Managed Object - HostProfile

Extends
Profile
See also
HostProfileConfigSpec, HostSystem, ProfileDeferredPolicyOptionParameter, ProfileExecuteResult
Since
vSphere API 4.0


Managed Object Description

A host profile describes ESX Server configuration. The HostProfile managed object provides access to profile data and it defines methods to manipulate the profile. A host profile is a combination of subprofiles, each of which contains configuration data for a specific capability. Some examples of host capabilities are authentication, memory, networking, and security. For access to individual subprofiles, see the HostApplyProfile data object (HostProfile.config.applyProfile).

Host profiles are part of the stateless configuration architecture. In the stateless environment, a Profile Engine runs on each ESX host, but an ESX host does not store its own configuration state. Instead, host configuration data is stored on vCenter Servers. Every time a host boots or reboots, it obtains its profile from the vCenter Server.

Host-Specific Configuration

An individual host or a set of hosts may have some configuration settings that are different from the settings specified in the host profile. For example, the IP configuration for the host's virtual network adapters must be unique.

The Profile Engine saves host-specific data in an AnswerFile that is stored on the vCenter Server. The HostProfileManager provides several methods to manipulate answer files.

Profile Compliance

You can create associations between hosts and profiles to support compliance checking. When you perform compliance checking, you can determine if a host configuration conforms to a host profile.

You can also use the Profile Compliance Manager to check compliance by specifying profiles, entities (hosts), or both. See ProfileComplianceManager.CheckCompliance_Task.

Profile Plug-Ins

The vSphere architecture uses VMware profile plug-ins to define profile extensions. For information about using a plug-in to extend a host profile, see the VMware Technical Note Developing a Host Profile Extension Plug-in.

For access to host configuration data that is defined by plug-ins, use the ApplyProfile.policy[] and ApplyProfile.property[] lists. The HostApplyProfile and its subprofiles, which collectively define host configuration data, are derived from the ApplyProfile.


If you make changes to host profile data, later versions of profile plug-ins may not support the host configuration implied by the changes that you make. When a subsequent vSphere version becomes available, you must verify that the new version supports any previous configuration changes that you have made.

Properties

Name Type Description
referenceHost*ManagedObjectReference
to a HostSystem

Reference host in use for this host profile. To set this property, use the UpdateReferenceHost method. If you do not specify a host for validation (HostProfileCompleteConfigSpec.validatorHost), the Profile Engine uses the reference host to validate the profile.
Properties inherited from Profile
complianceStatus, config, createdTime, description, entity, modifiedTime, name
*May not be present

Methods

Methods defined in this Managed Object
ExecuteHostProfile, UpdateHostProfile, UpdateReferenceHost
Methods inherited from Profile
AssociateProfile, CheckProfileCompliance_Task, DestroyProfile, DissociateProfile, ExportProfile, RetrieveDescription

ExecuteHostProfile

Run the Profile Engine to determine the list of configuration changes needed for the specified host. The method generates configuration changes based on the host profile.

You can also specify deferred parameters to verify additional host-specific data. The Profile Engine uses the policy options (HostProfile.config.applyProfile.policy[]) to determine the required parameters (PolicyOption.parameter[]) for host configuration. If you do not provide all of the required parameters, you must call the method again to provide the complete list to the Profile Engine. After successful profile execution, when you apply the profile, the Profile Engine will save the host-specific data in an AnswerFile.

Required Privileges
System.View

Parameters

NameTypeDescription
_thisManagedObjectReference A reference to the HostProfile used to make the method call.
hostManagedObjectReference
to a HostSystem

Host on which to execute the profile. The host does not have to be associated with the profile.
deferredParam*ProfileDeferredPolicyOptionParameter[]

Additional configuration data to be applied to the host. This should contain all of the host-specific data, including data from from previous calls to the method.
*Need not be set

Return Value

Type Description
ProfileExecuteResultResult of the execution. If the operation is successful (ProfileExecuteResult.status=success), the result object includes a valid host configuration specification that you can pass to the HostProfileManager.ApplyHostConfig_Task method.

If the operation is not successful, the object contains error information or information about additional data required for the host configuration. If additional data is required, the required input list (ProfileExecuteResult.requireInput[]) contains both the deferredParam data and paths to missing parameters. After you fill in the missing parameters, pass the complete required input list via the deferredParam parameter in another call to the execute method to finish input verification. After successful profile execution, you can pass the verified required input list to the ApplyHostConfig_Task method.


Faults

Type Description
RuntimeFaultThrown if any type of runtime fault is thrown that is not covered by the other faults; for example, a communication error.

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UpdateHostProfile

Update the HostProfile with the specified configuration data.
Required Privileges
Profile.Edit

Parameters

NameTypeDescription
_thisManagedObjectReference A reference to the HostProfile used to make the method call.
configHostProfileConfigSpec

Specification containing the new data.

Return Value

Type Description
None

Faults

Type Description
DuplicateNameThrown if the profile with the new name already exists.
ProfileUpdateFailedThrown if errors were encountered when updating the profile.
RuntimeFaultThrown if any type of runtime fault is thrown that is not covered by the other faults; for example, a communication error.

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UpdateReferenceHost

Sets the HostProfile.referenceHost property.
Required Privileges
Profile.Edit

Parameters

NameTypeDescription
_thisManagedObjectReference A reference to the HostProfile used to make the method call.
host*ManagedObjectReference
to a HostSystem

Reference host to use. If unset, the referenceHost property is cleared.
*Need not be set

Return Value

Type Description
None

Faults

Type Description
RuntimeFaultThrown if any type of runtime fault is thrown that is not covered by the other faults; for example, a communication error.

Show WSDL type definition