Retrieving a diskMode from a virtual machine

[Blaadtje]

Hello,

I'm trying to collect the diskmode from a virtual machine but with the code below i can't seem to get the value.

Is this string (in bold) the right setPath for this specific action.?

Thanks in advance.

Steve

Dim rp2Rp As TraversalSpec = New TraversalSpec()

rp2Rp.name = "rp2Rp"

rp2Rp.type = "ResourcePool"

rp2Rp.path = "resourcePool"

rp2Rp.skip = False

rp2Rp.selectSet = New SelectionSpec() {New SelectionSpec(), New SelectionSpec()}

rp2Rp.selectSet(0).name = "rp2Rp"

rp2Rp.selectSet(1).name = "rp2Vm"

Dim rp2Vm As TraversalSpec = New TraversalSpec()

rp2Vm.name = "rp2Vm"

rp2Vm.type = "ResourcePool"

rp2Vm.path = "vm"

rp2Vm.skip = False

rp2Vm.selectSet = New SelectionSpec() {}

Dim cr2Rp As TraversalSpec = New TraversalSpec()

cr2Rp.name = "cr2Rp"

cr2Rp.type = "ComputeResource"

cr2Rp.path = "resourcePool"

cr2Rp.skip = False

cr2Rp.selectSet = New SelectionSpec() {rp2Rp, New SelectionSpec()}

Dim cr2h As TraversalSpec = New TraversalSpec()

cr2h.name = "cr2h"

cr2h.type = "ComputeResource"

cr2h.path = "host"

cr2h.skip = False

cr2h.selectSet = New SelectionSpec() {}

Dim dc2hf As TraversalSpec = New TraversalSpec()

dc2hf.name = "dc2hf"

dc2hf.type = "Datacenter"

dc2hf.path = "hostFolder"

dc2hf.skip = False

dc2hf.selectSet = New SelectionSpec() {New SelectionSpec()}

dc2hf.selectSet(0).name = "traverseChild"

Dim dc2f As TraversalSpec = New TraversalSpec()

dc2f.name = "dc2f"

dc2f.type = "Datacenter"

dc2f.path = "vmFolder"

dc2f.skip = False

dc2f.selectSet = New SelectionSpec() {New SelectionSpec()}

dc2f.selectSet(0).name = "traverseChild"

Dim h2vm As TraversalSpec = New TraversalSpec()

h2vm.name = "h2vm"

h2vm.type = "HostSystem"

h2vm.path = "vm"

h2vm.skip = False

h2vm.selectSet = New SelectionSpec() {New SelectionSpec()}

h2vm.selectSet(0).name = "traverseChild"

Dim traversalSpec As TraversalSpec = New TraversalSpec()

traversalSpec.type = "Folder"

traversalSpec.name = "traverseChild"

traversalSpec.path = "childEntity"

traversalSpec.skip = False

traversalSpec.selectSet = New SelectionSpec() {New SelectionSpec(), dc2f, dc2hf}

traversalSpec.selectSet(0).name = traversalSpec.name

Dim pSpec As New PropertySpec

pSpec.type = "VirtualMachine"

pSpec.all = False

pSpec.pathSet = New String() {"config.hardware.device[2000].backing"}

Dim objSpec As New ObjectSpec

objSpec.obj = _rootFolder

objSpec.skip = False

objSpec.selectSet = New SelectionSpec()

Dim _pfSpec As New PropertyFilterSpec

_pfSpec.objectSet = New ObjectSpec()

_pfSpec.propSet = New PropertySpec()

Dim oCary() As ObjectContent

oCary = service.RetrieveProperties(propCol, New PropertyFilterSpec() )

[ssurana]

Hi Steve,

You would need to set the pathSet till the "config.hardware.device" property. And then from the ObjectContent you need to filter the VirtualDisk type of the device to get the "backing" property.

pSpec.pathSet = New String() {"config.hardware.device[2000].backing"}

will not work as config.hardware.device[2000].backing is not a direct property of the Virtual Machine. The property "config.hardware.device" returns you an array, thus you would have to parse through the array for further filtering.

Your code should be

pSpec.pathSet = New String() {"config.hardware.device"}

Hope the above helps.

~ Sidharth

[Blaadtje]

Hi Sidharth,

Thanks for the quick reply.

I already tried that but wasn't succesfull. But this morning with a clear mind I tried it again and Yippie it worked.

This is what i have so far. But my question now is, is this the best way to do it? or is there a beter one.

Code below for retrieving DiskMode.

