Export/Import Virtual Center Security Settings

[mpaytonnj]

Greetings.

We're running ESX 3.5/Virtual center 2.5 in a relatively small/uncomplicated environment. Four physical hosts, between 65 - 75 VM's at any given time, and a few templates. Since the most customizing we've done in Virtual Center is permissions on the guests, I'm looking for a way to quickly backup/export those settings, and if needed import/restore them to either the same or a new/different machine.

Anyone know of any way to backup or export the Security settings either from withing Virtual Center, or via the Framework ?

[kjb007]

What you are asking isn't really possible directly through vc. You can script something together using the SDK or via the powershell or perl vi tookits, but it is not a simple tasks. If you want to keep track, then you can keep screenshots as a reference from the admin section of virtual center under roles. If you select a role, you will get a map of everywhere that role is used. Not exactly what you want, but it's at least there as a reference in case something happens.

-KjB

[dmn0211]

If you check out this pdf you will see at the end of the document a script to pull these roles.

Listing 1: Script to Query VirtualCenter for Roles

Check out this site, it has an excel sheet that querys the database for the information supposedly it can also modify the roles.

From the web post

"Working at a customer with three Virtual Centers (VC), I needed a way to document the security roles and their permissions, and a easy/consistent way to apply these role/permissions to the other VC's.So I created an Excel sheet to generate SQL files per role (incl. permissions), which can be imported directly in the VC (MS-SQL) Database to create the roles."

[mpaytonnj]

Thanks for the answers. We do have everything documented, so manually reconfiguring is always an option, and not too much work. I was just hoping for something a bit easier/quicker.

[kjb007]

It would be very nice to be able to export vc and esx settings and be able to import them later.

Sounds like a very good feature that VMware should consider looking into. Hopefuly they are reading these forums, and are working on it. . . .

:smileydevil:

-KjB

[dephcon5]

Is there at least a list of what the various settings are?

I am recently under the gun to produce a "who can do what" list of options for a few custom profiles that need to be created inresponse to a demand by the CIO.

Seems he's been talking to his country club friends again.

[marvinms]

I found this thread and was curious if you find the reference material helpful?

I got Security fishing for the settings on the hosts also. I have set Password Aging and Complexity, now they want me to prove it.

Thanks,