I needed a utility VM to run a PowerCLI script as a scheduled task.
I set out to do this using Windows but stopped as VMware’s Geniuses had just released the PowerCLIcore Fling. This instantly made me think, smaller footprint, quicker to deploy, zero OS license cost……No Brainer really
To recreate this all you need is something to host your Photon VM. Standalone ESXi host or VMWorkstation.
Oh and a VCSA/ESXi to connect to (v5.5 or higher)…but then you wouldn’t be here if you didn’t have that already!
Erm…I also decided to demonstrate it with a video, because, erm, why not?

Glossary of commands/useful information

PowerShell Command to download OVA

Invoke-WebRequest -Uri https://bintray.com/vmware/photon/download_file?file_path=photon-custom-hw10-1.0-13c08b6.ova -OutFile c:\users\chris\downloads\photon.ova
Photon OVA default root password=changeme

Photon/Linux systemctl setup Commands

systemctl enable docker
systemctl start docker
Docker Commands
docker run -it vmware/powerclicore
docker ps
docker images
docker rmi -f vmware/powerclicore
PowerCLI Commands
set-powercliconfiguration -invalidcertificateaction ignore -confirm:$false
connect-viserver -server 192.168.0.200 -user administrator@vsphere.local -password vmware
get-cluster
get-vmhost
get-vm
exit