Can't create VM on vSphere with packer template

[alif....@verint.com]

I have the following packer template:

{

"variables": {

    "iso_url": "",

    "iso_checksum": "",

    "ssh_username":"",

"ssh_password":"",

"cookbook_paths":"",

"roles_path":"",

"http_directory": "",

"kickstart_cfg":"",

"vm_name": "",

"run_list": "",

"virtualbox_builder_name":"",

"vmware_builder_name":"",

"hostname":""

  },

"builders": [

{

"type": "vmware-iso",

      "remote_type": "esx5",

      "remote_host": "our_remote_host",

      "remote_username": "username",

      "remote_password": "password",

      "vmdk_name":"{{user `vm_name`}}",

      "http_directory": "{{user `http_directory`}}",

      "boot_command": [

                "<tab> text ks=http://172.25.35.96/repo/centos66-ks.cfg<enter><wait>",

                "hostname={{user `hostname`}} "

            ],

      "vnc_port_min": 0,

      "vnc_port_max": 9000,

      "boot_wait": "10s",

      "disk_size":40000,

      "disk_type_id":"zeroedthick",

      "guest_os_type": "centos-64",

      "iso_checksum": "{{user `iso_checksum`}}",

"iso_checksum_type": "md5",

"iso_url": "{{user `iso_url`}}",

      "ssh_skip_request_pty": true,

      "ssh_username":"{{user `ssh_username`}}",

"ssh_password":"{{user `ssh_password`}}",

      "ssh_port": 22,

"ssh_wait_timeout": "20m",

      "shutdown_command": "shutdown -P now",

      "vmx_data":{

        "memsize" : "8192",

        "numvcpus": "2",

            "ethernet0.present": "TRUE",

        "ethernet0.startConnected": "TRUE",

        "ethernet0.virtualDev": "e1000",

        "ethernet0.networkName": "VM Network",

        "ethernet0.addressType": "generated",

        "ethernet0.generatedAddressOffset": "0",

        "ethernet0.wakeOnPcktRcv": "FALSE",

            "ide0:0.fileName": "centos66.vmdk",

            "ide0:0.present": "TRUE",

            "ide0:0.redo": "",

            "scsi0:0.present": "FALSE"

            },

      "remote_datastore": "LocalDS1",

      "tools_upload_flavor": "linux"

     }

],

"provisioners":[

        {

            "type": "shell",

            "script": "base.sh"

        },

        {

            "type": "shell",

            "script": "users.sh"

        }

]

}

With this template I can copy the iso file over to the packer_work directory in the datastore on vCenter and boot the VM. However, the VM fails to load the kickstart configuration file hosted on our repo or configure eth0. The following 2 images are what I see on the console when it boots up:

Furthermore, even when I manually do the steps for the boot command, none of my provisioners run on the created VM. The VM has no IP/hostname assigned to it (ifconfig shows 127.0.0.1). I still see the following "Waiting for SSH to become available" message on my console:

Is there anything I am missing? Any help is appreciated. 

[alif....@verint.com]

Also I can access the configuration file from the vCenter host as it downloads when I run "wget http://172.25.35.96/repo/centos66-ks.cfg"

[Lokesh Madan]

I am also facing the same issue. I am running ESX5.1 with update 3.

[Piotr Mitoraj]

Hi

How do you set up the networking? Your boot command is lacking this. Alternatively, ensure it gets IP via DHCP.

Some good starter for this is here: https://access.redhat.com/documentation/en-US/Red_Hat_Enterprise_Linux/6/html/Installation_Guide/ap-admin-options.html#sn-boot-options-network

In the kickstart I create the ssh user with the specified password. After vm boots packer can ssh there to check the status of the installation and run the provisioners.

Regards

Piotr

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