# vmware_host – Add, remove, or move an ESXi host to, from, or within vCenter

- Synopsis

- Requirements

- Parameters

- Notes

- Examples

- Return Values

- Status

## Synopsis

- This module can be used to add, reconnect, or remove an ESXi host to or from vCenter.

- This module can also be used to move an ESXi host to a cluster or folder, or vice versa, within the same datacenter.

## Requirements

The below requirements are needed on the host that executes this module.

- python >= 2.6

- PyVmomi

- ssl

- socket

- hashlib

## Parameters

Parameter | Choices/Defaults | Comments
--- | --- | ---

add_connected
boolean
added in 2.6

Choices:
- no
- yes ←

If set to `True`, then the host should be connected as soon as it is added.
This parameter is ignored if state is set to a value other than `present`.

cluster_name string |  | Name of the cluster to add the host. If `folder` is not set, then this parameter is required. Aliases added in version 2.6. aliases: cluster
datacenter_name string / required |  | Name of the datacenter to add the host. Aliases added in version 2.6. aliases: datacenter
esxi_hostname string / required |  | ESXi hostname to manage.
esxi_password string |  | ESXi password. Required for adding a host. Optional for reconnect. Unused for removing. No longer a required parameter from version 2.5.
esxi_ssl_thumbprint string added in 2.5 | Default: "" | Specifying the hostsystem certificate's thumbprint. Use following command to get hostsystem certificate's thumbprint - # openssl x509 -in /etc/vmware/ssl/rui.crt -fingerprint -sha1 -noout Only used if `fetch_thumbprint` isn't set to `true`. aliases: ssl_thumbprint
esxi_username string |  | ESXi username. Required for adding a host. Optional for reconnect. If both `esxi_username` and `esxi_password` are used Unused for removing. No longer a required parameter from version 2.5.

fetch_ssl_thumbprint
boolean
added in 2.8

Choices:
- no
- yes ←

Fetch the thumbprint of the host's SSL certificate.
This basically disables the host certificate verification (check if it was signed by a recognized CA).
Disable this option if you want to allow only hosts with valid certificates to be added to vCenter.
If this option is set to `false` and the certificate can't be verified, an add or reconnect will fail.
Unused when `esxi_ssl_thumbprint` is set.
Optional for reconnect, but only used if `esxi_username` and `esxi_password` are used.
Unused for removing.

folder
string
added in 2.6

Name of the folder under which host to add.
If `cluster_name` is not set, then this parameter is required.
For example, if there is a datacenter 'dc1' under folder called 'Site1' then, this value will be '/Site1/dc1/host'.
Here 'host' is an invisible folder under VMware Web Client.
Another example, if there is a nested folder structure like '/myhosts/india/pune' under datacenter 'dc2', then `folder` value will be '/dc2/host/myhosts/india/pune'.
Other Examples:
- '/Site2/dc2/Asia-Cluster/host'
- '/dc3/Asia-Cluster/host'
aliases: folder_name

force_connection
boolean
added in 2.8

Choices:
- no
- yes ←

Force the connection if the host is already being managed by another vCenter server.

hostname string |  | The hostname or IP address of the vSphere vCenter or ESXi server. If the value is not specified in the task, the value of environment variable `VMWARE_HOST` will be used instead. Environment variable support added in Ansible 2.6.
password string |  | The password of the vSphere vCenter or ESXi server. If the value is not specified in the task, the value of environment variable `VMWARE_PASSWORD` will be used instead. Environment variable support added in Ansible 2.6. aliases: pass, pwd
port integer added in 2.5 | Default: 443 | The port number of the vSphere vCenter or ESXi server. If the value is not specified in the task, the value of environment variable `VMWARE_PORT` will be used instead. Environment variable support added in Ansible 2.6.
proxy_host string added in 2.9 |  | Address of a proxy that will receive all HTTPS requests and relay them. The format is a hostname or a IP. If the value is not specified in the task, the value of environment variable `VMWARE_PROXY_HOST` will be used instead. This feature depends on a version of pyvmomi greater than v6.7.1.2018.12
proxy_port integer added in 2.9 |  | Port of the HTTP proxy that will receive all HTTPS requests and relay them. If the value is not specified in the task, the value of environment variable `VMWARE_PROXY_PORT` will be used instead.

