PowerChute Network Shutdown OVA - Can you automate the deployment config settings

[TobyF]

I am deploying the APC Powerchute Network Shutdown OVA appliance in a VMWare environment to multiple remote locations. I am trying to find out if it is possible to automate the deployment, rather than have to input the VM settings and the PowerChute configuration items manually for each one. If so, is there a document that outlines how to do that. I'm assuming it can be done through Powershell/Powercli.

[TobyF]

I did manage to figure out the answer to my original question. Here is what I found, in case anyone else struggles to determine how to pre-populate the PowerChute Network Shutdown OVA appliance provided by Schneider...

Prerequisites:

1. Download the .ova file (PCNS_en_5.1.0.ova)

2. Must have PowerShell connection to VMWare vCenter to run the needed commands

3. Must have PowerCLI also installed, in addition to Powershell

Steps:

1. Create a copy of the .ova file and name it according to your deployment needs.

2. Save copied file to a workstation/server that has Powershell and Powercli installed, with access to VMWare vCenter.

3. Open PowerShell as Administrator

4. Type command: connect-viserver "ipaddress of VMWare vCenter"

5. Enter credentials for VMWare vCenter connection when prompted

6.Type Command: $ovfPath = "in quotes type the path of the OVA file (example C:\Temp\PCNS_en_1.5.0.ova)"

•  This command saves the file path as a reusable variable for PowerCLI

7. Type Command: $ovfconfig = get-ovfconfiguration -ovf $ovfpath

• This parses the .ova file and returns the parameters that you can set for the deployment configuration and saves the output to the $ovfconfig reusable variable

8. Enter the following information to set the parameters for the virtual appliance .ova file. In PowerShell, type the following commands...

• $ovfconfig.Common.DNS.Value = "Enter IP address of DNS servers, comma separated, no spaces"
• $ovfconfig.Common.Gateway.Value = "Enter IP Gateway Address"
• $ovfconfig.Common.IP.Value = "Enter IP address of PowerChute Network Shutdown OVA"
• $ovfconfig.Common.NetMask.Value = "Enter Subnet Mask IP Address"
• $ovfconfig.Common.HostName.Value = "Enter hostname of ESXi Host you are deploying the .ova to"
• $ovfconfig.Common.rootpw.Value = "Enter root password"
• $ovfconfig.Common.SSHEnabled.Value = "True"
• $ovfconfig.Common.Timezone.Value = "Enter timezone information"
  • Options for Pacific/Mountain/Central/Eastern: America/Los_Angeles, America/Denver, America/Chicago or America/New_York
• $ovfconfig.Common.PowerchuteUsername.Value = "Enter UPS network management login username"
• $ovfconfig.Common.PowerchutePassword.Value = "Enter UPS network management password"
• $ovfconfig.NetworkMapping.VM_Network.Value = "Enter name of virtual switch configured on VMWare Host"

9.Type Command: $ovfconfig.Common

• This will verify the information you have entered for the Common settings parameters

10. Type Command: $ovfconfig.NetworkMapping

• This will verify the virtual switch configuration you have entered

11. Type command: import-vapp -Source $ovfPath -name $ovfconfig.Common.Hostname -ovfconfiguration $ovfconfig -Datastore "Enter datastore you want to install on" -DiskStorageFormat Thin -VMhost "Enter FQDN Hostname of ESXi server you want to deploy your .ova to"

12. Once the deployment activities complete and BEFORE you boot for the first time, select the virtual machine you deployed in VMWare vSphere

• Click on Configure->vApp
• Click "Edit" button on IP Allocation Tab
• Check the box "Authoring->IP allocation scheme->OVF Environment"
• Click on OVF Details tab
• Check the box "OVF environment transport->VMWare Tools"
• Click "OK"

13. Wait for 5 minutes to ensure changes are applied

14. Boot VM and open a console window to view the boot process

15. VM should now be configured and boot straight to a login prompt