Scheduled Task for server snaps with email sent

[Dilwert]

I found this real nice script here and wanted to see if someone can help me modify it to do what I need.

I want to task schedule from a csv file to snap servers at a certain time and date.

I want an email sent out to requestor stating servers have been scheduled to snap. Also I want to check to see if there is a previous scheduled snap and deleted it if so.

I tried different methods but keep running into errors. Any help is much appriciated!

 

###############

# These are the values you should get from your webform

#

$vmName = 'MyVM'

$snapTime = Get-Date "31/10/16 23:00"

$snapName = 'Test'

$snapDescription = 'Scheduled snapshot'

$snapMemory = $false

$snapQuiesce = $true

$emailAddr = '[e-mail]'

###############

 

$vm = Get-VM -Name $vmName

 

$si = get-view ServiceInstance

$scheduledTaskManager = Get-View $si.Content.ScheduledTaskManager

 

$spec = New-Object VMware.Vim.ScheduledTaskSpec

$spec.Name = "Snapshot",$_.VMname -join ' '

$spec.Description = "Take a snapshot of $($vm.Name)"

$spec.Enabled = $true

$spec.Notification = $emailAddr

 

$spec.Scheduler = New-Object VMware.Vim.OnceTaskScheduler

$spec.Scheduler.runat = $snapTime

 

$spec.Action = New-Object VMware.Vim.MethodAction

$spec.Action.Name = "CreateSnapshot_Task"

 

@($snapName,$snapDescription,$snapMemory,$snapQuiesce) | %{

    $arg = New-Object VMware.Vim.MethodActionArgument

    $arg.Value = $_

    $spec.Action.Argument += $arg

}

 

$scheduledTaskManager.CreateObjectScheduledTask($vm.ExtensionData.MoRef, $spec)

[LucD]

What kind of errors are you seeing?

And on which vSphere version are you trying this?

[Dilwert]

I am on VSphere 6 Enterprise.

Here is one if the errors:

Exception calling "CreateObjectScheduledTask" with "2" argument(s): "The name 'Snapshot of VMTEST01' already exists."

At H:\Desktop\Shed Snap May15.ps1:85 char:5

+     $scheduledTaskManager.CreateObjectScheduledTask($vm.ExtensionData ...

+     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    + CategoryInfo          : NotSpecified: (:) [], MethodInvocationException

    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : VimException

[LucD]

That seems to say there is already a scheduled task with the same name.

You should remove those before running the script above.

[Dilwert]

I tried to input the following commands but they dont seem to work.

They run but continue to fail for same error.

$taskName = 'Snapshot of'

    Get-View -Id $scheduledTaskManager.ScheduledTask |

ForEach-Object -Process {

   if ($_.Info.Name -like $taskName)

   {

   $_.RemoveScheduledTask()

   }

[LucD]

That will not work with the -like operator like that.

I prefer to use the -match operator.

$taskName = 'Snapshot'

$si = Get-View ServiceInstance

$scheduledTaskManager = Get-View $si.Content.ScheduledTaskManager

Get-View -Id $scheduledTaskManager.ScheduledTask |

where{$_.Info.Name -match $taskName} |

ForEach-Object -Process {

    $_.RemoveScheduledTask()

}

[Dilwert]

The -match actually worked but only one of the two servers listed in the csv.

It doesn't display an error for troubleshooting.

Eventually I will add several servers to the csv.

How can I get it to process all servers listed in the csv ?

