If you’re at all interested in scripting and automated ways to manage your VMware Infrastructure (lazy? I prefer to use the term ‘efficient’), you should already be getting familiar with the VI Toolkit (for Windows) that uses PowerShell to smash everything in its path, currently in beta. The crew over there have made an amazing tool, and the community continues to dream up new ways to use it.
But since we have a full toolbox, and since all problems are not solved with a hammer, let’s not forget about some other finely crafted implements that our product teams have created. Last week Carter Shanklin kicked off the new VIX API Blog, with a good intro on why you’ll want this crowbar — guest accessbility.
Link: VMware: VIX API Blog: What is VIX and why does it matter?.
If you’ve used the VI API,
you’re probably wondering why you should look at VIX. The reason is
pretty simple, the VIX API provides critical functionality that the VI
API lacks, for instance:
- VIX allows you to copy files in and out of guests.
- VIX allows you to start and stop processes within guests.
- With a bit of trickery you can run programs in the guest and get their output (more on this in another post).
In short, VIX allows you to treat the VM as more than just a black box, something none of the other APIs can do today.
