Export/Import VM Folder Structure to new vCenter

[BostonTechGuy]

Afternoon,

We are building a new vCenter 5.1 Environment.  Want to duplicate the VM Folder structure from the 4.1 vCenter (Folders under INVENTORY>VMs and TEMPLATES).  All we need are the folders and Sub Folder Structure.

VCENTER >

     DATACENTER>

               PARENT FOLDER 1>

                    SUB FOLDER 1>

                    SUB FOLDER 2>

               PARENT FOLDER 2>

                    SUB FOLDER 1>

                    SUB FOLDER 2>

Etc etc...

How would it be the best aproach to do this with PowerCLI?

I have seen a few other posts on this topic, most involved a VM Audit, which is not what we need.  Just the complete Folder Structure of a 4.1 vCenter (including all sub folders).  Nothing Else.

Goals:

1. Export the full list to file (assuming its a CSV file).
2. Import the list from the file to the new 5.1 vCenter.

Thanks,

BostonTechGuy.

[LucD]

Did you already have a look at Re: Export / Import selective Folder structure  and Re: Folder migration

[BostonTechGuy]

LucD,

I was hoping you would reply.  Thank you!

I did try those scripts as well as the one located on your site here:

http://www.lucd.info/2010/10/21/get-the-folderpath/

The output became questionable on my end.  The one from you site got very very close but the formating was completely different from what everyone else had as a result.  What I got was:

Name: <name>

Path: <Path>

Type: <type>

Name: <name>

Path: <Path>

Type: <type>

Name: <name>

Path: <Path>

Type: <type>

Etc etc etc

Instead of a nice table, I got single lines. It was odd.  This is the code I ran, I kept it 99.9999% (I added one line ) from your code.:

param(
    [parameter(valuefrompipeline = $true,
    position = 0,
    HelpMessage = "Enter a folder")]
    [VMware.VimAutomation.ViCore.Impl.V1.Inventory.FolderImpl[]]$Folder,
    [switch]$ShowHidden = $false
    )

    begin{
        $excludedNames = "Datacenters","vm","host"
    }

    process{
        $Folder | %{
            $fld = $_.Extensiondata
            $fldType = "yellow"
            if($fld.ChildType -contains "VirtualMachine"){
                $fldType = "blue"
            }
            $path = $fld.Name
            while($fld.Parent){
                $fld = Get-View $fld.Parent
                if((!$ShowHidden -and $excludedNames -notcontains $fld.Name) -or $ShowHidden){
                    $path = $fld.Name + "\" + $path
                }
            }
            $row = "" | Select Name,Path,Type
            $row.Name = $_.Name
            $row.Path = $path
            $row.Type = $fldType
            $row
        }
    }
}

$vcserver = "name of my vcenter"

Connect-VIServer $vcserver

Get-Folder | Get-FolderPath

Thanks,

BostonTechGuy

[LucD]

Try changing that last line to

Get-Folder | Get-FolderPath | Format-Table -AutoSize

That should force the results to be on 1 line per folder

[BostonTechGuy]

Thank you.  That worked.  Now I am having issue exporting it to a CSV.

When I add Export-CSV cmd to a CSV file I get coded output.  When I OUT-FILE cmd to a TXT file I get the correct data.  However the table format is not correct for Excel to recognize it cleanly when I import the TXT file.  While a headache for formating, I would like to correct this, make it clean and automated.  I have a couple of these for several differnet vCenters.

Works for TXT file:

Get-Folder | Get-FolderPath | Format-Table -AutoSize | Out-File "C:\Scripts\folder_structure\results.txt"

Doesnt Work for CSV:

Get-Folder | Get-FolderPath | Format-Table -AutoSize | Export-CSV "C:\Scripts\folder_structure\results.csv"

Thanks,

BostonTechGuy

[LucD]

If you want to export, leave out the Format-Table

Get-Folder | Get-FolderPath | Export-CSV "C:\Scripts\folder_structure\results.csv" -NoTypeInformation -UseCulture

[BostonTechGuy]

LucD, you are still the PowerCLI Man!

So far so good.  Now I used a simple For Each loop to build out the folders in the root location:

Import-Csv $importlist -UseCulture | %{
    New-Folder -Name $_."Name" -Location (Get-Folder -Name 'vm')

}

Works perfectly fine for just root folders in VMs and Templates.  How would I modify this to create the Sub Folders to get the structure I am looking for? Also at the same time leverage the PATH Column in the output that I got from the script used above.

