Add CD/DVD + ISO-boot support for appliance installs

Adds add_cdrom (attach a CD/DVD drive to an existing VM, optionally with
an ISO and CD-first boot) and extends deploy_ova with iso_path/
iso_datastore/boot_from_iso so a diskless appliance OVA can be deployed
and pointed at a bootable installer ISO in one call.

deploy_ova reuses the OVA's existing primary CD/DVD drive rather than
adding a new one — Cisco templates (CUCM) already define empty drives and
the BIOS boots the first, so the ISO must land there. Verified end to end:
CUCM 15 Small OVA + bootable ISO boots to the UCOS installer.

src/mcvsphere/mixins/disk_management.py

@@ -65,6 +65,101 @@ class DiskManagementMixin(MCPMixin):
                 return device
         return None
 
+    def _find_free_ide_slot(
+        self, vm: vim.VirtualMachine
+    ) -> tuple[int | None, int | None]:
+        """Return (controllerKey, unitNumber) for a free IDE slot, or (None, None)."""
+        ide_controllers = [
+            d
+            for d in vm.config.hardware.device
+            if isinstance(d, vim.vm.device.VirtualIDEController)
+        ]
+        used: dict[int, set[int]] = {}
+        for d in vm.config.hardware.device:
+            if hasattr(d, "controllerKey") and hasattr(d, "unitNumber"):
+                used.setdefault(d.controllerKey, set()).add(d.unitNumber)
+        for controller in ide_controllers:
+            for unit in (0, 1):  # each IDE controller holds two devices
+                if unit not in used.get(controller.key, set()):
+                    return controller.key, unit
+        return None, None
+
+    @mcp_tool(
+        name="add_cdrom",
+        description="Add a CD/DVD drive to a VM, optionally mounting an ISO and booting from it",
+        annotations=ToolAnnotations(destructiveHint=True),
+    )
+    def add_cdrom(
+        self,
+        vm_name: str,
+        iso_path: str | None = None,
+        iso_datastore: str | None = None,
+        boot_from_iso: bool = False,
+    ) -> dict[str, Any]:
+        """Add a CD/DVD drive to an existing VM.
+
+        Useful for appliances deployed from an OVA (e.g. Cisco CUCM), which
+        ship without a CD/DVD drive and must install from a bootable ISO.
+
+        Args:
+            vm_name: Name of the virtual machine
+            iso_path: ISO path on a datastore (e.g. 'iso/installer.iso') to mount
+            iso_datastore: Datastore holding the ISO (default: the VM's datastore)
+            boot_from_iso: Put the CD/DVD first in the boot order (for installers)
+
+        Returns:
+            Dict with the CD/DVD drive details
+        """
+        vm = self.conn.find_vm(vm_name)
+        if not vm:
+            raise ValueError(f"VM '{vm_name}' not found")
+
+        controller_key, unit = self._find_free_ide_slot(vm)
+        if controller_key is None:
+            raise ValueError("No free IDE slot available for a CD/DVD drive")
+
+        cdrom_spec = vim.vm.device.VirtualDeviceSpec()
+        cdrom_spec.operation = vim.vm.device.VirtualDeviceSpec.Operation.add
+        cdrom_spec.device = vim.vm.device.VirtualCdrom()
+        cdrom_spec.device.controllerKey = controller_key
+        cdrom_spec.device.unitNumber = unit
+        cdrom_spec.device.key = -1
+        connectable = vim.vm.device.VirtualDevice.ConnectInfo()
+        connectable.allowGuestControl = True
+        connectable.connected = False
+
+        mounted_iso = None
+        if iso_path:
+            ds_name = iso_datastore or vm.config.files.vmPathName.split("]")[0].strip("[ ")
+            mounted_iso = f"[{ds_name}] {iso_path}"
+            backing = vim.vm.device.VirtualCdrom.IsoBackingInfo()
+            backing.fileName = mounted_iso
+            connectable.startConnected = True
+        else:
+            backing = vim.vm.device.VirtualCdrom.RemotePassthroughBackingInfo()
+            backing.deviceName = ""
+            backing.exclusive = False
+            connectable.startConnected = False
+
+        cdrom_spec.device.backing = backing
+        cdrom_spec.device.connectable = connectable
+
+        config_spec = vim.vm.ConfigSpec(deviceChange=[cdrom_spec])
+        if iso_path and boot_from_iso:
+            config_spec.bootOptions = vim.vm.BootOptions(
+                bootOrder=[vim.vm.BootOptions.BootableCdromDevice()]
+            )
+
+        task = vm.ReconfigVM_Task(spec=config_spec)
+        self.conn.wait_for_task(task)
+
+        return {
+            "vm": vm_name,
+            "action": "cdrom_added",
+            "iso": mounted_iso,
+            "boot_from_iso": bool(iso_path and boot_from_iso),
+        }
+
     @mcp_tool(
         name="add_disk",
         description="Add a new virtual disk to a VM",

src/mcvsphere/mixins/ovf_management.py

@@ -364,6 +364,9 @@ class OVFManagementMixin(MCPMixin):
         power_on: bool = False,
         disk_provisioning: str = "thin",
         deployment_option: str | None = None,
+        iso_path: str | None = None,
+        iso_datastore: str | None = None,
+        boot_from_iso: bool = True,
     ) -> dict[str, Any]:
         """Deploy a virtual machine from an OVA file.
 
