Automation

Hello,

I am having issues when using a script to move VMs from the Discovered VMs folder to their dedicated VM folders as they were on the old vCenter. I already recreated the folder structure on the new vCenter.

The csv from where i am importing is on the form:

Name  Path

vm1     DatacenterFolderName\folder1\folder2\vm1

vm2     DatacenterFolderName\folder2\folder3\vm2 etc

The script is the following:

Get-Module -Name VMware* -ListAvailable | Import-Module

If ($globale:DefaultVIServers ) {

Disconnect-VIServer -Server $global:DefaultVIServers -Force

}

$destVI = Read-Host "Please enter name or IP address of the destination Server"

$datacenter = Read-Host "DataCenter name in VC"

$creds = get-credential

connect-viserver -server $destVI -Credential $creds

# move the vm's to correct location

$VMfolder = @()

$VMfolder = import-csv "c:\csv-files\test\04-$($datacenter)-vms-with-FolderPath.csv" | Sort-Object -Property Path

foreach($guest in $VMfolder){

$key = @()

$key =  Split-Path $guest.Path | split-path -leaf

if ($key -eq $datacenter) {

Write-Host "Root folder $guest.path"

#

Move-VM (Get-VM $guest.Name) -Destination "vm"

}

else

{

Move-VM (Get-VM $guest.Name) -Destination (Get-folder $key)

}

}

Disconnect-VIServer "*" -Confirm:$False

and the error i am getting is the following:

Move-VM : 10/19/2018 7:50:24 AM Move-VM Server task failed: The request refers to an unexpected or unknown type.

At C:\Users\username\Desktop\CheapDisasterRecovery\import-05-move-vms-folders.ps1:27 char:3

+         Move-VM (Get-VM $guest.Name) -Destination (Get-folder $key)

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

    + CategoryInfo          : NotSpecified: (:) [Move-VM], VimException

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

Can someone let me know what i am doing wrong or if there is something that needs to be modified to make it work?

The original vCenter is 5.5 and the destination vCenter is 6.5.

Thank you.

If you are using a recent PowerCLI version, you have to use the InventoryLocation parameter to move a VM to a VM type folder.

Which PowerCLI version are you using?

Hi Luc, thanks so much for replying.

This is what i get when list the modules:

PS C:\Windows\system32> Get-Module -ListAvailable -Name VMware*

    Directory: C:\Program Files\WindowsPowerShell\Modules

ModuleType Version    Name                                ExportedCommands

---------- -------    ----                                ----------------

Script     6.7.0.8... VMware.DeployAutomation             {Add-DeployRule, Add-ProxyServer, Add-ScriptBundle, Copy-D...

Script     6.7.0.8... VMware.ImageBuilder                 {Add-EsxSoftwareDepot, Add-EsxSoftwarePackage, Compare-Esx...

Manifest   11.0.0.... VMware.PowerCLI

Script     6.7.0.1... VMware.Vim

Script     11.0.0.... VMware.VimAutomation.Cis.Core       {Connect-CisServer, Disconnect-CisServer, Get-CisService}

Script     11.0.0.... VMware.VimAutomation.Cloud          {Add-CIDatastore, Connect-CIServer, Disconnect-CIServer, G...

Script     11.0.0.... VMware.VimAutomation.Common

Script     11.0.0.... VMware.VimAutomation.Core           {Add-PassthroughDevice, Add-VirtualSwitchPhysicalNetworkAd...

Script     7.6.0.1... VMware.VimAutomation.HorizonView    {Connect-HVServer, Disconnect-HVServer}

Script     10.0.0.... VMware.VimAutomation.License        Get-LicenseDataManager

Script     11.0.0.... VMware.VimAutomation.Nsxt           {Connect-NsxtServer, Disconnect-NsxtServer, Get-NsxtService}

Script     11.0.0.... VMware.VimAutomation.Sdk            {Get-ErrorReport, Get-PSVersion, Get-InstallPath}

Script     11.0.0.... VMware.VimAutomation.Security       {Get-SecurityInfo, Get-VTpm, Get-VTpmCertificate, Get-VTpm...

Script     10.0.0.... VMware.VimAutomation.Srm            {Connect-SrmServer, Disconnect-SrmServer}

Script     11.0.0.... VMware.VimAutomation.Storage        {Add-KeyManagementServer, Copy-VDisk, Export-SpbmStoragePo...

Script     1.3.0.0    VMware.VimAutomation.StorageUtility Update-VmfsDatastore

Script     11.0.0.... VMware.VimAutomation.Vds            {Add-VDSwitchPhysicalNetworkAdapter, Add-VDSwitchVMHost, E...

