While browsing around the management API forum this morning, I stumbled across a question in the VMware VIX forum regarding the age old question "Will this API/Toolkit continue to work with ESXi 3.5u4 after the read-only fix"? I would have thought the answer was no, the VMware VIX API would be governed in the same manner as the VI API and you would need to have at least the Foundation license to have full read/write capabilities. To my surprise, that was not the case as Carter Shanklin responded in this thread:
http://communities.vmware.com/message/1230436#1230436
It's a separate API. Any licensing it did would have to be implemented within VIX, which is not really a priority. Some day (think far away) we'll be exposing VIX functionality through VI API, when that happens it will be subject to VI licensing.
So it looks like for all those that enjoyed the RCLI for VM management, you still have an option of looking at VMware VIX and specifically the vmrun binary that is available. The VIX API has actually been around for sometime and I'm not an expert in the history but as of version 1.6.2, a pre-compiled binary was released which provides a way for a user to automate some basic tasks for virtual machine management so long as your VM(s) have VMware Tools installed and you're using at least ESX(i) 3.5u3+. The VIX API can be installed on both Windows and Linux and the neat thing about the tool is you can talk directly to an individual ESX(i) host or vCenter. There are some known issues like reverting snapshots, but this is definitely a very powerful tool in my mind to provide further management of your VM(s) and it's great to hear this will eventually be part of the standard VI API, makes it easier on developers to create tools/applications across a common API.
Here is a quick list of available options (VMware VIX installed on VIMA):
[vi-admin@vima ~]$ vmrun
vmrun version 2.0.0 build-127388
Usage: vmrun [AUTHENTICATION-FLAGS] COMMAND [PARAMETERS]
AUTHENTICATION-FLAGS
--------------------
These must appear before the command and any command parameters.
-h <hostName> (not needed for Workstation)
-P <hostPort> (not needed for Workstation)
-T <hostType> (ws|server|server1)
for example, use '-T server' for Server 2.0
use '-T server1' for Server 1.0
-u <userName in host OS> (not needed for Workstation)
-p <password in host OS> (not needed for Workstation)
-gu <userName in guest OS>
-gp <password in guest OS>
POWER COMMANDS PARAMETERS DESCRIPTION
-------------- ---------- -----------
start Path to vmx file Start a VM
[gui|nogui]
stop Path to vmx file Stop a VM
[hard|soft]
reset Path to vmx file Reset a VM
[hard|soft]
suspend Path to vmx file Suspend a VM
[hard|soft]
pause Path to vmx file Pause a VM
unpause Path to vmx file Unpause a VM
SNAPSHOT COMMANDS PARAMETERS DESCRIPTION
----------------- ---------- -----------
snapshot Path to vmx file Create a snapshot of a VM
Snapshot name
deleteSnapshot Path to vmx file Remove a snapshot from a VM
Snapshot name
revertToSnapshot Path to vmx file Set VM state to a snapshot
Snapshot name
RECORD/REPLAY COMMANDS PARAMETERS DESCRIPTION
---------------------- ---------- -----------
beginRecording Path to vmx file Begin recording a VM
Snapshot name
endRecording Path to vmx file End recording a VM
beginReplay Path to vmx file Begin replaying a VM
Snapshot name
endReplay Path to vmx file End replaying a VM
GUEST OS COMMANDS PARAMETERS DESCRIPTION
----------------- ---------- -----------
runProgramInGuest Path to vmx file Run a program in Guest OS
[-noWait]
[-activeWindow]
[-interactive]
Complete-Path-To-Program
[Program arguments]
fileExistsInGuest Path to vmx file Check if a file exists in Guest OS
Path to file in guest
setSharedFolderState Path to vmx file Modify a Host-Guest shared folder
Share name
Host path
writable | readonly
addSharedFolder Path to vmx file Add a Host-Guest shared folder
