VMM Beta 2 includes a command-line-only facility to perform virtual to virtual (V2V) conversions. The basic Windows PowerShell syntax is:
$vmxmc = $c | new-VMXMachineConfig -VMXPath \\server1\vmx\My_Virtual_Machine.vmx$c | copy-VMDK -VMDKPath \\server1\vmx\My_Virtual_Machine.vmdk -VmHost $vmhost -Path F:\VMX\$c | new-V2V -Name vmx1 -VMXPath \\server1\vmx\My_Virtual_Machine.vmx -VmHost $vmhost -Path F:\VMX
Read more about the parameters and usage in the Windows PowerShell for Virtual Machine Manager Cmdlet Reference (requires Windows Live ID sign-in and Beta2 registration).
To understand how the VMM PowerShell snapin relates to PowerShell, read Introducing Windows PowerShell for Virtual Machine Manager (requires Windows Live ID sign-in and Beta2 registration).
The Opsmg page here announced that the Enterprise SML will be available in Q4 CY2007 and will include the Enterprise versions of the Operations Management License (OML) and Data Protection Manager Management License, as well as the System Center Configuration Manager 2007 Server Management License, and System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2007.
For more licensing information, see the Microsoft Licensing Web site.
The Virtual Machine Manager Administrator Console is built on Windows PowerShell for Virtual Machine Manager. Most server administrators do not need an in-depth understanding of the interaction between the Administrator Console and Windows PowerShell at the programmatic level. However, the following synopsis of the standard call sequence for a hypothetical Administrator Console operation illustrates the integration of Windows PowerShell and the Administrator Console:
1. The Administrator Console makes a call to a Windows PowerShell cmdlet.
2. The Windows PowerShell cmdlet makes a Windows Communication Foundation (“Indigo”) call to the Virtual Machine Manager server service.
3. Virtual Machine Manager initiates a job if the operation changes state or is long-running (and, therefore, needs to be audited or monitored asynchronously).
4. Virtual Machine Manager makes SQL calls, as necessary, to read and update the Virtual Machine Manager database.
5. Virtual Machine Manager makes Windows Remote Management (WinRM) calls, as necessary, to access remote hosts for virtual machines or remote library servers.
6. WinRM calls, in turn, access Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) methods on Virtual Machine Manager hosts or library servers. These WMI methods ship either in the operating system or as part of the Virtual Machine Manager agent service.
7. Some of these WMI methods, in turn, call the Virtual Server component object model application programming interface (COM API).
All operations that you perform by using the Administrator Console in Virtual Machine Manager are actually using Windows PowerShell. You can view the cmdlets used by using the "View script" button.
So, here's the thing: everything you can do in the SCVMM admin console you can do on the command line. Our PM puts it best "Our API is the customer's API".
For more information, see the Introducing Windows PowerShell for Virtual Machine Manager paper on the Beta site (requires Windows Live ID signin).
SCVMM has published new content to the http://www.connect.microsoft.com Beta website (requires Windows Live ID signin), including:
What’s New in Beta 2
Beta 2 FAQ
Configuring a Remote Instance of SQL Server
Troubleshooting Guide for SCVMM Beta 2
Introducing Windows PowerShell for Virtual Machine Manager
Windows PowerShell for Virtual Machine Manager Cmdlet Reference
Deploying Virtual Machine Manager in a SAN Environment
System Requirements for Deploying Virtual Machine Manager Beta 2
SCVMM Beta 2 Error Code Catalog
Register for Beta 2
What’s new in Virtual Machine Manager Beta 2?
Console Enhancements in Virtual Machine Manager
· The Administgrator Console has been divided into different areas for managing hosts, virtual machines, library servers, and jobs, exposing only the actions required for the task at hand. Current users of Operations Manager 2007 will be immediately familiar with the new interface.
· Improved searching, filtering, and grouping make finding items much easier. Modify the columns that are displayed to keep track of the information that is most important to you. Each view is now enhanced to make working with Virtual Machine Manager more efficient.
· Overview pages provide easy to understand summaries with quick access to the most commonly used actions and links to help topics about key concepts and processes.
· Auditing of all changes made to hosts, virtual machines, and other resources within Virtual Machine Manager (including on the command line) make it easier to track down the root cause of problems that may occur.
· Integrated reporting functionality when used in environments with System Center Operations Manager 2007. Users can view reports on host utilization, virtual machines, and consolidation guidance from with the Administrator Console.
