Run a command on ESXi using PowerCLi

[MRoushdy]

Hello, I just want to run a script that install a package on some of my hosts, the command is like this:

> ./path/packagename

Thanks,

[LucD]

Do you, or can you, have SSH enabled on these ESXi nodes?

[MRoushdy]

Yes, it's enabled; I just want to automate the task with one command instead of logging into each one.

[LucD]

Unless that command is also available through for example esxcli, and thus Get-EsxCli, you will have to logon to the ESXi nodes.
When done through a script it doesn't really matter how many lines/commands are in there I guess.

Or perhaps I don't understand what you mean?

[MRoushdy]

I'm upgrading a firmware on all of the hosts (rebooting is not required), so I need to automate this instead of visiting each host. The command is just by running the script that deploys the package.

Is this doable via PowerCLi?

[LucD]

Yes, but you will need the Posh-Ssh module.

Then you can do (replace the content of the $cmd variable with your command)

#requires -Modules posh-ssh

$cmd = 'date'

$user = 'root'

$pswd = 'VMware1!'

$pswdSec = ConvertTo-SecureString -String $pswd -AsPlainText -Force

$cred = New-Object System.Management.Automation.PSCredential($user,$pswdSec)

Get-VMHost | ForEach-Object -Process {

    if((Get-VMHostService -VMHost $_).where({$_.Key -eq 'TSM-SSH'}).Running){

        $ssh = New-SSHSession -ComputerName $_.Name -Credential $cred -AcceptKey -KeepAliveInterval 5 -Verbose

        Invoke-SSHCommand -SessionId $ssh.SessionId -Command $cmd -TimeOut 30

        Remove-SSHSession -SessionId $ssh.SessionId

    }

}