Scripting and PowerCLI are words that most people working with VMware products know pretty well and have used once or twice. Everyone knows that scripting and automation are great assests to have in your toolbox. The problem usually is that getting into scripting appears daunting to many people who feel like the learning curve is just too steep, and they usually don't know where to start. The good thing is you don't need to learn everything straight away to start working with PowerShell and PowerCLI. Once you have the basics down and have your curiosity tickled, you’ll learn what you need as you go, a lot faster than you thought you would!
ABOUT POWERCLI
Let's get to know PowerCLI a little better before we start getting our hands dirty in the command prompt. If you are reading this you probably already know what PowerCLI is about or have a vague idea of it, but it’s fine you don’t. After a while working with it, it becomes second nature, and you won't be able to imagine life without it anymore! Thanks to VMware's drive to push automation, the product's integration with all of their components has significantly improved over the years, and it has now become a critical part of their ecosystem.
WHAT IS PowerCLI?
Contrary to what many believe, PowerCLI is not in fact a stand-alone software but rather a command-line and scripting tool built on Windows PowerShell for managing and automating vSphere environments. It used to be distributed as an executable file to install on a workstation. Previously, an icon was generated that would essentially launch PowerShell and load the PowerCLI snap-ins in the session. This behavior changed back in version 6.5.1 when the executable file was removed and replaced by a suite of PowerShell modules to install from within the prompt itself. This new deployment method is preferred because these modules are now part of Microsoft’s Official PowerShell Gallery. 7 These modules provide the means to interact with the components of a VMware environment and offer more than 600 cmdlets! The below command returns a full list of VMware-Associated Cmdlets!
DevOps: An unsuspecting target for the world’s most sophisticated cybercriminals
DevOps focuses on automated pipelines that help organizations improve business-impacting KPIs like time-to-market, product development speed, agility and more. In a world where less time means more money, putting code into production the same day it’s written is, well, a game changer. But with new opportunities come new challenges. Automated building of software that’s distributed by vendors straight into corporations worldwide leaves cybercriminals salivating over costly supply chain attacks.
So how does one combat supply chain attacks?
Many can be prevented through the deployment of security to development infrastructure servers, the routine vetting of containers and anti-malware testing of the production artifacts. The problem is that a lack of integration solutions in traditional security products wastes time due to fragmented automation, overcomplicated processes and limited visibility—all taboo in DevOps environments.
Cybercriminals exploit fundamental differences between the operational goals of those who maintain and operate in the development environment. That’s why it’s important to show unity and focus on a single strategic goal—delivering a safe product to partners and customers in time.The protection-performance balance
A strong security foundation is crucial to stopping threats, but it won’t come from a one bullet. It takes the right multi-layered combination to deliver the right DevOps security-performance balance, bringing you closer to where you want to be.
Protect your automated pipeline using endpoint protection that’s fully effective in pre-filtering incidents before EDR comes into play. After all, the earlier threats can be countered automatically, the less impact on resources. It’s important to focus on protection that’s powerful, accessible through an intuitive and well-documented interface, and easily integrated through scripts.
In this white paper from BitTitan, we outline the top approaches to planning and preparing for your Office 365 tenant migration including:
Stop looking at scripts online in envy because you wish you could build your own scripts. PowerCLI: The Aspiring Automator’s Guide Second Edition will get you started on your path to vSphere automation greatness!
Written by VMware vExpert Xavier Avrillier, this free eBook adopts a use-case approach to learning how to automate common vSphere tasks using PowerCLI. We start by covering the basics: installation, setup, and an overview of key PowerCLI terminology. From there we move into scripting logic and script building with step-by-step instructions to build truly useful custom scripts, including:
This second edition has received a complete overhaul from the original release fully updated to the latest version of vSphere and supplemented with extended use-cases and custom scripts comprising an additional 15 pages of brand-new content!
Our two-week email course, Beyond the Bits, provides a closer look into the philosophy, theory, and fundamental concepts involved in monitoring your infrastructure environment.The FundamentalsGain access to daily foundational building blocks to help you master the challenges associated with infrastructure monitoring.
Management PrinciplesMonitoring doesn’t have to be complex and time-consuming. Beyond the Bits provides the sound management principles you need to reduce automation intimidation and monitoring alerts.
Food for ThoughtAt the end of each chapter, answer thought-provoking questions to tie in what you’re learning with your day-to-day roles and responsibilities.
With the shift in the computing paradigm to the cloud, the Azure ecosystem is quickly becoming a critical platform for IT pros to grasp and adopt. But how do you make the leap while maintaining security, manageability, and cost-control?
Whether you’re making new VMs directly in the cloud, have VMs in your own datacenter and are looking to migrate to Azure, or you’re looking to manage VMs with cloud-based tools regardless of where they live, The SysAdmin Guide to Azure Infrastructure as a Service (Iaas) will teach you to set up and maintain a high-performing Azure IaaS environment.
Written, and now updated, by Paul Schnackenburg, veteran IT consultant and trainer, this free 100+ page guide covers:• VM sizing and deployment• Migration• Storage and networking• Security and identity• Infrastructure as code• Back up and replication• Azure Active Directory• Azure Arc• Automanage• and more!
Given the speed of change in the cloud, this eBook covers the why (as well as the how) so that as features and interfaces are updated, you’ll know how to proceed. This second edition also has two new chapters, Automanage (Chapter 11) and Azure Arc (Chapter 12), which have been added to bring a lot of automation and cloud-based management to Azure IaaS, all lessening the burden on your time.
Migrating to the cloud no longer seems a question of if, but when. Make the cloud work for you. Download your free copy today!