· All actions performed in the Administrator Console are completely scriptable by using Windows PowerShell cmdlets. Wizards now include View Script functionality that outputs the Windows PowerShell script equivalent of the actions that will be performed by the wizard. Cut and paste the scripts directly into Windows PowerShell or use them as the foundation for automating more complex tasks within Virtual Machine Manager.
Command Shell Feature of Virtual Machine Manager
· Based on the Windows PowerShell technology, this command-line environment provides administrators with a set of composable and extensible commands for automating Virtual Machine Manager administration without using the Virtual Machine Manager user interface.
· View all Virtual Machine Manager cmdlets and their syntax by using Get-Command –PSSnapin Virtual MachineManagerSnapIn | format-list
· In-depth help has been added for all of the Virtual Machine Manager cmdlets including over 275 examples demonstrating their use. Use the Get-Help cmdlet to display help for each Virtual Machine Manager cmdlet.
Read more about the CLI at:
Virtual Machine and Template Creation Functionality in Virtual Machine Manager
· Virtual machines can be created by using blank virtual hard disks that are generated at any time, so blank virtual hard disks no longer need to be stored in the library. Virtual hard disks may also be renamed after they are deployed, thus making it easier to track which virtual machine the virtual hard disks belong to.
· Create templates automatically from virtual machines with the improved New Template Wizard. Simply configure the virtual machine as desired, install Virtual Server Additions and then use the wizard to convert the virtual machine into a template. Virtual Machine Manager will automatically run Sysprep within the virtual machine to remove the identity information and store the resulting template in the library.
· Library servers are automatically indexed and import virtual hard disks, virtual floppy disks, ISOs, and scripts into Virtual Machine Manager eliminating the need to add them manually. These components can then be used to create new virtual machines and templates.
Migration Enhancements in Virtual Machine Manager
· Perform fast virtual machine migrations using fibre channel or iSCSI based shared storage. Migrate virtual machines in under a minute regardless of the size of the virtual hard disks.
· New SAN migration checks during virtual machine placement indicate which hosts are available for fast migrations using shared storage.
· Saved state migrations allow virtual machines to be migrated without requiring the virtual machine to be turned off. While the virtual machine will be offline during the migration process, saved state migrations eliminate the need to perform a full shutdown and restart cycle.
Physical to Virtual (P2V) and Virtual to Virtual (V2V) Conversions with Virtual Machine Manager
· Easily convert Microsoft Windows 2000 Server SP4, Microsoft Windows Server 2003 SP1+, and Microsoft Windows Server 2003 R2 physical servers to virtual machines using a simple wizard within the Virtual Machine Manager Administrator Console. The conversion process of Windows Server 2003 SP1+ and Windows Server 2003 R2 requires no server down time.
· PowerShell command line support for converting VMware virtual machines to Virtual Server virtual machines.
Improved Self-Service Experience in Virtual Machine Manager
· Create self-service policies quickly and easily by using the new Self-Service Policy Wizard.
· Share virtual machines between users through group ownership. Shared virtual machines can be viewed and controlled by any member of the group, subject to the permissions that are assigned in the policy.
· Self-service users can store virtual machines to a specified location in the library to save them for later use. Self-service users may also create and manage checkpoints on the virtual machines that they own.
· The virtual machine quota points feature allows administrators to limit the number and type of virtual machines that end users can create.
Increased Installation Flexibility in Virtual Machine Manager
· The Virtual Machine Manager server, library servers, and the self-service portal can be installed independently on separate servers. Additionally, the Administrator Console and Windows PowerShell interface can be used remotely and can be installed on a different server or desktop computer. All roles include support for both 32-bit and 64-bit operating systems.
· Utilize existing Microsoft SQL Server 2005 database installations including clustered SQL Server databases to increase scale and improve reliability.
· Hosts located in a perimeter network (also known as DMZ, demilitarized zone, and screened subnet) are now supported. Securely manage hosts and virtual machines that are located outside of a trusted domain.
· Configurable ports for both communication and data transfer channels to improve security and adhere to existing infrastructure guidelines.
Snipped from the SCVMM Beta 2 FAQ (requires Windows Live ID sign-in):
To view and use reporting in Virtual Machine Manager Beta 2 you must deploy the Virtualization Management Pack for System Center Operations Manager 2007 and set up reporting in SCVMM.
