A modern, cross-platform console application for merging one or multiple RVTools export files into a single consolidated file. Supports anonymization of sensitive data.
Created by Stefan Broenner (github.com/sbroenne) and contributors
RVTools is a popular Windows application for exporting detailed inventory and configuration data from VMware vSphere environments to Excel files. It is widely used by VMware administrators for reporting and analysis.
RVToolsMerge is a powerful command-line utility designed to consolidate multiple RVTools exports into one Excel file, making it easier to analyze VMware environment data from different sources.
Built with .NET 9, this cross-platform tool efficiently processes individual RVTools Excel files or entire directories, intelligently merging data from key sheets while ensuring consistency across the consolidated output.
As an independent, open-source project, RVToolsMerge is not affiliated with the official RVTools application but works with its export data to provide additional functionality.
RVToolsMerge treats security and data protection as top priorities, especially when handling sensitive VMware infrastructure data:
-
Complete Anonymization: Automatically replace sensitive identifiers with generic equivalents (per file):
- VM names → vm123_1, vm456_2, vm789_3... (unique per file)
- DNS names → dns123_1, dns456_2, dns789_3... (unique per file)
- IP addresses → ip123_1, ip456_2, ip789_3... (unique per file)
- Cluster names → cluster123_1, cluster456_2... (unique per file)
- Host names → host123_1, host456_2... (unique per file)
- Datacenter names → datacenter123_1, datacenter456_2... (unique per file)
-
Minimal Data Exposure: The
--only-mandatory-columnsoption limits data to essential fields only, preventing unnecessary exposure of sensitive information -
Consistent Anonymization: Maintains relationships between data points with per-file anonymization (same original values within a file are consistently replaced with the same anonymized values, while the same values in different files get different anonymized values)
-
Source Tracking Control: Optional inclusion of source file information gives you control over data lineage visibility
These protection features make RVToolsMerge ideal for:
- Creating sanitized reports for vendors and consultants
- Sharing infrastructure data while maintaining confidentiality
- Generating documentation that doesn't expose sensitive internal naming
- Ensuring compliance with organization data-sharing policies
- High-Performance Processing: Built with .NET 9 and optimized for speed and memory efficiency
- Rich Console Experience: Beautiful console output with progress bars, status indicators, and colorful tables
- Intelligent Sheet Handling: Combines multiple RVTools exports while validating required sheets and columns
- Flexible Processing Options:
- Processes single files or entire directories of RVTools exports
- Includes only columns that appear in all source files
- Optionally ignores missing optional sheets
- Selectively includes only mandatory columns
- Adds source file tracking for data lineage
- Cross-Platform: Runs on Windows, Linux, and macOS with native binaries for each platform
- Enterprise-Grade Error Handling: Comprehensive validation with clear, actionable error messages
RVToolsMerge processes key sheets from RVTools exports with specific validation requirements for each sheet type.
For detailed information about supported sheets and their required columns, see Supported Sheets Documentation.
The application standardizes column names across different RVTools exports. This helps handle variations in column naming between different versions of RVTools.
For a complete reference of all column mappings, see Column Mappings Documentation.
Download the latest release for your platform from the Releases page:
Using Windows Package Manager (winget) (availability pending):
winget install RvToolsMerge.RvToolsMergeNote: RVToolsMerge is currently pending submission to the winget repository. If the winget command doesn't work, please use the manual installation methods below.
Manual Download:
- Windows x64:
RVToolsMerge-[version]-win-x64.msi- Full installer with shortcuts and uninstall support - Windows ARM64:
RVToolsMerge-[version]-win-arm64.msi- Full installer with shortcuts and uninstall support
- Windows x64:
RVToolsMerge-[version]-win-x64.zip- Portable version, no installation required - Windows ARM64:
RVToolsMerge-[version]-win-arm64.zip- Portable version, no installation required - Linux x64:
RVToolsMerge-[version]-linux-x64.zip- Portable version for Linux - macOS ARM64:
RVToolsMerge-[version]-osx-arm64.zip- Portable version for macOS (Apple Silicon)
- Open PowerShell or Command Prompt
- Run:
winget install RvToolsMerge.RvToolsMerge - After installation, RVToolsMerge will be available from any command prompt or PowerShell window
If winget installation fails: RVToolsMerge may not be available in the winget repository yet. Please use the MSI installer method below instead.
- Download the appropriate MSI file for your architecture (x64 or ARM64)
- Double-click the MSI file to start the installation
- Follow the installation wizard prompts
- After installation, RVToolsMerge will be available from any command prompt or PowerShell window
- Download the appropriate ZIP file for your platform
- Extract the contents to a folder of your choice
- Run the executable directly (no installation required)
- No additional prerequisites required! The application is published as a self-contained executable with all dependencies included.
