feat: add disable_ip_wait option to skip ip wait

Adds the `disable_ip_wait` option (vsphere-iso and vsphere-clone) to allow skipping the guest-reported IP wait when VMware Tools / open-vm-tools are unavailable.

You must set `ssh_host` or `winrm_host`; reachability timing uses `ssh_timeout` or `winrm_timeout`, not `ip_wait_timeout`.

Signed-off-by: Ryan Johnson <rya@tenthirtyam.org>

Author: tenthirtyam

.web-docs/components/builder/vsphere-clone/README.md

@@ -1107,12 +1107,23 @@ wget http://{{ .HTTPIP }}:{{ .HTTPPort }}/foo/bar/preseed.cfg
   documentation for full details.
 
 - `ip_wait_address` (\*string) - Set this to a CIDR address to cause the service to wait for an address that is contained in
-  this network range. Defaults to `0.0.0.0/0` for any IPv4 address. Examples include:
+  this network range.
 
+  -> **Note:** This only filters which guest-reported IP is accepted; it does not disable IP wait. Use `disable_ip_wait` to skip
+  waiting for a guest-reported IP entirely.
+  
+  Examples include:
   * empty string ("") - remove all filters
   * `0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0/0` - allow only ipv6 addresses
   * `192.168.1.0/24` - only allow ipv4 addresses from 192.168.1.1 to 192.168.1.254
 
+- `disable_ip_wait` (bool) - When true, skip waiting for a guest-reported IP from vCenter. The default wait relies on
+  VMware Tools or open-vm-tools guest information. Use when they cannot be installed during
+  guest operating system install. Defaults to `false`.
+  
+  -> **Note:** You must set `ssh_host` or `winrm_host`; reachability timing uses `ssh_timeout`
+  or `winrm_timeout`, not `ip_wait_timeout`.
+
 <!-- End of code generated from the comments of the WaitIpConfig struct in builder/vsphere/common/step_wait_for_ip.go; -->
 
 

.web-docs/components/builder/vsphere-iso/README.md

@@ -1141,12 +1141,23 @@ JSON Example:
   documentation for full details.
 
 - `ip_wait_address` (\*string) - Set this to a CIDR address to cause the service to wait for an address that is contained in
-  this network range. Defaults to `0.0.0.0/0` for any IPv4 address. Examples include:
+  this network range.
 
+  -> **Note:** This only filters which guest-reported IP is accepted; it does not disable IP wait. Use `disable_ip_wait` to skip
+  waiting for a guest-reported IP entirely.
+  
+  Examples include:
   * empty string ("") - remove all filters
   * `0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0/0` - allow only ipv6 addresses
   * `192.168.1.0/24` - only allow ipv4 addresses from 192.168.1.1 to 192.168.1.254
 
+- `disable_ip_wait` (bool) - When true, skip waiting for a guest-reported IP from vCenter. The default wait relies on
+  VMware Tools or open-vm-tools guest information. Use when they cannot be installed during
+  guest operating system install. Defaults to `false`.
+  
+  -> **Note:** You must set `ssh_host` or `winrm_host`; reachability timing uses `ssh_timeout`
+  or `winrm_timeout`, not `ip_wait_timeout`.
+
 <!-- End of code generated from the comments of the WaitIpConfig struct in builder/vsphere/common/step_wait_for_ip.go; -->
 
 

builder/vsphere/clone/builder.go

@@ -146,9 +146,15 @@ func (b *Builder) Run(ctx context.Context, ui packersdk.Ui, hook packersdk.Hook)
 				Ctx:    b.config.ctx,
 				VMName: b.config.VMName,
 			},
-			&common.StepWaitForIp{
+		)
+
+		if !b.config.DisableIpWait {
+			steps = append(steps, &common.StepWaitForIp{
 				Config: &b.config.WaitIpConfig,
-			},
+			})
+		}
+
+		steps = append(steps,
 			&communicator.StepConnect{
 				Config:    &b.config.Comm,
 				Host:      common.CommHost(b.config.Comm.Host()),

builder/vsphere/clone/config.go

@@ -99,6 +99,10 @@ func (c *Config) Prepare(raws ...interface{}) ([]string, error) {
 	errs = packersdk.MultiErrorAppend(errs, c.WaitIpConfig.Prepare()...)
 	errs = packersdk.MultiErrorAppend(errs, c.Comm.Prepare(&c.ctx)...)
 
+	disableWarnings, disableErrs := c.ValidateDisableIpWait(c.Comm.Host())
+	warnings = append(warnings, disableWarnings...)
+	errs = packersdk.MultiErrorAppend(errs, disableErrs...)
+
 	_, shutdownErrs := c.ShutdownConfig.Prepare(c.Comm)
 	// shutdownWarnings, shutdownErrs := c.ShutdownConfig.Prepare(c.Comm)
 	// warnings = append(warnings, shutdownWarnings...)

builder/vsphere/clone/config.hcl2spec.go

@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 package clone
 
 import (
+	"strings"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 )
@@ -37,6 +38,35 @@ func TestCloneConfig_Timeout(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestCloneConfig_DisableIpWaitRequiresHost(t *testing.T) {
+	raw := minimalConfig()
+	raw["disable_ip_wait"] = true
+	c := new(Config)
+	_, err := c.Prepare(raw)
+	testConfigErr(t, "disable_ip_wait", nil, err)
+}
+
+func TestCloneConfig_DisableIpWaitWithSSHHost(t *testing.T) {
+	raw := minimalConfig()
+	raw["disable_ip_wait"] = true
+	raw["ssh_host"] = "192.168.1.10"
+	c := new(Config)
+	warns, err := c.Prepare(raw)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %s", err)
+	}
+	found := false
+	for _, w := range warns {
+		if strings.Contains(w, "disable_ip_wait") {
+			found = true
+			break
+		}
+	}
+	if !found {
+		t.Fatalf("expected disable_ip_wait warning, got %#v", warns)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestCloneConfig_RAMReservation(t *testing.T) {
 	raw := minimalConfig()
 	raw["RAM_reservation"] = 1000