[LucD]

You can combine those 2 scripts and then run this in a loop for all rows in a CSV

$taskNameTemplate = 'Scheduled snapshot of $($vm.Name)'

$snapNameTemplate = 'Snapshot of $($vm.Name)'

$emailAddr = '[e-mail]'

$snapTime = Get-Date '06/15/2020 12:30'

$snapMemory = $false

$snapQuiesce = $true

$si = Get-View ServiceInstance

$scheduledTaskManager = Get-View $si.Content.ScheduledTaskManager

# CSV layout

# Name

# vm1

# vm2

Import-Csv -Path .\vmnames.csv -UseCulture -PipelineVariable row |

ForEach-Object -Process {

# Get the target VM

    $vm = Get-VM -Name $row.Name

# Remove an existing scheduled task for the VM

    $scheduledTaskManager.RetrieveEntityScheduledTask($vm.ExtensionData.MoRef) |

    ForEach-Object -Process {

        Get-View -Id $_ | where{$_.Info.Name -match 'Snapshot of'} |

        ForEach-Object -Process {

            $_.RemoveScheduledTask()

        }

    }

# Create a new scheduled task

    $spec = New-Object VMware.Vim.ScheduledTaskSpec

    $spec.Name = $ExecutionContext.InvokeCommand.ExpandString($taskNameTemplate)

    $spec.Description = "Take a snapshot of $($vm.Name)"

    $spec.Enabled = $true

    $spec.Notification = $emailAddr

  

    $spec.Scheduler = New-Object VMware.Vim.OnceTaskScheduler

    $spec.Scheduler.runat = $snapTime

  

    $spec.Action = New-Object VMware.Vim.MethodAction

    $spec.Action.Name = "CreateSnapshot_Task"

 

    $snapName = $ExecutionContext.InvokeCommand.ExpandString($snapNameTemplate)

    $snapDescription = "Take a snapshot of $($vm.Name)"

    @($snapName,$snapDescription,$snapMemory,$snapQuiesce) | %{

        $arg = New-Object VMware.Vim.MethodActionArgument

        $arg.Value = $_

        $spec.Action.Argument += $arg

    }

 

    $scheduledTaskManager.CreateObjectScheduledTask($vm.ExtensionData.MoRef, $spec)

}

[Scott Vessey]

Scheduled snapshots, hopefully not being used as a form of “backup”?

[LucD]

Only for the VMs that are organised in specific resourcepools :smileygrin:

[Dilwert]

Thanks for all your help on this. I ran the script and got the following error message again. I got this error message for the two servers on my csv list.

Exception calling "CreateObjectScheduledTask" with "2" argument(s): "The name 'Scheduled snapshot of VMTEST01' already exists."

At line:101 char:5

+     $scheduledTaskManager.CreateObjectScheduledTask($vm.ExtensionData ...

+     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    + CategoryInfo          : NotSpecified: (:) [], MethodInvocationException

    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : VimException

[LucD]

The RegEx in the Where-clause was incorrect, hence existing scheduled tasks were not removed.
I updated the code above.

[Dilwert]

That works like a charm. It fixed the issue. I appreciate it very much.

Do you have a tutorial somewhere I can read about how to email the result to the requestor stating snaps have been scheduled.

[LucD]

The Scheduled Task includes an email notification.

Or do you mean something else?

[Dilwert]

I want to see if I can email out the summary of this script to the requestor stating all servers are now scheduled to be snap at a certain time.

the body of the email would like something like this.

SERVER NAME             DESCRIPTION                       SCHEDULED DATE

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

VMTEST01---------- Take a snapshot of VMTEST01---------- 05/25/2020 14:00:00

VMTEST02---------- Take a snapshot of VMTEST02---------- 05/25/2020 14:00:00

VMTEST03---------- Take a snapshot of VMTEST03---------- 05/25/2020 14:00:00

VMTEST04---------- Take a snapshot of VMTEST04---------- 05/25/2020 14:00:00

VMTEST05---------- Take a snapshot of VMTEST05---------- 05/25/2020 14:00:00

VMTEST06-----------Take a snapshot of VMTEST06---------- 05/25/2020 14:00:00

VMTEST07---------- Take a snapshot of VMTEST07---------- 05/25/2020 14:00:00

VMTEST08---------- Take a snapshot of VMTEST08---------- 05/25/2020 14:00:00

VMTEST09---------- Take a snapshot of VMTEST09---------- 05/25/2020 14:00:00

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

[LucD]

