PowerCLI and WinRM

[internetrush1]

$admin = Get-Credential

invoke-command -ComputerName 'server.domain.com

' -Credential $Admin -ArgumentList @($admin) -ScriptBlock {

$cred = $args[0]

if ( -not (Get-PSSnapIn | where {$_.Name -eq "VMware.VimAutomation.Core"}))

{

     Add-PSSnapin -Name "VMware.VimAutomation.Core"

}

if ( -not (Get-PSSnapIn | where {$_.Name -eq "VMware.VimAutomation.Core"}))

{

  Write-Host "ERROR: Could not get snappin, please confirm you have PowerCLI installed"

     break

}

Connect-VIServer -Server @('vcenter1','vcenter2') -Credential $cred -ErrorAction 'Stop'

}

The above code does not work via any box. If i run this on the box it works just fine:

     $admin = Get-Credential

if ( -not (Get-PSSnapIn | where {$_.Name -eq "VMware.VimAutomation.Core"}))

{

     Add-PSSnapin -Name "VMware.VimAutomation.Core"

}

if ( -not (Get-PSSnapIn | where {$_.Name -eq "VMware.VimAutomation.Core"}))

{

  Write-Host "ERROR: Could not get snappin, please confirm you have PowerCLI installed"

     break

}

Connect-VIServer -Server @('vcenter1','vcenter2') -Credential $cred -ErrorAction 'Stop'

Here is the error:

10/24/2013 4:01:00 PM    Connect-VIServer        Exception of type 'System.OutOfMemoryException' was thrown.

    + CategoryInfo          : NotSpecified: (:) [Connect-VIServer], ViError

    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : Client20_ConnectivityServiceImpl_Reconnect_Exception,VMware.VimAutomation.ViCore.Cmdlets.Commands.ConnectVIServer

Can anyone tell me how i can remote into a machine and log into vcenter to run powercli commands?

[LucD]

Which WINRM version are you running on those servers ?

In WinRM the default memory per session on older Windows versions (WinRM 2) is only 150 MB.

Since you are loading the PowerCLI snapins I would guess you need more.

That would also explain the OutOfMemoryException you are getting.

Have a look at Learn How to Configure PowerShell Memory to see how you can change this default

[internetrush1]

The machines im attempting to invoke into are Win2k8 R2 Sp1 standard boxes. Not sure what WINRM version they are running but im guessing WinRM 2 ?

I know we are only on Powershell 2.0.

While that was helpful, ill ask a bit more precise question, what do you recommend? Would 3.0 help? Would the article you sent me alleviate this? Is this solvable without just running PowerCLI on the localhost?    

[LucD · Accepted solution]

I know that MSFT adapted the default memory limits for remote sessions in subsequent releases.

You can try to increase the session memory limit on the destination server with

Set-Item WSMan:\localhost\Shell\MaxMemoryPerShellMB 1024