Script     11.0.0.... VMware.VimAutomation.Vmc            {Connect-Vmc, Disconnect-Vmc, Get-VmcSddcNetworkService, G...

Script     10.0.0.... VMware.VimAutomation.vROps          {Connect-OMServer, Disconnect-OMServer, Get-OMAlert, Get-O...

Script     6.5.1.7... VMware.VumAutomation                {Add-EntityBaseline, Copy-Patch, Get-Baseline, Get-Complia...

So what do i have to replace in the script to make it work?

Do i need to replace the -Destination parameter with -InventoryLocation ?

No, due to a "feature" you also have to use the Destination parameter.
But you can point Destination to the same ESXi node where the VM is already running.

Something like this seems to work for me.

Thanks for the reply and clarification.

Do i replace the whole if / else sequence in the script or just the lines containing the Move-VM command? I am a bit confused as to what do i need to modify in the script... Do i need to also have a column in the CSV with the host where the VM resides? the exported csv only contains the vm name and path as described in the original post.

You only should replace the single Move-VM line in your Else-block with these lines.

No need to add a column, the Get-VM will return an object that shows where the VM is running in the VMHost property.

I did that initially but it throws another error and i thought am not doing something right and something else must be modified.

This is the error i am getting now, with only the single Move VM line replaced in the else block from the script:

Move-VM : 10/22/2018 9:13:52 AM Move-VM Value cannot be found for the mandatory parameter VM

At C:\Users\username\Desktop\CheapDisasterRecovery\import-05-move-vms-folders.ps1:29 char:9

+         Move-VM -Destination $vm.VMHost -InventoryLocation $folder

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

    + CategoryInfo          : NotSpecified: (:) [Move-VM], VimException

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

Any thoughts?

The Move-VM should of course include the VM parameter.

I updated the code above.

Thank you so much for your help. It is working as expected now.

Hi Luc,

The script works when moving the vms into unique folders, however when trying to move the vms into duplicate folder names from different paths it errors out like this:

Move-VM : Cannot convert 'System.Object[]' to the type

'VMware.VimAutomation.ViCore.Types.V1.Inventory.VIContainer' required by parameter

'Destination'. Specified method is not supported.

At C:\Users\username\Desktop\CheapDisasterRecovery\import-05-move-vms-folders.ps1:29 char:38