Sure, try like this

$taskNameTemplate = 'Scheduled snapshot of $($vm.Name)'

$snapNameTemplate = 'Snapshot of $($vm.Name)'

$emailAddr = '[e-mail]'

$snapTime = Get-Date '06/15/2020 12:30'

$snapMemory = $false

$snapQuiesce = $true

$report = @()

$si = Get-View ServiceInstance

$scheduledTaskManager = Get-View $si.Content.ScheduledTaskManager

# CSV layout

# Name

# vm1

# vm2

Import-Csv -Path .\vmnames.csv -UseCulture -PipelineVariable row |

ForEach-Object -Process {

# Get the target VM

    $vm = Get-VM -Name $row.Name

# Remove an existing scheduled task for the VM

    $scheduledTaskManager.RetrieveEntityScheduledTask($vm.ExtensionData.MoRef) |

    ForEach-Object -Process {

        Get-View -Id $_ | where{$_.Info.Name -match 'Snapshot of'} |

        ForEach-Object -Process {

            $_.RemoveScheduledTask()

        }

    }

# Create a new scheduled task

    $spec = New-Object VMware.Vim.ScheduledTaskSpec

    $spec.Name = $ExecutionContext.InvokeCommand.ExpandString($taskNameTemplate)

    $spec.Description = "Take a snapshot of $($vm.Name)"

    $spec.Enabled = $true

    $spec.Notification = $emailAddr

    $spec.Scheduler = New-Object VMware.Vim.OnceTaskScheduler

    $spec.Scheduler.runat = $snapTime

    $spec.Action = New-Object VMware.Vim.MethodAction

    $spec.Action.Name = "CreateSnapshot_Task"

    $snapName = $ExecutionContext.InvokeCommand.ExpandString($snapNameTemplate)

    $snapDescription = "Take a snapshot of $($vm.Name)"

    @($snapName,$snapDescription,$snapMemory,$snapQuiesce) | %{

        $arg = New-Object VMware.Vim.MethodActionArgument

        $arg.Value = $_

        $spec.Action.Argument += $arg

    }

    $report += New-Object -TypeName PSObject -Property ([ordered]@{

        Server = $vm.Name

        Description = "Take a snapshot of $($vm.Name)"

        'Scheduled Date' = $snapTime

    })

    $scheduledTaskManager.CreateObjectScheduledTask($vm.ExtensionData.MoRef, $spec)

}

$sMail = @{

    From = '[e-mail]'

    To = '[e-mail]'

    Subject = 'Scheduled Task Report'

    SmtpServer = 'mail.my.domain'

    BodyAsHtml = $true

    Body = $report | ConvertTo-Html | Out-String

}

Send-MailMessage @sMail

[Dilwert]

Wow ... works like a charm. That is perfect!

Thanks for all your help! I really appreciate it !

This made things alot easier for me.

[Dilwert]

Question:  How can I add more email addresses to the following fields:

$emailAddr = '[e-mail]'

To = '[e-mail]'

$taskNameTemplate = 'Scheduled snapshot of $($vm.Name)'

$snapNameTemplate = 'Snapshot of $($vm.Name)'

$emailAddr = '[e-mail]'

$snapTime = Get-Date '06/15/2020 12:30'

$snapMemory = $false

$snapQuiesce = $true

$sMail = @{

    From = '[e-mail]'

    To = '[e-mail]'

    Subject = 'Scheduled Task Report'

    SmtpServer = 'mail.my.domain'

    BodyAsHtml = $true

    Body = $report | ConvertTo-Html | Out-String

}

Send-MailMessage @sMail

[LucD]

The To parameter on the Send-MailMessage cmdlet accepts an array.

So you can just provide multiple addresses separated by a comma.

To = '[e-mail]','[e-mail]','[e-mail]'

[Dilwert]

thanks for that info.

Is there a way to add more email addresses to the line listed below?

$emailAddr = '[e-mail]'

[LucD]

Like this

$emailAddr = '[e-mail];[e-mail]'

[Dilwert]

Thanks you . Much appreciated !!