reconnect_disconnected
boolean
added in 2.8

Choices:
- no
- yes ←

Reconnect disconnected hosts.
This is only used if `state` is set to `present` and if the host already exists.

state
string

Choices:
- present ←
- absent
- add_or_reconnect
- reconnect

If set to `present`, add the host if host is absent.
If set to `present`, update the location of the host if host already exists.
If set to `absent`, remove the host if host is present.
If set to `absent`, do nothing if host already does not exists.
If set to `add_or_reconnect`, add the host if it's absent else reconnect it and update the location.
If set to `reconnect`, then reconnect the host if it's present and update the location.

username string |  | The username of the vSphere vCenter or ESXi server. If the value is not specified in the task, the value of environment variable `VMWARE_USER` will be used instead. Environment variable support added in Ansible 2.6. aliases: admin, user

validate_certs
boolean

Choices:
- no
- yes ←

Allows connection when SSL certificates are not valid. Set to `false` when certificates are not trusted.
If the value is not specified in the task, the value of environment variable `VMWARE_VALIDATE_CERTS` will be used instead.
Environment variable support added in Ansible 2.6.
If set to `yes`, please make sure Python >= 2.7.9 is installed on the given machine.

## Notes

Note

- Tested on vSphere 5.5, 6.0, 6.5 and 6.7

## Examples

    - name: Add ESXi Host to vCenter
      vmware_host:
        hostname: '{{ vcenter_hostname }}'
        username: '{{ vcenter_username }}'
        password: '{{ vcenter_password }}'
        datacenter: datacenter_name
        cluster: cluster_name
        esxi_hostname: '{{ esxi_hostname }}'
        esxi_username: '{{ esxi_username }}'
        esxi_password: '{{ esxi_password }}'
        state: present
      delegate_to: localhost

    - name: Add ESXi Host to vCenter under a specific folder
      vmware_host:
        hostname: '{{ vcenter_hostname }}'
        username: '{{ vcenter_username }}'
        password: '{{ vcenter_password }}'
        datacenter: datacenter_name
        folder: '/Site2/Asia-Cluster/host'
        esxi_hostname: '{{ esxi_hostname }}'
        esxi_username: '{{ esxi_username }}'
        esxi_password: '{{ esxi_password }}'
        state: present
        add_connected: True
      delegate_to: localhost

    - name: Reconnect ESXi Host (with username/password set)
      vmware_host:
        hostname: '{{ vcenter_hostname }}'
        username: '{{ vcenter_username }}'
        password: '{{ vcenter_password }}'
        datacenter: datacenter_name
        cluster: cluster_name
        esxi_hostname: '{{ esxi_hostname }}'
        esxi_username: '{{ esxi_username }}'
        esxi_password: '{{ esxi_password }}'
        state: reconnect
      delegate_to: localhost

    - name: Reconnect ESXi Host (with default username/password)
      vmware_host:
        hostname: '{{ vcenter_hostname }}'
        username: '{{ vcenter_username }}'
        password: '{{ vcenter_password }}'
        datacenter: datacenter_name
        cluster: cluster_name
        esxi_hostname: '{{ esxi_hostname }}'
        state: reconnect
      delegate_to: localhost

    - name: Add ESXi Host with SSL Thumbprint to vCenter
      vmware_host:
        hostname: '{{ vcenter_hostname }}'
        username: '{{ vcenter_username }}'
        password: '{{ vcenter_password }}'
        datacenter: datacenter_name
        cluster: cluster_name
        esxi_hostname: '{{ esxi_hostname }}'
        esxi_username: '{{ esxi_username }}'
        esxi_password: '{{ esxi_password }}'
        esxi_ssl_thumbprint: "3C:A5:60:6F:7A:B7:C4:6C:48:28:3D:2F:A5:EC:A3:58:13:88:F6:DD"
        state: present
      delegate_to: localhost

## Return Values

Common return values are documented here, the following are the fields unique to this module:

Key | Returned | Description
--- | --- | ---
result string | on successful addition | metadata about the new host system added Sample: Host already connected to vCenter 'vcenter01' in cluster 'cluster01'

## Status

- This module is not guaranteed to have a backwards compatible interface. [preview]

- This module is maintained by the Ansible Community. [community]

### Authors

- Joseph Callen (@jcpowermac)

- Russell Teague (@mtnbikenc)

- Maxime de Roucy (@tchernomax)

- Christian Kotte (@ckotte)

Hint

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