+         Move-VM -VM $vm -Destination $vm.VMHost -InventoryLocation $f ...

+                                      ~~~~~~~~~~

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

    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : CannotConvertArgument,VMware.VimAutomation.ViCore.Cmdlets.C

   ommands.MoveVM

Any idea on how to correct this?

Now i tried again with the unique folders and it is throwing the same error...

I suspect that the $vm variable holds more than 1 VM.
Can you check?

I modified the csv and I tried to move a single vm now which has unique name within the whole vcenter and it is erroring out.

This is the code i tried with it:

Get-Module -Name VMware* -ListAvailable | Import-Module

If ($globale:DefaultVIServers ) {

Disconnect-VIServer -Server $global:DefaultVIServers -Force

}

$destVI = Read-Host "Please enter name or IP address of the destination Server"

$datacenter = Read-Host "DataCenter name in VC"

$creds = get-credential

connect-viserver -server $destVI -Credential $creds

# move the vm's to correct location

$VMfolder = @()

$VMfolder = import-csv "C:\csv-files\test\04-$datacenter-vms-with-FolderPath.csv" | Sort-Object -Property Path

foreach($guest in $VMfolder){

$key = @()

$key =  Split-Path $guest.Path | split-path -leaf

if ($key -eq $datacenter) {

Write-Host "Root folder $guest.path"

##

Move-VM (Get-VM $guest.Name) -Destination "vm"

}

else

{

$vm = Get-VM -Name $guest.Name

        $folder = Get-Folder -Name $key -Type VM

        Move-VM -VM $vm -Destination $vm.VMHost -InventoryLocation $folder

}

}

Disconnect-VIServer "*" -Confirm:$False

Still no luck... Either that or i am not sure exactly what 1 VM into the $vm variable means... what do i need to check by that?

You could be connected multiple times. CHeck what is in $global:defaultviservers

You could have multiple VMs with the same displayname in the environment.

How many objects does this return (use the name of the single VM you tested with)?

Hello,

Nope, just a single object returned for each of the commands.

PS C:\Windows\system32> $global:defaultviservers

Name                           Port  User                         

----                           ----  ----                         

prdvcsa                      443   DOMAIN\malbu             

PS C:\Windows\system32> Get-VM -Name malbu-vm

Name                 PowerState Num CPUs MemoryGB      

----                 ---------- -------- --------      

malbu-vm             PoweredOn  2        6.000         

I added some debugging lines.

Can you run this version, and tell me what is shown on the console?

I ran your version and it's working...seriously, i don't understand this anymore... This is the output with the debugging:

PS C:\Windows\system32> C:\Users\username\Desktop\CheapDisasterRecovery\import-05-move-vms-folders-debugging.ps1

Please enter name or IP address of the destination Server: prdvcsa

DataCenter name in VC: Corporate

cmdlet Get-Credential at command pipeline position 1

Supply values for the following parameters:

Name                           Port  User                         

----                           ----  ----                         

prdvcsa                      443   DOMAIN\malbu             

VM : 1

ESX : prd1.domain.com

PowerState              : PoweredOn

Version                 : v10

HardwareVersion         : vmx-10

Notes                   :

Guest                   : malbu-vm:Microsoft Windows 7 (64-bit)

NumCpu                  : 2

CoresPerSocket          : 1

MemoryMB                : 6144

MemoryGB                : 6

VMHostId                : HostSystem-host-13

VMHost                  : prd1.domain.com

VApp                    :

FolderId                : Folder-group-v2060

Folder                  : Employees

ResourcePoolId          : ResourcePool-resgroup-30

ResourcePool            : Resources

PersistentId            : 5028db3d-0246-08c0-d83c-1103dd2c7a9e

UsedSpaceGB             : 54.409996171481907367706298828

ProvisionedSpaceGB      : 66.109215467236936092376708984

DatastoreIdList         : {Datastore-datastore-1664}

HARestartPriority       : ClusterRestartPriority

HAIsolationResponse     : AsSpecifiedByCluster

DrsAutomationLevel      : AsSpecifiedByCluster

VMSwapfilePolicy        : Inherit

VMResourceConfiguration : CpuShares:Normal/2000 MemShares:Normal/61440

GuestId                 : windows7_64Guest

Name                    : malbu-vm

CustomFields            : {[XdConfig, ]}

ExtensionData           : VMware.Vim.VirtualMachine

Id                      : VirtualMachine-vm-1558

Uid                     : /VIServer=domain\malbu@prdvcsa:443/VirtualMachine=VirtualM

                          achine-vm-1558/

PS C:\Windows\system32>

Can you attach your last version of the script as a file (bottom right - attach button)?

Sure, this is the script i last ran before the debugging one you sent.

Attachment(s)

import-05-move-vms-folders.ps1.zip   700 B 1 version

I don't see any obvious differences.

Did you test run the last version several times?

Does it always work?

I ran your debug version against the production list so to speak and half of the list worked. From what i checked, the other half of the list contains folders that are present in multiple paths, and those are still erroring out.

The error is mostly the same (this time is inventorylocation related parameter):

Move-VM : Cannot convert 'System.Object[]' to the type

'VMware.VimAutomation.ViCore.Types.V1.Inventory.FolderContainer' required by parameter

'InventoryLocation'. Specified method is not supported.

At

C:\Users\username\Desktop\CheapDisasterRecovery\import-05-move-vms-folders-debugging.ps1:61

char:68

+ ...    Move-VM -VM $vm -Destination $vm.VMHost -InventoryLocation $folder

+                                                                   ~~~~~~~

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

    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : CannotConvertArgument,VMware.VimAutomation.ViCore.Cmdlets.C

   ommands.MoveVM

Your script will not work when you have two subfolders with the same name.

DC\Folder1\TestFolder\vm2

DC\Folder2\TestFolder\vm2

To avoid that I have added a modified version of my Get-FolderByPath function.

Can you try with this version.

Sure, i will run this first thing when i get back to the office and let you know how it goes.

Thank you for your patience and help Luc, much appreciated.

Hello Luc,

I ran the script and it worked flawlessly. Man, I cannot thank you enough for your help with this issue!

Really appreciate it!

Hi LucD,

Thanks for this. 

I just wanted to advise on the issues I had, and see if they affected anyone else.

I had to change the [char]${Separator} = '/' to [char]${Separator} = '\' in the get-folderbypath function, as the $key = Split-Path $guest.Path line converts the / to \, and then errors if the / is not replaced with \.

I also noticed that you have an rogue e in the $global:DefaultVIServers line, you have $globale:DefaultVIServers.

