This post is by Cody Bunch.
I’ve had a request or two recently on how to get started with VMware automation, what resources are there, and what tool should I use. This post aims to at least address two out of the three. That is, how to get started and what resources. Tool selection has been addressed here. In reverse order, here we go:
Resources for getting started with VMware Automation
In this section I’ll break down a number of resources for each tool. Mind, I’m not going to address /every/ toolset. If we don’t call out one you fancy, drop a line with some resources for it in the comments.
PowerCLI
PowerShell, and the VMware PowerCLI extension to it are aimed directly at the VMware administrator. If you spend much time automating VMware, you’ll want to start here.
Books:
- This one is THE PowerShell book:
http://www.amazon.com/Learn-Windows-PowerShell-Month-Lunches/dp/1617291080/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1377117140&sr=8-1&keywords=powershell+in+a+month+of+lunches - This one will get you 90% of what you need PowerCLI wise. It’s based in a really old rev, but most of the concepts / commands will still work.
http://www.amazon.com/Managing-VMware-Infrastructure-Windows-PowerShell/dp/0982131402/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1377117149&sr=8-4&keywords=powercli - This is “the bible” of powercli. You go from basic to really really advanced things here:
http://www.amazon.com/VMware-vSphere-PowerCLI-Reference-Administration/dp/0470890797/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1377117149&sr=8-1&keywords=powercli - Finally, performance reporting:
http://www.amazon.com/vSphere-Performance-Reporting-PowerCLI-Automating/dp/0133121453/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1377117149&sr=8-2&keywords=powercli
Video:
- Getting Started – https://vimeo.com/15621794
- Reporting – https://vimeo.com/15621466
- PowerCLI 101 – https://vimeo.com/22989975
- PowerCLI 101 – https://vimeo.com/28516329
- PowerCLI 201 – https://vimeo.com/40199252
- VDI – https://vimeo.com/63246578
Other:
- VMware Community site – www.vmware.com/go/PowerCLI
- LucD’s Blog – http://www.lucd.info/
- Jake’s Blog – http://geekafterfive.com/
- Virtu-al – http://www.virtu-al.net/
- Arnim – http://www.van-lieshout.com/powercli/
vCenter Orchestrator
In my workflow, after I’ve done a thing a few times in PowerCLI, or had an idea I need to test out, etc. I will then port the workflow to vCenter Orchestrator. That is, if you are looking to take a bunch of PowerCLI and make it weapons grade and push-button ready, vCO is the way to go.
Note: Yes, yes, you can do these in PowerCLI as well. vCO is designed from the ground up for reliability, scalability, and a lot of the other ilities that make it a good choice when going beyond PowerCLI.
Book:
Video
Other
- This site – https://vbrownbag.comm/?s=orchestrator
- The VMware vCO Team – http://www.vcoteam.info/
- The vCO Community – http://www.vmware.com/products/vcenter-orchestrator/resources.html
- This guy is awesome too – http://www.vcoportal.de/
Perl SDK
Not as many resources out there for the VMware Perl SDK.
- VMware’s site – http://www.vmware.com/support/developer/viperltoolkit/
- Virtually Ghetto – http://www.virtuallyghetto.com/