DOWNLOAD THE SCRIPT click HERE

Oh yeah…this one is going to be the mother. As it is currently just over 400 lines of code…Yeah I am exhausted. Anyway Here is the dealio

The end goal of this script is to automatically upgrade VMFS datastores to v5. However first it has to move all the VMs off of the datastore. SOOO…. you could say that the first part of this script is kind of a “poor man’s” SDRS Maintenance Mode. However it doesn’t take into account nearly the amount of things taken into account for the SDRS Storage vMotions, it just intelligently(or semi-intelligently) Storage vMotions VMs away from the datastore.

First I should note that there are two ways to upgrade a datastore.

  • An In-Place Upgrade: In this upgrade scenario, nothing is affected and all the VMs and files can stay in place during the upgrade process. This script is NOT for this kind of upgrade.
  • The second upgrade process is where the datastore is destroyed and recreated. That is what this script addresses. This second process will also give you the most benefits as not all of the VMFS 5 features are available in the In-Place Upgrade Process

From VMware’s VMFS 5 Upgrade Considerations

While a VMFS-3 which is upgraded to VMFS-5 provides you with most of the capabilities as a newly created VMFS-5, there are some differences. Both upgraded and newly created VMFS-5 support single-extent volumes up to 64TB and both support VMDK sizes of ~2TB, no matter what the VMFS file-block size is. However additional differences, although minor, should be considered when making a decision whether to upgrade to VMFS-5 or create new VMFS-5 volumes

For the full scoop check out that doc. It should also be quickly noted that for the Long-Term I would recommend the second upgrade process(the deletion and recreation of the datastore) so you get the most out of VMFS 5.

Alright back to the fun

This script “intelligently” Storage vMotions VMs in one of two ways.….

The first way is that a destination datastore is given…If this is the case, it just queues up all the VMs to Storage vMotion over, wait for all of them to finish, then delete/recreate the datastore

The second way is where the fun starts…For this way, the script will send each VM to a different Datastore based on several different criteria

  • First a list can be given where you definitely don’t want VMs to be sent to, the $exclusions variable
  • It can also exclude datastore1 as being selected if datastore1 was used in the previous # Storage vMotions, the $excludeprevious variable.
  • From the datastores left after those first two filters, it checks to see which of the remaining have FreeSpace greater than the UsedSpace of the VM + 25%.. as a buffer
  • From this final list of datastores, it does a get-random 🙂

The reason for all this, is I didn’t want the script to coincidentally send several VMs to the same datastore and potentially max out the remaining free space on the Datastore, causing other problems.

A second way I am trying to avoid maxing out datastore, is by only having so many Storage vMotions at a time($maxconcurrent), since the FreeSpace on the datastore is not updated until the Storage vMotion Completes…Which means my third filter can only work sooo well.

Once there are $maxconcurrent Storage vMotions occurring, the script takes a sample of the current Storage vMotions, sleeps for a specified time($sampleperiod), then takes a second sample. From these two samples, the script determines which one of the storage vmotions will finish first, and do a wait-task on that one, before continuing with the rest of the Storage vMotions…Not going to lie, this part I am both super excited for and kind of proud of  🙂

I really hope all of this makes sense….. Please let me know if it doesn’t

Here a couple things the script Does account for:

  • Templates….it converts them to VMs and migrates them to everyone else…then at the end it converts them back
  • Unregistered VMs and Templates..It will register them, and if a template do what I mentioned directly above. Of course at the end it will then re-unregister everything.
  • Also it adds a custom attribute to objects it registers and templates it converts to VMs. This way in case of a failure or an exit of the script it. You can find items which were previously unregistered or templates
  • By Default it will prompt you with a -confirm before it deletes or creates any datastores, you have to explicitly define -confirm $false if you do not want to be prompted

There are currently 2 things this script doesn’t account for:

  1. VMs with vmdk’s in different locations…as it is, it is Storage vMotion all vmdks to the destination datastore. Other random files on the Datastore, ISOs or whatever else on the datastore, again might be lost…

A couple things I want to add in future revisions

  • Ability to do $maxconcurrent when using the -moveto and -moveback parameter. Currently if -moveto is used the $maxconcurrent is not taken into account  and is not taken into account during the -moveback.
  • A check to see if there are Any files left on the datastore before it is deleted
  • Just clean up the script a bit and make it more presentable
  • A bit better error handling. I think it is pretty alright at the moment, but it could definitely be better.