· The Virtual Machine Manager Administrator Console must be installed on the Virtual Machine Manager server.
· System Center Operations Manager 2007 must be deployed, and reporting must be set up in Operations Manager.
· The Virtualization Management Pack must be deployed on the Operations Manager server.
· To view and order reports in Virtual Machine Manager, you must use a credential with Report Operator permissions in Operations Manager.
Reports are generated by Operations Manager but can be ordered in Virtual Machine Manager. The reporting view in the Administrator Console is not displayed until you enable reporting in Virtual Machine Manager. To see and order reports in Virtual Machine Manager, you must be an Operations Manager operator.
Reports available in Beta 2 include:
· Virtualization Candidates report helps identify physical computers that are good candidates for conversion to virtual machines. The Virtualization Candidates report displays average values for a set of commonly requested performance counters for CPU, memory, and disk usage, along with hardware configuration, including processor speed, number of processors, and total RAM. You can limit the report to computers that meet specified CPU and RAM requirements, and you can sort the results by selected columns in the report.
· Virtual Machine Allocation report provides information you can use to calculate chargebacks to cost centers for virtual machines.
· Virtual Machine Utilization report provides information about your virtual machines. For the identified time, this report shows average usage and total or maximums for virtual machine processors, memory, and disk space.
· Host Utilization report shows the number of virtual machines running per host. For the identified time and host group, this report shows average usage and total or maximums for host processors, memory, and disk space.
· Host Utilization Growth report shows the percentage growth of host resources and number of virtual machines running for the identified time period.
If you have not already done so, install a Virtual Machine Manager Administrator Console on the Virtual Machine Manager server. This enables the Operations Manager administrator to perform tasks on hosts and virtual machines in the Virtualization Management Pack.
INSTALLATION:
Ops Mgr MP Installation and configuration:
Note: The account that the OpsMgr agent on the VMM server is "running as" must be granted access to the database in SQL that VMM was installed into.
5. Import the Management Packs
a. From the Administration tab of the Operators Console, click the Management Packs node
b. From the Actions menu, click the Import Management Packs button.
c. Select all four of the Management Pack files that were downloaded, and click Open
d. Click Import
6. Enable VMM users to access reports
a. From the Administration tab, click User Roles node under Security
b. Double-click the Operation Manager Report Operator node
c. From the dialog that comes up, add all of the users who will access reports either through OpsMgr or through the VMM Administrator Console.
VMM Reporting configuration:
1. From the VMM Adminstrator Console, display Administration view, and expand the Settings node
2. Double-click on the Reporting Settings line item in the results pane, which will bring up the dialog box
3. Check the Enable Reporting checkbox, and then enter the URL for the MOM reporting server
Note: The URL should like this: http://opsmgrserver/reportserver
4. Close and reopen the Administrator Console, and Reporting view will be added to the buttons at the bottom of the navigation pane (on the left).
The results pane lists the Virtual Machine Manager reports. If you are unable to display the reports list in Reporting view, that indicates you are not a Report Operator in Operations Manager. Contact your Operations Manager administrator to arrange this.
Note Report data is not available for several hours after the Virtualization Management Pack is deployed. By default, the Operations Manager agent collects data from Virtual Machine Manager every four hours and Operations Manager aggregates the data every hour.
Note Beta 2 reporting is limited to around 60 hosts. If you have more than 60 hosts, the management pack will fail to discover any hosts.
To learn more about Operations Manager 2007 see the TechCenter web site for System Center Operations Manager 2007 at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=85923.
VMM Beta 2 is out, and you may need some of the glossary info below to spin up:
Administrator Console
The console that provides access to the administrative functions of Virtual Machine Manager. Everything you can do on the Console you can also do on the command-line. Console wizards include a “view script” button at the end that allows you to copy the Windows PowerShell commands into your script-editor of choice and reuse.
Self-Service Portal
The Web site that users with the needed permissions and settings can use to manage their own virtual machines within a controlled environment. The Virtual Machine Manager administrator configures self-service policies to determine which users can use the self-service portal and what they can do. For dev and test environments, this allows you a kind of delegation of administration, with the self-service policies and host groups serving as your management boundaries.
Virtual Machine Manager service
Service label (in Admin Tools/Services): Virtual Machine ManagerThe software component that runs Virtual Machine Manager.