@@ -382,6 +385,11 @@ class OVFManagementMixin(MCPMixin):
             deployment_option: OVF configuration id for multi-config templates
                 (e.g. Cisco 'S'/'M'/'L'); defaults to the OVF's default config.
                 Use inspect_ova to list available options.
+            iso_path: ISO on a datastore to mount in a new CD/DVD drive after
+                deploy (for diskless appliance OVAs like CUCM that install from
+                a bootable ISO). A CD/DVD drive is added automatically.
+            iso_datastore: Datastore holding the ISO (default: the VM's datastore)
+            boot_from_iso: When an ISO is given, put the CD/DVD first in boot order
 
         Returns:
             Dict with deployment details
@@ -505,6 +513,10 @@ class OVFManagementMixin(MCPMixin):
         }
         if vm:
             result["uuid"] = vm.config.uuid
+            if iso_path:
+                result["iso"] = self._add_cdrom_with_iso(
+                    vm, iso_path, iso_datastore, boot_from_iso
+                )
             if power_on:
                 task = vm.PowerOnVM_Task()
                 self.conn.wait_for_task(task)
@@ -513,6 +525,86 @@ class OVFManagementMixin(MCPMixin):
                 result["power_state"] = "poweredOff"
         return result
 
+    def _add_cdrom_with_iso(
+        self,
+        vm: vim.VirtualMachine,
+        iso_path: str,
+        iso_datastore: str | None,
+        boot_from_iso: bool,
+    ) -> str:
+        """Mount an ISO in the VM's CD/DVD drive (reusing the first existing
+        drive, or adding one if none exist) and optionally boot from it.
+
+        Reusing the existing primary drive matters: many appliance OVAs (e.g.
+        Cisco CUCM) already define empty CD/DVD drives, and the BIOS boots the
+        first one, so the ISO must land there rather than on a newly-added
+        secondary drive.
+
+        Returns the mounted datastore ISO path.
+        """
+        ds_name = iso_datastore or vm.config.files.vmPathName.split("]")[0].strip("[ ")
+        mounted = f"[{ds_name}] {iso_path}"
+
+        backing = vim.vm.device.VirtualCdrom.IsoBackingInfo()
+        backing.fileName = mounted
+        connectable = vim.vm.device.VirtualDevice.ConnectInfo()
+        connectable.allowGuestControl = True
+        connectable.startConnected = True
+        connectable.connected = (
+            vm.runtime.powerState == vim.VirtualMachinePowerState.poweredOn
+        )
+
+        existing = next(
+            (
+                d
+                for d in vm.config.hardware.device
+                if isinstance(d, vim.vm.device.VirtualCdrom)
+            ),
+            None,
+        )
+
+        cdrom_spec = vim.vm.device.VirtualDeviceSpec()
+        if existing is not None:
+            existing.backing = backing
+            existing.connectable = connectable
+            cdrom_spec.operation = vim.vm.device.VirtualDeviceSpec.Operation.edit
+            cdrom_spec.device = existing
+        else:
+            # No drive present — add one on a free IDE slot
+            used: dict[int, set[int]] = {}
+            ide_controllers = []
+            for d in vm.config.hardware.device:
+                if isinstance(d, vim.vm.device.VirtualIDEController):
+                    ide_controllers.append(d)
+                if hasattr(d, "controllerKey") and hasattr(d, "unitNumber"):
+                    used.setdefault(d.controllerKey, set()).add(d.unitNumber)
+            controller_key = unit = None
+            for controller in ide_controllers:
+                for candidate in (0, 1):
+                    if candidate not in used.get(controller.key, set()):
+                        controller_key, unit = controller.key, candidate
+                        break
+                if controller_key is not None:
+                    break
+            if controller_key is None:
+                raise ValueError("No free IDE slot for a CD/DVD drive")
+            cdrom_spec.operation = vim.vm.device.VirtualDeviceSpec.Operation.add
+            cdrom_spec.device = vim.vm.device.VirtualCdrom()
+            cdrom_spec.device.controllerKey = controller_key
+            cdrom_spec.device.unitNumber = unit
+            cdrom_spec.device.key = -1
+            cdrom_spec.device.backing = backing
+            cdrom_spec.device.connectable = connectable
+
+        config_spec = vim.vm.ConfigSpec(deviceChange=[cdrom_spec])
+        if boot_from_iso:
+            config_spec.bootOptions = vim.vm.BootOptions(
+                bootOrder=[vim.vm.BootOptions.BootableCdromDevice()]
+            )
+        task = vm.ReconfigVM_Task(spec=config_spec)
+        self.conn.wait_for_task(task)
+        return mounted
+
     @mcp_tool(
         name="inspect_ova",
         description="Inspect an OVA (local path or URL): product, deployment configurations, networks, and disks",