This service template turns on power to multiple virtual servers in a VMware vSphere environment.
The general steps for using this service template to start a virtual machine are as follows:
- The power status of each virtual server is obtained.
- If a virtual server's power status is off, it is turned on.
- An ICMP echo request is sent to verify that a virtual server is started.
The specified group of virtual servers are turned off according to the number of seconds specified through the vmware.checkPowerStateInterval property and then verified to determine if the power is off, which it does up to the number of times specified through the vmware.checkPowerStateCount property. If the default values are not suitable, specify values that suit your environment.
Service Definition Properties
The following table lists the properties visible in the Service Definition window for the Start Virtual Machine service template.
| Property Key | Property Name | Description | Required or optional |
|---|---|---|---|
| vmware.targetHost | Host name of VMware vCenter control server | Specify the host name or IP address of the server (a server with vSphere PowerCLI installed) that will be used to control VMware vCenter. You cannot specify an IPv6 address. | R |
| vmware.vCenterServerName | VMware vCenter server name | Specify the host name or IP address of the VMware vCenter server. You cannot specify an IPv6 address. | R |
| vmware.userName | User name for VMware vCenter Server connection | Specify the user name to use when connecting to the VMware vCenter server. | R |
| vmware.password | Password for VMware vCenter Server connection | Specify the password to use when connecting to the VMware vCenter server. | R |
| vmware.portNumber | Port number for VMware vCenter Server connection | Specify the port number to use when connecting to the VMware vCenter server (specifically, the port number of the VMware vCenter server's Web service). If you omit this property, the default value of the VMware vCenter server applies. | O |
| vmware.protocol | Protocol for VMware vCenter Server connection | Specify the protocol to use when connecting to the VMware vCenter server. | R |
| vmware.checkPowerStateCount | Power status check count | Specify the number of times the service tries to verify the power status to confirm that the virtual server has started. The maximum wait time is determined by this property and the property that defines the power status verification interval. | R |
| vmware.checkPowerStateInterval | Power status check interval | Specify the interval at which the service tries to acquire the power status to confirm that the virtual server has started. | R |
| common.icmpEchoTimeout | Timeout period for ICMP echo requests | Specify in milliseconds how long the service waits for a reply to an ICMP echo request sent to confirm startup of a virtual server. | R |
The following table lists the properties visible in the Service Definition and Submit Service windows for the Start Virtual Machine service template.
| Property Key | Property Name | Description | Required |
|---|---|---|---|
| vmware.foreachVmName | Virtual server name(s) | Specify the virtual server name or names. Specify server names as they appear in VMware vCenter Server, not by host name. Separate multiple virtual servers with commas. The maximum number of virtual servers you can specify is 99. | R |
Note: Although some of the properties in the tables indicate that they can be omitted, they might be required when used in conjunction with some other property setting as indicated in the descriptions.
Prerequisites
The following conditions must be met:
- VMware vSphere ESXi (or VMware ESX Server) is managed by VMware vCenter Server.
- Each virtual server name is unique among the vCenter servers.
- The firewall of the target virtual server is set to allow responses to ICMP (ECHO).
- VMwareTools is installed on the target virtual server.
Server requirements
To use this service template, the following servers are required:
- vCenter server: This is a server on which VMware vCenter Server is installed.
- vCenter control server: This is a server on which VMware vSphere PowerCLI is installed.
- Virtual server: This is a virtual server managed by the vCenter server and VMware vSphere ESX.
Software requirements
One of the following is required:
- VMware vSphere PowerCLI 6.3 Release1, 6.0 Release3, 6.0 Release1
- VMware PowerCLI 6.5 Release1
- VMware PowerCLI 6.5.1, 6.5.4
- VMware PowerCLI 10.1.0, 10.1.1
Usage guidelines
- The VMware vSphere ESXi (or VMware ESX Server) that is to be started cannot be specified. Start the service template on VMware vSphere ESXi (or VMware ESX Server) that contains virtual servers.
- Adjust the ICMP echo timeout value (common.icmpEchoTimeout property) for the local environment.
- Depending on the state of the system environment, the virtual server might successfully start but the network connection verification might fail, possibly causing the task to end abnormally. Verify the task log to see if an error has occurred with the network connection verification (the component "Obtain the IP address of a virtual server" (vsphereGetVMIPaddress) or the component "Send ICMP echo request message" (osSendIcmp)). If an error has occurred in these components, verify whether the virtual server is started.
- If many IP addresses (#1) are set for the NIC of the virtual server, an error might occur in the component "Send ICMP echo request message" and the task might end abnormally. Verify that the total length of the IP addresses set for the NIC is within 1,024 characters.
#1: You can set the following IP address types. For example, if 64 or less addresses are set for IPv4 only, no problem will occur.
- IPv4 (maximum length is 16 characters)
- IPv4 (maximum length is 36 characters)
- IPv4 and IPv6 set by DHCP