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


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: http://engineering.ucsb.edu/~duonglt/vmware/
http://twitter.com/lamw



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