Background

I am creating a script using PowerCLI to do bulk OVF export using VMware ovftool. The script runs by performing the following functions:

• Through PowerCLI arguments, grab the vCenter address, naming scheme for the virtual machines to export, and where the OVFs should be exported.
• Connect to vCenter instance
• Put all virtual machines that follow the specified naming scheme in the list
• Scroll through the list and export each VM to ovf using ovftool and the built-in VM path

Script: VMs-to-OVF.ps1

# Take in vCenter address, naming scheme of VMs to be exported, and where the OVFs should be exported

param (

[string]$vcenter = $(throw "

    vCenter address required.`n

    Example:`n

    .\VMs-to-OVF.ps1 -vcenter <192.168.1.200>`n

    .\VMs-to-OVF.ps1 -vcenter <vcenter.test.com>"),

[string]$vmNamingScheme = $(throw "

    VM naming scheme required.`n

    Example:`n

    .\VMs-to-OVF.ps1 -vcenter <vcenterIP/DNS> -vmPath </DATACENTER/vm/`n

    test/> -vmNamingScheme <test-vm-1>`n

    .\VMs-to-OVF.ps1 -vcenter <vcenterIP/DNS> -vmPath </DATACENTER/vm/`n

    test/> -vmNamingScheme <test-vm-*>`n"),

[string]$exportLocation = $(throw "

    Export location required.`n

    Example:`n

    .\VMs-to-OVF.ps1 -vcenter <vcenterIP/DNS> -vmPath </DATACENTER/vm/`n

    test/> -vmNamingScheme <test-vm-1> -exportLocation 192.168.1.100:\`n

    .\VMs-to-OVF.ps1 -vcenter <vcenterIP/DNS> -vmPath </DATACENTER/vm/`n

    test/> -vmNamingScheme <test-vm-*> -exportLocation X:\`n")

)

# Connect to vCenter

Connect-VIServer -Server $vcenter

# $VMs is an array of VM names that will be exported
# $vmNamingScheme gives the VM naming pattern we are looking for

$VMs = $(get-vm -name $vmNamingScheme | select name | format-list | out-string)
$VMs = $VMs.replace("Name : ","")
$VMs = $VMs.replace(" ","")
$VMs = $VMs.split("`n")
$VMs = $VMs|?{$_ -ne $VMs[1]}

# This loop iterates through the $VMs array and performs an OVF export, to the location
# specified in $exportLocation, for each VM name in the array
# $vmPath is comprised of the path to the VM and $VM holds the actual VM name

foreach ($VM in $VMs){
    if ($VMs -ne $null){ 

    # ***THIS SCRIPT ASSUMES THE get-vmfolderpath SCRIPT IS IN THE SAME DIRECTORY AS ITSELF***
    # get the folder path of the VM using the get-vmfolderpath script (this will align with
    # the path in vSphere Folders and Templates view)

    $vmPath = "get-vm -name $VM | .\get-vmfolderpath.ps1"
    &$vmPath

    # ***THIS SCRIPT ASSUMES THE DEFAULT INSTALL PATH FOR THE ovftool PROGRAM
    # run the ovftool command with the proper arguments

    &'C:\Program Files\VMware\VMware OVF Tool\ovftool.exe' vi://$vcenter$vmPath$VM $exportLocation
    }
}

      

        
        
        
      

    

Maintain Script: get-vmfolderpath

param(
    [Parameter(Mandatory=$true, ValueFromPipelineByPropertyName=$true)]
    [string]$folderid,
    [switch]$moref
)

$folderparent=get-view $folderid

if ($folderparent.name -ne 'vm'){
    if($moref){
        $path=$folderparent.moref.toString()+'\'+$path
    }
    else{
        $path=$folderparent.name+'\'+$path
    }
    if ($folderparent.parent){
        if($moref){
            get-vmfolderpath $folderparent.parent.tostring() -moref
        }
        else{
            get-vmfolderpath($folderparent.parent.tostring())
        }
    }
}
else {
    if ($moref){
        return (get-view $folderparent.parent).moref.tostring()+"\"+$folderparent.moref.tostring()+"\"+$path
    }
    else {
        return (get-view $folderparent.parent).name.toString()+'\'+$folderparent.name.toString()+'\'+$path
    }
}

      

        
        
        
      

    

Errors

The ovftool command built into each iteration of the for loop will work if you copy and paste the text into the PowerCLI console, but not when run directly from the script. The following errors occur when the custom ovftool command is run from Script:

The term 'get-vm -name VM-NAME | .\get-vmfolderpath.ps1' is not
recognized as the name of a cmdlet, function, script file, or operable
program. Check the spelling of the name, or if a path was included, verify
that the path is correct and try again.At
C:\Users\username\Desktop\VMs-to-OVF.ps1:85 char:4
+         &$vmPath
+          ~~~~~~~
    + CategoryInfo          : ObjectNotFound: (get-vm -name CA...mfolderpath.p
   s1:String) [], CommandNotFoundException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : CommandNotFoundException

      

        
        
        
      

    

Things to check:

• The output "get-vm -name vm_name |. \ Get-vmfolderpath.ps1", run directly from the PowerCLI console, returns the correct VM path
• All variables output expected values
• If the exact ovftool command generated in the script is run in the PowerCLI console it will export the VM correctly