builder/vsphere/clone/config_test.go

@@ -33,16 +33,24 @@ type WaitIpConfig struct {
 	// documentation for full details.
 	SettleTimeout time.Duration `mapstructure:"ip_settle_timeout"`
 	// Set this to a CIDR address to cause the service to wait for an address that is contained in
-	// this network range. Defaults to `0.0.0.0/0` for any IPv4 address. Examples include:
+	// this network range.
 	//
+	// -> **Note:** This only filters which guest-reported IP is accepted; it does not disable IP wait. Use `disable_ip_wait` to skip
+	// waiting for a guest-reported IP entirely.
+	//
+	// Examples include:
 	// * empty string ("") - remove all filters
 	// * `0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0/0` - allow only ipv6 addresses
 	// * `192.168.1.0/24` - only allow ipv4 addresses from 192.168.1.1 to 192.168.1.254
 	WaitAddress *string `mapstructure:"ip_wait_address"`
 	ipnet       *net.IPNet
-
-	// WaitTimeout is a total timeout. If the virtual machine changes IP frequently, and does not settle down, wait
-	// until the timeout expires.
+	// When true, skip waiting for a guest-reported IP from vCenter. The default wait relies on
+	// VMware Tools or open-vm-tools guest information. Use when they cannot be installed during
+	// guest operating system install. Defaults to `false`.
+	//
+	// -> **Note:** You must set `ssh_host` or `winrm_host`; reachability timing uses `ssh_timeout`
+	// or `winrm_timeout`, not `ip_wait_timeout`.
+	DisableIpWait bool `mapstructure:"disable_ip_wait"`
 }
 
 type StepWaitForIp struct {
@@ -74,6 +82,24 @@ func (c *WaitIpConfig) Prepare() []error {
 	return errs
 }
 
+// ValidateDisableIpWait checks disable_ip_wait requirements against the communicator host.
+func (c *WaitIpConfig) ValidateDisableIpWait(commHost string) ([]string, []error) {
+	if !c.DisableIpWait {
+		return nil, nil
+	}
+
+	var warnings []string
+	var errs []error
+
+	if commHost == "" {
+		errs = append(errs, fmt.Errorf("disable_ip_wait is true but no ssh_host or winrm_host was set"))
+	}
+
+	warnings = append(warnings, "disable_ip_wait is set; ip_wait_timeout, ip_settle_timeout, and ip_wait_address are ignored")
+
+	return warnings, errs
+}
+
 func (c *WaitIpConfig) GetIPNet() *net.IPNet {
 	return c.ipnet
 }

builder/vsphere/common/step_wait_for_ip.go

@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+// © Broadcom. All Rights Reserved.
+// The term "Broadcom" refers to Broadcom Inc. and/or its subsidiaries.
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: MPL-2.0
+
+package common
+
+import (
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+)
+
+func TestWaitIpConfig_Prepare_defaults(t *testing.T) {
+	c := &WaitIpConfig{}
+	errs := c.Prepare()
+	if len(errs) > 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected errors: %v", errs)
+	}
+	if c.WaitTimeout != 30*time.Minute {
+		t.Fatalf("expected default wait timeout 30m, got %v", c.WaitTimeout)
+	}
+	if c.WaitAddress == nil || *c.WaitAddress != "0.0.0.0/0" {
+		t.Fatalf("expected default ip_wait_address 0.0.0.0/0, got %v", c.WaitAddress)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestWaitIpConfig_ValidateDisableIpWait(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Run("disabled by default", func(t *testing.T) {
+		c := &WaitIpConfig{}
+		warnings, errs := c.ValidateDisableIpWait("")
+		if len(warnings) > 0 || len(errs) > 0 {
+			t.Fatalf("expected no warnings or errors, got warnings=%v errs=%v", warnings, errs)
+		}
+	})
+
+	t.Run("requires communicator host", func(t *testing.T) {
+		c := &WaitIpConfig{DisableIpWait: true}
+		warnings, errs := c.ValidateDisableIpWait("")
+		if len(errs) != 1 {
+			t.Fatalf("expected one error, got %v", errs)
+		}
+		if len(warnings) != 1 {
+			t.Fatalf("expected one warning, got %v", warnings)
+		}
+	})
+
+	t.Run("ok with ssh host", func(t *testing.T) {
+		c := &WaitIpConfig{DisableIpWait: true}
+		warnings, errs := c.ValidateDisableIpWait("192.168.1.10")
+		if len(errs) > 0 {
+			t.Fatalf("unexpected errors: %v", errs)
+		}
+		if len(warnings) != 1 || !strings.Contains(warnings[0], "disable_ip_wait") {
+			t.Fatalf("expected disable_ip_wait warning, got %v", warnings)
+		}
+	})
+}

builder/vsphere/common/step_wait_for_ip.hcl2spec.go

@@ -158,10 +158,12 @@ func (b *Builder) Run(ctx context.Context, ui packersdk.Ui, hook packersdk.Hook)
 	)
 
 	if b.config.Comm.Type != "none" {
-		steps = append(steps,
-			&common.StepWaitForIp{
+		if !b.config.DisableIpWait {
+			steps = append(steps, &common.StepWaitForIp{
 				Config: &b.config.WaitIpConfig,
-			},
+			})
+		}
+		steps = append(steps,
 			&communicator.StepConnect{
 				Config:    &b.config.Comm,
 				Host:      common.CommHost(b.config.Comm.Host()),