🌱 Set the VC created at timestamp in VM CR status

api/v1alpha5/virtualmachine_types.go

@@ -1220,6 +1220,20 @@ type VirtualMachineGuestStatus struct {
 	GuestFullName string `json:"guestFullName,omitempty"`
 }
 
+// VirtualMachineProviderStatus describes the observed state of the
+// VirtualMachine from the underlying infrastructure provider (vSphere/vCenter).
+type VirtualMachineProviderStatus struct {
+	// +optional
+
+	// CreationTimestamp describes the timestamp when the VirtualMachine was
+	// created in the infrastructure provider. This value is retrieved
+	// from the VM's config.createDate field and is immutable once set.
+	//
+	// This field is only populated after the VM has been successfully created
+	// in vCenter and the creation timestamp is available.
+	CreationTimestamp *metav1.Time `json:"creationTimestamp,omitempty"`
+}
+
 // VirtualMachineStatus defines the observed state of a VirtualMachine instance.
 type VirtualMachineStatus struct {
 	// +optional
@@ -1320,6 +1334,12 @@ type VirtualMachineStatus struct {
 
 	// +optional
 
+	// Provider describes the observed state of the VirtualMachine from
+	// the underlying infrastructure provider (vSphere/vCenter).
+	Provider *VirtualMachineProviderStatus `json:"provider,omitempty"`
+
+	// +optional
+
 	// CurrentSnapshot describes the observed working snapshot of the VirtualMachine.
 	// This field contains the name of the current snapshot.
 	CurrentSnapshot *VirtualMachineSnapshotReference `json:"currentSnapshot,omitempty"`

config/crd/bases/vmoperator.vmware.com_virtualmachines.yaml

@@ -13215,6 +13215,22 @@ spec:
                 - PoweredOn
                 - Suspended
                 type: string
+              provider:
+                description: |-
+                  Provider describes the observed state of the VirtualMachine from
+                  the underlying infrastructure provider (vSphere/vCenter).
+                properties:
+                  creationTimestamp:
+                    description: |-
+                      CreationTimestamp describes the timestamp when the VirtualMachine was
+                      created in the infrastructure provider. This value is retrieved
+                      from the VM's config.createDate field and is immutable once set.
+
+                      This field is only populated after the VM has been successfully created
+                      in vCenter and the creation timestamp is available.
+                    format: date-time
+                    type: string
+                type: object
               rootSnapshots:
                 description: |-
                   RootSnapshots represents the observed list of root snapshots of

pkg/providers/vsphere/vmlifecycle/update_status.go

@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ func ReconcileStatus(
 	errs = append(errs, reconcileStatusAnno2Conditions(vmCtx, k8sClient, vcVM, data)...)
 	errs = append(errs, reconcileStatusClass(vmCtx, k8sClient, vcVM, data)...)
 	errs = append(errs, reconcileStatusPowerState(vmCtx, k8sClient, vcVM, data)...)
-	errs = append(errs, reconcileStatusIdentifiers(vmCtx, k8sClient, vcVM, data)...)
+	errs = append(errs, reconcileStatusPlatform(vmCtx, k8sClient, vcVM, data)...)
 	errs = append(errs, reconcileStatusHardware(vmCtx, k8sClient, vcVM, data)...)
 	errs = append(errs, reconcileStatusHardwareVersion(vmCtx, k8sClient, vcVM, data)...)
 	errs = append(errs, reconcileStatusGuest(vmCtx, k8sClient, vcVM, data)...)
@@ -327,16 +327,30 @@ func reconcileStatusPowerState(
 	return nil
 }
 
-func reconcileStatusIdentifiers(
+// reconcileStatusPlatform updates the VM's status with immutable metadata
+// from vCenter, including identifiers (UniqueID, BiosUUID, InstanceUUID)
+// and provider-specific information like the creation timestamp.
+func reconcileStatusPlatform(
 	vmCtx pkgctx.VirtualMachineContext,
 	_ ctrlclient.Client,
 	_ *object.VirtualMachine,
 	_ ReconcileStatusData) []error { //nolint:unparam
 
