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====== VMware vSphere: Controlling via Raspberry Pi ======

===== First thoughts =====

In many cases //VMware vSphere// controlled over //Raspberry Pi// can be a userful solution. Some possible usages are shown in the following tutorials.
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<box 97% | Important!>
<color #ed1c24>For //PowerShell Core// installation on a //Raspberry Pi// at least a //**Raspberry Pi 2**// is required!</color>
</box>

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===== Start of tutorial =====

<box 97% | //PowerShell Core// and //PowerCLI//>
<box 97% | Installation>
Login via //SSH// with User //pi// into //Raspberry Pi//.
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\\ Install //PowerShell Core// and additional required tools:
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<cli>$ apt-get install libunwind8</cli>
<cli>$ cd /tmp</cli>
Note: The following placeholders ''<x>'' stand for the latest release number of the current development which can be checked [[https://github.com/PowerShell/PowerShell/releases/ | here]].
<cli>$ wget https://github.com/PowerShell/PowerShell/releases/download/v<x>.<x>.<x>/powershell-<x>.<x>.<x>-linux-arm32.tar.gz</cli>
<cli>$ mkdir /<myPath>/powerShellCore</cli>
<cli>$ tar -xvf ./powershell-<x>.<x>.<x>-linux-arm32.tar.gz -C /<myPath>/powerShellCore</cli>
Start //PowerShell Core// ...
<cli>$ /<myPath>/powerShellCore/pwsh</cli>
...and check currently installed //PowerShell Core// version:
<cli>$PSVersionTable.PSVersion</cli>
Now install //PowerCLI//:
<cli>Install-Module -Name VMware.PowerCLI -Scope CurrentUser</cli>
Check currently installed //PowerCLI// version:
<cli>Get-PowerCLIVersion</cli>
Optional: Disable warning messages:
<cli>Set-PowerCLIConfiguration -Scope User -ParticipateInCEIP $false</cli>
Optional: Disable certificate checks:
<cli>Set-PowerCLIConfiguration -InvalidCertificateAction Ignore</cli>
Quit //PowerShell Core//:
<cli>exit</cli>
Optional: Make //PowerShell Core// available globally:
<cli>$ /<myPath>/pwsh -c New-Item -ItemType SymbolicLink -Path "/usr/bin/pwsh" -Target "\$PSHOME/pwsh" -Force</cli>
</box>

<box 97% | Update //PowerShell Core// to the latest release version>
<cli>$ apt-get upgrade powershell</cli>
</box>

<box 97% | Connect to a //vSphere// host>
Connect to desired host (//ESXi//-Host or //vCenter-Appliance//) via //PowerCLI//:
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<cli>Connect-VIserver -Server <myTargetHostIPaddress> -User <myUser> -Password <myUserPassword></cli>
</box>

<box 97% | Save current //ESXi// configuration into a file>
Via //PowerCLI//:
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<cli>Get-VMHostFirmware -VMHost <myTargetIPaddress> -BackupConfiguration -DestinationPath /<myPath>/</cli>
</box>

<box 97% | Automation via scripts>
For automation purposes scripts can be used.
\\ The following example shows script creation for automated power-on of //VM//s on a //vSphere// host.
\\ \\ Create a script folder via //Bash// command line:
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<cli>$ mkdir /<myPath>/<myScriptFolder></cli>
Then: 
<cli>$ touch /<myPath>/<myScriptFolder>/<myBashScriptFile>.sh</cli>
<cli>$ touch /<myPath>/<myScriptFolder>/<myPowerCLIscriptFile>.ps</cli>
<cli>$ vi /<myPath>/<myScriptFolder>/<myBashScriptFile>.sh</cli>
Add the following content:

<code>/<myPowerShellCorePath>/pwsh /<myPath>/<myScriptFolder>/<myPowerCLIscriptFile>.ps</code>

Save the file and quit the editor.
<cli>$ vi /<myPath>/<myScriptFolder>/<myPowerCLIscriptFile>.sh</cli>
Add the following content (In the following script choose //VM// names __exactly__ the same way the //VM//s are named on  //ESXi// host) (Note: The ''start-sleep'' command can be used optionally for delayed power-on, for example when there is a domain controller which generally always should get available at first inside a network environment):

<code>
Connect-VIServer -Server <myTargetHostIPaddress> -User <myUser> -Password <myUserPassword>
Start-VM <myFirstVM>
start-sleep -s 30
Start-VM <mySecondVM>
Start-VM <myThirdVM>
Start-VM <myFourthVM>
Exit
</code>

Save the file and quit the editor.
<cli>$ chmod +x /<myPath>/<myScriptFolder>/<myBashScriptFile>.sh</cli>
<cli>$ chmod +x /<myPath>/<myScriptFolder>/<myPowerCLIscriptFile>.ps</cli>

<color #ed1c24>Beware: Due to certificate verification and therefore for successful scripting it is required to connect manually once when connecting for the very first time between client und server via remote //SSH//. (Alternatively: Do a certificate import.)!</color>

</box>

<box 97% | Update to latest //PowerCLI// version>
Start //PowerShell Core//...
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<cli>$ /<myPath>/powerShellCore/pwsh</cli>
...then update //PowerCLI//:
<cli>Update-Module VMware.PowerCLI</cli>
Quit //PowerShell Core//:
<cli>exit</cli>
</box>

<box 97% | Clear //PowerShell Core// history>
Clear history:
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<cli>Remove-Item (Get-PSReadlineOption).HistorySavePath</cli>
For //PowerShell// cache clearing it is necessary to quit //PowerShell Core// now:
<cli>exit</cli>
</box>
</box>
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===== End of tutorial =====

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<color #ffa500>**Source(s):**</color>
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[[https://blog.uprightvinyl.co.uk/2018/03/07/installing-vmware-powercli-10-on-a-raspberry-pi/|Installing VMware PowerCLI 10 on a Raspberry Pi]]
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[[https://blogs.vmware.com/PowerCLI/2018/02/powercli-10.html|VMware PowerCLI Blog]]
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[[https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/scripting/install/installing-powershell-core-on-linux?view=powershell-6|Installing PowerShell Core on Linux]]

<color #ffa500>**Additional //PowerCLI// commands for //vSphere// control:**</color>
\\ [[https://www.vmware.com/support/developer/PowerCLI/PowerCLI51/html/index.html|PowerCLI Cmdlets]]

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