As a Note and a Disclaimer…

This can and will delete your datastore if you are not careful. I have taken many precautions in the script to try to prevent accidentally deleting things you may want, but at the end of the day it is your responsibility to make sure you do not delete your stuff.

Also I am not saying that the script is perfect and doesn’t have any bugs. I have done my best to try to work everything out, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t missed something. I have ran through this bad boy probably close to 100 times in an effort to make everything work correctly. Still though that doesn’t mean that I didn’t miss something or a bunch of things. If I did miss something..Please Please let me know!

I would really really really really like to thank @LucD22 and @Josh_Atwell for providing me feedback for this script. It was really really appreciated. I also want to thank @LucD22,  as I adapted part of his VMX Raiders script for registering VMs. And @Josh_Atwell as I borrowed his layout for his comment based help section from his Test-vMotion. It was just soo pretty.

——–

If you want to download

DOWNLOAD THE SCRIPT click HERE, which is hosted at the ScriptingGuy’s Repository or

[wpfilebase tag=file id=1 tpl=3-col-row /]

If you want to view the script, check out the Collaspable code box below.

Function Upgrade-Datastore{
<#
 .Synopsis
 At its core, this script takes a target datastore, migrates VMs away from the datastore, deletes the datastore, and recreates the datastore as VMFS 5

 .Description
 User supplies a VMFS Datastore which will be upgraded to VMFS5
 Migrates VMs to other datastores either supplied by the $moveto variable, or the custom algorithm built into the script
 After all migrations have completed, checks to see if any VMs are still located on the Datastore(because of a migration failure), if VMs are left, the script exits
 Once confirmed that no VMs are left, Deletes the datastore, then recreates the datastore as VMFS 5.

 Migration Selection Process=

 To Start this does not apply if using $MoveTo

 First Filter: we take all the datastore and compare them to the exlclusions, what we're left with possible the ossible datastores where the VM could be Storage vMotioned to

 Second Filter: It will ignore datastores if they have been used in the previous $excludeprevious attempts

 Third Filter: It filters down this list even further per VM. This confirms that the datastore has free space which is 25% more than UsedSpace of the VM.

 From this filtered down list, it picks a random datastore for the VM to be Migrated to

 The reason for all of this, is so one Datastore is not picked over and over and the Storage vMotion max out the capacity and freeze the drive.

 Unaccounted Variables/Potential Future Updates

 This script does currently take into account:
 1. Other files, like ISOs, which reside on the datastore. They might be deleted
 2. VMs with multiple vmdks located in different locations. It will migrate all vmdks to the chosen datastore

 .Parameter Upgradestore
 This is the datastore that is selected to be upgraded

 .Parameter Server
 The vCenter server the script connects where the datastore is located.
 This is included for safety, in case your native powershell/powercli session is connected to multiple vCenters

 .Parameter Moveto
 Used if you have a specific datastore you want the VMs moved to while $Upgradestore is being deleted and recreated, not a required variable.
 If this is Not used, the script will decide where to migrate VMs

 .Parameter MaxConcurrent
 If Not Using $MoveTo, the maximum concurrent storage migrations the script will allow.
 This is used as a safety in case $upgradestore has A Lot of VMs and several don't get assigned to migrate to the same datastore and potentially max out UsedSpace on the datastore.
 There are several other checks in an attempt to prevent this.

 .Parameter Exclusions
 If you are Not using the MoveTo variable, use this variable to define Datastore you do Not want VMs migrated to.
 For example, datastores you might define here could be host local storage, storage for swap, storage for backups...etc

 .Parameter MoveBack
 After everything is said and done....do you want to move the VMs back to their original datastore

 .Parameter ExcludePrevious[INT]
 This will exclude the previous $excludeprevious Datastores when deciding where to migrate the next VM

 .Parameter Confirm

 By default, it will prompt to confirm before deleting and creating the datastore, if you don't want this set $confirm to $false

 .Parameter SamplePeriod

 The time between samples, in order to determine rate a which storage vMotions are progressing

 .Example

 upgrade-datastore -datastore VolumeA -moveto VolumeB -moveback -server vcenter.vnoob.local

 This example will queue up all vm's and templates on VolumeA to be moved to VolumeB. Since -moveto was chosen it will not take into account the datastore selection process or the maxconcurrent process.

