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Posted to user@vcl.apache.org by Dmitri Chebotarov <dc...@gmu.edu> on 2012/05/18 15:40:43 UTC
Update vmware-tools on many base images ?
Hi
We plan to update VCL ESXi hosts and it will require VMware Tools update for all VMs.
I'm looking at different options on how to update vmware-tools on many base images.
One option is to use web GUI to create new image revision with updated tools for each image.
Other option would be to create temp. VMs using persistent disk images pointing to base images .vmdk files, then update vmware-tools and delete temp. VMs (in-place upgrade?).
This will probably require full shutdown of VCL system to make sure no one is using any of the images during the upgrade.
May be someone already done it and could share some recommendations ...
--
Thank you,
Dmitri Chebotarov
Virtual Computing Lab Systems Engineer, TSD - Ent Servers & Messaging
223 Aquia Building, Ffx, MSN: 1B5
Phone: (703) 993-6175
Fax: (703) 993-3404
Re: Update vmware-tools on many base images ?
Posted by Dmitri Chebotarov <dc...@gmu.edu>.
I was about to use if ($vm_persistent) check, i.e. :
if ($vm_persistent) {
%vmx_parameters = (%vmx_parameters, (
"tools.upgrade.policy" => "upgradeAtPowerCycle",
));
}
but $self->data->get_request_forimaging() may work better.
Thank you.
--
Thank you,
Dmitri Chebotarov
Virtual Computing Lab Systems Engineer, TSD - Ent Servers & Messaging
223 Aquia Building, Ffx, MSN: 1B5
Phone: (703) 993-6175
Fax: (703) 993-3404
On Friday, May 18, 2012 at 12:33 , Andy Kurth wrote:
> Cool, that's good to know. You could add something like this to
> VMware.pm::prepare_vmx
>
> if ($self->data->get_request_forimaging()) {
> %vmx_parameters = (%vmx_parameters, ("tools.upgrade.policy" =>
> "upgradeAtPowerCycle"));
> }
>
> -Andy
>
> On Fri, May 18, 2012 at 12:17 PM, Dmitri Chebotarov <dchebota@gmu.edu (mailto:dchebota@gmu.edu)> wrote:
> > Andy
> >
> > This is nice feature, I'll see if I can make it work.
> > Thank you.
> >
> > Also I've found .vmx option : tools.upgrade.policy = "upgradeAtPowerCycle"
> >
> > Adding it to .vmx file during 'Manage Images -> Create/Update an Image ->
> > Create Imaging Reservation' process should update vmware tools on the image
> > automatically during boot time.
> > I need to find the place in code where .vmx file is created for 'Create
> > Imaging Reservation' task and test it.
> >
> > --
> > Thank you,
> >
> > Dmitri Chebotarov
> > Virtual Computing Lab Systems Engineer, TSD - Ent Servers & Messaging
> > 223 Aquia Building, Ffx, MSN: 1B5
> > Phone: (703) 993-6175
> > Fax: (703) 993-3404
> >
> > On Friday, May 18, 2012 at 10:39 , Andy Kurth wrote:
> >
> > Many of our images have older versions of VMware Tools installed. I
> > don't know of any problems this has caused. Also, VMware Tools isn't
> > required. I only install it to make controlling the VM through the
> > vSphere console a little easier.
> >
> > If you do want to upgrade every image automatically, there is a new
> > feature in partially done in VCL 2.3 which may help:
> > https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/VCL-564
> >
> > It essentially allows you to drop scripts and other supporting files
> > in the appropriate directories on the management node. The scripts
> > are automatically run at a particular stage in the reservation. One
> > of the intended uses is to allow customizations to be performed
> > automatically before an image is captured such as installing/upgrading
> > software. You would only need to add a couple lines to image.pm to
> > enable this functionality. You would save the VMware Tools .msi and a
> > script which installs it in tools/Windows/Scripts/pre_capture. During
> > capture, the files in the directory are automatically copied to the
> > computer and the script is executed. Let me know if you want to try
> > this.
> >
> > -Andy
> >
> > On Fri, May 18, 2012 at 9:40 AM, Dmitri Chebotarov <dchebota@gmu.edu (mailto:dchebota@gmu.edu)> wrote:
> >
> > Hi
> >
> > We plan to update VCL ESXi hosts and it will require VMware Tools update for
> > all VMs.
> >
> > I'm looking at different options on how to update vmware-tools on many base
> > images.
