fence_vmware (8)

fence_vmware is an I/O Fencing agent which can be used with the VMware ESX, VMware ESXi or VMware Server to fence virtual machines.

Before you can use this agent, it must be installed VI Perl Toolkit or vmrun command on every node you want to make fencing.

VI Perl Toolkit is preferred for VMware ESX/ESXi and Virtual Center. Vmrun command is only solution for VMware Server 1/2 (this command will works against ESX/ESXi 3.5 up2 and VC up2 too, but not cluster aware!) and is available as part of VMware VIX API SDK package. VI Perl and VIX API SDK are both available from VMware web pages (not int RHEL repository!).

You can specify type of VMware you are connecting to with -d switch (or vmware_type for stdin). Possible values are esx, server2 and server1.Default value is esx, which will use VI Perl. With server1 and server2, vmrun command is used.

After you have successfully installed VI Perl Toolkit or VIX API, you should be able to run fence_vmware_helper (part of this agent) or vmrun command. This agent supports only vmrun from version 2.0.0 (VIX API 1.6.0).

fence_vmware accepts options on the command line as well as from stdin. Fenced sends parameters through stdin when it execs the agent. fence_vmware can be run by itself with command line options. This is useful for testing and for turning outlets on or off from scripts.

Vendor URL: http://www.vmware.com

-o, --action=<action>

Fencing Action (Default Value: reboot)

-a, --ip=<ip>

IP Address or Hostname This parameter is always required.

-l, --username=<name>

Login Name This parameter is always required.

-p, --password=<password>

Login password or passphrase

-S, --password-script=<script>

Script to retrieve password

-n, --plug=<id>

Physical plug number or name of virtual machine This parameter is always required.

-e, --exec=<command>

Command to execute

-d, --vmware_type=<type>

Type of VMware to connect (Default Value: esx)

-x, --ssh

SSH connection (Default Value: true)

-k, --identity-file=<filename>

Identity file for ssh

-s, --vmware-datacenter=<dc>

Show only machines in specified datacenter

-v, --verbose

Verbose mode

-D, --debug-file=<debugfile>

Write debug information to given file

-V, --version

Display version information and exit

-h, --help

Display help and exit

-C, --separator=<char>

Separator for CSV created by operation list (Default Value: ,)

--power-timeout

Test X seconds for status change after ON/OFF (Default Value: 20)

--shell-timeout

Wait X seconds for cmd prompt after issuing command (Default Value: 3)

--login-timeout

Wait X seconds for cmd prompt after login (Default Value: 5)

--power-wait

Wait X seconds after issuing ON/OFF (Default Value: 0)

--delay

Wait X seconds before fencing is started (Default Value: 0)

--retry-on

Count of attempts to retry power on (Default Value: 1)

on

Power on machine.

off

Power off machine.

reboot

Reboot machine.

status

This returns the status of the plug/virtual machine.

list

List available plugs with aliases/virtual machines if there is support for more then one device. Returns N/A otherwise.

monitor

Check if fencing device is running. List available plugs/virtual machines or get status of machine (if it does not support more).

metadata

The operational behavior of this is not known.

action

Fencing Action (Default Value: reboot)

ipaddr

IP Address or Hostname This parameter is always required.

login

Login Name This parameter is always required.

passwd

Login password or passphrase

passwd_script

Script to retrieve password

port

Physical plug number or name of virtual machine This parameter is always required.

exec

Command to execute

vmware_type

Type of VMware to connect (Default Value: esx)

secure

SSH connection (Default Value: true)

identity_file

Identity file for ssh

vmware_datacenter

Show only machines in specified datacenter

verbose

Verbose mode

debug

Write debug information to given file

version

Display version information and exit

help

Display help and exit

separator

Separator for CSV created by operation list (Default Value: ,)

power_timeout

Test X seconds for status change after ON/OFF (Default Value: 20)

shell_timeout

Wait X seconds for cmd prompt after issuing command (Default Value: 3)

login_timeout

Wait X seconds for cmd prompt after login (Default Value: 5)

power_wait

Wait X seconds after issuing ON/OFF (Default Value: 0)

delay

Wait X seconds before fencing is started (Default Value: 0)

retry_on

Count of attempts to retry power on (Default Value: 1)