Assigning VLAN Based on Provided Value in CSV FIle

[NeedToKnowBasis]

I am attempting to automate the creation of VMs by using a CSV file and I am encountering issues with assigning the VLAN based on the values that are found within the CSV file. I am wondering if I am doing this correctly and if not, if anybody would know the correct/alternative way of performing this operation.

The script I am using is:

# Specify vCenter Server, vCenter Server username and vCenter Server user password

write-host “Please specify vCenter Server and enter credentials” -foreground green

$vc = read-Host "Connect to which vCenter Server?"

write-host “Connecting to vCenter Server $vc” -foreground green

$CSVPath = "C:\VMDeploy\PROD_VMRequestTEST.xlsx.csv"  

Connect-VIServer -Server $vc

# Specify vCenter Server Virtual Machine & Templates folder

$Folder = “Discovered virtual machine”

#

Import-Csv -Path $CSVPath |

%{

  $esx = Get-Cluster $_.Cluster | Get-VMHost -State connected

  Write-Host “Creation of VM $($_.Name) initiated”  -ForegroundColor green

  New-VM -Name $_.Name -VMHost ($esx | Get-Random) -Location $Folder 

  $list = Get-Cluster $_.Cluster | Get-VMHost | Select Name

  foreach ($esxhost in $list)

  {New-VirtualPortgroup -VirtualSwitch vSwitch0 "VLAN $($_.VLAN)"

   Set-VirtualPortGroup -VirtualPortGroup "VLAN $($_.VLAN)" -VLANID $($_.VLAN)

  Write-Host "Power On of the VM $($_.Name) initiated" -ForegroundColor green

  Start-VM -VM $_.Name-confirm:$false -RunAsync

I am currently able to apply the Cluster and Name columns of the CSV file thus far but the error occurs when it attempts to apply the New-VirtualPortgroup and Set-VirtualPortGroup commands. The errors that occur are:

New-VirtualPortGroup The specified parameter 'VirtualSwitch' expects a single value, but your name

criteria 'vSwitch0' corresponds to multiple values.

Set-VirtualPortGroup : Cannot bind parameter 'VirtualPortGroup'. Cannot

convert the "VLAN 900" value of type "System.String" to type

"VMware.VimAutomation.ViCore.Types.V1.Host.Networking.VirtualPortGroup".

I have tried to comment out the ""VLAN $($_.VLAN)"" section of the "{New-VirtualPortgroup -VirtualSwitch vSwitch0 "VLAN $($_.VLAN)"" line to try to move past the error indicating that the criteria 'vSwitch0' corresponde to multiple values but it does not make a difference. The VmHosts contain Standard Switch: vSwitch0 and VLAN 900 with VLANID: 900.

I appreciate any help you may provide,

[LucD · Accepted solution]

It looks as if you have more than one vSwitch0 returned.

I assume this switch is defined on each ESXi node, which would explain why multiple objects are returned.

The New-VirtualPortgroup cmdlet will first resolve the vSwitch0, but there probably more than one returned.

Try adding a Get-VirtualSwitch cmdlet at the beginning of that pipeline construct.

When you add the VMHost parameter, only one vSwitch0 object will be passed to the New-VirtualPortgroup cmdlet.

Something like this

foreach ($esxhost in $list)

{

    Get-VirtualSwitch -Name vSwitch0 -VMHost $esxhost |

    New-VirtualPortgroup -Name "VLAN $($_.VLAN)"

   Set-VirtualPortGroup -VirtualPortGroup "VLAN $($_.VLAN)" -VLANID $($_.VLAN)

[NeedToKnowBasis]

Thanks for the response - I went ahead and added what you suggested and it is now returning a new error related to the Get-VirtualSwitch cmdlet:

Get-VirtualSwitch : Cannot bind parameter 'VMHost'. Cannot convert the ""

value of type "System.Management.Automation.PSCustomObject" to type

"VMware.VimAutomation.ViCore.Types.V1.Inventory.VMHost".

+     {Get-VirtualSwitch -Name vSwitch0 -VMHost $esxhost |

Does this error have something to do with $list returning 2 hosts when it is trying to set -VMHost?