> >
> > One option is to use web GUI to create new image revision with updated tools
> > for each image.
> >
> > Other option would be to create temp. VMs using persistent disk images
> > pointing to base images .vmdk files, then update vmware-tools and delete
> > temp. VMs (in-place upgrade?).
> > This will probably require full shutdown of VCL system to make sure no one
> > is using any of the images during the upgrade.
> >
> > May be someone already done it and could share some recommendations ...
> >
> > --
> > Thank you,
> >
> > Dmitri Chebotarov
> > Virtual Computing Lab Systems Engineer, TSD - Ent Servers & Messaging
> > 223 Aquia Building, Ffx, MSN: 1B5
> > Phone: (703) 993-6175
> > Fax: (703) 993-3404
> >
>
>
>
Re: Update vmware-tools on many base images ?
Posted by Andy Kurth <an...@ncsu.edu>.
Cool, that's good to know. You could add something like this to
VMware.pm::prepare_vmx
if ($self->data->get_request_forimaging()) {
%vmx_parameters = (%vmx_parameters, ("tools.upgrade.policy" =>
"upgradeAtPowerCycle"));
}
-Andy
On Fri, May 18, 2012 at 12:17 PM, Dmitri Chebotarov <dc...@gmu.edu> wrote:
> Andy
>
> This is nice feature, I'll see if I can make it work.
> Thank you.
>
> Also I've found .vmx option : tools.upgrade.policy = "upgradeAtPowerCycle"
>
> Adding it to .vmx file during 'Manage Images -> Create/Update an Image ->
> Create Imaging Reservation' process should update vmware tools on the image
> automatically during boot time.
> I need to find the place in code where .vmx file is created for 'Create
> Imaging Reservation' task and test it.
>
> --
> Thank you,
>
> Dmitri Chebotarov
> Virtual Computing Lab Systems Engineer, TSD - Ent Servers & Messaging
> 223 Aquia Building, Ffx, MSN: 1B5
> Phone: (703) 993-6175
> Fax: (703) 993-3404
>
> On Friday, May 18, 2012 at 10:39 , Andy Kurth wrote:
>
> Many of our images have older versions of VMware Tools installed. I
> don't know of any problems this has caused. Also, VMware Tools isn't
> required. I only install it to make controlling the VM through the
> vSphere console a little easier.
>
> If you do want to upgrade every image automatically, there is a new
> feature in partially done in VCL 2.3 which may help:
> https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/VCL-564
>
> It essentially allows you to drop scripts and other supporting files
> in the appropriate directories on the management node. The scripts
> are automatically run at a particular stage in the reservation. One
> of the intended uses is to allow customizations to be performed
> automatically before an image is captured such as installing/upgrading
> software. You would only need to add a couple lines to image.pm to
> enable this functionality. You would save the VMware Tools .msi and a
> script which installs it in tools/Windows/Scripts/pre_capture. During
> capture, the files in the directory are automatically copied to the
> computer and the script is executed. Let me know if you want to try
> this.
>
> -Andy
>
> On Fri, May 18, 2012 at 9:40 AM, Dmitri Chebotarov <dc...@gmu.edu> wrote:
>
> Hi
>
> We plan to update VCL ESXi hosts and it will require VMware Tools update for
> all VMs.
>
> I'm looking at different options on how to update vmware-tools on many base
> images.
>
> One option is to use web GUI to create new image revision with updated tools
> for each image.
>
> Other option would be to create temp. VMs using persistent disk images
> pointing to base images .vmdk files, then update vmware-tools and delete
> temp. VMs (in-place upgrade?).
> This will probably require full shutdown of VCL system to make sure no one
> is using any of the images during the upgrade.
>
> May be someone already done it and could share some recommendations ...
>
> --
> Thank you,
>
> Dmitri Chebotarov
> Virtual Computing Lab Systems Engineer, TSD - Ent Servers & Messaging
> 223 Aquia Building, Ffx, MSN: 1B5
> Phone: (703) 993-6175
> Fax: (703) 993-3404
>
>
Re: Update vmware-tools on many base images ?
Posted by Dmitri Chebotarov <dc...@gmu.edu>.
Andy
This is nice feature, I'll see if I can make it work.
Thank you.
Also I've found .vmx option : tools.upgrade.policy = "upgradeAtPowerCycle"
Adding it to .vmx file during 'Manage Images -> Create/Update an Image -> Create Imaging Reservation' process should update vmware tools on the image automatically during boot time.
