Set Linux Root Password with VCF Automation

We discussed how to set the Windows Administrator password at build-time with VCF Automation already, but we haven't gone over the same for Linux root password. Let's do it.

We'll use similar methodology, namely a Customization Specification. Log into vCenter and go to Policies and Profiles.

Once there either create a new one or edit your existing Linux Customization Specification.

Go to the Customization Script tab and enter the following (using whatever you want for your initial password).

The Customization Specification will run this script at build-time, which will set the root password to whatever you've indicated.

#!/bin/sh

echo "root:VMware123!VMware123!" | chpasswd

Note: custom script execution must be enabled on the Template you are using, so you must run this command on the VM before converting it into a Template and using it in your VCFA Blueprint.

vmware-toolbox-cmd config set deployPkg enable-custom-scripts true

Mine looks like this.

Once complete, convert your VM to a Template and re-sync Template Images via Assembler - Infrastructure - Connections - Cloud Accounts.

Now let's call the Linux Customization Specification from our Blueprint, mine looks like this.

# Created by Brock Peterson

formatVersion: 1

inputs:

vm_display_name:

type: string

description: VM Display Name

title: VM Display Name

vm_dns_name:

type: string

description: VM DNS Name

title: VM DNS Name

vcpu:

type: integer

description: vCPUs

title: vCPUs

default: 2

minimum: 2

maximum: 16

enum:

- 2

- 4

- 8

- 16

MemoryMB:

type: integer

description: Memory (MB)

title: Memory (MB)

default: 4096

minimum: 4096

maximum: 32768

enum:

- 4096

- 8192

- 16384

- 32768

os:

type: string

description: OS

title: OS for VM

default: RHEL7-Template

enum:

- CentOS7-Template

- CentOS8-Template

- Debian12-Template

- OracleLinux9-Template

- RHEL7-Template

- RockyLinux9-Template

ip:

type: string

description: IP of VM

title: IP of VM

customizationspec:

type: string

description: Customization Specification

title: Customization Specification

default: Linux Customization Specification

resources:

Cloud_Network_1:

type: Cloud.Network

properties:

networkType: existing

Cloud_vSphere_Machine_1:

type: Cloud.vSphere.Machine

properties:

name: ${input.vm_display_name}

hostname: ${input.vm_dns_name}

imageref: ${input.os}

cpuCount: ${input.vcpu}

totalMemoryMB: ${input.MemoryMB}

customizationSpec: ${input.customizationspec}

networks:

- network: ${resource.Cloud_Network_1.id}

assignment: static

address: ${input.ip}

As you can see, I ask the requester for the Customization Specification they'd like to run, then apply it in the Cloud_vSphere_Machine_1 stanza. If you'd like this Blueprint you can get it here.

Requesting a RHEL VM with this Blueprint looks like this.

Once I click DEPLOY we can watch progress here.

Upon completion it'll look like this.

Over in vCenter it will look like this.

Clicking LAUNCH WEB CONSOLE will give a prompt to login. Provide the root password you set via the Customization Script in your Customization Specification and you're in!

You'll likely want to change this, but this is a nice way to set the initial root password for your Linux VMs. Hope this was helpful, enjoy!