The below, worked for me:

function Get-FolderByPath{
param(

[CmdletBinding()]

[parameter(Mandatory = $true)]

[System.String[]]${Path},

[char]${Separator} = '\'

)

process{

foreach($strPath in $Path){

$root = Get-Folder -Name Datacenters

$strPath.Split($Separator) | %{

$root = Get-Inventory -Name $_ -Location $root -NoRecursion

if((Get-Inventory -Location $root -NoRecursion | Select -ExpandProperty Name) -contains "vm"){

$root = Get-Inventory -Name "vm" -Location $root -NoRecursion

}

}

$root | where {$_ -is [VMware.VimAutomation.ViCore.Impl.V1.Inventory.FolderImpl]}|%{

Get-Folder -Name $_.Name -Location $root.Parent -NoRecursion

}

}

}

}

Get-Module -Name VMware* -ListAvailable | Import-Module

If ($global:DefaultVIServers ) {

Disconnect-VIServer -Server $global:DefaultVIServers -Force -Confirm:$false

}

$destVI = Read-Host "Please enter name or IP address of the destination Server"

$creds = Get-Credential

connect-viserver -server $destVI -Credential $creds

# move the vm's to correct location

$VMfolder = Import-Csv "C:\Scripts\AdminTasks\Powercli\Folders\VM_folderpaths_import_migration_test.csv" | Sort-Object -Property Path

foreach($guest in $VMfolder)
{
# This converts the format of the path from folder/folder to folder\folder, and why the seperator must be \ in the function
$key = Split-Path $guest.Path
write-host -ForegroundColor cyan $key

$keyFolder = Get-FolderByPath -Path $key -Separator '\'

$vm = Get-VM -Name $guest.Name

Move-VM -VM $vm -Destination $vm.VMHost -InventoryLocation $keyFolder | out-null
}

Disconnect-VIServer "*" -Confirm:$False

New to scripting...  I have an exported .csv in vCenter 5.5 and moves hosts to vCenter 6.5 now.  It that ran perfect on the export.  But I cannot get the below to run in my vCenter6.  Here is the output... 

  .csv contents...  

I keep getting errors on my script... 

New-Folder : Cannot convert 'System.Object[]' to the type 'VMware.VimAutomation.ViCore.Types.V1.Inventory.VIContainer' required by parameter 'Location'. Specified method is not supported.

At line:11 char:55

+             $location = New-Folder -Name $_ -Location $location

+                                                       ~~~~~~~~~

    + CategoryInfo          : InvalidArgument: (:) [New-Folder], ParameterBindingException

    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : CannotConvertArgument,VMware.VimAutomation.ViCore.Cmdlets.Commands.NewFolder

Here is my script... 

$newDatacenter = "Boston"

$newFolder = "Folder1"

$startFolder = Get-Folder -Name "vm"

Import-Csv "C:\scripts\vm-folder.csv" -UseCulture | %{

    $location = $startFolder

    $_.BlueFolderPath.TrimStart('/').Split('/') | %{

        $tgtFolder = Get-Folder -Name $_ -Location $location -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue

        if(!$tgtFolder){

            $location = New-Folder -Name $_ -Location $location

        }

        else{

            $location = $tgtFolder

        }

    }

    $vm = Get-VM -Name $_.Name -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue

    if($vm){

        Move-VM -VM $vm -Destination $vm.VMHost -InventoryLocation $folder -Confirm:$false

    }

}

Did you check if there is perhaps an empty line the CSV file?

Can you runt the following on that CSV file?

I do not see an empty line.  The results returned the following... 

Demo16 /Demos

Demo1 /Demos

Demo17 /Demos

Demo27 /Demos

Demo15 /Demos

Is that error repeated for every line in the CSV, or do you only see it once?

Every line...

Demo16               PoweredOn  2        4.000        

New-Folder : Cannot convert 'System.Object[]' to the type 'VMware.VimAutomation.ViCore.Types.V1.Inventory.VIContainer' required by parameter 'Location'. Specified method is not supported.

At line:11 char:55

+             $location = New-Folder -Name $_ -Location $location

+                                                       ~~~~~~~~~

    + CategoryInfo          : InvalidArgument: (:) [New-Folder], ParameterBindingException

    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : CannotConvertArgument,VMware.VimAutomation.ViCore.Cmdlets.Commands.NewFolder

Demo1                PoweredOn  2        8.000        

New-Folder : Cannot convert 'System.Object[]' to the type 'VMware.VimAutomation.ViCore.Types.V1.Inventory.VIContainer' required by parameter 'Location'. Specified method is not supported.