I appreciate your help with this

[LucD]

Oops, didn't notice you had a Select after the Get-VMHost line.

Change that line to

$list = Get-Cluster $_.Cluster | Get-VMHost

[NeedToKnowBasis]

Thank you again for all of your help with this.

I made the changes to the line that you suggested and I was presented with this error:

New-VirtualPortgroup :  New-VirtualPortGroup

The specified key, name, or identifier already exists.

+      New-VirtualPortgroup -Name "VLAN $($_.VLAN)"

+      ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    + CategoryInfo          : NotSpecified: (:) [New-VirtualPortGroup], VimExc

   eption

    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : Core_BaseCmdlet_UnknownError,VMware.VimAutomatio

   n.ViCore.Cmdlets.Commands.Host.NewVirtualPortGroup

I attempted to bypass this error by commenting out the line that had the New-VirtualPortgroup cmdlet to see if it would go through without it and then I was faced with this error relating to the Set-VirtualPortGroup cmdlet:

Set-VirtualPortGroup : Cannot bind parameter 'VirtualPortGroup'. Cannot

convert the "VLAN 928" value of type "System.String" to type

"VMware.VimAutomation.ViCore.Types.V1.Host.Networking.VirtualPortGroup".

+      Set-VirtualPortGroup -VirtualPortGroup "VLAN $($_.VLAN)" -VLANID

$($_.VLAN)

+                                             ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    + CategoryInfo          : InvalidArgument: (:) [Set-VirtualPortGroup], Par

   ameterBindingException

    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : CannotConvertArgumentNoMessage,VMware.VimAutomat

   ion.ViCore.Cmdlets.Commands.SetVirtualPortGroup

Is my syntax incorrect for specifying the name for the Set-VirtualPortGroup cmdlet?

[LucD]

Are you sure that portgroup is not already there?
Did you do a cleanup after your previous runs?

Otherwise attach the script that you are currently using and an extract of your CSV file (mask out sensite data!)

[NeedToKnowBasis]

Whoops, you are correct - I was misunderstanding and I was trying to create a VLAN that already previously existed. I changed the value in the CSV file to something unique and it successfully created the VLAN; however, it did not assign the newly created VMs to the VLAN that was created. I see 'VLAN 800' in vSphere now as is specified in the CSV file but an error related to Set-VirtualPortGroup cmdlet appears when it gets to that step:

Set-VirtualPortGroup : Cannot bind parameter 'VirtualPortGroup'. Cannot

convert the "VLAN 800" value of type "System.String" to type

"VMware.VimAutomation.ViCore.Types.V1.Host.Networking.VirtualPortGroup".

+      Set-VirtualPortGroup -VirtualPortGroup "VLAN $($_.VLAN)" -VLANID

$($_.VLAN)

+                                             ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    + CategoryInfo          : InvalidArgument: (:) [Set-VirtualPortGroup], Par

   ameterBindingException

    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : CannotConvertArgumentNoMessage,VMware.VimAutomat

   ion.ViCore.Cmdlets.Commands.SetVirtualPortGroup

The newly created VMs appear to be placed in a default VLAN 150 on creation and I would like them to be assigned to the one that is created (800)

[LucD]

The Set-0VirtualPortgroup cmdlet expects a VirtualPortgroup object (as parameter or in the pipeline).

You can pipe the output of the New-VirtualPortGroup cmdlet to the Set-VirtualPortgroup cmdlet.

But you can already specify the VLANid on the New-VirtualPortgroup cmdlet, so there is no need to do the Set-VirtualPortgroup..

[LucD]

I'm not sure I get the purpose of the script you are trying to write.

You create a VM from the CSV, then you create a new Portgroup on each ESXi node.

Is it the intention that the VM is connected to this newly created portgroup?

[NeedToKnowBasis]

You are correct - I realized that I was incorrectly trying to use the Set-VirtualPortGroup cmdlet as Set-NetworkAdapter. I have solved the issue now and the script is working the way I intended it to.

I really appreciate all of your help with this - I am new to this and trying to learn as I go.

[LucD]

Great that you got it working.
And no problem in asking, that's what the community is for.
We all started with this at some point :smileygrin: