VIX

An API that lets you programmatically control hosts and their VMs.

VIX provides support for 3 languages: C, Perl, and COM. Open-source has the bindings of Java and Python version not endorsed by VMware though.

From ESX 3.5 update 1, VIX is able to manager ESX and its VMs, such as:

• copy files out of guests
• stop and restart process within guests.
• run programs within guest and get their output