Is linux/ powershell important to learn to master vmware?

Waria Ahmed

Hi All,

I am really keen on becoming a vmware specialist and my current job gives me the perfect platform to do that (100+ hosts, 4 datacenters, multiple clusters etc)

I was just wondering if I could get some advice on what I should study to enhance my knowledge?

Ive already done a vsphere 5.0 course and now im doing the 5.5 equivalent. Already have a ccna and mcse so I have a grounding knownedge of IT servers and networks.

Wondering if powershell would be a good skill to add?

Thanks

ghd

PowerShell is always going to be a skill worth learning. A first step in automating all those activities that you do in the GUI ... helping to ensure standardisation, consistency, repeatability ...

Architect192

Scripting skills is essential to be a good sysadmin. I don't understand companies who hire sysadmins who have no clue how to script anything. If you can't automate, generate custom reports, or do any of the hundreds of things you can do with scripts than you can't without, you're doing yourself and your company a disservice.

PowerShell and PowerCLI for VMware are essential skills for the current technologies. Jump in and enjoy!

DigitalZeroOne

I would definitely give PowerShell more precedence than Linux when it comes to VMware. Of course, it would still be beneficial to learn some basic Linux, but PowerShell is what will take your multiple hour projects down to minutes. I use PowerShell every single day at work, I even use it for simple tasks like moving a VM into a folder. PowerShell is one of the most exciting things for me right now, I just wish I would have started with it earlier.

Waria Ahmed

Great advice, thanks... what is the best source for learning powershell?

Was planning on watching youtube videos.

Asif Dasl

CBT Nuggets have an extensive course on Powershell which I have not got through yet, but it looks like it's good stuff.
Windows PowerShell v2-v3-v4 Ultimate Training Video Training Online | CBT Nuggets

There is also a free Microsoft Virtual Academy course that you can do.
PowerShell Scripting Training | Microsoft Virtual Academy

Essendon

Great advice here already, as for books this one and this one are pretty good. As you are just starting out with scripting, the former is probably better. Use voucher code bawdanu to get 40% off it, so the book's at $15, great buy I reckon.

SimonD.

I would also say however that if you don't script it's not the end of the world, as long as you have an understanding of what it is that you're trying to do you can always find a script off the web and utilise it for your own needs.

I should add that I am not a scripter, I haven't needed to learn in the years I have been working because I follow my previous advice and make use of scripts from online resources.

Yes it's handy to have knowledge of scripting but if you don't have a deep understanding of it it's not going to mean you not getting a job, I should add that I am a sys admin and have been for a number of years, am I a bad sys admin? I don't know, ask the company I have been working as a senior engineer for the last 3 and a half years. What I am trying to say is that when it's called for I can use a PowerCLI or PowerShell script but I couldn't create those scripts from scratch as it's not something that I have done before or actually really care about (I have never been a programmer and have no interest in it).

As far as Linux is concerned I would say that it's probably a good idea to get a better than basic understanding of the Linux command line because more and more appliances are coming out that are Linux based (Suse for the most part), you will also find that upcoming releases of vCenter for example stop having a Windows based appliance and goes down the Linux route fully.

ghd

Other good resources:

www.powershellmagazine.com

PowerShell.org | Resources and Q&A for PowerShell People

Learn Powershell | Achieve More | What is this Powershell of which you speak?

DigitalZeroOne

SimonD. wrote: »

I would also say however that if you don't script it's not the end of the world, as long as you have an understanding of what it is that you're trying to do you can always find a script off the web and utilise it for your own needs.

I should add that I am not a scripter, I haven't needed to learn in the years I have been working because I follow my previous advice and make use of scripts from online resources.

Yes it's handy to have knowledge of scripting but if you don't have a deep understanding of it it's not going to mean you not getting a job, I should add that I am a sys admin and have been for a number of years, am I a bad sys admin? I don't know, ask the company I have been working as a senior engineer for the last 3 and a half years. What I am trying to say is that when it's called for I can use a PowerCLI or PowerShell script but I couldn't create those scripts from scratch as it's not something that I have done before or actually really care about (I have never been a programmer and have no interest in it).

As far as Linux is concerned I would say that it's probably a good idea to get a better than basic understanding of the Linux command line because more and more appliances are coming out that are Linux based (Suse for the most part), you will also find that upcoming releases of vCenter for example stop having a Windows based appliance and goes down the Linux route fully.

Not to start a war here, but I would say to the OP, you need to learn how to script with PowerShell/PowerCLI if you're in a VMware environment. PowerShell as a scripting language is not very old, so there won't be a lot of people scripting with it, but if you take similar admins, with the only major difference being that one knows PowerShell, then I'm sure that person would edge out the other in a job. Obviously more goes into it, but always stack your deck with the most cards.

In a one line PowerShell script you could remove all of the Floppy drives from a VM, you could increase the RAM on certain VMs to whatever you want, you could vMotion or Storage vMotion VMs for a migration. These are all things that would be very time consuming and IMO, very boring if done manually. While there are pre-made scripts out there, learning how to do it yourself is not as difficult as learning C# or C++, or even VB Script.

When it comes to VMware/vSphere...heck, you're going to need to learn networking, storage, Linux, PowerShell, but if I had to choose the one I use the most, it is hands down, PowerShell, I use it every day.

PowerShell is touching more and more other products, obviously there is Windows, and as mentioned before, vSphere, but there are also cmdlets for HP iLO, Citrix and many others.

For PowerShell training, I would say go with Pluralsight.com, which purchased trainsignal. I like cbt nuggets, but you can pay $30 a month for Pluralsight, as opposed to $100 a month for cbt nuggets, there is also Don Jones book: Learn Windows PowerShell in a month of lunches. But if you're not ready to spend any money, like you said, there is always youtube.