Automate snapshots based on custom field

[Kesh111]

I'm a newbie to scripting and am having trouble creating a Powershell script that will automatically create snapsht based on a custom attribute that is specified on VM. I have got this far:

Get-VM | Select Name -ExpandProperty Custom Fields | Where {$_.value -eq "takesnapshot"} | Select Name

This gives me a list of VM names that have the custom field "takesnapshot" specified, however, I am not sure how to use the output with the Get-VM | New-Snapshot command to create a new snapshot. Any help would be appreciated.

[LucD]

You could try

Get-VM | where {$_.CustomFields -eq "takesnapshot"}  | New-Snapshot -Confirm:$false

I attached the line in a file since there are some square brackets in there.

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Blog: LucD notes

Twitter: lucd22

[Kesh111]

Hi LucD,

I have tried that unfortunately does not seem to work. When using the Get-VM | Select Name -ExpandProperty Custom Fields I get two columns, one called "Key" and the other "Value". The "Value" coulmn contains the custom attribute that I have written. Therefore using your code I get the attached.

I have also tried $_.Value and "Value" in the square brackets with no luck. Sorry if I'm missing something obvious but I'm struggling to figure this out.

[LucD]

Can you do the following for one of the guests that has the custom field defined

(Get-VM <name-of-the-vm>).CustomFields

This should display 2 columns, one marked Key the other one marked Value.

It's the value under the Key header that you have to use between the square brackets.

Include a screenshot of the output if you have trouble finding what I mean.

____________

Blog: LucD notes

Twitter: lucd22

[Kesh111]

Please see the output I'm getting.

[LucD · Accepted solution]

Ok, the Key is "department" and the Value is "snapshot".

With the attached line you should get it running.

Your test had a few typos: it should be $_ and you should leave out the blank before the square bracket.

____________

Blog: LucD notes

Twitter: lucd22

[Kesh111]

Thanks a lot, that works now.

[Kesh111]

Thanks a lot, that works now.