VMware-AIops

<!-- mcp-name: io.github.zw008/vmware-aiops -->
# VMware AIops

> **Author**: Wei Zhou, VMware by Broadcom — wei-wz.zhou@broadcom.com
> This is a community-driven project by a VMware engineer, not an official VMware product.
> For official VMware developer tools see [developer.broadcom.com](https://developer.broadcom.com).

English | [中文](README-CN.md)

AI-powered VMware vCenter/ESXi VM lifecycle and deployment tool — 31 tools across 6 categories.

> **Companion skills** handle everything else:
>
> | Skill | Scope | Install |
> |-------|-------|---------|
> | **[vmware-monitor](https://github.com/zw008/VMware-Monitor)** | Read-only: inventory, health, alarms, events, metrics | `uv tool install vmware-monitor` |
> | **[vmware-storage](https://github.com/zw008/VMware-Storage)** | Datastores, iSCSI, vSAN management | `uv tool install vmware-storage` |
> | **[vmware-vks](https://github.com/zw008/VMware-VKS)** | Tanzu Namespaces, TKC cluster lifecycle | `uv tool install vmware-vks` |
>
> **Need read-only monitoring only?** Use [VMware-Monitor](https://github.com/zw008/VMware-Monitor) — zero destructive code in the codebase.

[![ClawHub](https://img.shields.io/badge/ClawHub-vmware--aiops-orange)](https://clawhub.ai/skills/vmware-aiops)
[![Skills.sh](https://img.shields.io/badge/Skills.sh-Install-blue)](https://skills.sh/zw008/VMware-AIops)
[![Claude Code Marketplace](https://img.shields.io/badge/Claude_Code-Marketplace-blueviolet)](https://github.com/zw008/VMware-AIops)
[![License: MIT](https://img.shields.io/badge/License-MIT-green.svg)](LICENSE)

### Quick Install (Recommended)

Works with Claude Code, Cursor, Codex, Gemini CLI, Trae, and 30+ AI agents:

```bash
# Via Skills.sh
npx skills add zw008/VMware-AIops

# Via ClawHub
clawhub install vmware-aiops
```

### PyPI Install (No GitHub Access Required)

```bash
# Install via uv (recommended)
uv tool install vmware-aiops

# Or via pip
pip install vmware-aiops

# China mainland mirror (faster)
pip install vmware-aiops -i https://pypi.tuna.tsinghua.edu.cn/simple
```

### Claude Code Plugin Install

```bash
# Add marketplace
/plugin marketplace add zw008/VMware-AIops

# Install plugin
/plugin install vmware-ops

# Use the skill
/vmware-ops:vmware-aiops
```

---

## Capabilities Overview

### What This Skill Does

| Category | Tools | Count |
|----------|-------|:-----:|
| **VM Lifecycle** | power on/off, TTL auto-delete, clean slate | 6 |
| **Deployment** | OVA, template, linked clone, batch clone/deploy | 8 |
| **Guest Ops** | exec commands, upload/download files, provision | 5 |
| **Plan/Apply** | multi-step planning with rollback | 4 |
| **Cluster** | create, delete, HA/DRS config, add/remove hosts | 6 |
| **Datastore** | browse files, scan for images | 2 |

### CLI vs MCP: Which Mode to Use

| Scenario | Recommended | Why |
|----------|:-----------:|-----|
| **Local/small models** (Ollama, Qwen <32B) | **CLI** | ~2K tokens context vs ~10K for MCP; small models struggle with many tool schemas |
| **Token-sensitive workflows** | **CLI** | SKILL.md + Bash tool = minimal overhead |
| **Cloud models** (Claude, GPT-4o) | Either | Both work; MCP gives structured JSON I/O |
| **Automated pipelines / Agent chaining** | **MCP** | Type-safe parameters, structured output, no shell parsing |
| **Monitoring / storage / K8s** | Companion skills | See [vmware-monitor](https://github.com/zw008/VMware-Monitor), [vmware-storage](https://github.com/zw008/VMware-Storage), [vmware-vks](https://github.com/zw008/VMware-VKS) |

> **Rule of thumb**: Use CLI for cost efficiency and small models. Use MCP for structured automation with large models.

