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I'm trying to automate my Linux installation using VMware ESXi. The OS is a custom ISO from vendor which only asks for 2 things: 1) Check Media integrity 2) Confirm formatting existing Hard Disk.

I need to find a way to programatically send Tab and then Enter to the VM console.

This is the initial Linux install when there is no Network connectivity to VM machine, only to ESXi I need to do it for 100+ machines and each machine needs to be configured with different information, hence cant use a pre-built/cloned machine. How can I do it? Right now I need to do it manually through my Vsphere client and VM console. I need to use a pre-built ISO hence I can't modify the Kernel.

gogasca
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    Can't you use a config management tool (Puppet, Chef etc...) to change the config to the desired state after you've cloned the VM? – Sven Feb 08 '15 at 09:20
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    do it just once (manually) and replicate what it installs – Skaperen Feb 08 '15 at 10:22
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    I'm confused.. You say that there's nothing to do when you boot the machine, except TAB and ENTER, but then go on to say `each machine needs to be configured with different information, hence cant use a pre-built/cloned machine`. What information needs to be different? – GregL Feb 08 '15 at 16:29
  • This ISO (Red-Hat based) use anaconda during initial install they have this option enabled in ks.cfg: #Use CDROM installation media cdrom and mediacheck which is prompted and then they want me to confirm that HD will be erased after install (Traditional Linux based warning) I'm looking to see if VMware allows me to send keys to accept the warnings. The specific information is hostname/ip which I can do via an answer file, just this initial check I cant automate. – gogasca Feb 09 '15 at 03:31
  • It's best to modify the kickstart, no? Or is a VM clone/template an option? – ewwhite Feb 09 '15 at 14:28
  • I used VMware VNC feature, so I can send VNC commands using vncdotool – gogasca Feb 15 '16 at 03:10

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