At line:11 char:55

+             $location = New-Folder -Name $_ -Location $location

+                                                       ~~~~~~~~~

    + CategoryInfo          : InvalidArgument: (:) [New-Folder], ParameterBindingException

    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : CannotConvertArgument,VMware.VimAutomation.ViCore.Cmdlets.Commands.NewFolder

Demo17               PoweredOn  2        6.000        

New-Folder : Cannot convert 'System.Object[]' to the type 'VMware.VimAutomation.ViCore.Types.V1.Inventory.VIContainer' required by parameter 'Location'. Specified method is not supported.

At line:11 char:55

+             $location = New-Folder -Name $_ -Location $location

+                                                       ~~~~~~~~~

    + CategoryInfo          : InvalidArgument: (:) [New-Folder], ParameterBindingException

    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : CannotConvertArgument,VMware.VimAutomation.ViCore.Cmdlets.Commands.NewFolder

Demo27               PoweredOff 2        4.000        

New-Folder : Cannot convert 'System.Object[]' to the type 'VMware.VimAutomation.ViCore.Types.V1.Inventory.VIContainer' required by parameter 'Location'. Specified method is not supported.

At line:11 char:55

+             $location = New-Folder -Name $_ -Location $location

+                                                       ~~~~~~~~~

    + CategoryInfo          : InvalidArgument: (:) [New-Folder], ParameterBindingException

    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : CannotConvertArgument,VMware.VimAutomation.ViCore.Cmdlets.Commands.NewFolder

Demo15               PoweredOn  2        10.000       

New-Folder : Cannot convert 'System.Object[]' to the type 'VMware.VimAutomation.ViCore.Types.V1.Inventory.VIContainer' required by parameter 'Location'. Specified method is not supported.

At line:11 char:55

+             $location = New-Folder -Name $_ -Location $location

+                                                       ~~~~~~~~~

    + CategoryInfo          : InvalidArgument: (:) [New-Folder], ParameterBindingException

    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : CannotConvertArgument,VMware.VimAutomation.ViCore.Cmdlets.Commands.NewFolder

In the vCenter recent tasks it shows this...

The Move-VM error is a result from the target folder not being there (due to the other error).

The 1st error seems to indicate that the value on the Name parameter of the New-Folder cmdlet is an array instead of a string.

I don't really see how that can happen when loop through the output of the Import-Csv.

Can you just do a

Import-Csv "C:\scripts\vm-folder.csv" -UseCulture

And check if the column headers are also shown?

I do see column headers... 

But wait a minute, I'm looking at the wrong parameter, it's the Location parameter that complain about getting an array.

Do you by any chance have multiple Datacenters defined, or are you connected to more than vSPhere server?

Does the following return 1 folder or more?

I'm confused as to why this is my result... 

PS C:\scripts> Get-Folder -Name vm

Name                           Type          

----                           ----          

vm                             VM            

vm                             VM            

vm                             VM            

vm                             VM            

vm                             VM            

vm                             VM

Can you check the following

I show 1 vCenter connected to my session.  The correct one.

But it is showing all 6 of my DataCenters in Get-Datacenter

And that is causing the issue.

There is a hidden folder named 'vm' under each Datacenter.

Change the $startFolder line like this

So that worked and it creates the folders! It began creating the folders. 

Problem now is I am not getting any script errors...  but the VMs aren't moving.  The only error now is in vCenter...

Where are these VMs located?

Are these folders accessible from the cluster on which the VMs are running?

Update...  when I run the script from the ./script it actually runs!

My next problem is when it gets to a folder that is more than one level deep it errors with the same error.

Do you still do the move like this?
Because I don't see in the code you included where $folder is initialised.

Shouldn't that be $tgtFolder instead of $folder?

Thank you so much for all your help on this!  Here is the final version that worked perfectly.  Created folders and moved VMs... 

$newDatacenter = "blahblah"

$newFolder = "Folder1"

$startFolder = Get-Folder -Name "vm" -Location $newDatacenter

Import-Csv "C:\scripts\vCenter5_vm-folder.csv" -UseCulture | %{

    $location = $startFolder

    $_.BlueFolderPath.TrimStart('/').Split('/') | %{

        $tgtFolder = Get-Folder -Name $_ -Location $location -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue

        if(!$tgtFolder){

            $location = New-Folder -Name $_ -Location $location

        }

        else{

            $location = $tgtFolder

        }

    }

    $vm = Get-VM -Name $_.Name -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue

    if($vm){

        Move-VM -VM $vm -Destination $vm.VMHost -InventoryLocation $location -Confirm:$false

    }

}