I need to find the place in code where .vmx file is created for 'Create Imaging Reservation' task and test it.
--
Thank you,
Dmitri Chebotarov
Virtual Computing Lab Systems Engineer, TSD - Ent Servers & Messaging
223 Aquia Building, Ffx, MSN: 1B5
Phone: (703) 993-6175
Fax: (703) 993-3404
On Friday, May 18, 2012 at 10:39 , Andy Kurth wrote:
> Many of our images have older versions of VMware Tools installed. I
> don't know of any problems this has caused. Also, VMware Tools isn't
> required. I only install it to make controlling the VM through the
> vSphere console a little easier.
>
> If you do want to upgrade every image automatically, there is a new
> feature in partially done in VCL 2.3 which may help:
> https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/VCL-564
>
> It essentially allows you to drop scripts and other supporting files
> in the appropriate directories on the management node. The scripts
> are automatically run at a particular stage in the reservation. One
> of the intended uses is to allow customizations to be performed
> automatically before an image is captured such as installing/upgrading
> software. You would only need to add a couple lines to image.pm to
> enable this functionality. You would save the VMware Tools .msi and a
> script which installs it in tools/Windows/Scripts/pre_capture. During
> capture, the files in the directory are automatically copied to the
> computer and the script is executed. Let me know if you want to try
> this.
>
> -Andy
>
> On Fri, May 18, 2012 at 9:40 AM, Dmitri Chebotarov <dchebota@gmu.edu (mailto:dchebota@gmu.edu)> wrote:
> > Hi
> >
> > We plan to update VCL ESXi hosts and it will require VMware Tools update for
> > all VMs.
> >
> > I'm looking at different options on how to update vmware-tools on many base
> > images.
> >
> > One option is to use web GUI to create new image revision with updated tools
> > for each image.
> >
> > Other option would be to create temp. VMs using persistent disk images
> > pointing to base images .vmdk files, then update vmware-tools and delete
> > temp. VMs (in-place upgrade?).
> > This will probably require full shutdown of VCL system to make sure no one
> > is using any of the images during the upgrade.
> >
> > May be someone already done it and could share some recommendations ...
> >
> > --
> > Thank you,
> >
> > Dmitri Chebotarov
> > Virtual Computing Lab Systems Engineer, TSD - Ent Servers & Messaging
> > 223 Aquia Building, Ffx, MSN: 1B5
> > Phone: (703) 993-6175
> > Fax: (703) 993-3404
> >
>
>
>
Re: Update vmware-tools on many base images ?
Posted by Andy Kurth <an...@ncsu.edu>.
Many of our images have older versions of VMware Tools installed. I
don't know of any problems this has caused. Also, VMware Tools isn't
required. I only install it to make controlling the VM through the
vSphere console a little easier.
If you do want to upgrade every image automatically, there is a new
feature in partially done in VCL 2.3 which may help:
https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/VCL-564
It essentially allows you to drop scripts and other supporting files
in the appropriate directories on the management node. The scripts
are automatically run at a particular stage in the reservation. One
of the intended uses is to allow customizations to be performed
automatically before an image is captured such as installing/upgrading
software. You would only need to add a couple lines to image.pm to
enable this functionality. You would save the VMware Tools .msi and a
script which installs it in tools/Windows/Scripts/pre_capture. During
capture, the files in the directory are automatically copied to the
computer and the script is executed. Let me know if you want to try
this.
-Andy
On Fri, May 18, 2012 at 9:40 AM, Dmitri Chebotarov <dc...@gmu.edu> wrote:
> Hi
>
> We plan to update VCL ESXi hosts and it will require VMware Tools update for
> all VMs.
>
> I'm looking at different options on how to update vmware-tools on many base
> images.
>
> One option is to use web GUI to create new image revision with updated tools
> for each image.
>
> Other option would be to create temp. VMs using persistent disk images
> pointing to base images .vmdk files, then update vmware-tools and delete
> temp. VMs (in-place upgrade?).
> This will probably require full shutdown of VCL system to make sure no one
> is using any of the images during the upgrade.
>
> May be someone already done it and could share some recommendations ...
>
> --
> Thank you,
>
> Dmitri Chebotarov
> Virtual Computing Lab Systems Engineer, TSD - Ent Servers & Messaging
> 223 Aquia Building, Ffx, MSN: 1B5
> Phone: (703) 993-6175
> Fax: (703) 993-3404
>