Move-VM with the portgroup switch is failing

[OS2Lord]

Via powercli, I am trying to move vms from one virtual datacenter to another virtual datacenter, the issue i am having is with the portgroup switch

for example this is the command i am trying to execute:

$vm = "valid-vm_name"

$esx = "valid-hypervisor_name"

$ds = "valid-datastore_name"

$newPgName = "valid-new-portgroup_name"

VMware.VimAutomation.Core\Move-VM -VM $vm -Destination $esx -Datastore $ds -PortGroup $newPgName

The error message I am getting is:

Move-VM : Cannot bind parameter 'PortGroup'. Cannot convert the "POMA|GOM|GOM-PSO-Expansion" value of type "System.String" to type

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

At D:\PowerCLI\move-vm_GSM.ps1:32 char:89

+ ... ove-VM -VM $vm -Destination $esx -Datastore $ds -PortGroup $newPgName

+                                                                ~~~~~~~~~~

    + CategoryInfo          : InvalidArgument: (:) [Move-VM], ParameterBindingException

    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : CannotConvertArgumentNoMessage,VMware.VimAutomation.ViCore.Cmdlets.Commands.MoveVM

Unfortuantely, the new portgroup names have "|" pipes in them, the old portgroup was called "pocq_gom_pso_extend" and on the new virtual datacenter they are now called "POMA|GOM|GOM-PSO-Expansion".

Is there anyway to convert the "|" to unicode or something else that the move-vm will accept?

I have tried the "`", i have tried unicode "`u", i have tried "\" and none of these work.

If i try this whole process via vcenter "Move to" option, it works without any issues and allows me to select the new network\portgroup.

Thanks

MS

[LucD]

Can you try with (replace the | with a ?)

$newPgName = "POMA?GOM?GOM-PSO-Expansion"

[OS2Lord]

No, still no luck:

pg= POMA?GOM?GOM-PSO-Expansion

Move-VM : Cannot bind parameter 'PortGroup'. Cannot convert the "POMA|GOM|GOM-PSO-Expansion" value of type "System.String" to type

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

At D:\PowerCLI\move-vm_GSM.ps1:30 char:89

+ ... ove-VM -VM $vm -Destination $esx -Datastore $ds -PortGroup $newPgName

+                                                                ~~~~~~~~~~

    + CategoryInfo          : InvalidArgument: (:) [Move-VM], ParameterBindingException

    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : CannotConvertArgumentNoMessage,VMware.VimAutomation.ViCore.Cmdlets.Commands.MoveVM

[OS2Lord]

I even got the portgroup unique identifier and tried that too:

Move-VM : Cannot bind parameter 'PortGroup'. Cannot convert the "4f682794-3b24-41c6-aac3-67a790d8ce76" value of type

"System.String" to type "VMware.VimAutomation.ViCore.Types.V1.Host.Networking.VirtualPortGroupBase".

At D:\PowerCLI\move-vm_GSM.ps1:30 char:89

+ ... ove-VM -VM $vm -Destination $esx -Datastore $ds -PortGroup $newPgName

+                                                                ~~~~~~~~~~

    + CategoryInfo          : InvalidArgument: (:) [Move-VM], ParameterBindingException

    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : CannotConvertArgumentNoMessage,VMware.VimAutomation.ViCore.Cmdlets.Commands.MoveVM

So i am wonder that it might not even be a PIPE issue???

[LucD]

I still see the vertical bar in that first try.
Are you sure the name is changed?

[OS2Lord]

LucD,

I have found the issue, it had nothing to do with the pipe...

I was assigning the new portgroup directly to a variable, like $pg="'POMA|GOM|GOM-PSO'" and then passing this to the move-vm command like: Move-VM -VM $vm -Destination $esx -Datastore $ds -PortGroup $pg

But in fact if I do this:

$newPgName = Get-VDPortgroup -Name $pg

Move-VM -VM $vm -Destination $esx -Datastore $ds -PortGroup $newPgName

This works, so it was never an issue with the PIPE....

Sorry about that, my move-vm is now working.

Regards

MS