Time offset observed for Windows VMs provisioned with static IPs in VMware Aria Automation 8.x
Article ID: 438389
Updated On:
Products
Issue/Introduction
When provisioning Windows Virtual Machines (VMs) through VMware Aria Automation 8.x, you may observe a time offset. Specifically, the values of ActiveTimeBias and Bias in the registry path Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\TimeZoneInformation are set to 0x000002d0 (720).
The 12hr (720 min) time offset is observed only for VMs that have the network assignment property set to static. Additionally, when reviewing the VM tasks for the provisioned machine in vCenter, you will see the task Customize virtual machine guest OS, even though no vSphere Customization Specification is defined on the Cloud Template in VMware Aria Automation.
Virtual machines directly deployed on vCenter from the same VM template do not show this behavior. The values of the ActiveTimeBias and Bias registry entries remain the same as they are in the original VM template.
Environment
VMware Aria Automation 8.x
Cause
The time drift of 720 minutes occurs because VMware Aria Automation applies its own default customization to the virtual machine during the static IP provisioning process.
Resolution
To prevent the time drift, use a custom VM Customization Specification instead of relying on the default automation behavior.
1. Log in to vCenter and create a new VM Customization Specification for the Windows VM.
2. Update the Cloud template in VMware Aria Automation to explicitly use this new VM Customization Specifications for Windows Virtual Machines requiring a static IP.
Example :
Cloud_vSphere_Machine_1:
type: Cloud.vSphere.Machine
properties:
image: <Windows Image>
customizationSpec: <Custom_Spec_Name >
...
networks:
- network: ${resource.Cloud_vSphere_Network_1.id}
assignment: static
Additional Information
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