+	// TODO(v1alpha6): Deprecate and migrate these fields to the Provider status.
 	vmCtx.VM.Status.UniqueID = vmCtx.MoVM.Self.Value
 	vmCtx.VM.Status.BiosUUID = vmCtx.MoVM.Summary.Config.Uuid
 	vmCtx.VM.Status.InstanceUUID = vmCtx.MoVM.Summary.Config.InstanceUuid
 
+	if vmCtx.VM.Status.Provider == nil {
+		vmCtx.VM.Status.Provider = &vmopv1.VirtualMachineProviderStatus{}
+	}
+	// The creation timestamp is immutable once set.
+	if vmCtx.VM.Status.Provider.CreationTimestamp == nil {
+		if config := vmCtx.MoVM.Config; config != nil && config.CreateDate != nil {
+			vmCtx.VM.Status.Provider.CreationTimestamp = &metav1.Time{Time: *config.CreateDate}
+		}
+	}
+
 	return nil
 }
 

pkg/providers/vsphere/vmlifecycle/update_status_test.go

@@ -3607,6 +3607,75 @@ var _ = Describe("UpdateStatus", func() {
 			Expect(status.InstanceUUID).To(Equal(instanceUUID))
 			Expect(status.HardwareVersion).To(Equal(int32(19)))
 		})
+
+		Context("Provider.CreationTimestamp", func() {
+			var createDate *metav1.Time
+
+			BeforeEach(func() {
+				t := metav1.Now()
+				createDate = &t
+				if vmCtx.MoVM.Config == nil {
+					vmCtx.MoVM.Config = &vimtypes.VirtualMachineConfigInfo{}
+				}
+				vmCtx.MoVM.Config.CreateDate = &createDate.Time
+			})
+
+			When("Provider.CreationTimestamp is not set in status", func() {
+				BeforeEach(func() {
+					vmCtx.VM.Status.Provider = nil
+				})
+
+				It("should set Provider.CreationTimestamp from config.createDate", func() {
+					Expect(vmCtx.VM.Status.Provider).ToNot(BeNil())
+					Expect(vmCtx.VM.Status.Provider.CreationTimestamp).ToNot(BeNil())
+					Expect(vmCtx.VM.Status.Provider.CreationTimestamp.Time).To(Equal(createDate.Time))
+				})
+			})
+
+			When("Provider.CreationTimestamp is already set in status", func() {
+				var existingDate *metav1.Time
+
+				BeforeEach(func() {
+					// set created at to 1 day ago.
+					t := metav1.NewTime(metav1.Now().Add(-24 * 3600 * 1000000000))
+					existingDate = &t
+					vmCtx.VM.Status.Provider = &vmopv1.VirtualMachineProviderStatus{
+						CreationTimestamp: existingDate,
+					}
+				})
+
+				It("should not change Provider.CreationTimestamp because it is immutable", func() {
+					Expect(vmCtx.VM.Status.Provider).ToNot(BeNil())
+					Expect(vmCtx.VM.Status.Provider.CreationTimestamp).ToNot(BeNil())
+					Expect(vmCtx.VM.Status.Provider.CreationTimestamp.Time).To(Equal(existingDate.Time))
+					Expect(vmCtx.VM.Status.Provider.CreationTimestamp.Time).ToNot(Equal(createDate.Time))
+				})
+			})
+
+			When("config.createDate is nil", func() {
+				BeforeEach(func() {
+					vmCtx.MoVM.Config.CreateDate = nil
+					vmCtx.VM.Status.Provider = nil
+				})
+
+				It("should initialize Provider but not set CreationTimestamp", func() {
+					Expect(vmCtx.VM.Status.Provider).ToNot(BeNil())
+					Expect(vmCtx.VM.Status.Provider.CreationTimestamp).To(BeNil())
+				})
+			})
+
+			When("config is nil", func() {
+				BeforeEach(func() {
+					vmCtx.MoVM.Config = nil
+					vmCtx.VM.Status.Provider = nil
+				})
+
+				It("should initialize Provider but not set CreationTimestamp", func() {
+					Expect(vmCtx.VM.Status.Provider).ToNot(BeNil())
+					Expect(vmCtx.VM.Status.Provider.CreationTimestamp).To(BeNil())
+				})
+			})
+		})
 	})
 
 	Context("Misc Status fields", func() {