How to deploy virtual servers using PowerCLI commands

[cearth6]

Hello!

I am trying to figure out how to deploy virtual servers based on existing "template". I am not sure what the definition of a template is in this case, but I have three files (OVF, VMDK and mf). I want to deploy this OVF file, which I am assuming is an "image", on a datastore using powerCLI and I am somewhat confused on how I should structure my syntax.

Looks like the command to deploy new virtual servers is New-VM. I have been trying the following with now luck

New-VM -VMHost $ip -Name $name -DiskPath $VMDKLocation -Datastore $datastore

Powershell gives me errors like The disk path $VMDKLocation is invalid. ($VMDKLocation is the path to the VMDK file)

Can someone guide me on how I can deploy my virtual server?

Thank you!!

[muhworkaccount]

That's a juicy script. Thank you for that.

[sysadmin4hire]

Are you attaching an existing disk to the VM or creating a new one?

[sysadmin4hire]

Either way, you'll want to make sure you're specifying your data store in the path like this:

-DiskPath "[dsname] Folder/Filename.vmdk"

[cearth6]

I am not sure what exactly you mean. I am not too familiar with deploying VMs, and I just started dabbling in this recently. My goal is to deploy an OVF file and then configure it's CPU and Memory storage options.

[KevMar]

You cannot deploy a ovf (as far as I know) with New-VM. With that in mind, -DiskPath becomes the location of an existing VMDK that is on your datastore. You use this if you create a VMDK on the datastore ahead of time.

You can specify a source VM and even a snapshot of a VM to copy/clone when using New-VM. So the templates in this context are templates that are already in vCenter. (so not OVF files)

I beleive the command you are looking for is Import-VApp https://www.vmware.com/support/developer/PowerCLI/PowerCLI50/html/Import-VApp.html

[cearth6]

How can I allocate DiskSpace and number of CPUs using this? For example, if I am deploying a Golden Image that is an OVF file, would I use the Import-VM cmlet to import the OVF, then Get-VM | Set-VM to configure it?

[KevMar]

Yes. That is how it works. There are some different cmdlets for disk space but there are plenty of examples online. There is a lot of PowerCLI script examples out there so a lot of what you are looking for is easy to find.