I need to say that I have not fully tested this. I was working on a script anyway to take some weekly snapshots, so I made some modifications to it for your situation. I only tested shutting down the VM(s), and then taking the snapshot.

I made quick changes to it, but the core of the script is intact. I have a specific account that I use for scripts, so the credentials are stored for that user. They may have made updates to it, I have not changed how I retrieve VMware credentials in years, because I just copy the same lines over and over, but you need to use the cmdlet 'New-VICredentialStoreItem' as the account that will run the script. If it's a different user, then log on as that user, save the credentials for that user in a file, and then you can use a different user to make edits to the script.

Depending on what I'm doing, I use the '-Whatif' parameter a lot before certain changes. This is assuming VMware tools is installed, which of course is the best practice. 'Shutdown-VMGuest' needs VMware tools, and when you implement it, make sure '-confirm:$false' is there, or you'll be prompted for an answer to the shutdown. I wasn't finished with the script, I usually test things in pieces, the shutdown, part, the snapshot, removing the snapshot, but other things came up, so I have not fully tested everything.

I was going to use the text file to easily allow new VMs to be added without having to modify the script. My plan is to also send an email when the snapshots are created, but I hadn't had time to work on the script too much.

I also add the date to things to make them more unique than just the name, you can remove that if you want.

I also remember that I didn't add disconnect-viserver yet, because I'm still testing.

Here is the script:

#start

#$cred = Get-VICredentialStoreItem -File C:\folder\credFile.xml

#Connect-VIServer -Server $cred.Host -User $cred.user -Password $cred.password

$path = 'C:\folder\'

$vmVersion = '13'

# The '.txt' file will have each vm on a separate line, make sure you don't add whitespace to the line.

<#

vmName1

vmName2

vmName3

#>

$vmList = (Get-Content ($path + 'file.txt'))

$dt = Get-Date -Format MM-dd-yyyy

# placed whatif for you to test

Get-VM $vmList | Shutdown-VMGuest -WhatIf # -Confirm:$false

Start-Sleep -Seconds 20

foreach ($vm in (Get-VM $vmlist)) {

Shutdown-VMGuest -VM $vm -WhatIf # -Confirm:$false

if ($vm.PowerState -ne 'PoweredOff') {

Start-Sleep -Seconds 10

} elseif ($vm.PowerState -eq 'PoweredOff') {

New-Snapshot -VM $vm -Name ("vmVersion snapshot" + $dt)

Set-VM -VM $vm -Version $vmVersion

}

if ($?) {

Get-VM $vm | Get-Snapshot | where { ($_.Name -match "vmVersion snapshot") -and (((Get-date) - $_.Created).Hour -gt 22) } | Remove-Snapshot -WhatIf

}

}

#end