Virtual Machine Manager library
The catalog of resources that can be used to create virtual machines in Virtual Machine Manager. These resources can include virtual machine templates, virtual hard disks, virtual floppy disks, ISO images, scripts, hardware profiles, and guest operating system profiles, as well as stored virtual machines. The library is managed centrally in Library view of the Virtual Machine Manager Administrator Console. Library resources can be stored on multiple physical servers, known as "library servers." Not all library resources have physical representations on disk. For example, you cannot find your hardware profiles on the library share with Windows Explorer, because they exist in the VMM database. Adding a physical resource (such as VHD or ISO) to the library share is all that’s needed to make the resource available to VMM.
Windows PowerShell
Windows PowerShell - Virtual Machine Manager command shell
The command shell, based on Windows PowerShell (Powershell.exe), that makes available the cmdlets that perform all functions in Virtual Machine Manager.
Windows PowerShell – Virtual Machine Manager command shell includes all of the standard Windows PowerShell cmdlets and also provides a comprehensive set of cmdlets that are designed specifically for use with Virtual Machine Manager. You can use these cmdlets to manage all functions in a Virtual Machine Manager environment, including the following tasks:
• Working with virtual machine hosts and host groups
• Maintaining the Virtual Machine Manager library
• Working with virtual machines deployed on a host or stored in the library
• Managing the virtual machine environment
• Creating virtual machine checkpoints
• Backing up the Virtual Machine Manager database
• Administering virtual machine self-service
Windows PowerShell and Virtual Machine Manager differentiate between commands and cmdlets as follows:
Cmdlet. A cmdlet is a single-feature command used to interact with any managed application, including Virtual Machine Manager and the operating system. You can use a cmdlet, which is typically formatted as a verb-noun pair separated by a dash (such as New-VM), to act on Windows PowerShell objects. Most cmdlets are simple but designed to work in combination with other cmdlets. For example, the “Get” cmdlets only retrieve data, and the “Set” cmdlets only specify or change data. Example of a Virtual Machine Manager cmdlet: Get-VMCheckPoint
Command. A command is a complete command run at the command-line that might or might not include one or more cmdlets. Examples of commands that do not include cmdlets are 2+2 or the assignment of a value to a variable. A command can use a pipeline operator (|) to pass the output of one cmdlet to another cmdlet as input. Example of a Virtual Machine Manager command: Get-VMCheckpoint -MostRecent | where { $_.VM -eq "VM01" } | Restore-VMCheckpoint
Both Windows PowerShell and Virtual Machine Manager support a command shell that you can use to:
• Run a command or a series of commands interactively at the command prompt.
• Create simple or complex task-based scripts.
Customers who have installed Virtual Machine Manager can access both standard Windows PowerShell cmdlets and Virtual Machine Manager cmdlets at the Virtual Machine Manager command-line interface. Windows PowerShell command-line help for Windows PowerShell core cmdlets is provided with Windows, and command-line help for Virtual Machine Manager is delivered with the Virtual Machine Manager product.
Virtual Machine Manager database
The SQL Server database that holds all Virtual Machine Manager configuration information. VMM Beta 2 supports Microsoft SQL Server 2005 and Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express Edition SP1.The SCVMM Server Setup wizard can optionally install SQL Server 2005 Express Edition SP1 on the server. Express Edition cannot be used remotely. SQL Server 2000 is not supported for Beta 2, but it is not blocked, so you may get an error. Some special considerations when using a remote SQL db are documented here: Configuring a Remote Instance of SQL Server for Virtual Machine Manager.
Convert Physical Server wizard/action
The action in the Administrator Console you use when you want to convert a physical serve to a virtual machine (P2V).
Virtual Machine Additions
For Virtual Server and Virtual PC, a set of software drivers that maximize performance and provide a better user interface (UI) experience within a virtual machine. Virtual Machine Additions are only available for supported guest operating systems. The latest version of this software is available at "Microsoft Virtual Server 2005 Updated Additions" at: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=84271. You can save the updated additions as an ISO in the library, so that you can make it available to all your virtual machines. When you mount the ISO to the virtual machine using a virtual DVD drive, the guest operating system detects the correct additions to install, just like device drvier installation.
Add Hosts (wizard)
The action you click in the Administrator Console to bring an existing Virtual Server host machine under VMM management, or to create a new VS host machine. If you are creating a new VS host machine, VS 2005 R2 and othe necessary software is installed for you. You also use this action to “associate” a host in a permiter network after you have installed the VMM agent on the permeter host locally.
