anthony.wen
a02227fbe5
Add a dedicated ESX VM guide for read-first hardware change workflows, including disk creation, datastore VMDK attachment, and PCI passthrough assignment. Update the existing lookup/assignment runbook and top-level docs to reference the new guide and require explicit reporting of VM name mismatches and missing datastore directories before any change.
2.4 KiB
2.4 KiB
ESX VM Guide
This file covers read-only review and approval rules for direct vCenter VM hardware changes.
Scope
- Use this guide for direct vCenter VM hardware work such as:
- creating a new VM disk
- attaching existing datastore VMDKs
- assigning PCI passthrough devices
vCenter Access
- Always log into vCenter
192.168.0.201. - Source
/home/aw/code/cds/.env.credentials.localand useVCENTER_USERplusVCENTER_PASSWORD. - Standard CLI path:
/home/aw/.local/bin/govc - Default datacenter:
CDSHQ-Eng
Review-First Rule
- Treat direct VM hardware changes as a two-step workflow:
- first gather and report findings
- then wait for explicit operator approval before making any change
- Never create, attach, remove, or reassign hardware until the operator explicitly approves after seeing the summary.
VM Identification Rule
- When the requested VM name is not present exactly as given, search for the closest live inventory name and report the mismatch before planning any change.
- Do not act on a guessed VM silently.
Host And Datastore Checks
- Find the specified VM and verify the ESXi host it is currently running on.
- Default expected ESXi host is
192.168.1.165, but always verify live placement before planning changes. - Always identify and report the datastore where the VM is stored before planning disk work.
New Disk Creation Rule
- When asked to create a new disk for a VM:
- inspect the VM's current controller layout first
- prefer the existing SCSI controller already backing the VM disks unless the operator explicitly asks for a different controller
- report the controller label, controller type, and the next free unit number before proposing the change
- report the target datastore and requested size before proposing the change
- if the VM has snapshots, include that fact in the review summary before the operator approves
Existing Disk And FC Assignment Rule
- For existing-disk and FC-passthrough requests, use the workflow in
vm-lookup-and-assignment.md. - If the specified devices or disk files cannot be found exactly as requested, do nothing.
Summary Requirement
- Before any direct VM hardware change, always report:
- VM name found
- guest hostname when available
- ESXi host
- datastore
- current controller layout relevant to the request
- snapshot state when relevant
- exactly what would be changed
- any blockers that mean nothing will be changed