Category Archives: Virtualization

Exploring VM Security: How to Identify Encrypted Virtual Disks in vSphere

Posted on November 5, 2024 by brian.wuchner

I was recently looking at some virtual machines in a lab and trying to determine which had encrypted virtual disks vs. encrypted configuration folders only. This data is visible in the vSphere UI. From the VM list view we can … Continue reading →

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Unlocking the Power of VMware.vSphere.SsoAdmin: Automated Reporting and Management

Posted on November 1, 2024 by brian.wuchner

I’ve recently had a couple of questions around automated reporting or changes to the vCenter Server SSO Domain. I’ve seen mention of the VMware.vSphere.SsoAdmin PowerCLI module, but haven’t had a need to dig into it. This post will explore a … Continue reading →

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Automating Cluster Management with Aria Operations API

Posted on October 17, 2024 by brian.wuchner

As part of routine maintenance, it is sometimes necessary to take an Aria Operations cluster offline. For example, it is recommended to take the cluster offline to perform backups (https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-Aria-Operations/8.12/Best-Practices-Operations/GUID-1D058B4A-93BA-44D1-8794-AE8E1B96B3E4.html). Since most folks want to schedule backups, it is important … Continue reading →

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Scaling Your Tests: How to Set Up a vCenter Server Simulator

Posted on October 11, 2024 by brian.wuchner

I’ve recently been testing a handful of reporting tools against vCenter Server endpoints. I have several lab instances for various major releases, which allow me to test a wide range of configurations. However, there are some tests that are hard … Continue reading →

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Automate workaround for ESX Admins group

Posted on August 30, 2024 by brian.wuchner

In a recent security advisory (VMSA-2024-0013), there is a workaround listed for hosts older than ESXi 8.0u3 (https://knowledge.broadcom.com/external/article/369707). This knowledge base article lists a few advanced settings and an esxcli command which can be ran to apply this workaround. Setting … Continue reading →

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