VMware ESX Post installation configuration via PowerCLI

I made a simple example script using the VMware PowerCLI that can be used to do the post installation configuration of a VMware ESX 4 server. This script does the following things:

  • Connect to VMware ESX server
  • Set the SC memory to 800MB
  • Creates vSwitch2 and add vmnic2 and vmnic3
  • Add several PortGroups and VLANs to vSwitch2
  • Remove default PortGroup VM Network
  • Creates a VMkernel VMotion port with IP address, subnetmask and VLAN
  • Add vmnic0 and vmnic1 to vSwitch0, set for the VMotion port vmnic1 active and vmnic0 standby and for the Service Console port vmnic0 active and vmnic1 standby
  • Configure NTP servers and open the firewall
  • Sets advanced settings Disk.UseDeviceReset to 0 and Disk.UseLUNReset  to 1
  • Sets he Qlogic HBA queue depth and the Disk.SchedNumReqOutstandig to 64
  • Enable VMhost Startup and stop

Here’s the PowerCLI script:

# Title: VMware ESX4 Post config #  
# Filename:    esx4postconfig.sp1 #   
# Created by: Ivo Beerens #   
# Date: February 2010 #   
# Version: 1.0 #  
# Website: www.ivobeerens.nl #   
# E-mail: ivo\[AT\]ivobeerens.nl #   
  
# Variables #  
# vCenter name and port #  
$vcserver \= "vc01"  
$portvc \= "443"  
#Service Console memory #  
$SCMemory \= 800  
# default PortGroup #  
$DefaultPG \= Get-VirtualPortgroup -Name 'VM Network'  
# VMotion IP, subnetmask and VLAN  
$VMotionIP \= “172.16.1.50“  
$VMotionSubnet = “255.255.0.0“  
$VMotionVLan ="3"  
\# HBA Queue depth #  
$HBAqueudepth = 64  
\# vSwitch names #  
$Switch1 ="vSwitch0"  
$Switch2 ="vSwitch2"  
  
Connect-VIServer $vcserver -User root -Password idontknow -port $portvc  
  
# Set SC memory to 800MB #  
Get-VMHost | Get-View | %{(Get-View -Id $\_.ConfigManager.MemoryManager).ReconfigureServiceConsoleReservation($SCMemory\*1mb)}  
  
# Create vSwitch1 and add vmnic2 and vmnic3 #  
New-VirtualSwitch -Name $Switch2 -Nic vmnic2,vmnic3  
  
# Add PortGroups and VLANs  to the vSwitch2 #  
get-vmhost | Get-VirtualSwitch -Name $Switch2 | New-VirtualPortGroup -Name"VLAN999 Management" -VLANID 999  
get-vmhost | Get-VirtualSwitch -Name $Switch2 | New-VirtualPortGroup -Name"VLAN100 Servers" -VLANID 100  
get-vmhost | Get-VirtualSwitch -Name $Switch2 | New-VirtualPortGroup -Name"VLAN99 Clients Ser-D" -VLANID 99  
get-vmhost | Get-VirtualSwitch -Name $Switch2 | New-VirtualPortGroup -Name"VLAN98 Clients Ser-B" -VLANID 98  
get-vmhost | Get-VirtualSwitch -Name $Switch2 | New-VirtualPortGroup -Name"VLAN33 Secure LAN" -VLANID 33  
get-vmhost | Get-VirtualSwitch -Name $Switch2 | New-VirtualPortGroup -Name"VLAN32 DMZ3" -VLANID 32  
get-vmhost | Get-VirtualSwitch -Name $Switch2 | New-VirtualPortGroup -Name"VLAN31 DMZ1" -VLANID 31  
get-vmhost | Get-VirtualSwitch -Name $Switch2 | New-VirtualPortGroup -Name"VLAN30 DMZ0" -VLANID 30  
get-vmhost | Get-VirtualSwitch -Name $Switch2 | New-VirtualPortGroup -Name"VLAN7 VOiP" -VLANID 7  
get-vmhost | Get-VirtualSwitch -Name $Switch2 | New-VirtualPortGroup -Name"VLAN1 Default"\# Remove default Port Group after default installation #  
Remove-VirtualPortGroup -VirtualPortGroup $DefaultPG -Confirm:$false  
  
# Creates a VMkernel port VMotion on vSwitch0 #  
New-VMHostNetworkAdapter -PortGroup “VMotion“ -VirtualSwitch $Switch1 -IP $VMotionIP -SubnetMask $VMotionSubnet -VMotionEnabled:$true  
  
# Set VLAN of the VMotion VMkernel #  
$VMotionPG = Get-VirtualPortgroup -Name 'VMotion'  
Set-VirtualPortGroup -VirtualPortGroup $VMotionPG -VlanId $VMotionVLan  
  
# Add vmnic0 and vmnic1 to vSwitch0 #  
$vs = get-virtualswitch -name $Switch0  
Set-VirtualSwitch -VirtualSwitch $vs -Nic vmnic0,vmnic1  
  
# Set VMotion vmnic1 active vmnic0 standby #  
get-virtualportgroup -name VMotion | Get-NicTeamingPolicy | Set-NicTeamingPolicy -MakeNicActive vmnic1  
get-virtualportgroup -name VMotion | Get-NicTeamingPolicy | Set-NicTeamingPolicy -MakeNicStandby vmnic0  
  
# Set Service Console vmnic0 active, vmnic1 standby #  
get-virtualportgroup -name 'Service Console' | Get-NicTeamingPolicy | Set-NicTeamingPolicy -MakeNicActive vmnic0  
get-virtualportgroup -name 'Service Console' | Get-NicTeamingPolicy | Set-NicTeamingPolicy -MakeNicStandby vmnic1  
  
# Configures NTP, add NTP servers, starts NTP and open the firewall port #  
Add-VmHostNtpServer -NtpServer "0.VMware.pool.ntp.org"Add-VmHostNtpServer -NtpServer "1.VMware.pool.ntp.org"Add-VmHostNtpServer -NtpServer "2.VMware.pool.ntp.org"Get-vmhostfirewallexception "NTP Client" | Set-VMHostFirewallException -enabled:$true  
  
# Advanced settings instellen #  
Set-VMHostAdvancedConfiguration -Name"Disk.UseDeviceReset" -Value 0  
Set-VMHostAdvancedConfiguration -Name"Disk.UseLunReset" -Value 1  
  
# Set the queuedepth for the Qlogic HBA and SchedNumReqOutstanding setting #  
Get-VMhostModule "qla2xxx" | Set-VMHostModule -Options"ql2xmaxqdepth\=$HBAqueudepth"  
Set-VMHostAdvancedConfiguration -Name"Disk.SchedNumReqOutstanding" -Value $HBAqueudepth  
  
# Enable VMHostStartup #  
$VMstart = Get-VMHostStartPolicy  
Set-VMHostStartPolicy -VMHostStartPolicy $VMstart -Enabled:$true -StartDelay 60 -StopDelay 60 -StopAction GuestShutDown  
  
# Disconnect #  
disconnect-viserver -confirm:$false

It’s easy to adjust the settings for your need. This shows the strength to use the PowerCLI for doing automation in VMware. If you have suggestions please let me know.