topic Re: run powercli function as job in VMware PowerCLI Discussions

run powercli function as job

plaman — Mon, 08 May 2023 08:29:46 GMT

I have multi vCenters I need to run yum update to all Linux servers, on all sites, so I have written an update function

I need to run that inside a job script, and return the result, the job is stuck at running

function Update-VM {

[CmdletBinding()]

Param(

[Parameter(Mandatory = $true, ValueFromPipeline = $true)]

$vm

)

Import-Module VMware.VimAutomation.Core

# Take a snapshot of the virtual machine

Write-Host "Taking a Sbapshot For $vm..." -ForegroundColor Green

$snapshot = New-Snapshot -VM $vm -Name $snapshotName -Description "Snapshot taken before update" -Confirm:$false

# Update the virtual machine using yum

$updateCommand = " yum update -y"

$Push=(Invoke-VMScript -VM $vm -GuestCredential $LinCredentials -ScriptText $updateCommand -ScriptType Bash).ScriptOutput

# Restart the virtual machine

Restart-VMGuest -VM $vm -Confirm:$false

Write-Host "passed 3"

# Wait for VMware Tools to start

do {

$CheckPower=Check-Connection -IP $Ip -vmname $vm -vCentre $vCentre -ConnectionRequest "STARTINGUP"

$PingStatus =$CheckPower[0]

$VMPowerStatus =$CheckPower[1]

} until ($PingStatus -eq "Reachable")

# Check if the virtual machine is running

if ((Get-VM -Name $vm).PowerState -eq "PoweredOn") {

# Create a test directory on the virtual machine

$testDir = "/etc/checkarcher"

$testCommand = "mkdir $testDir"

Invoke-VMScript -VM $vm -GuestCredential $LinCredentials -ScriptText $testCommand -ScriptType Bash

# Check if the test directory exists

$testDirExists = Invoke-VMScript -VM $vm -GuestCredential $LinCredentials -ScriptText " ls -d $testDir >/dev/null 2>&1 && echo ""Directory exists"" || echo ""Directory does not exist""" -ScriptType Bash | Select-Object -ExpandProperty ScriptOutput

$testDirExists= $testDirExists.Trim()

# Remove the test directory if it exists

if ($testDirExists -eq "Directory exists") {

$removeCommand = "rm -r $testDir"

Invoke-VMScript -VM $vm -GuestCredential $LinCredentials -ScriptText $removeCommand -Server $vCentre -ScriptType Bash

Write-Host "Virtual machine $($vm) successfully updated and restarted."

} else {

Write-Warning "Virtual machine $($vm) failed to start after update."

}

} else {

Write-Warning "Virtual machine $($vm) failed to restart after update."

}

Re: run powercli function as job

LucD — Mon, 08 May 2023 08:58:34 GMT

How do you start the jobs?
And how do you pass that function in the jobs?

Re: run powercli function as job

plaman — Mon, 08 May 2023 09:23:16 GMT

Start-Job -Name $vm.Name -Argument List $vm.Name -Script Block ${function: Update-VM}

Re: run powercli function as job

LucD — Mon, 08 May 2023 09:47:18 GMT

Why do you have those blanks in -ArgumentList and function:Update-VM?

Re: run powercli function as job

LucD — Mon, 08 May 2023 09:57:00 GMT

Also, if the $vm variable is not defined inside your Start-Job script, you will have to use the using: qualifier.
The Start-Job creates a new PS environment, your current local variables are not known in that environment.

Start-Job -Name $vm.Name -ArgumentList $using:vm.Name -ScriptBlock ${function: Update-VM}

Re: run powercli function as job

plaman — Mon, 08 May 2023 10:05:03 GMT

this is the loop where call the vm and pass the the info to the Job, i ca not see where it is passing blank,

$jobs = @()

foreach ($vmName in $vmNames) {

Write-Host " Processing $vmName Vm...." -ForegroundColor Green

$vm = Get-VM -Name $vmName -server $vCentre

$job = Start-Job -Name $vm.Name -ArgumentList $vm.Name -ScriptBlock ${function:Update-VM}

$jobs += $job

}

Re: run powercli function as job

plaman — Mon, 08 May 2023 10:32:05 GMT

is there anyway where avoid adding Connect-VIServer $vCentre in the function ? use a $Globale one

Re: run powercli function as job

LucD — Mon, 08 May 2023 10:50:28 GMT

No, you can use the Session parameter to connect to an existing session in the Start-Job codeblock.
See for example Solved: Re: Pass vCenter connection to a Job - VMware Technology Network VMTN

Re: run powercli function as job

plaman — Wed, 10 May 2023 07:02:19 GMT

Using the using: qualifier worked thank you, my challenge now I need to return more that one item in an object

$UpdateHistory=@"
yum updateinfo list
"@

Invoke-VMScript -VM $Using:VMName -GuestCredential $Using:LinCredentials -ScriptText $UpdateHistory -ScriptType Bash).ScriptOutput

Re: run powercli function as job

LucD — Wed, 10 May 2023 07:16:39 GMT

I often format the output (in the function) as a CSV file.
When the function returns I then convert the text (ScriptOutput) with ConvertFrom-Csv

See for example Re: Invoke-VMscript (Network) - VMware Technology Network VMTN