- Minimum disk space: ~30MB
RVToolsMerge [options] inputPath [outputFile]
| Argument | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
inputPath |
Path to an Excel file or folder containing RVTools exports | Required |
outputFile |
Path where the merged file will be saved | ./RVTools_Merged.xlsx in current directory |
| Option | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
-h, --help, /? |
Show the help message and exit | N/A |
-v, --version |
Show version information and exit | N/A |
-m, --ignore-missing-sheets |
Process files even when optional sheets are missing | false |
-i, --skip-invalid-files |
Skip files that don't meet validation requirements | false |
-a, --anonymize |
Anonymize VM, DNS, Cluster, Host, and Datacenter names | false |
-M, --only-mandatory-columns |
Include only mandatory columns in the output | false |
-s, --include-source |
Add a 'Source File' column to track data origin | false |
-e, --skip-empty-values |
Skip rows with empty values in mandatory columns | false |
-z, --azure-migrate |
Enable Azure Migrate validation requirements | false |
-d, --debug |
Show detailed error information with stack traces | false |
:: Skip files with missing optional sheets
RVToolsMerge.exe -m C:\RVTools\Exports
:: Skip invalid files entirely
RVToolsMerge.exe -i C:\RVTools\Exports
:: Skip invalid files and ignore missing optional sheets in valid files
RVToolsMerge.exe -i -m C:\RVTools\Exports
:: Anonymize sensitive data
RVToolsMerge.exe -a C:\RVTools\Exports\RVTools.xlsx C:\Reports\Anonymized.xlsx
:: Include only mandatory columns
RVToolsMerge.exe -M C:\RVTools\Exports
:: Include source file information
RVToolsMerge.exe -s C:\RVTools\Exports
:: Skip rows with empty mandatory values
RVToolsMerge.exe -e C:\RVTools\Exports
:: Enable Azure Migrate validation
RVToolsMerge.exe -z C:\RVTools\Exports C:\Reports\AzureMigrationReady.xlsx
:: Combine multiple options
RVToolsMerge.exe -a -M -s -e C:\RVTools\Exports C:\Reports\Complete_Analysis.xlsxRVToolsMerge offers robust data protection features for handling sensitive infrastructure information:
When using the anonymization option, the following data is consistently anonymized (per file):
- VM names → vm123_1, vm456_2, vm789_3, etc. (unique per file)
- DNS names → dns123_1, dns456_2, dns789_3, etc. (unique per file)
- IP addresses → ip123_1, ip456_2, ip789_3, etc. (unique per file)
- Cluster names → cluster123_1, cluster456_2, cluster789_3, etc. (unique per file)
- Host names → host123_1, host456_2, host789_3, etc. (unique per file)
- Datacenter names → datacenter123_1, datacenter456_2, datacenter789_3, etc. (unique per file)
Anonymization maintains internal data relationships within each file, ensuring that the same original value in a file always maps to the same anonymized value throughout all sheets in that file. Values that appear in different source files will be anonymized to different values, ensuring there's never any overlap between anonymized values from different files.
When anonymization is enabled, an additional Excel file is created alongside the output file with the naming pattern <output_filename>_AnonymizationMap.xlsx. This file contains the mapping between original values and their anonymized equivalents for each source file, which can be used later to de-anonymize the data if needed.
After processing is complete, a summary of anonymization statistics per file is displayed, showing how many items of each type were anonymized from each source file.
For more details on how anonymization is implemented, see the Column Mappings Documentation.
The mandatory columns only mode provides an additional layer of data protection by:
- Including only essential columns required for analysis
- Excluding potentially sensitive columns that might contain organization-specific information
- Reducing the data footprint in the output file
- Limiting exposure of non-essential infrastructure details
This option is particularly useful when:
- Sharing reports with external parties
- Creating documentation for public consumption
- Generating simplified reports focused on specific metrics
- Ensuring compliance with data sharing policies
For maximum data protection, combine multiple options:
RVToolsMerge -a -M -s /path/to/inputs /path/to/output.xlsx
This produces a streamlined report with only essential columns containing fully anonymized data while preserving all analytical value and relationships between data points. The -s option adds source tracking for better data lineage.
RVToolsMerge provides validation support for Azure Migrate requirements to ensure your VMware inventory data can be successfully imported into Azure Migrate.
