Utility to generate IP address

[wkwicker]

When deploying virtual machines from templates, the template can be customized to use DHCP, prompt the user for an IP, use a fixed IP, or get one from app configured on VirtuaCenter server to generate IP address.

Has anyone created a utility or found a utility to do this? I would like to pass it my network segment and have it scan a range of IPs. When it finds one that doesn't reply to ping, look it up in DNS. If it is not reserved, then pass it to the VC wizard. I thought I would ask before creating one if one is already available.

Also, it asks for the argument but I assume it wants the full path and argument. The documentation does not go into detail on how this feature works. Any thoughts on this?

[MR-T]

This sounds like a lot of work.

Can't DHCP do this anyway?

[wkwicker]

We don't use DHCP for servers after they are built so that would not work in our environment. I want a utility that will find my next available IP and send it to VC to use in my deploy from template. However, unlike DHCP, I want this address permanent.

[MR-T]

Yeah, I see what you're after.

You could consider fixing the MAC addresses on the vm's and using reservations in the DHCP scopes.

This way you'd get an IP address pre-assigned to a vm.

There's a nice tool available on the web for helping with mac addresses

[MR-T]

Here's the app I'm talking about:

http://www.run-virtual.com/?page_id=173

It's a great way of using fixed macs if you ever consider going down this route.

[wkwicker]

I don't disagree that DHCP would be easier but in our environment we are still using static IP's on everything. We do have a small range of DHCP used imaging and server building but these are considered temporary.

We only build VM guests as needed, nothing is fully automated, so assigning an IP at build time is not a big deal but I would like for VC to find the IP instead of me. I currently use a tool to scan the IP's and find the first one that doesn't ping and is not in DNS and type this into VC guest customization wizard. I'm just attempting to save a step and have VC find the next IP instead of me using the other tool.

If no one knows of a util, then I will attempt to create one and post.

[tmcquaig]

I'm looking for this as well. I use a similar setup to yours.