Configure Syslog on Local Datastore with PowerCLI

By On February 2, 2011 · 3 Comments

Configuring a syslog folder is convenient for troubleshooting ESXi. But it’s a pain you-know-where to configure manually across all your ESXi servers. Luckily, PowerCLI can help out. This script creates a folder on the local datastore and configures ESXi to write the syslog in that folder.
Enjoy!
Hugo

#Folder name you like
$syslogFolderName = "syslog"
 
#Connect to vCenter
Connect-VIServer vcenter.domain.local
 
#Loop through hosts
ForEach ($vmhost in Get-VMHost)
	{
	#Get only the first part of the FQDN (only if you used the FQDN to add the ESX server to vCenter)
	$hostname = $vmhost.name.split(".")[0].ToUpper()
 
	#Local datastore name (equal to hostname in my case)
	$datastorename = $hostname
 
	#Make the local datastore accessible as a PSdrive
	New-PSDrive -Name $hostname -Root \ -PSProvider VimDatastore -Datastore (Get-Datastore $datastorename) -Scope global
 
	#Access the new PSDrive
	Set-Location $hostname":"
 
	#Create the syslog folder
	New-Item $syslogFolderName -ItemType directory
 
	#Set the advanced parameter to configure the syslog on the local datastore
	$value = "[$datastorename] $syslogFoldername/$hostname.log"
	Set-VMHostAdvancedConfiguration -VMHost $vmhost -Name "Syslog.Local.DatastorePath" -Value $value
 
	#Cleanup
	Set-Location $PSHOME
	Remove-PSDrive $hostname
	Clear-Variable hostname -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
	Clear-Variable datastorename -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
	Clear-Variable value -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
	}
 
#Disconnect from vCenter
Disconnect-VIServer -confirm:$false

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3 Responses to Configure Syslog on Local Datastore with PowerCLI

  1. marc says:
    April 17, 2011 at 11:23 am

    Hi hugo,

    Apologies for a slightly off-topic question.

    I am having an issue with the “get-vm” command being very slow on the FIRST time its run only.

    I’m just wondering based on your experience how long does the get-vm command usually take on the FIRST run based on the given number of VMs in the vCenter inventory?

    Also, what advice can you give me around building a high performing environment where the get-vm command is very fast even on the first run… is it simply a matter of getting very fast cpu/memory/hard disk etc… or are there fundamental ways of speeding up a simple “get-vm” command on the FIRST time its launched? Note – get-vm runs quickly on subsequent runs, I’m specifically querying around speeding up the first run…

    Appreciate any insight you can provide,
    regards
    marc

    Reply
  2. admin says:
    April 18, 2011 at 1:17 pm

    Marc,

    Make sure you are using the latest versions of powershell and powercli. You can benchmark the performance of the cmdlet using Measure-Command {Get-VM}.
    You can get more people to compare against your speed on the vmware communities at http://www.vmware.com/go/powercli.
    I am also sure google can find more people with the same question.
    Good luck,
    Hugo

    Reply