When using the Azure Migrate validation option, RVToolsMerge:
- Validates that VM UUIDs are present and not null for all VMs
- Validates that OS configuration data is present and not null
- Ensures VM UUIDs are unique across all entries (no duplicates)
- Enforces the Azure Migrate limit of 20,000 VMs
- Tracks rows that were skipped due to the VM count limit
- Rows that fail validation are exported to a separate Excel file with the naming pattern
<output_filename>_FailedAzureMigrateValidation.xlsx - The console displays detailed validation statistics including:
- Count of rows with missing VM UUIDs
- Count of rows with missing OS configurations
- Count of rows with duplicate VM UUIDs
- Count of rows excluded due to VM limit
- Count of rows not processed (skipped) after reaching the 20,000 VM limit
- Total count of failed validations
RVToolsMerge -z /path/to/inputs /path/to/output.xlsx
This option is especially useful when:
- Preparing VMware inventory data for Azure migration assessments
- Pre-validating RVTools exports before uploading to Azure Migrate
- Identifying problematic VM records that would fail Azure Migrate import
- Ensuring your migration assessment includes all critical VMs
For maximum preparation before uploading to Azure Migrate, consider combining with other options:
RVToolsMerge -z -s -e /path/to/inputs /path/to/azure_migrate_ready.xlsx
This validates for Azure Migrate requirements, includes source file tracking, and skips rows with empty mandatory values.
RVToolsMerge implements robust validation to ensure data integrity:
- By default (all options disabled): All required sheets with all mandatory columns must exist in all files. Files that don't meet these requirements will cause the operation to fail.
- With
-m(ignore-missing-sheets):- The vInfo sheet remains required in all files
- Optional sheets (vHost, vPartition, vMemory) can be missing without causing failures
- Missing mandatory columns in optional sheets will still cause errors unless handled by other options
- With
-i(skip-invalid-files):- Files without the required vInfo sheet will be skipped and processing will continue
- Files with vInfo sheet but missing mandatory vInfo columns will be skipped
- Files with optional sheets having missing mandatory columns will be skipped
- With
-e(skip-empty-values):- Rows with empty values in mandatory columns will be excluded from the output
- By default (when this option is disabled), rows with empty mandatory values are included in the output
- Enable this option when you want to include only complete data records
- With both
-iand-mtogether:- Files without vInfo sheet will be skipped
- Files with vInfo sheet but missing mandatory vInfo columns will be skipped
- Files with complete vInfo sheet but missing optional sheets will be processed
- Files with optional sheets missing mandatory columns will be processed, but those sheets may be excluded
Important: All processing options are disabled by default. This means:
- Strict validation: Processing will fail if any file is missing required sheets or columns
- No anonymization: All original data values are preserved in the output
- All columns included: Both mandatory and optional columns are included when available
- No source tracking: The source file name is not added to the merged data
- Empty values preserved: Rows with empty mandatory values are included in the output
- Full error reporting: Only basic error messages are shown (use
-dfor detailed debugging)
To enable any special processing behavior, you must explicitly specify the corresponding command-line options.
If you encounter issues while using RVToolsMerge:
| Issue | Recommended Action |
|---|---|
| General errors | Enable debug mode with -d to see detailed error information |
| Missing sheets errors | Use -m to ignore missing optional sheets (disabled by default) |
| Files causing validation errors | Use -i to skip invalid files and continue processing others (disabled by default) |
| Row count mismatches | By default, rows with empty mandatory values are included; use -e to exclude them |
| Need data protection | Use -a for anonymization and -M for mandatory columns only (both disabled by default) |
| Preparing for Azure migration | Use -z to validate against Azure Migrate requirements (disabled by default) |
| Want to track data origin | Use -s to include source file information (disabled by default) |
| Low memory issues | Process smaller batches of files |
| Permission errors | Ensure you have write access to the output folder |
| Excel file locked | Close any applications that might have the file open |
| Slow performance | Check for antivirus scanning; consider excluding the working folders |
RVToolsMerge is built with .NET 9 and follows modern C# development practices:
- ClosedXML: High-performance Excel file handling
- Spectre.Console: Rich console UI with progress bars, tables, and colors
- Modern C# Features: Using the latest C# features like records, pattern matching, and nullable reference types
- .NET 9.0 SDK or later
git clone https://github.com/sbroenne/RVToolsMerge.git
cd RVToolsMerge
dotnet build -c ReleaseBy default, dotnet build creates a framework-dependent build. For self-contained applications that don't require .NET runtime:
# For Windows x64
dotnet publish -c Release -r win-x64
# For Windows ARM64
dotnet publish -c Release -r win-arm64
# For Linux x64
dotnet publish -c Release -r linux-x64
# For macOS ARM64 (Apple Silicon)
dotnet publish -c Release -r osx-arm64Output will be in bin/Release/net9.0/{RID}/publish directory, where {RID} is the runtime identifier.