 .Example

 $exclusions="VolumeB", "VolumeC"

 C:\PS>upgrade-datstore -datastore VolumeA -server vcenter.vnoob.local -Exclusions $exclusions -maxconcurrent 3

 In this example the script will decide where to move the VMs and Templates from VolumeA, however it will not move anything to VolumeB or VolumeC. It will also only move 3 at a time

 .Example

 $exclusions="VolumeB", "VolumeC"

 C:\PS>upgrade-datstore -datastore VolumeA -server vcenter.vnoob.local -Exclusions $exclusions -maxconcurrent 3 -excludeprevious 2

 Same previous example except this time along with excluding VolumeB and VolumeC, it will also exclude the last two datastores selected in the Storage vMotion Process
 This is another step to try to prevent the Storage vMotions from accidentally filling a datastore.

 .Example

 upgrade-datstore -datastore VolumeA -server vcenter.vnoob.local -maxconcurrent 3 -sampleperiod 180

 Will completely decide where to move VMs and Templates. Once 3 are in process it will Take a sample, Wait the $sampleperiod, then take another sample. From this it will make educated guess when one of those 3 will be done first, and wait-task on that task. After that task has finished it will proceed.

 .Link
 www.vnoob.com

 .Notes

 It should be noted...When using -moveto... $exclusions, $maxconcurrent, $sampleperiod, $excludeprevious are all not taken into account.

 The reason for this is when using -moveto you are deciding that you have investigated the destination(moveto) datastore, and that all VMs and Templates will be able to move there.

====================================================================
 Author:
 Conrad Ramos <conrad@vnoob.com> https://www.vnoob.com/

Date: 2012-2-21
 Revision: 1.0

 Disclaimer:
 This can and will delete your datastore if you are not careful.
 I have taken many precautions in the script to try to prevent accidentally deleting things you may want,
 but at the end of the day it is your responsibility to make sure you do not delete your stuff. Pretty much,
 I am saying I am not responsible for how you use this script.

====================================================================
#>
param([Parameter(mandatory=$true, HelpMessage="Enter the name of the datastore you would like to upgrade.")]$upgradestore,
 [Parameter(mandatory=$true, HelpMessage="Enter the name of the vCenter Server you want to connect to.")]$server,
 [array]$exclusions, $maxconcurrent="4", $moveto=$null, [switch]$moveback, $confirm=$true, [int]$excludeprevious=2, $sampleperiod=300)



Try{
Disconnect-VIServer -Server * -Force -Confirm:$false -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue}
Catch{}
Connect-VIServer $server -ea silentlycontinue -ErrorVariable +err
IF($err.count -gt 0)
{Write-Warning "Unable to connect to $server" ;return}

#Datastore Prep
$datastore=Get-Datastore $upgradestore -ea silentlycontinue -ErrorVariable +err
IF($err.count -gt 0)
{Write-Warning "Cannot Locate Datastore $upgradestore" ;return}

$datastores=get-Datastore
$alldathost=$datastore|Get-VMHost
$datHost=$datastore|get-VMHost|select -First 1
$canonical= $datastore|Get-ScsiLun|select -ExpandProperty canonicalname|Get-Unique
$datastoreid=$datastore.id

$storename=(get-datastore $upgradestore).name
IF(($exclusions|?{$_ -like $storename}) -eq $null){$exclusions+=$upgradestore}

#$Destinations is a combination of all the datastores Minus the ones listed in the $exceptions variable. This will be the pool the script draws on to decide where to migrate the VMs to
$destinations=compare-object $datastores $exclusions|select -expandproperty inputobject

