vmware_vm_shell - Execute a process in VM

New in version 2.1.

Synopsis

  • Start a program in a VM without the need for network connection

Requirements (on host that executes module)

  • python >= 2.6
  • PyVmomi

Options

parameter required default choices comments
cluster
 no None
The cluster hosting the VM
Will help speed up search
datacenter
 no None
The datacenter hosting the VM
Will help speed up search
folder
(added in 2.4)
 no /vm
Destination folder, absolute or relative path to find an existing guest or create the new guest.
The folder should include the datacenter. ESX's datacenter is ha-datacenter
Examples:
folder: /ha-datacenter/vm
folder: ha-datacenter/vm
folder: /datacenter1/vm
folder: datacenter1/vm
folder: /datacenter1/vm/folder1
folder: datacenter1/vm/folder1
folder: /folder1/datacenter1/vm
folder: folder1/datacenter1/vm
folder: /folder1/datacenter1/vm/folder2
folder: vm/folder2
folder: folder2
hostname
 yes
The hostname or IP address of the vSphere vCenter.
password
 yes
The password of the vSphere vCenter.
aliases: pass, pwd
username
 yes
The username of the vSphere vCenter.
aliases: user, admin
validate_certs
 no True
  • True
  • False
Allows connection when SSL certificates are not valid. Set to false when certificates are not trusted.
vm_id
 yes
The identification for the VM
vm_id_type
 no vm_name
  • uuid
  • dns_name
  • inventory_path
  • vm_name
The identification tag for the VM
vm_password
 no None
The password used to login to the VM.
vm_shell
 yes
The absolute path to the program to start. On Linux this is executed via bash.
vm_shell_args
 no None
The argument to the program.
vm_shell_cwd
 no None
The current working directory of the application from which it will be run
vm_shell_env
 no None
Comma separated list of envirnoment variable, specified in the guest OS notation
vm_username
 no None
The user to connect to the VM.

Examples

- name: shell execution
  local_action:
    module: vmware_vm_shell
    hostname: myVSphere
    username: myUsername
    password: mySecret
    datacenter: myDatacenter
    folder: /vm
    vm_id: NameOfVM
    vm_username: root
    vm_password: superSecret
    vm_shell: /bin/echo
    vm_shell_args: " $var >> myFile "
    vm_shell_env:
      - "PATH=/bin"
      - "VAR=test"
    vm_shell_cwd: "/tmp"

Notes

Note

  • Tested on vSphere 5.5
  • Only the first match against vm_id is used, even if there are multiple matches

Status

This module is flagged as preview which means that it is not guaranteed to have a backwards compatible interface.

For help in developing on modules, should you be so inclined, please read Community Information & Contributing, Testing Ansible and Developing Modules.

© 2012–2018 Michael DeHaan
© 2018–2019 Red Hat, Inc.
Licensed under the GNU General Public License version 3.
https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/2.4/vmware_vm_shell_module.html