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This section covers PowerShell automation for VMware vSphere environments using the VMware PowerCLI module. Scripts here are built and tested in production vSphere environments to solve real-world administration challenges.
These scripts were built and tested in production vSphere environments as part of a toolkit assembled from 20 years of hands-on enterprise IT experience.

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Required module

Most scripts in this section require the VMware.PowerCLI module (or VCF.PowerCLI for VCF environments). Install it from the PowerShell Gallery: 
Install-Module -Name VMware.PowerCLI -Scope CurrentUser

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Configure PowerCLI

Before running scripts, configure PowerCLI to disable the Customer Experience Improvement Program (CEIP) prompt and suppress invalid certificate warnings in lab or internal environments: 
# Disable CEIP prompt
Set-PowerCLIConfiguration -ParticipateInCEIP $false -Confirm:$false

# Ignore invalid certificates (use only in trusted internal environments)
Set-PowerCLIConfiguration -InvalidCertificateAction Ignore -Confirm:$false

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Connect to vCenter

For standard username/password authentication, connect to a vCenter Server with: 
Connect-VIServer -Server "vcenter.domain.com" -Credential (Get-Credential)
For environments using an external identity provider (such as Microsoft Entra ID), see the Entra ID federation page.

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Example usage

# Example: VM inventory report
.\VMWare\PowerCLI\Get-VMInventory.ps1 -VCenterServer "vcenter.domain.com"

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Available scripts

Entra ID Federation

Authenticate to vCenter using Microsoft Entra ID federated logins via OAuth 2.0 and PowerCLI.

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