IF(($destinations.count -lt $excludeprevious))
{Write-Warning "The sum of the available datastores subtracted by the '-exclusions' must be `
greater than '-excludeprevious' in order for Storage vMotions to work correctly" ;return}

$refresh=$destinations

New-Customattribute -name Unregistered -targettype virtualmachine -ea silentlycontinue |Out-Null
New-Customattribute -name Template -targettype virtualmachine -ea silentlycontinue|Out-Null
$err=$null


New-PSDrive -Name TgtDS -Location $Datastore -PSProvider VimDatastore -Root '\' | Out-Null
#Template Prep
Write-Output "Checking for and Registering Unregistered Templates"
$templates=get-template|?{$_.datastoreidlist -like $datastoreid}
$registeredtemps = @{}
 #$templates | %{$_.Extensiondata.LayoutEx.File | where {$_.Name -like "*.vmtx"} | %{$registeredtemps.Add($_.Name,$true)}}
 $templates|%{ Get-ChildItem -Path TgtDS:$_ -Recurse|?{$_.name -like "*.vmtx"}|%{$registeredtemps.add($_.name,$true)}}
 # Set up Search for .VMTX Files in Datastore

 $unregisteredtemps = @(Get-ChildItem -Path TgtDS: -Recurse | `
 where {$_.FolderPath -notmatch ".snapshot" -and ($_.name -like "*.vmtx") -and !$registeredtemps.ContainsKey($_.Name)})

 #Register all .vmtx Files as Templatess on the datastore
 foreach($VMTXFile in $unregisteredtemps) {

$temp=New-template -templatefilepath $VMTXFile.DatastoreFullPath -VMHost $datHost
 $temp |Set-Annotation -CustomAttribute Unregistered -Value PreviouslyUnregistered
}

$templates=get-template|?{$_.datastoreidlist -like $datastoreid}
IF ($templates -ne $null)
 {
 Write-Output "Settings Templates to VMs"
 $templates |Set-Annotation -CustomAttribute Template -Value PreviouslyTemplate
 $templates|set-template -tovm|out-null
 }
#VM Prep
$vms=$datastore|Get-VM



#Unregistered VM Prep
 # Collect .vmx paths of registered VMs on the datastore
 Write-Output "Checking for and Registering Unregistered VMs"
 $registered = @{}
 #$vms | %{$_.Extensiondata.LayoutEx.File | where {$_.Name -like "*.vmx"} | %{$registered.Add($_.Name,$true)}}
 $vms|%{ Get-ChildItem -Path TgtDS:$_ -Recurse|?{$_.name -like "*.vmx"}|%{$registered.add($_.name,$true)}}
 # Set up Search for .VMX Files in Datastore

 $unregistered = @(Get-ChildItem -Path TgtDS: -Recurse |where {$_.FolderPath -notmatch ".snapshot" -and $_.Name -like "*.vmx" -and !$registered.ContainsKey($_.Name)})

 #Register all .vmx Files as VMs on the datastore
 foreach($VMXFile in $unregistered) {

$unvm=New-VM -VMFilePath $VMXFile.DatastoreFullPath -VMHost $datHost
 $unvm|Set-Annotation -CustomAttribute Unregistered -Value PreviouslyUnregistered

}
Remove-PSDrive -Name TgtDS

$vms=$datastore|Get-VM
$count=$vms.count
[array]$tasktrackers=@()

#MoveTo given a value will just queue up all the VMs to move to the moveto datastore
IF($moveto -ne $null)
{
 $moveto=Get-Datastore $moveto -ea silentlycontinue -ErrorVariable +err
 IF($err.count -gt 0)
 {Write-Warning "Cannot Locate Datastore $upgradestore" ;return}

FOREACH($VM in $vms)
 {
 $vmname=$null

 $vmmove= ""| select -Property name, taskid
 Write-Output "Migrating $vm to $moveto"
 move-VM -VM $vm -Datastore $moveto -RunAsync
 $vmmove.name=$vm.name
 $vmname=$VM.name
 $vmmove.taskid=(get-task -status running|?{((get-View $_).info.entityname -like "*$vmname*") -AND ($_.description -like "*relocate*")}|get-view).info.key
 $tasktrackers+=$vmmove
 }

