A while ago I have posted an article on how to use vbscript to clone a virtual machine and how to extend the customization: Cloning a VM using vbscript

At that time, I was under the impression that the virtual center customization part of the cloning process was done using Microsoft's sysprep utility. My impression was correct with one exception ... configuring the IP settings of the network cards !!!

What to do if you do not have DHCP enabled .. ?

Click here to read how it works ...

I was testing some of the scripts I have posted on this site with vmware server and they do work. A client I am currently working at is using Virtual Center for all of their VM management, this to avoid giving users access to the console and also to have a central place for the VI management instead of replicating shell scripts to each ESX.
Their VM backup solution exists out of file-level backup/restore done by a backup agent installed within the VM, but in addition they also wanted to have a backup of the VM's vmdk and their configuration files for quick recovery. Another requirement was that the backed up vmdk files should be located on cheap media (so not on a SAN).


Now while there are several third-party tools on the market that can do this for you, I have choosen for a far cheaper solution and purchased one VC Agent license for vmware server and clone the VM's to Vmware Server. Not only it is cheaper you also avoid introducing "another" product ... !!


Check out the download section, for examples on how to clone a VM. Also cold-migrations (part of the vmUtil.vbs script) do work as well.

I have included yet another vbscript in the download section. The script can do vmotions, cold-migrations, snaphots and committing them.


click to download...

Continuing on my previous article regarding programming the Vmware SDK 1.x using vbscript, in most cases it's unlikely that you are going to build new virtual machines from scratch, you rather clone them to speed-up the process so let’s clone an existing Virtual Machine using vbscript.
Click here to go to the article...

In a vmware environment I extensively use WinPE to deploy new VM's, schrink and expand disks and in many more situations.
In this article we will build a customized WinPE image that includes the Vmware tools and allow you to run your vbscripts that target the Virtual Center webservice (SDK).

Click to read more...

I have seen quite a lot of people asking questions on the Vmware community about programming the SDK using vbscripts. As I don't think the community is the right place to post ton's of lines of code I have decided to write an article about it and give you some ready to use examples to integrate your virtual machine deployment in your existing deployment framework.

Click here to go to the article...