Full VM Media Pool Creation within View

[caryers]

I have been using VDI for a mere 3 or 4 months now in my POC. I have basically created persistant and non-persistent Linked Clones. However, I would like to create a media pool leveraging Full VMs. I attempted a 4 node, Full VM media pool and only 1 of the 4 actually worked. Although all 4 VMs were created, only 1 works and the other 3 VMs I can't log into. I am willing to bet SYSPREP did not run correctly or something similar. I know SYSPREP runs when I use use link-clone media pools.

Does SYSPREP not run during the creation phase on a Full VM media pool???

What step am I missing? I am thinking an hoping this is a easy fix...

Thanks Community!!!

[mittim12]

Did you choose a customizaiton specification under the guest customization portion of your pool settings?    If you do this sysprep should run in the same manner as if you simply deployed a template from vCenter. 

[mgmn]

When you are creating your full VMs in the vsphere client do you clone/create from a master or parent vm and have it use your (known working) customization specification? I've always had my full VMs run through customization successfully. It can sometimes take a bit for customization to fully finish too, so even though they might look done I let them sit for a little while before using them further.

[caryers]

When I selected the radio button for "Use the customizaiton specification" under the guest customization, I can not select the Next button. The table below is left blank. I beleive I would have to select something in the table(if it was populated) to move to the next step. What am I doing wrong? Was I supposed to do something on the golden image before I turned it into a template?

Please advise...

[mittim12]

Do you have customization specifications defined in vCenter already?    If so can you click the incompatible option to see if they show up? 

[caryers]

I am not sure what you are indicating in your opening question back to me?

When you are creating your full VMs in the vsphere client do you clone/create from a master or parent vm and have it use your (known working) customization specification?

I simply clone my golden image that I consistantly update to a template. I then attempt to use this template to create my Full VM media pool.

I am not sure what step needs to be done with regards to SYSPREPing each VM.

Thanks in advance for any assistance....

[caryers]

When I select the "Click the incompatible option" nothing shows up. I am not sure if customization specifications is defined in vCenter already. How would I determine that? Sorry to be dumbfounded!

Thanks in advance...

[mittim12 · Accepted solution]

Open up the vCenter client, click on home, find the management section, and then click on customization specification manager.   You can review, created, and edit specifications here.   They will in turn show up in View for you to select. 

[caryers]

Bingo! So I now need to generate a SYSPREP answer file or utilize an existing one from our network... Is there a basic answer file that simply changes the SID that I can buff off the net somewhere?

[mittim12]

The specification should handle that.  Just fill out all the information when you create it and it will handle everything from the rename, to the new sid, etc.  

[caryers]

Mittim12:

Thanks for your great responses! I believe you have commented on at least 50% of my other post as well. Again thanks!

With that said, I am trying to create a 3 node Full VM Media Pool within View. Each and every time I attempt this, only the 1st VM is actually done correctly. The other two VMs are NOT submitted into my domain nor can I log onto them.

So what I have done is this:

• I have gone into vCenter\Mangement\Customization Spec Manager (for ease of typing CPM).
  
• I then select New with no Answer file
  
• I then select all the other options like providing valid admin level domian credentials, etc, and more importantly "Generate new SID".
  
• I can now see this new Customized Spec object within the View Media Pool creation.
  

All three VMs getting created, however, only the 1st one is added to domain.

So I delete this defunct media pool and try a different way.

I then tried the Import option within CPM by using an unattended.XML file supplied by my desktop folks.

Again this only worked for the 1st of 3 VMs. This process for the 1st VM was even more drastic than when I did the first option of New.

(The mouse had very choppy performance, etc.)

So I have now 3 vCenter Customized Specification objects that really do not work. What am I doing wrong?

What am I doing wrong?

Thanks in advance...

[mittim12]

If you login to the second and third machines and atttempt to join them to the domain will they join?    Do you see any errors on the machines in event viewer or anything like that?  

[caryers]

Ironically, I can not log onto them locally either. I am going over all the local Admin passwords I would have used....Still can't login...

I think I will blow away this 3 node Full Media Pool and start from scratch. Any suggestions on how to accomplish the the SYSPREP portion?

The SYSPREP process just needs to do the bare essentials...change the SID and join it to the domain.

Thanks in advance...

[mittim12]

For the ones that do not work what kind of status do they show in the View Admin console?

Do they receive network addresses?    If not is the NIC enabled? 

[caryers]

For the ones that do not work what kind of status do they show in the View Admin console? The status is showing AVAILABLE

Do they receive network addresses?    YES, I verified this using the DHCP admin GUI.  If not is the NIC enabled? NIC is enabled as well

However, I did notice their are several entries for these 4 computer names within the DHCP GUI. See the attached Word file for the screen shot that shows the DHCP information. I have highlighted all the entries for the 4 VMs that are created.

Perhaps I need to do a IPCONFIG /Release before I capture to resolve this issue. However, the bigger issue persist.

Thanks in advance....Scott

[mittim12]

I always release the IP on all my templates and parent images after any type of maintenance.  I have also shortened my DHCP lease times for all my linked clone pools. 

[caryers]

I am still having problems with VMs being added to my AD domain during the creation of Full Media Pool. Unlike using Linked-clones, the Quick Prep option is not available for Full VMs. I have tried several times using the Custimaztion Spec Manager to create various unique Specifications. Each attempt to create a 3 node FUll VM media pool using of of the new Customization Spec items I created the process fails. When I indicate it fails, let me clearify. The VMs are created fine. However, either none or only the 1st VM is added to the domain. I beleive I have tried all the options in the wizard in the vCenter Customization Spec. Manager section.

I am sure I could manually add each VM into my domain seperatly. However, this would NOT be realistic if I plan on created say a 40 or 50+ Full VM media pools, etc. Can you let me know what I am doing wrong?

Must I used a custom Answer file to add the VMs into the domain? Is there a specific VMware TID on how to create multiple VMs using a Full VM media pool where each VM is added to the domain with unique names?

Thanks in advance...

Scott

[caryers]

I was finally able to resolve the full VM media pool creation that I was having problems with. The fix was selecting "Use the VM name" within the "Computer Name" section in my custom specification within the VI Client. I was originally using the "Enter a name".

I am guessing this option does NOT work with the View Media Pool creation wizard since the View creation wizard also has an area for the computer naming convention, correct?