}

#If a moveto value is not used, this section will go through and select which datastores to use on a per VM basis.
Else
{
 [int]$i=0
 FOREACH($VM in $vms)
 {
 $destinations=$refresh

 $wait=$null
 $vmname=$null
 $vmmove= ""| select -Property name, taskid, destination
 #Test to see if there are already $maxconcurrent Storage vMotions in progress. If there is it will check to see if there are any over 85% complete,
 #and wait on the one furthest along to complete. IF none are over 85% it will wait on the the one with the smallest amount of used space, before continuing
 IF((get-task -status running|?{($_.description -like "*relocate*")}).count -ge $maxconcurrent)
 {

 $wait=get-task -Status running|?{($_.percentcomplete -gt "85") -and ($_.description -like "*relocate*")}|sort percentcomplete -desc|select -First 1
 If($wait -ne $null)
 {
 Write-Output "Percent Complete"
 $viewwait=$wait|Get-View
 $vmname=$viewwait.info.entityname
 Write-Output "Waiting for $vmname to Migrate"
 wait-Task -Task $wait
 }
 Else
 {
 [array]$judges=@()
 Write-Output "Taking Sample 1"

 #This next section I take a sample, wait some time, take another sample. From this then we estimate when the next Storage Migration will end.
 #It will do this by taking the how far the Storage Migration has progressed, how close it is to 100%. Since this was done over a time rate, it essentialy finds it rate of progression/completion.

 ForEach($tasktracker in $tasktrackers)
 {
 $judgetask=$null
 $waittask=""| select taskid, percent1, percent2, difference, ratio
 $id=$tasktracker.taskid
 $judgetask=get-task -Status Running |?{(($_.description -like "*relocate*") -and (get-view $_).info.key -like "*$id*")}
 IF($judgetask -ne $null){
 $waittask.taskid=$id
 $waittask.percent1=$judgetask.percentcomplete
 $judges+=$waittask
 }
 }
 Start-Sleep -Seconds $sampleperiod

 Write-Output "Taking Sample 2"
 FOREach($judge in $judges)
 {
 $id=$judge.taskid
 $smallratio=$null
 $judgetask=$null
 $judgetask=get-task -Status Running |?{((get-View $_).info.entityname -like "*$vmname*") -AND ($_.description -like "*relocate*") -and (get-view $_).info.key -like "*$id*"}
 $judge.percent2=$judgetask.percentcomplete
 $judge.difference = $judge.percent2 - $judge.percent1

 try{$judge.ratio= (100-$judge.percent2)/($judge.difference)}
 Catch {}
 }

 IF(($judges|?{(($_.percent2 -eq "100") -or ($_.difference -lt 0))}) -eq $null)
 {
 #$judges|sort ratio|ft -auto
 $smallratio=($judges|?{$_.difference -ne 0}|sort ratio|select -First 1)
 $id=$smallratio.taskid
 $waitjudge=get-task -Status Running |?{(($_.description -like "*relocate*") -and ((get-view $_).info.key -like "*$id*"))}
 #$waitjudge
 $judgename=(get-view $waitjudge).info.entityname
 Write-Output "Waiting for $judgename to Migrate"
 Wait-Task -task $waitjudge
 }
 Else{Write-Output "A Task Finished during the Sample Period, Moving On"}
 }
 }

 #Filters the possible datastores down even further to exclude previously used Datastores up to $excludeprevious,
 #then to#datastores that have 25% more free space than the VM requires

 IF(($i -le $excludeprevious) -and ($i -gt 0))
 {
 $previous=$tasktrackers[($i-1)..0]|%{$_.destination}
 $destinations=compare-object $destinations $previous|select -expandproperty inputobject
 }
 ElseIF($i -gt $excludeprevious)
 {
 $previous=$tasktrackers[($i-1)..($i-$excludeprevious)]|%{$_.destination}
 $destinations=compare-object $destinations $previous|select -expandproperty inputobject
 }

