Help with Scheduled Snapshot Task using CSV

[khalilm]

Hi

I am trying to setup a scheduled task orginally taken from (https://communities.vmware.com/thread/541573), we running ESXi 6.7 U3, the task is being created but the date/time is not being passed through. Any help appreciated

The CSV format is

VMName, Description, Date, Time

The script is

# CSV File Format

# VMName,Description

# VM1,Test1

##########################

$snapMemory = $false

$snapQuiesce = $true

$emailAddr = 'xxx@xxx.com

$fileName = 'C:\Temp\Scripts\snapshot.csv'

###############

Import-Csv -Path $fileName -UseCulture | %{

# Verify the scheduled task name is not already in use

    $vm = Get-VM -Name $_.VMName

    $si = get-view ServiceInstance

    $scheduledTaskManager = Get-View $si.Content.ScheduledTaskManager

    $spec = New-Object VMware.Vim.ScheduledTaskSpec

    $spec.Name = "Snapshot of",$vm.Name -join ' '

    $spec.Description = $_.Description

    $spec.Enabled = $true

    $spec.Notification = $emailAddr

    $spec.Scheduler = New-Object VMware.Vim.OnceTaskScheduler

    $spec.Scheduler.runat = $_.Date," ",$_.Time -join ''

    $spec.Action = New-Object VMware.Vim.MethodAction

    $spec.Action.Name = "CreateSnapshot_Task"

    @($spec.Name,$spec.Description,$snapMemory,$snapQuiesce) | %{

        $arg = New-Object VMware.Vim.MethodActionArgument

        $arg.Value = $_

        $spec.Action.Argument += $arg

    }

    $scheduledTaskManager.CreateObjectScheduledTask($vm.ExtensionData.MoRef, $spec)

}

[khalilm]

Sorry forgot to add that i am new to powercli, i have very basic understanding

thank you in advance

[LucD]

The script is using the properties Date and Time, but the description of the CSV doesn't mention those columns.

What do you have in the CSV?

[khalil1974]

hi, thank you for you reply, here is screenshot of the csv

Here screenshot of the error

[khalil1974]

Hi, sorry i know what the error for the 2nd message (the task is already created), it is just the date and time issue pls

[LucD]

Switch the day and the month

[khalil1974]

HI, thank you i tried that but i get a different error

CSV file is now

It seems that the date includes the addtional time maybe i should merge both datetime into one

[LucD]

Why is the time twice in that string?

[khalil1974]

Thank you sir, i expand the column and had the time twice work great

[khalil1974]

Hi

thank you for you help, pls can i ask another question, if i wanted to have the script to have the scheduled changed to weekly i assume i see need to look the following

CSV file will be something like

Script will need to change to

use object "New-Object VMware.Vim.WeeklyTaskScheduler"

$spec.Scheduler.$_.On = $true

$spec.Scheduler.Hour = $_.StartTimeHour

$spec.Scheduler.Minute = $_.StartTimeMin

$spec.Scheduler.Interval = $_.On

[LucD]

Try something like this

$obj = New-Object -TypeName VMware.Vim.WeeklyTaskScheduler

$obj.Hour = $_.StartTimeHour

$obj.Minute = $_.StartTimeMin

$obj."$($_.On)" = $true

$obj.Interval = $_.Repeat

$obj.ActiveTime = $_.StartDate

[khalil1974]

Hi

Thank you again for you help, here is the script but i am still seeing error,(see it the last line) pls can you help and guide me

##########################

$snapMemory = $false

$snapQuiesce = $true

$emailAddr = 'xxx@xxx.com'

$fileName = 'C:\Temp\Scripts\VMware PowerCLI\snapshot-weekly.csv'

###############

Import-Csv -Path $fileName -UseCulture | %{

    $vm = Get-VM -Name $_.VMName

    $si = get-view ServiceInstance

    $scheduledTaskManager = Get-View $si.Content.ScheduledTaskManager

    $spec = New-Object VMware.Vim.ScheduledTaskSpec

    $spec.Name = "Snapshot of",$vm.Name -join ' '

    $spec.Description = $_.Description

    $spec.Enabled = $true

    $spec.Notification = $emailAddr

    $obj = New-Object -TypeName VMware.Vim.WeeklyTaskScheduler

    $obj.Hour = $_.StartTimeHour

    $obj.Minute = $_.StartTimeMin

    $obj."$($_.On)" = $true

    $obj.Interval = $_.Repeat

    $obj.ActiveTime = $_.StartDate

    $spec.Action = New-Object VMware.Vim.MethodAction

    $spec.Action.Name = "CreateSnapshot_Task"

    @($spec.Name,$spec.Description,$snapMemory,$snapQuiesce,$emailAddr,$obj.Hour,$obj.Minute,$obj."$($_.On)",$obj.Interval,$obj.ActiveTime) | %{

        $arg = New-Object VMware.Vim.MethodActionArgument

        $arg.Value = $_

        $spec.Action.Argument += $arg

    }

    $scheduledTaskManager.CreateScheduledTask($vm.ExtensionData.MoRef, $spec, $obj)

}

error is

[LucD]

You are using a different method.
CreateScheduledTask and CreateObjectScheduledTask are two different methods.
I don't know why you changed the method.

