Learning Objectives

$message = @{
text = “VM $vmName has been powered off via automation.”
} | ConvertTo-Json

  • Use PowerCLI and Python to send data to and receive data from external REST APIs.
  • Automate notifications and ticket creation with VMware scripting.
  • Build workflows that bridge VMware and IT service management tools.
  • Visualize multi-tool integration with an diagram.

My Personal Repository on GitHub

Step 1: PowerShell Script to Attempt a Snapshot and Output Result

Prerequisites

  • Completed Articles 1–8.
  • PowerCLI, Python, and access to the external tool/API (e.g., ServiceNow, Slack, Jira).
  • Network permissions for API access (outbound HTTP/S).

1. Why Integrate PowerCLI with External APIs?

By the end of this article, you will:

  • Automated incident response (e.g., open a ticket when a VM alert occurs).
  • Real-time notifications to Slack, Teams, or email.
  • Custom dashboards and cross-platform data pipelines.

2. PowerShell Example: Sending a Slack Notification from PowerCLI

Suppose you want to send a Slack alert when a VM is powered off.

# Power off a VM and send a Slack alert if successful
$vmName = "<your-vm-name>"
$webhookUrl = "<your-slack-webhook-url>"$vmName = "<your-vm-name>"
$outputFile = "C:Tempsnap_status.txt"import requestsInvoke-RestMethod -Uri $webhookUrl -Method Post -ContentType 'application/json' -Body $message
Save as snapshot_status.ps1:

3. Python Example: Creating a Jira Ticket from a PowerCLI Script

Step 2: Python Script to Read Result and Call Jira API

Step 1: Get Your Slack Webhook URL

if status == "FAILED":
url = "https://<your-jira-server>/rest/api/2/issue/"
auth = ('<jira-username>', '<jira-api-token>')
headers = {"Content-Type": "application/json"}
data = {
"fields": {
"project": {"key": "IT"},
"summary": "VM Snapshot Failure - Automated",
"description": "Snapshot failed during automation run for VM.",
"issuetype": {"name": "Task"}
}
}
r = requests.post(url, json=data, auth=auth, headers=headers)
print("Jira Ticket Created:", r.status_code, r.json())

Many organizations automate IT workflows by connecting VMware scripts to ticketing, chat, monitoring, or CI/CD tools. This allows:

VMware Repository on GitHub

Step 2: PowerShell Code to Post a MessageNext up: Article 10 is your capstone project—combining everything you’ve learned into a robust, multi-step automation workflow with PowerCLI and Python.

4. Diagram: Integration Workflow

5. Other Integration Ideas

  • Post VM inventory reports to Teams or email with attachments.
  • Trigger Ansible/Terraform or other IT automation from VMware events.
  • Sync inventory with asset management databases.
  • Send critical vSphere alerts to on-call engineers automatically.

6. Troubleshooting Tips

  • For REST API authentication issues, check token/username, endpoint, and permissions.
  • Test your API calls with sample data before wiring to production automation.
  • Use PowerShell’s Invoke-RestMethod or Python’s requests for API interaction.
  • Review API documentation for required fields and quotas.

7. Further Reading

8. Conclusion and Next Steps

Suppose your automation needs to open a Jira ticket if a VM fails to snapshot.

You now know how to connect your VMware automation to popular APIs and tools, unlocking workflows that bridge IT silos and speed up incident response.

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