Thanks

BostonTechGuy

[LucD]

You might want to have a look at my Get the folderpath post. It will provide you with the full path of the folders.

Gabrie used that function in his Cheap disaster recovery post. Have a look at his Export- and Import-Folders scripts.

[BostonTechGuy]

Thank for all the help.

Your post on the GET-FolderPath is what I have been using from the start and works perfectly.  I downloaded Gabe's scripts.  I am in the process of reviewing the scripts now.  Priority of the project changed and need get the creation folders done last night.  I ended up using a nested cmdlet for each folder that had child and grandchild sub folders.  Simple, blunt and not pretty but worked.

New-Folder -Name "GrandChild Folder Name" -Location (Get-Folder -Name "Child Folder Name" -Location (Get-Folder -Name "Parent Folder under VMs and Templates" -location (Get-Folder -Name 'vm')))

That is the base logic for the cmdlet.  I used the command below to use imports of the names of folders from a CSV file:

$importlist = "C:\Scripts\name of import file with names.csv"

Import-Csv $importlist -UseCulture | %{
    New-Folder -Name $_."Name" -Location ... etc etc
}

Again this worked.  I was able to create about 100 folders of various levels inside VMs and Templates in about 30 mins.  This would have taken hours otherwise.  Also I need to do this again to three more vCenter environments.

LuD, again thank you for all the help.

Thanks,

BostonTechGuy

P.S. On a side note, about vCenter 5.1 Web Client.  The interface for creating folders is slow and clunky. From here on out I am only using PowerCLI New-Folder command if I ever have to make more than one folder at a time.

[fborges555]

BT

  I came across this, as I am trying to accomplish the same thing you did, I am not a PS guru, so if you can reply to this post and let me know what steps you took in other to accomplished this, I would appreciated, I would like to follow your step by step , so I dont have to manually write all folder with subfolders, like your case, they are a bunch of them

Thanks for your time and help.

[BostonTechGuy]

I am just seeing this now. Let me get back to you in the morning. See how I can help.

[BostonTechGuy]

FBORGES555,

Following up on this post per your request.  Give me a day or so to review the structure of the script so I can properly respond to your question.  Its gotten to the point where this script has been set and forget to me.  Especially as I move from client to client doing migrations. 

In the meantime some great places to start.  I consider myself an "advanced novice" when it comes to Powershell.  IMHO Powershell is well.. that.. powerful.  I am currently controlling an infrastructure of a 1 Billion Dollar pharmaceutical company with a staff of 2.  You dont do that without alot of automation, which Powershell provides.  VMware was smart to add PowerCLI as an add on module to Powershell.  Instead of creating a new book, then tagged along with Microsoft on Powershell.  Its fantastic.  I use PowerCLI almost every day, so I use Powershell everyday as well when you really look at it.

A program I cannot recommend enough is PowerGUI.  Its an application that operations a lot like Visual Studio.  It was originally written by Quest Software, who was bought out by Dell.  No idea what Dell has in store for the application.  I hope they continue grow the app, but for now you can download it here: http://en.community.dell.com/techcenter/powergui/m/bits/20439049  Also please download the PowerPacks for PowerCLI.  Latest release is here: http://en.community.dell.com/techcenter/powergui/m/powerpacks/20438869  Seems there is a beta for later ESXi builds.  As I am reading the site.. I really really hope Dell does something with PowerGui.  Its a great application.

Please fee free to contact through the forum on what your time table is for the folder migration and creation.  Will get you a step by step guide on how to get this to work.

Thanks,

Boston Tech Guy

[fborges555]

Hi Boston " you are the man"

  I cant thanks you enough for mentoring and your advices, as I am trying to take over the infrastructure, the need for a tool (PS) that will provide me with an upper hand is priceless, I am creating the DR site and I would like to mimic the primary we currently have, I have the basic already set Vcenter->datacenter, so I just need the folders that will populate the VM and temples without VM, just the folder.

I used the same script from LucD to create  my CSV with the following format in it

"folder Name","my_datacenter_name\folder\folder","blue"

from here I would like to import each line directly below my datacenter

--| Vcenter

    --|my_datacenter_Name

          Insert folder structure from CSV file here...........

Again, I cant thank you enough for all this help, and a day or so is perfectttttt, again thanks a bunch for your time and patience.

Like I said priceless

FB