Independent, each of the methods uses 2 parameters, while you have 3.
The TaskScheduler object goes in the Scheduler property of the $spec.

##########################

$snapMemory = $false

$snapQuiesce = $true

$emailAddr = 'xxx@xxx.com'

$fileName = 'C:\Temp\Scripts\VMware PowerCLI\snapshot-weekly.csv'

###############

Import-Csv -Path $fileName -UseCulture | %{

    $vm = Get-VM -Name $_.VMName

    $si = get-view ServiceInstance

    $scheduledTaskManager = Get-View $si.Content.ScheduledTaskManager

    $spec = New-Object VMware.Vim.ScheduledTaskSpec

    $spec.Name = "Snapshot of",$vm.Name -join ' '

    $spec.Description = $_.Description

    $spec.Enabled = $true

    $spec.Notification = $emailAddr

    $obj = New-Object -TypeName VMware.Vim.WeeklyTaskScheduler

    $obj.Hour = $_.StartTimeHour

    $obj.Minute = $_.StartTimeMin

    $obj."$($_.On)" = $true

    $obj.Interval = $_.Repeat

    $obj.ActiveTime = $_.StartDate

    $spec.Scheduler = $obj

    $spec.Action = New-Object VMware.Vim.MethodAction

    $spec.Action.Name = "CreateSnapshot_Task"

    @($spec.Name,$spec.Description,$snapMemory,$snapQuiesce) | %{

        $arg = New-Object VMware.Vim.MethodActionArgument

        $arg.Value = $_

        $spec.Action.Argument += $arg

    }

    $scheduledTaskManager.CreateScheduledTask($vm.ExtensionData.MoRef, $spec)

}

[khalil1974]

Hi

Thank you for you help, i can see that you kindly edited the script from me to remove the $obj

$scheduledTaskManager.CreateScheduledTask($vm.ExtensionData.MoRef, $spec)

I was looking a number of scripts and thought the CreateScheduledTask might be best option, thank you for pointing out my error.

I have tried to run the script again and still getting an error

I thought it might be because i have last says  vm.ExtensionData.MoRef and this should be $vm.MoRef but this gave error again.  Sorry have missed something

[LucD]

I hadn't noticed that you changed the Action.Arguments as well.
I corrected the code above.

[khalil1974]

Thank you sir, works perfectly

[khalil1974]

Hi can i ask i assumed that is i wanted to the setup a weekly reboot i can use the same script but thought the only think i would need to change is

$snapMemory = $false REMOVE

$snapQuiesce = $true REMOVE

Change the action to $spec.Action.Name = "RebootGuest"

remove unused variable from and this will be @($spec.Name,$spec.Description) , updated script below but it seem there is error again, can you pls point me in the right direction

##########################

$emailAddr = 'xxx@xxx.com'

$fileName = 'C:\Temp\Scripts\VMware PowerCLI\reboot-weekly.csv'

###############

Import-Csv -Path $fileName -UseCulture | %{

    $vm = Get-VM -Name $_.VMName

    $si = get-view ServiceInstance

    $scheduledTaskManager = Get-View $si.Content.ScheduledTaskManager

    $spec = New-Object VMware.Vim.ScheduledTaskSpec

    $spec.Name = "Reboot of",$vm.Name -join ' '

    $spec.Description = $_.Description

    $spec.Enabled = $true

    $spec.Notification = $emailAddr

    $obj = New-Object -TypeName VMware.Vim.WeeklyTaskScheduler

    $obj.Hour = $_.StartTimeHour

    $obj.Minute = $_.StartTimeMin

    $obj."$($_.On)" = $true

    $obj.Interval = $_.Repeat

    $obj.ActiveTime = $_.StartDate

    $spec.Scheduler = $obj

    $spec.Action = New-Object VMware.Vim.MethodAction

  $spec.Action.Name = "RebootGuest"

    @($spec.Name,$spec.Description) | %{

        $arg = New-Object VMware.Vim.MethodActionArgument

        $arg.Value = $_

        $spec.Action.Argument += $arg

    }

    $scheduledTaskManager.CreateScheduledTask($vm.ExtensionData.MoRef, $spec)

}

error

[LucD]

Can you please open a new thread for this new question.
On condition that the question in this thread was answered of course.

[khalil1974]

Hi

thank you i can confirm i happy the snapshot script is working

regarding other issue i will open a new thread

not sure how i can change this thread to answered

[LucD]

I'm not sure how you are accessing this community, but via the VMTN web interface (for example Re: Help with Scheduled Snapshot Task using CSV ), there is a button named Correct Answer.