When running from source with parameters, use a double-dash (--) to separate the dotnet run command from the application parameters:
# Basic syntax
dotnet run -- [options] [inputPath] [outputFile]
# Example
dotnet run -- -m -i C:\RVTools\Exports C:\Output\Merged.xlsxContributions are welcome! Please follow these steps:
- Fork the repository
- Create your feature branch (
git checkout -b feature/amazing-feature) - Commit your changes (
git commit -m 'Add some amazing feature') - Push to the branch (
git push origin feature/amazing-feature) - Open a Pull Request
This project follows strict development standards:
- Coding Style: C# coding best practices with PascalCase for public members, camelCase for private fields
- Documentation: XML documentation for all public methods and classes
- Error Handling: Robust exception handling and validation
- Code Coverage: Comprehensive test coverage (currently 76%) with detailed reports - see Code Coverage Documentation
- Testing Approach: Integration tests use real file system operations while unit tests use mocking for isolated component testing
This project uses GitHub Actions for automated workflows:
| Workflow | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Build & Test | Validates code on every push and PR |
| Code Quality | Static analysis and test coverage |
| Security | CodeQL scanning and vulnerability checks |
| Version & Release | Manual version bumps with optional release creation |
| Dependencies | Automated dependency management with Dependabot |
| Workflow Cleanup | Automated cleanup of old workflow runs |
Detailed CI/CD documentation is available in continuous-integration.md.
For CI/CD workloads requiring code signing of release artifacts, the project includes Azure infrastructure automation for deploying secure Windows-based GitHub runners:
- Azure GitHub Runner: Deploy self-hosted Windows runners for artifact signing workflows
- Code Signing Environment: Secure Windows environment with access to code signing certificates and tools
- Signing Tools: Pre-configured with .NET SDK, Windows SDK, and signtool.exe for authenticode signing
- Security Isolation: Network-isolated environment with encrypted storage for certificate security
- Cost-Effective: Multiple VM sizes from ~$23-135 USD/month with automatic shutdown policies
- Bicep Infrastructure: Infrastructure as Code for consistent and repeatable deployments
The self-hosted runners enable:
- Authenticode Signing: Sign .exe files and MSI installers with trusted certificates
- Enhanced Security: Dedicated signing environment separate from public GitHub runners
- Certificate Management: Secure storage and access to code signing certificates
- Trusted Releases: Provide users with signed, verifiable release artifacts
Comprehensive deployment guide available in Azure GitHub Runner Deployment Guide.
The project follows Semantic Versioning:
- major (1.0.0 → 2.0.0): Incompatible API changes
- minor (1.0.0 → 1.1.0): New backward-compatible functionality
- patch (1.0.0 → 1.0.1): Backward-compatible bug fixes
Version bumping and release creation are managed through a single GitHub Actions workflow that can be triggered manually. The workflow supports both version bumping only or version bumping with immediate release creation.
This project takes security seriously, with multiple layers of protection:
| Feature | Status |
|---|---|
| CodeQL Analysis | ✅ Enabled |
| Dependency Review | ✅ Enabled |
| Secret Scanning | ✅ Enabled |
| Dependabot Alerts | ✅ Enabled |
| Security Policy | ✅ View Policy |
- Automated Scanning: Regular code scanning for vulnerabilities
- Dependency Management: Automated updates for security patches
- Secure Coding: Following established security best practices
- Vulnerability Reporting: Clear process for reporting security issues
For details on reporting security vulnerabilities, please see our Security Policy.
This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.
The project follows standard GitHub repository best practices:
RVToolsMerge/
├── .github/ # GitHub-specific files (workflows)
├── docs/ # Documentation files
├── src/ # Source code
│ └── RVToolsMerge/ # .NET project
│ ├── Configuration/ # Configuration settings
│ ├── Exceptions/ # Custom exception classes
│ ├── Models/ # Data models and DTOs
│ ├── Services/ # Service implementations
│ │ └── Interfaces/ # Service interfaces
│ └── UI/ # User interface components
│ ├── Console/ # Console UI implementations
│ └── Interfaces/ # UI interfaces
├── tests/ # Test projects
│ ├── RVToolsMerge.IntegrationTests/ # Integration tests using real file operations
│ └── RVToolsMerge.UnitTests/ # Unit tests with mocking for isolated testing
├── CHANGELOG.md # Version history
├── CONTRIBUTING.md # Guidelines for contributors
├── LICENSE # MIT License file
├── README.md # This file
├── run.bat # Windows script to run the application
├── run.sh # Linux/macOS script to run the application
└── SECURITY.md # Security policy
Contributions are welcome! See CONTRIBUTING.md for detailed guidelines on how to contribute to this project.
- RVTools by Robware - This independent project works with data exported from RVTools but is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to Robware or the official RVTools product
- ClosedXML for excellent Excel file handling capabilities
- Spectre.Console for beautiful console output and UX
- GitHub Copilot using various models for AI assistance in code generation and development