topic Re: Creating a Scheduled Task for a VM in VMware PowerCLI Discussions

Creating a Scheduled Task for a VM

glowery — Wed, 20 Sep 2017 01:43:10 GMT

Currently I know how to create a task for a VM for a scheduled recurring nightly task through the Web client, but I can't seem to figure out a way to create a task via PowerCLI. Hopefully I'm just missing something really obvious.

Ultimately what I'd like to do is be able to something like search for a VM using Get-VM -VM $vmname and pipe that to return any scheduled tasks that vm has and if it currently doesn't have one then I'd love to be able to set a new task. In the context of my current use case, just simply scheduling a nightly reboot.

Sorry if I'm just missing something obvious, I'm just starting to dive into PowerCLI and loving what I can do so far.

Thanks!

Re: Creating a Scheduled Task for a VM

Zsoldier — Wed, 20 Sep 2017 02:51:18 GMT

Don't feel bad, this one was a hard one to figure out.

function Get-vCenterScheduledTask{

.SYNOPSIS

Retrieve vCenter Scheduled Tasks.

.DESCRIPTION

Retrieve vCenter Scheduled Tasks.

.NOTES

Source: Automating vSphere Administration

Authors: Luc Dekens, Arnim van Lieshout, Jonathan Medd,

Alan Renouf, Glenn Sizemore

.EXAMPLE

Get-vCenterScheduledTask | Select-Object Name,Description,NextRunTime,PrevRunTime,State,Notification

$si = Get-View ServiceInstance

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

$tasks = $scheduledTaskManager.RetrieveEntityScheduledTask($null)

$scheduledtasks = foreach ($task in $tasks){(Get-View $task).info}

$scheduledtasks

}

In your particular case, you can pull for specific VM by using the the "RetrieveObjectScheduledTask" Method like so:

$si = Get-View ServiceInstance

$scheduledTaskManager = Get-view $si.content.ScheduledTaskManager

$tasksforVM = $scheduledTaskManager.RetrieveObjectScheduledTask($vm.extensiondata.moref)

$scheduledtasksforVM = foreach ($task in $tasksforVM){(get-view $task).info}

$scheduledtasksforVM

Example to reconfigure an existing scheduled task:

vmsch = Get-vCenterScheduledTask | where {$_.Name -match "something completely idiotic so nothing bad happens by running this without knowing what they are doing"}

Foreach ($task in $vmsch)

{

$spec = New-Object VMware.Vim.ScheduledTaskSpec

$spec.name = $task.name

$spec.description = $task.description

$spec.enabled = $true

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

$spec.scheduler.runAt = $task.scheduler.runAt

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

$spec.action.name = "CreateSnapshot_Task"

$spec.action.argument = New-Object VMware.Vim.MethodActionArgument[] (4)

$spec.action.argument[0] = New-Object VMware.Vim.MethodActionArgument

$spec.action.argument[0].value = ""

$spec.action.argument[1] = New-Object VMware.Vim.MethodActionArgument

$spec.action.argument[1].value = ""

$spec.action.argument[2] = New-Object VMware.Vim.MethodActionArgument

$spec.action.argument[2].value = $true

$spec.action.argument[3] = New-Object VMware.Vim.MethodActionArgument

$spec.action.argument[3].value = $false

$spec.notification = ""

$_this = Get-View -Id $task.ScheduledTask

$_this.ReconfigureScheduledTask($spec)

}

Re: Creating a Scheduled Task for a VM

glowery — Wed, 20 Sep 2017 04:01:27 GMT

Awesome, thank you! I'll give this a shot, but it already looks like exactly what I was looking for. I didn't even think to go to using the method. I even have that book in my collection....doh!

Thanks again!

Re: Creating a Scheduled Task for a VM

boudjel38xpo — Tue, 12 Jun 2018 11:59:12 GMT

Hi,

i can't figure out how to use this script to create a new scheduled task for a VM using this script

my goal is to reboot on a weekly basis every sunday night with a task in vcenter

i have roughly 700 VM and i need to add a reboot task in vcenter for each vm

any help will be appreciated

thanks

boudjel