PowerCLI or vSphere CLI

[harkamal]

I am confused as to what is the need for vSphere CLI.

Is PowerCLI deficient is some features that we have to have vSphereCLI ? I really don't want to learn vSphereCLI unless it is absolutely necessary.

Can I not manage everything using powershell or powerCLI ?

[LucD]

Were you thinking of a practical example where you had to revert to vSPhere CLI since it couldn't be done from vSphere PowerCLI ?

I would be so bold to state that you can do everything with PowerCLI that can be done with CLI.

When there is no actual cmdlet in PowerCLI to do what you want to do, you can go to the SDK methods (and even a step further as Carter showed in his latest Community Extensions addition).

[harkamal]

With ESX3.5 we had lengthy kickstart files for deployment of hypervisor. Now we are engineering for ESXi builds, since it does not have a console, kickstart files are of no use. Our linux admin used to manage redHat side of ESX, and now he will be moving out, as there's no more RedHat as esx engine.

I got bit worried that vSphere CLI could be required for doing some special changes (may be there's some redHat still left in there ! )

So now that you have made me aware that VI SDK can do everything that vSphere CLI, then I think there's nothing to worry about. I am myself very familiar with powershell and where i get stuck I have LucD :smileyhappy:

[LucD]

To clarify, you can install vSphere CLI on any of your Windows or Linux boxes, but you can also use vSPhere CLI on the vMA.

If I understood it correctly the vMA is intended to manage your hypervisors once the COS goes away.

For deploying your ESXi server you could use a PXE setup.

The authentication from PowerCLI scripts can indeed use a bit of improvement.

The management model, and all it's options, is currently indeed a bit confusing (and the renaming is not really helping imho).

Perhaps a good subject for a blog series ?

Should there already be such articles please give me some pointers/links.

[harkamal]

I think PowerCLI does not have SSPI or Windows Intergerated Authentication which vSphere has .. can we do that. Would be helpfull for scheduling scripts --no hastle of encrypting credentials etc etc

[tmecimore]

I am under the understanding that PowerCLI is the merger of the VItoolkit and some additional powershell commandlets. Looks to be the fixed version of the previous VI toolkit. I have paired it with powershell GUI from Quest software and it is a nice tools for automating our scripts.

[LucD]

I think PowerCLI (v4) is a bit more than a fixed version of the VI Toolkit.

Several new cmdlets were added.

Last week, during VMworld, Carter announced PowerCLI v4u1 for 2009Q4.

This build would have more than 200 cmdlets.

[halr9000]

I think the short answer to your questions are:

1. It's the previous version, of course it's "deficient" in terms of the amount of features.

2. Don't worry about it, this is not a big deal

3. Yes, you can use either

[vExpert|http://www.vmware.com/communities/vexpert/], PowerShell MVP, VI Toolkit forum moderator

Author of the book: Managing VMware Infrastructure with PowerShell

Co-Host, PowerScripting Podcast (http://powerscripting.net)

Need general, non-VMware-related PowerShell Help? Try the forums at PowerShellCommunity.org

[admin]

vCLI mainly provides remote versions of the esxcfg-* commands, plus some other utilities. If you were familiar with that environment, you may find that vCLI is easier for doing ESX host configuration. However, vCLI does not offer much outside of host configuration.

PowerCLI takes a very different approach and provides a PowerShell interface to vSphere. It also supports managing the entire vSphere stack: storage, network, ESX, VM and guest OS. PowerCLI gives complete access to the API so within PowerCLI you can do anything that vCLI does. The reverse cannot be said, many things that PowerCLI can do cannot be done with vCLI.

vCLI runs on both Windows and Linux. PowerCLI is Windows-only.

They are both tools aimed at admins.

Hope this helps answer some of your questions.

=====

Carter Shanklin

Read the PowerCLI Blog
[Follow me on Twitter|http://twitter.com/cshanklin]

[harkamal]

Perfect and upto the point. Thanks Carter.