Link to home
Start Free TrialLog in
Avatar of reredok
reredokFlag for Germany

asked on

vsphere PowerCLI re-attach USB Device

Hello Experts,

every Day the external USB Device (Harddisc) moved out of the Server Room away from the ESXi 4.1 host.

Actual exists 2 different USB Harddisc, changed every day.

The VM could not reconnect the changed USB Harddisk; the Status is: "diconnected".
The USB Controller is still alive, an "Auto connect" is "enabled". In vSphere Client I must re-define the USB change ("accessible device") by adding a new USB Device :-(

I'm wondering if there is not a possibility in scripting with PowerCLI. I found many code snippets in view the existing VM-USB Controller (i.e. Get-UsbDevice -VM *), but none to re-connect a existing accessible Device.

thx && Best regards
reredok
Avatar of Andrew Hancock (VMware vExpert PRO / EE Fellow/British Beekeeper)
Andrew Hancock (VMware vExpert PRO / EE Fellow/British Beekeeper)
Flag of United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland image

USB Passthrough is not designed, or stable enough, for you to constantly remove devices and add devices in this manner that is the issue.

Restarting the VM, or moving to another host usually helps.
There are no CLI cmds I'm aware of to achieve what you're asking.

What is the purpose of you disconnecting/reconnecting your devices so often? Maybe we can offer another alternative?

~coolsport00
@coolsport00

I suspect daily backups to external USB disks! on disk a day!
Avatar of reredok

ASKER

We replace a faulty USB Harddisk. So the new one have other USB-Hardware-PID ... I think the esxi host have problems to recognize that hardware was terminated the another USB PID uses the same USB Port of the esxi host. Futhermore we don't disrupt the USB Devices in VM's Windows OS by "terminating Hardware" function.

Our USB Harddiscs are for Backup (VSS && Trilead VMExplorer) of VMs respectively all VM Files (i.e. vmdk's) in Datastore.
The company guidelines define a rentension to carry away the actual Backup USB Harddisk every day because of possible fire (damage) in serverroom.

I found in vmware-labs http://labs.vmware.com/flings/onyx which you can capture PSCLI commands via onyx "vmware-proxy". My first trials are successful. I'll test it detailed.
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
Avatar of Andrew Hancock (VMware vExpert PRO / EE Fellow/British Beekeeper)
Andrew Hancock (VMware vExpert PRO / EE Fellow/British Beekeeper)
Flag of United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland image

Link to home
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
Start Free Trial
@hanccocka - I assumed, but didn't wanna...well...assume :)

~coolsport00