Packer Nested ESXi Builds

ks.cfg

#Accept the VMware End User License Agreement
vmaccepteula

# clear paritions and install
clearpart --firstdisk --overwritevmfs
install --firstdisk --overwritevmfs --novmfsondisk

#set the root password
rootpw VMw@re1

#Host Network Settings
network --bootproto=dhcp --device=vmnic0

reboot

#Firstboot section 1
%firstboot --interpreter=busybox

sleep 30

#Enter Maintenance mode
vim-cmd hostsvc/maintenance_mode_enter

#enable & start remote ESXi Shell (SSH)
vim-cmd hostsvc/enable_ssh
vim-cmd hostsvc/start_ssh

#enable & start ESXi Shell (TSM)
vim-cmd hostsvc/enable_esx_shell
vim-cmd hostsvc/start_esx_shell

#suppress Shell Warning
esxcli system settings advanced set -o /UserVars/SuppressShellWarning -i 1
esxcli system settings advanced set -o /UserVars/ESXiShellTimeOut -i 1

#Firstboot Section 2
%firstboot --interpreter=busybox

#Disable IPv6
esxcli network ip set --ipv6-enabled=false

#Disable CEIP
esxcli system settings advanced set -o /UserVars/HostClientCEIPOptIn -i 2

# Exit Maintenance Mode
vim-cmd hostsvc/maintenance_mode_exit

#Reboot
sleep 30
reboot

template.json

{
    "variables": {
        "vm_name": "esxi67_x64", 
        "iso_url": "/Users/larrysmithjr/projects/devops_automation/mounts/Images/ISOs/esxi67_x64.iso", 
        "save_to_filename": "/Users/larrysmithjr/projects/devops_automation/mounts/Images/Base_Images/esxi67_x64", 
        "disk_size": "8192", 
        "guest_os_type": "vmkernel65", 
        "iso_checksum": "884ead30532f4a5c2152e4ac450839a0062aba3ae859b5fa5e233ce4275c8cb6", 
        "vcpu": "2", 
        "ssh_username": "root", 
        "disk_adapter_type": "scsi", 
        "remove_interfaces": "True", 
        "http_directory": "http", 
        "iso_checksum_type": "sha256", 
        "headless": "True", 
        "version": "10", 
        "shutdown_command": "esxcli system maintenanceMode set -e true -t 0; esxcli system shutdown poweroff -d 10 -r \"Packer Shutdown\"; esxcli system maintenanceMode set -e false -t 0", 
        "ssh_password": "VMw@re1", 
        "memory": "4096", 
        "save_to_dir": "/Users/larrysmithjr/projects/devops_automation/mounts/Images/Base_Images", 
        "output_directory": "/Users/larrysmithjr/projects/devops_automation/image_builder/output-vmware-iso", 
        "vmx_file": "/Users/larrysmithjr/projects/devops_automation/image_builder/output-vmware-iso/esxi67_x64.vmx"
    }, 
    "provisioners": [
        {
            "inline": [
                "esxcli system settings advanced set -o /Net/FollowHardwareMac -i 1", 
                "sed -i '/\\/system\\/uuid/d' /etc/vmware/esx.conf", 
                "sed -i '/\\/net\\/pnic\\/child\\[0000\\]\\/mac/d' /etc/vmware/esx.conf", 
                "sed -i '/\\/net\\/vmkernelnic\\/child\\[0000\\]\\/mac/d' /etc/vmware/esx.conf", 
                "/sbin/auto-backup.sh"
            ], 
            "type": "shell"
        }
    ], 
    "builders": [
        {
            "iso_url": "{{ user `iso_url` }}", 
            "cpus": "{{ user `vcpu` }}", 
            "iso_checksum_type": "{{ user `iso_checksum_type` }}", 
            "disk_type_id": 0, 
            "iso_checksum": "{{ user `iso_checksum` }}", 
            "memory": "{{ user `memory` }}", 
            "ssh_wait_timeout": "60m", 
            "type": "vmware-iso", 
            "vm_name": "{{ user `vm_name` }}", 
            "pause_before_connecting": "10m", 
            "ssh_username": "{{ user `ssh_username` }}", 
            "disk_adapter_type": "{{ user `disk_adapter_type` }}", 
            "vmx_remove_ethernet_interfaces": "{{ user `remove_interfaces` }}", 
            "shutdown_command": "{{ user `shutdown_command` }}", 
            "boot_command": [
                "<enter><wait>O<wait> ks=http://{{ .HTTPIP }}:{{ .HTTPPort }}/ks.cfg<enter>"
            ], 
            "output_directory": "{{ user `output_directory` }}", 
            "disk_size": "{{ user `disk_size` }}", 
            "guest_os_type": "{{ user `guest_os_type` }}", 
            "http_directory": "{{ user `http_directory` }}", 
            "vmx_data": {
                "vhv.enable": "TRUE"
            }, 
            "headless": "{{ user `headless` }}", 
            "ssh_password": "{{ user `ssh_password` }}"
        }
    ], 
    "post-processors": [
        {
            "inline": "ovftool {{ user `vmx_file` }} {{ user `save_to_filename` }}.ova", 
            "type": "shell-local"
        }, 
        {
            "inline": "ovftool {{ user `vmx_file` }} {{ user `save_to_filename` }}.ovf", 
            "type": "shell-local"
        }, 
        {
            "output": "{{ user `save_to_dir` }}/packer-manifest.json", 
            "type": "manifest", 
            "strip_path": true
        }
    ]
}