Scripting VMware Power Tools: Automating Virtual Infrastructure Administration

Scripting VMware Power Tools: Automating Virtual Infrastructure Administration

by Al Muller
Released November 2006
Publisher(s): Syngress
ISBN: 9780080516776

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Book description

This book contains simple and advanced scripting using both ESX and Linux commands to provide awesome virtual tools to automate administrative tasks of ESX Server.

This book will cover the native tools that VMware provides with ESX Server. It will then discuss in detail the different scripting API’s and how they can be leveraged to provide some very useful, practical and time saving tools to manage a virtual infrastructure. From virtual server provisioning to backups and everything in between, this book is a one stop shop for virtual tools.

* An essential guide to virtualisation using both Linux and ESX commands

* The companion Web site for book provides dozens for working scripts and tools presented in the book

* Maximise VMware's powerful scripting language to automate time consuming administrative tasks

Table of contents

  1. Cover image
  2. Title page
  3. Table of Contents
  4. Copyright page
  5. Acknowledgments
  6. Lead Author
  7. Contributing Authors
  8. Technical Editors
  9. Companion Web Site
  10. Chapter 1: Scripted Installation
    1. Introduction
    2. Setting Up the Scripted Installation
    3. Summary
  11. Chapter 2: An Introduction to ESX Native Tools and How to Use Them
    1. Introduction
    2. Esxtop
    3. Summary
  12. Chapter 3: Scripting and Programming for the Virtual Infrastructure
    1. Introduction
    2. VMware Scripting APIs
    3. VMware Virtual Infrastructure SDK
    4. Other VMware SDKs
    5. Summary
  13. Chapter 4: Building a VM
    1. Introduction
    2. Creation of Virtual Machines Utilizing Command-Line Tools
    3. Scripting Creation of Virtual Machines in ESX Shell
    4. Scripting Creation of Virtual Machines in Perl Scripts
    5. Cloning Virtual Machines Utilizing ESX Shell Scripts
    6. Cloning Virtual Machines Utilizing VmPerl Scripts
    7. Summary
  14. Chapter 5: Modifying VMs
    1. Introduction
    2. The Virtual Machine VMDK File
    3. Virtual Machine Conversion from IDE to SCSI
    4. Dynamic Creation of Virtual Machines
    5. Summary
  15. Chapter 6: Instant Disk: How to P2V for Free
    1. Introduction
    2. What Is a P2V?
    3. P2V Techniques
    4. The “Big Secret” of P2V
    5. Instant Disk Overview
    6. The Bad News
    7. Prepping the ESX Host: Setting Up FTP on ESX Host
    8. Prepping the Source Machine: Install the SCSI Driver
    9. Continue Prepping the Source Machine: Validate
    10. The Linux Rescue CD
    11. At the Command Prompt
    12. Finding the Hard Drives and Storage
    13. Virtual Disk Files on the VMFS
    14. Starting the FTP Process
    15. Creating a New Virtual Machine and Pointing It to a New VMDK File
    16. Summary
  16. Chapter 7: Scripting Hot Backups and Recovery for Virtual Machines
    1. Introduction
    2. Anatomy of a VM Backup
    3. Hot VM Backup Sample Script
    4. Choosing the Target for VM Backups
    5. Existing VM Backup Tools
    6. VMX File Backups
    7. Summary
  17. Chapter 8: Other Cool Tools and Tricks
    1. Introduction
    2. Configuring PowerChute Network Shutdown in ESX
    3. Creating the PowerChute Package
    4. Centralized User Management for ESX Server
    5. Extending a Cloned (Deployed) Windows VM’s Root Partition
    6. Deploying a Windows VM with an Expanded Root Partition
    7. Summary
  18. Appendix A: All Scripts and Program Source
    1. Scripts from Chapter 3
    2. Scripts from Chapter 4
    3. Scripts from Chapter 5
    4. Scripts from Chapter 6
    5. Scripts from Chapter 7
    6. Scripts from Chapter 8
  19. Index

Product information

  • Title: Scripting VMware Power Tools: Automating Virtual Infrastructure Administration
  • Author(s): Al Muller
  • Release date: November 2006
  • Publisher(s): Syngress
  • ISBN: 9780080516776