Proper way to power down view desktops

[LSchwingler3]

What is the proper way to power down all view managed desktops so I can install patches on the esx host (I only have one host, no cluster to move VM's to)?  I've been disabling each pool and disabling provisioning, then manually shutting down each VM and patching the host.  Is there a quicker way to do this with view?

[mittim12]

I disable my pools and then use powershell to shutdown the vms.

Sent from my iPhone

[cerick01]

I usually use VMware view to manage to power off operations. I set the pool settings to log off after disconnect then have the machine shutdown after --- minutes after logoff. You can then let the user manage it. To power on for Patching i do the same however I set it to ensure desktops are always powered on. This powers on all the desktops in the pool.  Hope this helps! Chad

[ablej]

Disable the pool and then script the shutdown of the VMs.

[admin]

1. Disable the Pool from View Administrator and logoff the users that may be connected.

IF YOU HAVE POWERCLI

2. From the Connection Server open View PowerCLI and run

$vms = get-desktopvm -pool_id  <PoolName>

3. If you also have PowerCLI installed (more cmlets than just View PowerCLI) you can then run

connect-viserver -server  <vc.dns or IP>

foreach ($vm in $vms) {shutdown-vmguest  $vm.name  -whatif }

[Remove the -whatif to execute the shutdown instead of seeing what would happen 🙂 ]

IF YOU DON'T HAVE POWERCLI

2. If you don't have PowerCli, then you can select all the VMs on the pool from vCenter Server, right click and select "Shutdown Guest".

Note that disabling a Pool also disables Composer operations on that Pool.