**If this is not the correct forum please advise**
While doing a mass deployment of VM's the Port Group config was modified and prevented the systems from receiving a DHCP address. The join domain function executed on all systems but failed. Since it is added to a run once key, it does not attempt the join on subsequent re-boots. Now they come up in a work-group and get a DHCP address. We can get to the systems through the VM client and join to domain manually but this is a tedious process. I have the ability to join the systems to the domain through a variety of scripting methods that all rely on me getting the script to a system that is not part of the domain. I have poked around at using other methods like leveraging AD, but of course I'm not on the domain. I do not have a deployment tool that can deliver the scripts either. Thus far i have not been able to identify a tool from Microsoft that can help with my particular situation. I am hoping I can do it using a VMware based tool so I am reaching out to see if there is something here that I am not aware of. .
VMPowerShellCLI - This seems promising as I have successfully ran the power-shell commands to add a machine to the domain. Is this a good option? I have not had a chance to work with it, nor do we have it installed. I do not know if there is a vCenter piece, esx host piece etc. I do not want to attempt to use this approach with a short timeline unless I can get some feed back that suggests its a good use of time.
Orchestrator - We have a new install of Orchestrator running, but when I engage the function to bring up inventory it is not responding currently. If need be, I can get a ticket opened on this but again, its a best use of time thing. Since this will not be a high priority ticket it might take a few days to get resolved.However, if this is the way to go, then we will get the ticket open. .
VMtools - What I was really hoping is that I could leverage VMTools for a down and dirty quick fix. I want to deliver the scripts and execute or add a reg key to run at start up. I could not find that it could do that when i searched for it directly, but it seems that there should be a way to add the scripts in with the VMTools files on the vCenter server so they get delivered when the guest is doing an upgrade. But from there I do not know how invasive it would be to have the client execute a script.
Win7 Guest OS
ESX 5.1
Win2k3 Domain
I think that covers the basics for this issue. Thanks!