Virtual Machine Manager agent
Software that is installed on either a virtual machine host, library server, or P2V source machine which enables Virtual Machine Manager to monitor and manage hosts, virtual machines, and library resources, and perform P2V conversions. The same agent is installed on hosts and library servers. The agent has two roles (and three names) - Virtual Machine Host and Library Server - which can be removed from the server separately, and Source Machine.
Virtual Hard Disk file format
Microsoft's Virtual Hard Disk file format stores information on the state of an application and operating system while the program is running. It is used to start or turn off instances of an application running on a virtual machine.
Service names
The following list gives the component name for each software component (from Virtual Server, Virtual Machine Manager, and Windows Server) that is in use in Virtual Machine Manager, along with the service name in the Services component of Windows Server 2003. Component "Services" Display Namevds Virtual Disk ServiceVirtual Server Virtual Servervmh Virtual Machine HelperVMMAgent Virtual Machine Manager AgentVMMService Virtual Machine ManagerVSS Volume Shadow Copy
Windows Remote Management (WinRM)
WinRM is The component formerly referred to as "WS-Man" and "Hardware Management tool" (in Windows Server 2003 R2, Management Tools component). "The Windows Remote Management (WinRM) is the Microsoft implementation of WS-Management Protocol, a standard SOAP-based, firewall-friendly protocol that allows hardware and operating systems, from different vendors, to interoperate. "The WS-Management protocol specification provides a common way for systems to access and exchange management information across an IT infrastructure. WinRM and Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI), along with the Event Collector are components of the Windows Hardware Management features."
VMM Beta 2 uses a specific version of WinRM as a prereq, you must download it from the Beta web site: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=84599
VMMLibrary share
The default library share, which is created on the Virtual Machine Manager server during Setup to store resources in the Virtual Machine Manager library. The administrator can optionally specify a different default library share on the Virtual Machine Manager server during Setup. The default path is \Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents\Virtual Machine Manager Library Files\. The default library share does not store the configuration files for some resources, such as virtual machine templates, hardware profiles, and guest operating system profiles that are created in Virtual Machine Manager. These resources are database objects not represented by physical configuration files. Thus, if the share were deleted, and then you went to the tape to find those resources to restore them, you wouldn’t – they are in the database.
VMM event log path
The default path for the VMM event log is \Documents and Settings\All Users\VMMLogs
My Jobs window
The Window opened by the My Jobs button on the Virtual Machine Manager toolbar. An administrator can leave the window open to the Details tab to view step-by-step progress of long running jobs. For example, creating a new vm, depending on the size of the HDD(s), may take a while to complete.
Along with the Beta 2 bits for VMM on the www.connect.microsoft.com site today, you will find some new content about how VMM uses Windows PowerShell. The Introducing Windows PowerShell for Virtual Machine Manager (requires Windows LiveID log on) paper in the downloads section includes:
Conceptual introduction to the Virtual Machine Manager command shell. The section "About Windows PowerShell for Virtual Machine Manager" provides an overview of the relationship between Virtual Machine Manager, Windows PowerShell, and Microsoft .NET Framework.
· Hands-on introduction to the Virtual Machine Manager command line. The section "Getting Started at the Command Line in Virtual Machine Manager" provides a quick tutorial about how begin using Windows PowerShell in your Virtual Machine Manager environment.
· A "first look" at Virtual Machine Manager scripting. The section "Getting a First Look at Scripting in Virtual Machine Manager" provides a brief glance at how you can use Windows PowerShell scripting to help manage your Virtual Machine Manager environment.
· Expected command shell changes. The section "Expected Changes in the Virtual Machine Manager Command Shell" lists object, cmdlet, and parameter names that occur in the current release of Virtual Machine Manager that are expected to change in the next release.
Following a successful* MMS, the SCVMM sales team has posted the Beta 2 product overview here. The feature list includes:
* How does one judge success at MMS? When the information-overloaded, tired, (sometimes hung-over) IT Pro attendees interrupt your on-stage demos with spontaneous applause - that's a good thing. When your presos are standing-room only and get high ratings and feedback comments like "Great session! No fluff." - that's a good indicator. Couple-hundred new sign-ups for the Beta since MMS? Salty goodness. When your booth withe live code is mobbed even though you don't have any t-shirts to give away - priceless.
Register for beta 2 here.