 $destinations=get-datastore $destinations

 $moveto=$destinations|?{($_.freespacemb / 1KB) -gt (($vm.usedspacegb)*1.25)}|get-random
 If($moveto -eq $null){Write-Warning "No more Datastores match the criteria for Storage vMotion" ;return}
 Write-Output "Migrating $vm to $moveto"

 move-VM -VM $vm -Datastore $moveto -RunAsync |Out-Null



$vmmove.name=$vm.name
 $vmname=$VM.name
 $vmmove.taskid=(get-task -status running|?{((get-View $_).info.entityname -like "$vmname") -AND ($_.description -like "*relocate*")}|get-view).info.key
 $vmmove.destination=$moveto
 $tasktrackers+=$vmmove

[int]$i=$i+1
 }
}

#This section takes all the tasks that have been created and confirms that they have all finished before moving on to the next step
ForEach($tasktracker in $tasktrackers)
{
$vmname=$null
$task=$null
$vmname=$tasktracker.name
$id=$tasktracker.taskid
$task=get-task -Status Running |?{(((get-View $_).info.entityname -like "$vmname") -AND ($_.description -like "*relocate*") -and ((get-view $_).info.key -like "*$id*"))}
 If ($task -ne $null)
 {$vmname=$tasktracker.name
 Write-Output "Waiting for $vmname to finish Migrating"
 Wait-Task $task

 }
}



# At this point if ANY VMs are left on the datastore, the script exits....
IF(((Get-Datastore $datastore|Get-VM) -ne $null) -or ((get-template|?{$_.datastoreidlist -like $datastoreid}) -ne $null))
{
Write-Warning "One of the VMs or Templates was not able to be moved to another datastore"
return
}

#Delete Datastore
Write-Output "Deleting Volume $Upgradestore"
$delete=(remove-datastore -datastore $datastore -vmhost $dathost -runasync -confirm:$confirm)
Write-Output "Waiting for $UpgradeStore to be deleted"
$delete|Wait-Task
Start-Sleep -Seconds 20

#Create Datastore
Write-Output "Recreating Volume $datastore"
$new=(new-datastore -name $Storename -host $dathost -vmfs -path $canonical -filesystemversion 5 -confirm:$confirm)

&nbsp;

Write-Output "Rescanning Storage"
Get-VMHostStorage -vmhost $alldathost -RescanVmfs |Out-Null

Start-Sleep 40

#If user wants to move VMs back after upgrade
IF($moveback)
{

Write-Output "Moving VMs back to their original Datastore"
move-VM -VM $vms -Datastore $upgradestore -RunAsync |Out-Null

}
ForEach($template in $templates){
$vmname=$template.name
$temptask=get-task -Status Running |?{(((get-View $_).info.entityname -like "$vmname") -AND ($_.description -like "*relocate*"))}
If($temptask -ne $null)
{wait-task $temptask}
get-vm $template|set-vm -totemplate -confirm:$false|out-null
}

$unregister=$vms |get-annotation -customattribute Unregistered|?{$_.value -eq "PreviouslyUnregistered"}|select -expand annotatedentity
IF($unregister -gt $null)
{Write-Output "Unregistering VMs and Templates which were previously unregistered"
Remove-Inventory $unregister -Confirm:$false
}

Remove-CustomAttribute -CustomAttribute Unregistered -Confirm:$false
Remove-CustomAttribute -CustomAttribute Template -Confirm:$false

}


5 Comments

Cals · March 30, 2012 at 11:50 pm

Storage vMotion was alien in 2007 for the aboriginal time. We’ve apparent a lot of improvements over time to the appearance accompanying to VM clearing technologies. Accumulator vMotion allows an active VM to be confused from one abstracts abundance to addition abstracts store. My accumulator convenance about sees me application VMFS volumes for vSphere VMs, but NFS is additionally accurate for Accumulator vMotion.

vmotion storage

wamatha · November 11, 2014 at 3:09 pm

Great script!
I am in the process of migrating VM’s to VPLEX LUN’s, and feel your script will help in this, only bit I don’t need is the deletion part.

If I remove the Delete and Create Datastore sections, the script should work without a hitch. Correct?

Wamatha

    C-Rad · March 27, 2015 at 9:30 am

    It’s been a while since I have went through the script, but yes you should be able to remove the delete and create datastore sections.

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