Script to assist with VM provisioning

[halibut]

I need help trying to figure out why the new-vm cmdlet is reporting an error.  Any assistance would be appreciated.

code snip (excuse the crappy line wraps)

$VIServer ="vCenterServer" Connect-VIServer $VIServer
$VMCSV_Builds = Import-Csv -Path .\VM_Config.csv
$i = 0
$VMCSV_Builds | % {
# map out my variables
     $Clust = Get-Datacenter | get-Cluster ($_.Cluster)
     $templatevm = $_.templatevm
     $datastore = $_.datastore
     $vmhost = $Clust | get-VMhost | get-random
     $custspec = $_.custspec
     $vmname = $_.vmname
     $NUMCPU = $_.NUMCPU
     $MemoryMB = $_.MemoryMB
     $ipaddr = $_.ipaddress
     $subnet = $_.subnet
     $gateway = $_.gateway
     $pdns = $_.pdns
     $sdns = $_.sdns
     #$vlan = $_.vlan
     $description = $_.notes

#debugging

Write-Host $Clust
Write-Host $vmhost.Name
$Step = "1"

if ($Step -eq "1"){
#Step 1
# A - Connect VM
     if (!(Get-VM $vmname -ErrorAction 0))
     {
# B - Setup the IP address
     Get-OSCustomizationSpec
          $custspec | Get-OSCustomizationNicMapping |
     Set-OSCustomizationNicMapping -IpMode UseStaticIp -IpAddress $ipaddr -SubnetMask $subnet -DefaultGateway $gateway -Dns $pdns,$sdns
# C - Copy the Template and apply customizations
     $item = New-VM -VMhost $vmhost -Name $vmname -Template $templatevm -NumCpu $NUMCPU -MemoryMB $MemoryMB -Datastore $datastore'           -DiskStorageFormat Thin -Description $description -OSCustomizationSpec $custspec -RunAsync "`n Step 1 is now being run.`n"
     Get-Task | ? {
          $_.id -eq $Item.id}
          Start-Sleep -Seconds 30
          }
     else
          {
          "`nVM aleady exists, checking for running tasks . .`n"
          $Task = @(Get-Task | ? {$_.Description -eq "Clone virtual machine"})

          if ($Task)
               {
               #$Task
               Write-Host "Task is $($Task[$i].PercentComplete) % complete."
               $i++
               }
          else
               {
               "Task is complete, go onto the next step (2).`n"
               }
          }
     }
}

end snip

this is the error that I get:

New-VM : Parameter set cannot be resolved using the specified named parameters.
At D:\Users\hal0210\desktop\Scripts\CreateVM.ps1:45 char:27
+              $item = New-VM <<<<  -VMhost $vmhost -Name  $vmname -Template $templatevm -NumCpu $NUMCPU -MemoryMB $MemoryMB  -Datastore $datastore -Dis
kStorageFormat Thin -Description $description -OSCustomizationSpec $custspec -RunAsync "`n Step 1 is now being run.`n"
    + CategoryInfo          : InvalidArgument: (:) [New-VM], ParameterBindingException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : AmbiguousParameterSet,VMware.VimAutomation.ViCore.Cmdlets.Commands.NewVM

[mattboren]

Hello, halibut-

It looks like your code is missing a line break in the New-VM line.  The part that echos out that step 1 is now being run needs to be on a new line.  So, the following line:

$item = New-VM -VMhost $vmhost -Name $vmname -Template $templatevm -NumCpu $NUMCPU -MemoryMB $MemoryMB -Datastore $datastore'           -DiskStorageFormat Thin -Description $description -OSCustomizationSpec $custspec -RunAsync "`n Step 1 is now being run.`n"

should be like:

$item = New-VM -VMhost $vmhost -Name $vmname -Template $templatevm -NumCpu $NUMCPU -MemoryMB $MemoryMB -Datastore $datastore -DiskStorageFormat Thin -Description $description -OSCustomizationSpec $custspec -RunAsync
"`n Step 1 is now being run.`n"

(There was an additional single quote after the $datastore variable, too -- I removed it).  Does that do better for you?

[halibut]

No, it didn't change.  Still the same error code.

[mattboren · Accepted solution]

Hello, halibut-

Ah, yes, there is another problem:  the parameters that you are using for New-VM.  Since you are using the -Template parameter, that excludes using some of the other New-VM paramters, due to the Template parameter set.

The valid parameters for use with New-VM when deploying from template are:

*AdvancedOption

Confirm

*Datastore

Description

*DiskStorageFormat

DrsAutomationLevel

HAIsolationResponse

HARestartPriority

Location

*Name

*OSCustomizationSpec

ResourcePool

RunAsync

Server

*Template

VApp

VMHost

WhatIf

So, you need to remove the -NumCpu and -MemoryMB parameters (and values) from the New-VM call.  Then, after the New-VM call completes, you can use the Set-VM cmdlet to set NumCpu and MemoryMB for the newly created VM.

Give that a shot.  And, you can get more info about ParameterSets by running:  Get-Help -full about_Functions_Advanced_Parameters

[halibut]

That did it.  Thanks for the fix!

[halibut]

D'oh and now it produces a different error about the $clust variable being empty.  The line $clust = get-datacenter | get-cluster ($_.Cluster) isn't pulling any information.

Chris

[halibut]

Figured out the loop isn't finishing and I need to change the error checking to exit the loop before it attempts to run the next line that is blank.  Thanks for the help.

Chris