vSphere PowerCLI was created for and entered into the VMworld 2018 Hackathon in Las Vegas.
vSphere PowerCLI is a small vSphere Client plugin that allows a PowerShell / PowerCLI session to be opened within the H5 browser-based vSphere Client.
vSphere PowerCLI is comprised of two components. A Docker Image, running an AJAX web terminal emulator, along with PowerShell. As well as a vSphere Client plugin that opens an iFrame window to the Docker Container running the web terminal emulator.
The plugin was created as a POC (Proof of Concept) to see if a PowerShell session could be run within the new HTML5 based vSphere Client.
VMware vCenter Server Appliance 6.7 (internet access required on vCenter to download the plugin)
Docker host
There are two options for installing the Docker Image. Option A involves configuring and running a Docker Host on the VCSA 6.7 VM and building & running the vSphere PowerCLI image within the VCSA VM. This would not be a VMware support method but would be fine in a Test / Dev environment not requiring any additional resources in your environment. Option B involves building and running the image on a pre-built Docker Host.
This option outlines the processes to install and configure Docker on VCSA 6.7.
SSH to the VCSA VM and enter the Shell
Install the docker package
tdnf -y install docker
Load the kernel module to start the Docker client. (This step needs to be re-run if the VCSA is rebooted)
modprobe bridge --ignore-install
If successful no information should be returned.
You can check if the module is installed by running the following
lsmod | grep bridge
root@vc67-1 [ ~ ]# lsmod | grep bridge
bridge 118784 0
stp 16384 1 bridge
llc 16384 2 stp,bridgeEnable and start the Docker Client
systemctl enable docker
systemctl start docker
Copy the files Dockerfile and supervisord.conf from the project to a directory on the VCSA VM. The two files should be located in the same directory. If you have difficulties copying the two files from the project you can use curl to download them for an online repo of the project using the below two commands.
curl -O https://labs.ukotic.net/vsphere_powercli/Dockerfile
curl -O https://labs.ukotic.net/vsphere_powercli/supervisord.conf
Optionally copy the vSphere Client public and private keys to the certificate.pem file in the same location as the Dockerfile and supervisord.conf file. If this step is skipped Line 31 of the Dockerfile needs to be removed.
cat /etc/vmware-rhttpproxy/ssl/rui.key >> certificate.pem
cat /etc/vmware-rhttpproxy/ssl/rui.crt >> certificate.pem
Build the Docker Image with the below command.
docker build -t vsphere-powercli .
The build process will take a few minutes.
Once complete start up a Docker container using this image.
Currently it’s recommended to run the container on the default port 4200
docker run -d -p 4200:4200 --name vsphere-powercli vsphere-powercli
You can check if the docker container is running with the below command.
docker stats
You can check if the port has been mapped correctly by running
docker port vsphere-powercli
Open a web browser and test if you can connect directly to the container
https://{my_vcsa}:4200
Important
Depending on whether you followed Step 5. vSphere PowerCLI may generate a Self Signed Certificate. As a result, you will be presented with a warning prompt to accept the certificate in Step 8. You must accept this warning once at the start of your browser session prior to running the plugin in the vSphere Client. This is due to iFrames being used and the web browser not prompting the user when an iFrame uses a Self Signed Certificate.
Once you accept any warnings you should receive a login prompt.
Once a login prompt is received you have completed the build and configuration of the docker portion of the setup.
This option assumes you have a docker host already running in your environment.
On a host pre-configured with Docker. Copy the files Dockerfile and supervisord.conf from the project to a directory on the Docker host. The two files should be located in the same directory.
If you have difficulties copying the two files from the project to the Docker host you can use curl to download them from an online repo of the project using the below two commands.
curl -O https://labs.ukotic.net/vsphere_powercli/Dockerfile
curl -O https://labs.ukotic.net/vsphere_powercli/supervisord.conf
The Dockerfile copies a certificate.pem file created in Option A. This file is not used in the Option B method and needs to be removed. Comment out or remove Line 31 in the Dockerfile.
COPY certificate.pem /certificate.pem
Build the Docker Image with the below command.
docker build -t vsphere-powercli .
The build process will take a few minutes.
Once complete start up a Docker container using this image.
Currently it’s recommended to run the container on the default port 4200
docker run -d -p 4200:4200 --name vsphere-powercli vsphere-powercli
You can check is the docker container is running with the below command.
docker stats
You can check if the port has been mapped correctly by running
docker port vsphere-powercli
Open a web browser and test if you can connect directly to the container
https://ip_of_container_host:4200
Important
vSphere PowerCLI currently uses Self Signed Certificates in Option B. As a result, you will be presented with a warning prompt to accept the certificate. You must accept this warning once at the start of your browser session prior to running the plugin in the vSphere Client. This is due to iFrames being used and the browser not prompting the user when an iFrame uses a Self Signed Certificate.
Once you accept the warning you should receive a login prompt.
Once a login prompt is received you have completed the build and configuration of the docker portion of the setup.
Installing the plugin requires registering the plugin in the vSphere MOB (Managed Object Browser)
Open a web browser and browse to you VCSA
https://{your_vcsa}/mob/
Sign in with your SSO credentials
Click on content
Click on ExtensionManager
Click on RegisterExtension
A new window similar to below will Open
This step will install the java plugin package from an online repo. You can modify the location and host the plugin from your own web server if you wish using the zip file vsphere_powercli_plugin.zip. Else continue with the below steps.
Replace everything in the VALUE box with the contents of the vsphere_powercli_plugin.txt file that comes with the project.
- You can also view the contents of the file from the online repo at
https://labs.ukotic.net/vsphere_powercli/vsphere_powercli_plugin.txt
Click Invoke Method
If a void is return the settings went through successfully.
You can now close the registration window.
Log into the vSphere Web Client UI
https://{my_vcsa}/ui
When you login for the first time after a new plugin has been registered you may be prompted with a message informing you plugins have been installed or updated and you need to log out and log back in.
If so, click Logout in the top right under your login name.
Log back in again.
Click on Menu -> Shortcuts and you should now see a new icon called vSphere PowerCLI
Click on the vSphere PowerCLI shortcut
Enter in the IP of the docker host or VCSA where the docker container is deployed and click Connect
A login prompt should appear
Sign in with the user powercli and the password password.
This should take you into a PowerShell prompt with installed PowerCLI modules.
At this point you should be able to run and execute PowerShell commands. You should be able to make a connection to vCenter as per normal PowerShell processes to login to a vCenter.
vSphere PowerCLI doesn’t connect and you are just left with a grey box.
If the window is grey after you click save check if you can still browse directly to the container. {https://ip_of_container_host:4200}
You may still need to accept the self signed cert warnings. iframes don't present this warning and they need to be accepted for your vSphere Client browser session.
Try connecting again by clicking save.
What is the Username and Password to login
Username: powercli
Password: password
How do I scroll up
Press Ctrl + b, then use the Arrow Up / Down or Page Up / Page Down keys.
How do I unregister the extension
Browse to https://{your_vcsa}/mob/
Click on UnregisterExtension
Enter in the string value com.mycompany.vsphere_powercli
Click on Invoke Method
The MIT License (MIT)
Copyright (c) 2018 ukotic.net
Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all copies or substantial portions of the Software.
THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.