Get-View | Where-Object {$_.Config.Tools.ToolsUpgradePolicy -like "manual"} | select name,@{N='ToolsUpgradePolicy';E={$_.Config.Tools.ToolsUpgradePolicy } }
Foreach ($VM in ($ManualUpdateVMs)) {$VMConfig = Get-View -VIObject $VM.Name $vmConfigSpec = New-Object VMware.Vim.VirtualMachineConfigSpec $vmConfigSpec.Tools = New-Object VMware.Vim.ToolsConfigInfo $vmConfigSpec.Tools.ToolsUpgradePolicy = "UpgradeAtPowerCycle" $VMConfig.ReconfigVM($vmConfigSpec) }

Get all VMs that have RDM disks in use

Get-VM | Get-HardDisk -DiskType "RawPhysical","RawVirtual" | Select Parent,Name,DiskType,ScsiCanonicalName,DeviceName | fl

Find all VMs with thick provisioned drives

Get-Datastore | Get-VM | Get-HardDisk | Where {$_.storageformat -eq "Thick" } | Select Parent, Name, CapacityGB, storageformat | FT -AutoSize

Find all VMs that have other than vmxnet3 network adapter

Get-VM | Get-NetworkAdapter | Where-object {$_.Type -ne "Vmxnet3"} | foreach ($_) {Write-Host $_.Parent.Name "("$_.Name") type:" $_.Type}

Connect to your vCenter

Connect-VIServer -Server SERVERNAME

Get all VMs that have snapshots

Get-VM | Get-Snapshot | Format-List vm,name,created

Removing a snapshot from a specific VM

Get-Snapshot VMNAME | Remove-Snapshot
or
Get-Snapshot VMNAME | Remove-Snapshot -Confirm:$false

Check for any attached CDRom drives

Get-VM | where { $_ | get-cddrive | where { $_.ConnectionState.Connected -eq "true" -and $_.ISOPath -like "*.ISO*"} } | select Name, @{Name=".ISO Path";Expression={(Get-CDDrive $_).isopath }}

Disconnect any attached CDRom drives

Get-VM | Get-CDDrive | Where {$_.ISOPath -ne $null} | Set-CDDrive -NoMedia -Confirm:$false

Shutting down or powering up a VM

Get-VM VMNAME | Shutdown-VMGuest
Get-VM VMNAME | Start-VM