Get VM Create Date & Time

[vmdavinci]

Hello,

I'm searching for the code the get the VM Create Date & Time.

[jamunoz]

New to all the scripting and using the utilities. I believe I have everything installed, but i'm getting errors when I execute

[LucD]

That is a well know error message.

If you uncheck the option "Check host certificates" in the VIC under , the message will still be there but the connection will succeed.

See also

[jamunoz]

Ok. 1) I'm connected

2) i'm at the Vsphere PowerCLI prompt

3) issue command : d:\getdate1.bat

and get errors$report is not recognized, Get-VIEvent is not recongnized etc

I reaaly do appriciate all the help

[LucD]

You have to save the script in a .ps1 file instead of a .bat file.

Then you can start the script from the PowerCLI prompt provided the PowerShell executionpolicy is configured correctly.

Have a look at this PowerShell Day 1 document.

[RvdNieuwendijk]

I have modified Luc's script to append the csv file instead of overwriting it.

Because the Export-CSV cmdlet doesn't have an append option, I decided to import the csv file first. Then I add the new content and export the old and new content. So the file is actualy new created with the old and added content.

# How many days in the past to start from
$start = (Get-Date).AddDays(-7)

# The more days back, the higher this number should be.
$eventNr = 9999

$FileName = "C:\VMCreated.csv"
if (Test-Path $FileName) {
  $report = Import-Csv $FileName
}
else {
  $report = @()
}

Get-VIEvent -Start $start -MaxSamples $eventNr |`
  Where-Object {$_.GetType().Name -eq "VmCreatedEvent"} | % {
     $row = "" | Select Date, User, VmName, Cluster, Host, Msg
     $row.Date = $_.createdTime
     $row.Msg = $_.fullFormattedMessage
     $row.User = $_.userName
     $row.VMName = $_.vm.name
     $t = New-Object VMware.Vim.ManagedObjectReference
     $t.type = $_.computeResource.computeResource.type
     $t.Value = $_.computeResource.computeResource.Value
     $row.Cluster = (Get-View $t).Name
     $t.type = $_.host.host.type
     $t.Value = $_.host.host.Value
     $row.Host = (Get-View $t).Name
     $report += $row
}
$report | Export-Csv $FileName -NoTypeInformation

Regards, Robert

[jithinraj]

Hi Lucd, I used below script but I'm not getting any output and I'm getting blank output...I have VC4.1..

Thanks

Jithin

[LucD]

The results are stored in the CSV file. Do you mean the CSV file is empty ?

Could you perhaps attach the script so I can have a look ?

[jithinraj]

Hi  LucD,

Yes, the CSV file is Empty..I used same script in this discussion..

# How many days in the past to start from
$start = (Get-Date).AddDays(-7)

# The more days back, the higher this number should be.
$eventNr = 9999

$FileName = "C:\VMCreated.csv"
if (Test-Path $FileName) {
  $report = Import-Csv $FileName
}
else {
  $report = @()
}

Get-VIEvent -Start $start -MaxSamples $eventNr |`
  Where-Object {$_.GetType().Name -eq "VmCreatedEvent"} | % {
     $row = "" | Select Date, User, VmName, Cluster, Host, Msg
     $row.Date = $_.createdTime
     $row.Msg = $_.fullFormattedMessage
     $row.User = $_.userName
     $row.VMName = $_.vm.name
     $t = New-Object VMware.Vim.ManagedObjectReference
     $t.type = $_.computeResource.computeResource.type
     $t.Value = $_.computeResource.computeResource.Value
     $row.Cluster = (Get-View $t).Name
     $t.type = $_.host.host.type
     $t.Value = $_.host.host.Value
     $row.Host = (Get-View $t).Name
     $report += $row
}
$report | Export-Csv $FileName

Can you have a look please...thanks in advance...

-Jithin

[LucD]

Just tested the script and it produced a CSV file with a number of VMs that were created during the last 7 days.

Are you sure you created some VMs during the last 7 days ?

How do you run the script ?

[jithinraj]

Thanks Lucd..... I'm not sure whether I'm doing correct way..

I'M sure last 7 days many VMs would have been created..

I copied this script to text file and saved as .ps1 format using ppercli i had run the script..

[LucD]

How do you start the .ps1 script ? From the PowerCLI prompt ?

Any error messages ?

[jithinraj]

Yea...I had run script from PowerCLI prompt. No error messages, Excuted completly produced CSV file also but if you open the file nothing will be there...

Thanks

Jithin

[LucD]

If you do the following from the PowerCLI prompt, no .ps1 file, are there any events returned ?

You should see a count different from 0.

Get-VIEvent -Start (Get-Date).AddDays(-7) -MaxSamples ([int]::MaxValue) |
Where-Object {$_.GetType().Name -eq "VmCreatedEvent"} |
Measure-Object 

[jithinraj]

Hi Luc,

I got the below error...

Get-VIEvent : Cannot bind parameter 'MaxSamples'. Cannot convert value "[int]::
MaxValue" to type "System.Int32". Error: "Input string was not in a correct for
mat."
At no.ps1:3 char:54
+ Get-VIEvent -Start (Get-Date).AddDays(-7) -MaxSamples <<<<  [int]::MaxValue |
    + CategoryInfo          : InvalidArgument: (:) [Get-VIEvent], ParameterBin
   dingException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : CannotConvertArgumentNoMessage,VMware.VimAutomat
   ion.ViCore.Cmdlets.Commands.GetEvent

[LucD]

My mistake, that should have been between parenthesis.

I updated the code, please try again.

[jithinraj]

Thanks very much Luc...it works fore me...

[Viewaskew]

Hi,

I’m also getting the CSV created but it’s empty. I ran the below and got a positive response indicating 4 counts which I assume are 4 VMs created.

PowerCLI C:\> Get-VIEvent -Start (Get-Date).AddDays(-7) -MaxSamples ([int]::MaxValue) |
Where-Object {$_.GetType().Name -eq "VmCreatedEvent"} |

Measure-Object

Count    : 4
Average  :
Sum      :
Maximum  :
Minimum  :
Property :

This is the script Im running in a .PS1 file. Does it matter if this is run on 5.1 as was written when 4.1 was the most current?

# How many days in the past to start from
$start = (Get-Date).AddDays(-30)

# The more days back, the higher this number should be.
$eventNr = 9999

$report = @()

Get-VIEvent -Start $start -MaxSamples $eventNr |`
  Where-Object {$_.GetType().Name -eq "VmCreatedEvent"} | % {
     $row = "" | Select Date, User, VmName, Cluster, Host, Msg
     $row.Date = $_.createdTime
     $row.Msg = $_.fullFormattedMessage
     $row.User = $_.userName
     $row.VMName = $_.vm.name
     $t = New-Object VMware.Vim.ManagedObjectReference
     $t.type = $_.computeResource.computeResource.type
     $t.Value = $_.computeResource.computeResource.Value
     $row.Cluster = (Get-View $t).Name
     $t.type = $_.host.host.type
     $t.Value = $_.host.host.Value
     $row.Host = (Get-View $t).Name
     $report += $row
}
$report | Export-Csv "C:\VMCreated.csv" -NoTypeInformation

Any ideas why this is drawing a blank when I know there are servers that were created less than 7 days ago?

[LucD]

That is most probably due to the MaxSamples parameter.

Try changing this line

$eventNr = 9999

into this

$eventNr = [int]::MaxValue

[Viewaskew]

Spot on LucD! That did the trick...Thank you.