Attaching an installation CD to a VM using Power CLI (VMware)

PowerCLI is VMware's client automation library for Windows PowerShell. When testing a recent software build, a VM should begin at a known state (provided by a snapshot) and use the latest installation materials. Installing the files onto a VM can be accomplished over a network share, but if the VM is not part of the network domain, an attached CD drive must be used. Using VMware, the contents of a CD can be mounted in ISO format, and this requires a small amount of Power CLI scripting to accomplish this.

Using PowerShellGet from the PowerShell prompt, PowerCLI can be installed as follows:

	Install-Module -Name VMware.PowerCLI -RequiredVersion 6.5.4.7155375 

Now that VMware.PowerCLI is installed, the parameters can be set and the local ISO can be mounted using the following commands:

$viServer = '192.168.0.111'
$viServer_username = 'username'
$viServer_password = 'password'
$vm_name = "myVM"
$vm_username = "vmusername"
$vm_password = "vmpassword"
$install_iso_path = "C:\MyDisc.iso"
$install_script_on_iso = "\install.bat"
$snapshot_name = 'test'

# Do not participate in giving feedback
Set-PowerCLIConfiguration -Scope User -ParticipateInCEIP $false -Confirm:$false

# Login
$server = Connect-VIServer -Server $viServer -User $viServer_username -Password $viServer_password -Verbose

# Get the VM
$vm = Get-VM -Name $vm_name 

# Only modify the VM if it is Powered Off (no activity / not in use)
if ($vm.PowerState -eq "PoweredOff") {  #Similar to saying (-not ($vm.PowerState -eq "PoweredOn"))

    # Get the latest snapshot (assumed working)
    $snap = Get-Snapshot -VM $vm | Sort-Object -Property Created -Descending | Select -First 1

    # Revert to snapshot 
    # this may return "Current license or ESXi version prohibits execution of the requested operation"
    Set-VM -VM $vm -SnapShot $snap -Confirm:$false
	
	# Mount an ISO image
	$cd = New-CDDrive -VM $vm -ISOPath $install_iso_path -Confirm:$false
	# if it fails because it's mounted, this will get it
	$cd = Get-CDDrive -VM $vm
    
	# Start the vm
    # this may return "Current license or ESXi version prohibits execution of the requested operation"
    Start-VM -VM $vm
	
	# Optionally, create a snapshot
	# $vm | New-Snapshot -Name $snapshot_name  -Description 'Sample snapshot description' -Quiesce -Memory
	
	# Get the path on the CD drive
	$driveLetter = ((Invoke-VMScript -VM $vm -ScriptText '(Get-WmiObject Win32_CDROMDrive).Drive' -GuestUser $vm_username -GuestPassword $vm_password -ScriptType Powershell).ScriptOutput -split '\n')[0].Trim()

	# Run the install
	$call  = 'call ' + $driveLetter + $install_script_on_iso
	Invoke-VMScript -VM $vm -ScriptText $call  -GuestUser $vm_username -GuestPassword $vm_password -ScriptType Bat

	# Remove the CD drive
	Stop-VM -VM $vm
	Set-CDDrive -CD $cd -NoMedia -Confirm:$false
	
	# and rollback to a previous snapshot
	$snap = Get-Snapshot -vm $vm -name $snapshot_name 
    Set-VM -VM $vm -SnapShot $snap -Confirm:$false
}

# Logout of the server
Disconnect-VIServer -Server $server -Force -Confirm:$false # Disconnect-VIServer -Server * -Force -Confirm:$false