Installation guide

Collecting Windows Custom Information
To collect Windows Custom Information (WCI) using script-based filters, you create and verify your
custom PowerShell scripts, install PowerShell on the VCM managed machines, and use VCM to collect the
WCI data.
VCM supports PowerShell and Python to create WCIcollections. These procedures use PowerShell as the
example.
Procedure
1. "Create Your Own WCI PowerShell Collection Script" on page 108
Create or modify your Windows Custom Information (WCI) scripts to collect almost any data type
that is accessible from VCM managed Windows machines. To return data in a VCM compatible,
element-normal XML format, you create your own PowerShell script or obtain PowerShell scripts
from VMware Professional Services or another source and modify them for your own collections.
2. "Verify that Your Custom PowerShell Script is Valid" on page 109
Verify that your PowerShell script adheres to valid XML before you use the script to collect Windows
Custom Information (WCI) from VCM managed machines.
3. "Install PowerShell" on page 110
Verify that PowerShell 2.0 is installed on each VCM managed Windows machine used to collect
Windows Custom Information (WCI).
4. "Collect Windows Custom Information Data" on page 110
Use the Windows Custom Information (WCI) data type to perform user-defined, script-based
collections on your VCM managed machines. To collect the custom data, you build a collection filter
that includes a script with parameters to run the script and process the results.
5. "View Windows Custom Information Job Status Details" on page 112
When you run Windows Custom Information (WCI) collection filter scripts, VCM captures detailed
information and displays status about exit codes and standard error output for each job that processed
the script or filter. You can view the job status details in Job Manager.
6. "Windows Custom Information Collection Results" on page 113
Examine the results of your Windows Custom Information (WCI) collected data in the VCM tree
views and list view.
7. "Run Windows Custom Information Reports" on page 114
Generate your own reports or run existing reports on Windows Custom Information (WCI)data that
you collected using your custom PowerShell scripts.
8. "Troubleshooting Custom PowerShell Scripts" on page 115
If you encounter problems when you run custom PowerShell scripts, run the script as a .ps1 file and
correct any errors before you use the script with a VCM collection filter.
Create Your Own WCI PowerShell Collection Script
Create or modify your Windows Custom Information (WCI) scripts to collect almost any data type that is
accessible from VCM managed Windows machines. To return data in a VCM compatible, element-normal
XML format, you create your own PowerShell script or obtain PowerShell scripts from VMware
Professional Services or another source and modify them for your own collections.
vCenter Configuration Manager Administration Guide
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VMware, Inc.