### Architecture

```
User (Natural Language)
  ↓
AI CLI Tool (Claude Code / Gemini / Codex / Aider / Continue / Trae / Kimi)
  ↓ reads SKILL.md / AGENTS.md / rules
  ↓
vmware-aiops CLI
  ↓ pyVmomi (vSphere SOAP API)
  ↓
vCenter Server ──→ ESXi Cluster ──→ VM
    or
ESXi Standalone Host ──→ VM
```

### Version Compatibility

| vSphere / VCF Version | Support | Notes |
|----------------|---------|-------|
| VCF 9.1 / vSphere 9.1 | ✅ Full | Released 2026-05-12. pyVmomi `<10.0` resolves and connects via SOAP; new REST-only features (`PATCH /deployment/size`, IPv6-only GOSC) not yet wrapped — see [VCF Python SDK](https://developer.broadcom.com/sdks) for those. |
| VCF 9.0 / vSphere 9.0 | ✅ Full | pyVmomi 8.0.3+ connects against vSphere 9 SOAP API. From VCF 9, pyVmomi is also bundled inside the unified VCF Python SDK. |
| 8.0 / 8.0U1-U3 | ✅ Full | `CreateSnapshot_Task` deprecated → use `CreateSnapshotEx_Task` |
| 7.0 / 7.0U1-U3 | ✅ Full | All APIs supported |
| 6.7 | ✅ Compatible | Backward-compatible, tested |
| 6.5 | ✅ Compatible | Backward-compatible, tested |

> pyVmomi auto-negotiates the API version during SOAP handshake — no manual configuration needed. The same codebase manages 7.0 / 8.0 / 9.0 / 9.1 environments seamlessly.

#### Official Broadcom References

- **SDKs**: <https://developer.broadcom.com/sdks> — VCF Python SDK (recommended for VCF 9+, bundles pyVmomi + vSAN SDK), vSphere Automation SDK for Python (REST APIs)
- **REST APIs**: <https://developer.broadcom.com/xapis> — vSphere Automation API, VCF API, SDDC Manager API
- **CLI Tools**: <https://developer.broadcom.com/tools> — PowerCLI 9.1, ESXCLI, OVF Tool

---

## Common Workflows

### Deploy a Lab Environment

1. Browse datastore for OVA images → `vmware-aiops datastore browse <ds> --pattern "*.ova"`
2. Deploy VM from OVA → `vmware-aiops deploy ova ./image.ova --name lab-vm --datastore ds1`
3. Install software inside VM → `vmware-aiops vm guest-exec lab-vm --cmd /bin/bash --args "-c 'apt-get install -y nginx'" --user root`
4. Create baseline snapshot → `vmware-aiops vm snapshot-create lab-vm --name baseline`
5. Set TTL for auto-cleanup → `vmware-aiops vm set-ttl lab-vm --minutes 480`

### Batch Clone for Testing

1. Create plan: `vm_create_plan` with multiple clone + reconfigure steps
2. Review plan with user (shows affected VMs, irreversible warnings)
3. Apply: `vm_apply_plan` executes sequentially, stops on failure
4. If failed: `vm_rollback_plan` reverses executed steps
5. Set TTL on all clones for auto-cleanup

### Migrate VM to Another Host

1. Check VM info via `vmware-monitor` → verify power state and current host
2. Migrate: `vmware-aiops vm migrate my-vm --to-host esxi-02`
3. Verify migration completed

