Scripts: Create VMs from a script

The following code is a shell script to create VMs. This particular one will create a virtual machine that has the following characteristics:

• VM called ScriptedVM in a directory named ScriptedVM on storage1
• assigned 256MB of memory
• will have a 4GB SCSI hard drive (lsilogic controller)
• configured for a Windows 2003 standard operating system
• floppy drive assigned, not connected at startup
• CD-ROM attached to the ESX server's CD-ROM drive, not connected at startup
• Ethernet adapter connected to the VM Network, enabled at startup

Copy the following code to a plain text file called createVirtualMachines.sh, make any eventual adaptations, save it and run it from the host's console.

##### VM Creation Script #####################################
#Script Version 1.1
#Author David E. Hart
#Date 10-05-06
#
#--------+
# Purpose
#--------+-----------------------------------------------------
# This script will create a VM with the following attributes;
# Virtual Machine Name = ScriptedVM
# Location of Virtual Machine = /VMFS/volumes/storage1/ScriptedVM
# Virtual Machine Type = "Microsoft Windows 2003 Standard"
# Virtual Machine Memory Allocation = 256 meg
#
#----------------------------------------+
#Custom Variable Section for Modification
#----------------------------------------+---------------------
#NVM is name of virtual machine(NVM). No Spaces allowed in name
#NVMDIR is the directory which holds all the VM files
#NVMOS specifies VM Operating System
#NVMSIZE is the size of the virtual disk to be created
#--------------------------------------------------------------
###############################################################
### Default Variable settings - change this to your preferences
NVM="ScriptedVM" # Name of Virtual Machine
NVMDIR="ScriptedVM" # Specify only the folder name to be created; NOT the complete path
NVMOS="winnetstandard" # Type of OS for Virtual Machine
NVMSIZE="4g" # Size of Virtual Machine Disk
VMMEMSIZE="256" # Default Memory Size
### End Variable Declaration
mkdir /vmfs/volumes/storage1/$NVMDIR # Creates directory
exec 6>&1 # Sets up write to file
exec 1>/vmfs/volumes/storage1/$NVMDIR/$NVM.vmx # Open file
# write the configuration
echo config.version = '"'6'"' # For ESX 3.x the value is 8
echo virtualHW.version = '"'3'"' # For ESX 3.x the value is 4
echo memsize = '"'$VMMEMSIZE'"'
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echo floppy0.present = '"'TRUE'"' # setup VM with floppy
echo displayName = '"'$NVM'"' # name of virtual machine
echo guestOS = '"'$NVMOS'"'
echo
echo ide0:0.present = '"'TRUE'"'
echo ide0:0.deviceType = '"'cdrom-raw'"'
echo ide:0.startConnected = '"'false'"' # CDROM enabled
echo floppy0.startConnected = '"'FALSE'"'
echo floppy0.fileName = '"'/dev/fd0'"'
echo Ethernet0.present = '"'TRUE'"'
echo Ethernet0.networkName = '"'VM Network'"' # Default network
echo Ethernet0.addressType = '"'vpx'"'
echo
echo scsi0.present = '"'true'"'
echo scsi0.sharedBus = '"'none'"'
echo scsi0.virtualDev = '"'lsilogic'"'
echo scsi0:0.present = '"'true'"' # Virtual Disk Settings
echo scsi0:0.fileName = '"'$NVM.vmdk'"'
echo scsi0:0.deviceType = '"'scsi-hardDisk'"'
echo
# close file
exec 1>&-
# make stdout a copy of FD 6 (reset stdout), and close FD6
exec 1>&6
exec 6>&-
# Change permissions on the file so it can be executed by anyone
chmod 755 /vmfs/volumes/storage1/$NVMDIR/$NVM.vmx
#Creates 4gb Virtual disk
cd /vmfs/volumes/storage1/$NVMDIR #change to the VM dir
vmkfstools -c $NVMSIZE $NVM.vmdk -a lsilogic
#Register VM
vmware-cmd -s register /vmfs/volumes/storage1/$NVMDIR/$NVM.vmx