Share name
New host path
removeSharedFolder Path to vmx file Remove a Host-Guest shared folder
Share name
listProcessesInGuest Path to vmx file List running processes in Guest OS
killProcessInGuest Path to vmx file Kill a process in Guest OS
process id
runScriptInGuest Path to vmx file Run a script in Guest OS
Interpreter path
script_text
deleteFileInGuest Path to vmx file Delete a file in Guest OS
Path in guest
createDirectoryInGuest Path to vmx file Create a directory in Guest OS
Directory path in guest
deleteDirectoryInGuest Path to vmx file Delete a directory in Guest OS
Directory path in guest
listDirectoryInGuest Path to vmx file List a directory in Guest OS
Directory path in guest
copyFileFromHostToGuest Path to vmx file Copy a file from host OS to guest OS
Path on host
Path in guest
copyFileFromGuestToHost Path to vmx file Copy a file from guest OS to host OS
Path in guest
Path on host
renameFileInGuest Path to vmx file Rename a file in Guest OS
Original name
New name
captureScreen Path to vmx file Capture the screen of the VM to a local file
Path on host
writeVariable Path to vmx file Write a variable in the VM state
[runtimeConfig|guestEnv]
variable name
variable value
readVariable Path to vmx file Read a variable in the VM state
[runtimeConfig|guestEnv]
variable name
VPROBE COMMANDS PARAMETERS DESCRIPTION
--------------- ---------- -----------
vprobeVersion Path to vmx file List VP version
vprobeLoad Path to vmx file Load VP script
'VP script text'
vprobeReset Path to vmx file Disable all vprobes
vprobeListProbes Path to vmx file List probes
vprobeListGlobals Path to vmx file List global variables
GENERAL COMMANDS PARAMETERS DESCRIPTION
---------------- ---------- -----------
list List all running VMs
upgradevm Path to vmx file Upgrade VM file format, virtual hw
installtools Path to vmx file Install Tools in Guest
register Path to vmx file Register a VM
unregister Path to vmx file Unregister a VM
listRegisteredVM List registered VMs
clone Path to vmx file Create a copy of the VM
Path to destination vmx file
full|linked
[Snapshot name]
Examples:
Starting a virtual machine with Workstation on a Windows host
vmrun -T ws start "c:\my VMs\myVM.vmx"
Stopping a virtual machine with Server on a linux host
vmrun -T server -h https://myHost.com/sdk -u hostUser -p hostPassword stop "[storage1] vm/myVM.vmx"
Running a program in a virtual machine with Workstation on a Windows host with Windows guest
vmrun -T ws -gu guestUser -gp guestPassword runProgramInGuest "c:\my VMs\myVM.vmx" "c:\Program Files\myProgram.exe"
Running a program in a virtual machine with Server on a linux host with linux guest
vmrun -T server -h https://myHost.com/sdk -u hostUser -p hostPassword -gu guestUser -gp guestPassword runProgramInGuest "[storage1] vm/myVM.vmx" /usr/bin/X11/xclock -display :0
Creating a snapshot of a virtual machine with Workstation on a Windows host
vmrun -T ws snapshot "c:\my VMs\myVM.vmx" mySnapshot
Reverting to a snapshot with Workstation on a Windows host
vmrun -T ws revertToSnapshot "c:\my VMs\myVM.vmx" mySnapshot
Deleting a snapshot with Workstation on a Windows host
vmrun -T ws deleteSnapshot "c:\my VMs\myVM.vmx" mySnapshot
So it looks like for those that are looking to make use of the free version of ESXi, you still have some capabilities for VM management using VMware VIX, note VIX is only for guest management and there are no available tools or exposed functionality for host management. If you're looking for host management utilities then I would suggest purchasing at least the Foundation license and take advantage of VI Perl Toolkit/RCLI, VI Powershell, VI API, etc.
=========================================================================
William Lam
VMware vExpert 2009
VMware ESX/ESXi scripts and resources at:
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