[Dilwert]

How can I get the script to pull the following fields from the cvs so I can keep the script from being modified?

from csv file:

server name

snap description

scheduled time to run

[LucD]

Something like this?

$taskNameTemplate = 'Scheduled snapshot of $($vm.Name)'

$snapNameTemplate = 'Snapshot of $($vm.Name)'

$emailAddr = '[e-mail]'

$snapMemory = $false

$snapQuiesce = $true

$report = @()

$si = Get-View ServiceInstance

$scheduledTaskManager = Get-View $si.Content.ScheduledTaskManager

# CSV layout

# Name,Description,DateTime

# vm1,'Snapshot of VM1','06/15/2020 12:30'

# vm2,'Snapshot of VM2','06/16/2020 13:30'

Import-Csv -Path .\vmnames.csv -UseCulture -PipelineVariable row |

ForEach-Object -Process {

# Get the target VM

    $vm = Get-VM -Name $row.Name

# Remove an existing scheduled task for the VM

    $scheduledTaskManager.RetrieveEntityScheduledTask($vm.ExtensionData.MoRef) |

    ForEach-Object -Process {

        Get-View -Id $_ | where{$_.Info.Name -match 'Snapshot of'} |

        ForEach-Object -Process {

            $_.RemoveScheduledTask()

        }

    }

# Create a new scheduled task

    $spec = New-Object VMware.Vim.ScheduledTaskSpec

    $spec.Name = $ExecutionContext.InvokeCommand.ExpandString($taskNameTemplate)

    $spec.Description = "Take a snapshot of $($vm.Name)"

    $spec.Enabled = $true

    $spec.Notification = $emailAddr

    $spec.Scheduler = New-Object VMware.Vim.OnceTaskScheduler

    $spec.Scheduler.runat = [DateTime]$row.DateTime

    $spec.Action = New-Object VMware.Vim.MethodAction

    $spec.Action.Name = "CreateSnapshot_Task"

    $snapName = $ExecutionContext.InvokeCommand.ExpandString($snapNameTemplate)

    $snapDescription = $row.Description

    @($snapName,$row.Description,$snapMemory,$snapQuiesce) | %{

        $arg = New-Object VMware.Vim.MethodActionArgument

        $arg.Value = $_

        $spec.Action.Argument += $arg

    }

    $report += New-Object -TypeName PSObject -Property ([ordered]@{

        Server = $vm.Name

        Description = "Take a snapshot of $($vm.Name)"

        'Scheduled Date' = [DateTime]$row.DateTime

    })

    $scheduledTaskManager.CreateObjectScheduledTask($vm.ExtensionData.MoRef, $spec)

}

$sMail = @{

    From = '[e-mail]'

    To = '[e-mail]'

    Subject = 'Scheduled Task Report'

    SmtpServer = 'mail.my.domain'

    BodyAsHtml = $true

    Body = $report | ConvertTo-Html | Out-String

}

Send-MailMessage @sMail

[Dilwert]

I am getting the following error message:

Cannot convert value "" to type "System.DateTime". Error: "String was not recognized as a valid DateTime."

At line:73 char:5

+     $spec.Scheduler.runat = [DateTime]$row.DateTime

+     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    + CategoryInfo          : InvalidArgument: (:) [], RuntimeException

    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : InvalidCastParseTargetInvocationWithFormatProvider

Cannot convert value "" to type "System.DateTime". Error: "String was not recognized as a valid DateTime."

At line:102 char:45

+         Description = "Take a snapshot of $($vm.Name)"

+                                             ~~~~~~~~

    + CategoryInfo          : InvalidArgument: (:) [], RuntimeException

    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : InvalidCastParseTargetInvocationWithFormatProvider

[LucD]

You have to provide the timestamp in the CSV in a format that is accepted by your local settings.

To test the validity, you can do (insert your datetime string)

[DateTime]'05/31/2020 19:45'