jimmyjoe009/vmware_mcp_server

VMware MCP Server

A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server for managing VMware vCenter environments. This server provides tools to authenticate, list hosts, and manage virtual machines through a standardized interface.

Features

• Secure Authentication: Connect to vCenter with username/password authentication
• VM Management: List virtual machines with detailed information including power state, resources, and guest OS
• Host Management: List ESXi hosts with hardware details, resource usage, and status
• Connection Management: Check connection status and properly disconnect
• Comprehensive Logging: Full logging support for debugging and monitoring
• Error Handling: Robust error handling with detailed error messages
• Security: Configurable SSL verification for secure connections

Installation

1. Install Python Dependencies:

   pip install -r requirements.txt
   

2. Verify Installation:

   python vmware_mcp_server.py --help
   

Usage

Running the MCP Server

The server communicates via stdio (standard input/output) following the MCP protocol:

python vmware_mcp_server.py

Available Tools

1. login - Connect to vCenter

Connect to a VMware vCenter server with credentials.

Parameters:

• host (required): vCenter server hostname or IP address
• user (required): Username for authentication
• password (required): Password for authentication
• verify_ssl (optional): Whether to verify SSL certificates (default: false)

Example:

{
  "tool": "login",
  "params": {
    "host": "vcenter.example.com",
    "user": "administrator@vsphere.local", 
    "password": "your_password",
    "verify_ssl": false
  }
}

2. list_vms - List Virtual Machines

List all virtual machines with detailed information.

Parameters:

• power_state_filter (optional): Filter by power state ("poweredOn", "poweredOff", "suspended")

Example:

{
  "tool": "list_vms",
  "params": {
    "power_state_filter": "poweredOn"
  }
}

Returns:

• VM name, UUID, guest OS, power state
• CPU and memory configuration
• IP address and hostname
• VMware Tools status and version
• Host assignment and resource pool
• Folder location and annotations

3. list_hosts - List ESXi Hosts

List all ESXi hosts with detailed hardware and status information.

Parameters: None

Example:

{
  "tool": "list_hosts",
  "params": {}
}

Returns:

• Host name, connection state, power state
• CPU model, cores, threads, and usage
• Memory size and usage statistics
• Hardware vendor and model information
• Maintenance mode and standby status
• Uptime and boot time information

4. connection_status - Check Connection Status

Get current vCenter connection status.

Parameters: None

Example:

{
  "tool": "connection_status", 
  "params": {}
}

5. disconnect - Disconnect from vCenter

Properly disconnect from the vCenter server.

Parameters: None

Example:

{
  "tool": "disconnect",
  "params": {}
}

Configuration

SSL Certificate Verification

For production environments, enable SSL verification:

{
  "tool": "login",
  "params": {
    "host": "vcenter.example.com",
    "user": "administrator@vsphere.local",
    "password": "your_password", 
    "verify_ssl": true
  }
}

Environment Variables

You can set these environment variables for default configuration:

• VMWARE_HOST: Default vCenter hostname
• VMWARE_USER: Default username
• VMWARE_VERIFY_SSL: Default SSL verification setting

Security Considerations

1. Credentials: Never hardcode credentials in scripts. Use secure input methods.
2. SSL Verification: Enable SSL verification in production environments.
3. Network Security: Ensure vCenter access is restricted to authorized networks.
4. Logging: Be careful not to log sensitive information like passwords.

Error Handling

The server provides detailed error messages for common issues:

• Connection Errors: Network connectivity, authentication failures
• Permission Errors: Insufficient privileges for operations
• Resource Errors: Missing VMs, hosts, or other vCenter objects
• API Errors: vSphere API limitations or version incompatibilities

Logging

Logs are written to stderr and include:

• Connection attempts and status
• Tool execution results
• Error messages and stack traces
• Performance metrics

To redirect logs to a file:

python vmware_mcp_server.py 2> vmware_mcp.log

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

1. Import Errors: Ensure all dependencies are installed

   pip install -r requirements.txt
   

2. Connection Timeouts: Check network connectivity to vCenter

   ping vcenter.example.com
   telnet vcenter.example.com 443
   

3. SSL Errors: Disable SSL verification for development environments

   {"verify_ssl": false}
   

4. Authentication Errors: Verify credentials and permissions

   • Ensure user has vCenter access
   • Check for account lockouts
   • Verify correct domain/realm

Debug Mode

Enable debug logging by setting the log level:

logging.basicConfig(level=logging.DEBUG)

API Compatibility

• vSphere API: Compatible with vSphere 6.7 and later
• Python: Requires Python 3.8 or later
• MCP Protocol: Implements MCP specification 1.0

Contributing

1. Follow PEP 8 style guidelines
2. Add comprehensive error handling
3. Include detailed logging for debugging
4. Write unit tests for new features
5. Update documentation for API changes

License

This software is provided under the MIT License. See LICENSE file for details.