Dim oc As ObjectContent = Nothing

Dim mor As ManagedObjectReference = Nothing

Dim pcary As DynamicProperty() = Nothing

Dim pc As DynamicProperty = Nothing

For oci As Integer = 0 To oCary.Length - 1

oc = oCary(oci)

mor = oc.obj

pcary = oc.propSet

'MessageBox.Show("Object Type : " + mor.type)

'MessageBox.Show("Reference Value : " + mor.Value)

If pcary IsNot Nothing Then

For pci As Integer = 0 To pcary.Length - 1

pc = pcary(pci)

'MessageBox.Show("Reference Value : " + mor.Value + " Property Name : " + pc.val.ToString)

If pc IsNot Nothing Then

If Not pc.val.GetType().IsArray Then

Debug.Print(" Property Value : " + pc.val.ToString)

Else

Dim ipcary As Array = DirectCast(pc.val, Array)

Debug.Print("Val : " + pc.val.ToString)

For ii As Integer = 0 To ipcary.Length - 1

Dim oval As Object = ipcary.GetValue(ii)

If oval.GetType().Name.IndexOf("ManagedObjectReference") >= 0 Then

Dim imor As ManagedObjectReference = DirectCast(oval, ManagedObjectReference)

Debug.Print("Inner Object Type : " + imor.type)

Debug.Print("Inner Reference Value : " + imor.Value)

Else

Debug.Print("Inner Property Value : " + oval.ToString)

Debug.Print("Inner Property Value : " + oval.deviceinfo.label.ToString)

If oc.propSet(0).val(ii).ToString = ("VimApi.VirtualDisk") Then

Debug.Print("Test 4 object : " + oval.backing.diskMode.ToString)

End If

End If

Next

End If

End If

Next

End If

Next

Else

MessageBox.Show("No Managed Entities retrieved!")

End If

End Code for retrieving DiskMode

Code Below For Changing the Diskmode to persistent

Dim disk As VirtualDisk = New VirtualDisk()

disk.key = "2000"

disk.controllerKey = "1000"

disk.controllerKeySpecified = True

disk.unitNumber = "0"

disk.unitNumberSpecified = True

Dim diskBacking As VirtualDiskFlatVer2BackingInfo = New VirtualDiskFlatVer2BackingInfo

diskBacking.diskMode = "independent_persistent"

diskBacking.fileName = ""

disk.backing = diskBacking

Dim disk_vm_configSpec As VirtualDeviceConfigSpec = New VirtualDeviceConfigSpec()

disk_vm_configSpec.device = disk

'disk_vm_configSpec.fileOperation = VirtualDeviceConfigSpecFileOperation.create

'disk_vm_configSpec.fileOperationSpecified = True

disk_vm_configSpec.operation = VirtualDeviceConfigSpecOperation.edit

disk_vm_configSpec.operationSpecified = True

Dim newSpec As VirtualMachineConfigSpec = New VirtualMachineConfigSpec()

newSpec.deviceChange = New VirtualDeviceConfigSpec()

Dim oChange As ManagedObjectReference = Nothing

oChange = X.Session.ReconfigVM_Task(VM, newSpec)

Debug.Print("Changed diskMode to Persistent")

End Code For Changing the Diskmode to persistent

[ssurana · Accepted solution]

Okay! let me try and articulate your overall requirement as I have understood till now. You need to browse through all the Virtual Machines in your inventory and find any VirtualDisk with the diskMode not equal to "independent_persistent" and then alter the Virtual Device to change the diskMode to "independent_persistent". Well I might be wrong in my above assumptions but hoping that they are correct you should follow the below approach:

1. Search for all the VMs and their device property.

2. For each VM iterate through the devices to get the VirtualDisk device.

3. Check for the diskMode and if it requires an alteration if not then move on to the next VM.

4. If the VM requires the change then get the VirtualDisk Object from the retrieved set of devices and set the diskMode as per your requirement.

5. Create the VirtualDeviceConfigSpec object and set the device to the VirtualDisk device object retrieved and edited in the step 4. If there are multiple Virtual Disks for a single VM then create as many VirtualDeviceConfigSpec as the number of devices that needs to change and add these VirtualDeviceConfigSpec to the VirtualMachineConfigSpec.

6. Once you have created a consolidated VirtualMachineConfigSpec object for a VM call the ReconfigVM_Task there itself as right now while iterating you also have the mor for the VMs.

I think you are already doing most of the steps apart from the way you edit the Virtual Devices. I could see that in your code you are creating a new device using new operator, then setting up all the values in the properties and then passing it to the VirtualDeviceConfigSpec. I would rather suggest you to use the Virtual Device Object retrieved from the ObjectContent to pass on in the VirtualDeviceConfigSpec as then you only need to edit the relevant properties of your interest.

~ Sidharth

[Blaadtje]

sidharth,

thanks for the great tips. o \o/ o

I got most of it already working with the tips from your previous reply..

I'll try to modify the code so I edit the virtualdeviceconfigspec instead of creating a new one.

Ones again thanks for your help it got a lot of my questions answered.

With kind regards,

Steve