---

## VM Lifecycle

| Operation | Command | Confirmation | vCenter | ESXi |
|-----------|---------|:------------:|:-------:|:----:|
| Power On | `vm power-on <name>` | — | ✅ | ✅ |
| Graceful Shutdown | `vm power-off <name>` | Double | ✅ | ✅ |
| Force Power Off | `vm power-off <name> --force` | Double | ✅ | ✅ |
| Reset | `vm reset <name>` | — | ✅ | ✅ |
| Suspend | `vm suspend <name>` | — | ✅ | ✅ |
| Create VM | `vm create <name> --cpu --memory --disk` | — | ✅ | ✅ |
| Delete VM | `vm delete <name>` | Double | ✅ | ✅ |
| Reconfigure | `vm reconfigure <name> --cpu --memory` | Double | ✅ | ✅ |
| Create Snapshot | `vm snapshot-create <name> --name <snap>` | — | ✅ | ✅ |
| List Snapshots | `vm snapshot-list <name>` | — | ✅ | ✅ |
| Revert Snapshot | `vm snapshot-revert <name> --name <snap>` | — | ✅ | ✅ |
| Delete Snapshot | `vm snapshot-delete <name> --name <snap>` | — | ✅ | ✅ |
| Clone VM | `vm clone <name> --new-name <new>` | — | ✅ | ✅ |
| vMotion | `vm migrate <name> --to-host <host>` | — | ✅ | ❌ |
| **Set TTL** | `vm set-ttl <name> --minutes <n>` | — | ✅ | ✅ |
| **Cancel TTL** | `vm cancel-ttl <name>` | — | ✅ | ✅ |
| **List TTLs** | `vm list-ttl` | — | ✅ | ✅ |
| **Clean Slate** | `vm clean-slate <name> [--snapshot baseline]` | Double | ✅ | ✅ |
| **Guest Exec** | `vm guest-exec <name> --cmd /bin/bash --args "..."` | — | ✅ | ✅ |
| **Guest Exec (with output)** | `vm guest-exec-output <name> --cmd "df -h"` | — | ✅ | ✅ |
| **Guest Upload** | `vm guest-upload <name> --local f.sh --guest /tmp/f.sh` | — | ✅ | ✅ |
| **Guest Download** | `vm guest-download <name> --guest /var/log/syslog --local ./syslog` | — | ✅ | ✅ |

> Guest Operations require VMware Tools running inside the guest OS. `guest-exec-output` auto-detects Linux/Windows shell and captures stdout/stderr.

### Plan → Apply (Multi-step Operations)

For complex operations involving 2+ steps or 2+ VMs, use the plan/apply workflow instead of executing individually:

| Step | What Happens |
|------|-------------|
| 1. **Create Plan** | AI calls `vm_create_plan` — validates actions, checks targets in vSphere, generates plan with rollback info |
| 2. **Review** | AI shows plan to user: steps, affected VMs, irreversible warnings |
| 3. **Apply** | `vm_apply_plan` executes sequentially; stops on failure |
| 4. **Rollback** (if failed) | Asks user whether to rollback, then `vm_rollback_plan` reverses executed steps (irreversible steps skipped) |

Plans stored in `~/.vmware-aiops/plans/`, auto-deleted on success, auto-cleaned after 24h.

## VM Deployment & Provisioning

| Operation | Command | Speed | vCenter | ESXi |
|-----------|---------|:-----:|:-------:|:----:|
| Deploy from OVA | `deploy ova <path> --name <vm>` | Minutes | ✅ | ✅ |
| Deploy from Template | `deploy template <tmpl> --name <vm>` | Minutes | ✅ | ✅ |
| Linked Clone | `deploy linked-clone --source <vm> --snapshot <snap> --name <new>` | Seconds | ✅ | ✅ |
| Attach ISO | `deploy iso <vm> --iso "[ds] path/to.iso"` | Instant | ✅ | ✅ |
| Convert to Template | `deploy mark-template <vm>` | Instant | ✅ | ✅ |
| Batch Clone | `deploy batch-clone --source <vm> --count <n>` | Minutes | ✅ | ✅ |
| Batch Deploy (YAML) | `deploy batch spec.yaml` | Auto | ✅ | ✅ |

## Cluster Management

| Operation | Command | Confirmation | vCenter | ESXi |
|-----------|---------|:------------:|:-------:|:----:|
| Cluster Info | `cluster info <name>` | — | ✅ | ❌ |
| Create Cluster | `cluster create <name> [--ha] [--drs]` | — | ✅ | ❌ |
| Delete Cluster | `cluster delete <name>` | Double | ✅ | ❌ |
| Add Host | `cluster add-host <cluster> --host <host>` | Double | ✅ | ❌ |
| Remove Host | `cluster remove-h