The Open Virtual Machine Format (OVF) is a virtual machine distribution format that supports sharing virtual machines between products and organizations. The format facilitates the use of virtual appliances, which are preconfigured virtual machines that package applications with the operating system they require.
You can upload an OVF package to create a vApp template in a catalog.
vCloud Director supports the Open Virtualization Format (OVF) Specification. If you upload an OVF file that includes OVF properties for customizing its virtual machines, those properties are preserved in the vApp template. For information about creating OVF packages, see the OVF Tool User Guide and VMware vCenter Converter User's Guide
![Vmware Ovf Package Er Vmware Ovf Package Er](/uploads/1/2/5/8/125842399/842321272.jpg)
- This operation requires the rights included in the predefined Catalog Author role or an equivalent set of rights.
- The vCloud Director Client Integration Plug-In must be installed in your browser. For more information, see VMware Knowledge Base article https://kb.vmware.com/kb/2145401
- Select Catalogs > My Organization's Catalogs.
- On the vApp Templates tab, click Upload. To upload a new version of a vApp template that is already in the catalog, click Upload new version.
- Type the path to the OVF package or click Browse to find it.
- Type a name and optional description for the vApp template. vCloud Director displays this name in the catalog.
- Click Upload to upload the OVF package.
- (Optional) Click Launch Uploads and Downloads Progress Window to track the progress.
You can deploy an OVF or OVA template from a local file system or from a URL.
- Right-click any inventory object that is a valid parent object of a virtual machine, such as a data center, folder, cluster, resource pool, or host, and select Deploy OVF Template. The Deploy OVF Template wizard opens.
- On the Select an OVF template page, specify the location of the source OVF or OVA template and click Next.
Option
Action URL Enter a URL to an OVF or OVA template located on the Internet. Supported URL sources are HTTP and HTTPS. Example: http://vmware.com/VMTN/appliance.ovf.Local file Click Browse and select all required files associated with an OVF template or OVA file wich are .ovf, .vmdk, and .mf. If you do not select the required files, a warning message displays. - On the Select a name and folder page, enter a unique name for the virtual machine or vAPP, select a deployment location, and click Next. The default name for the virtual machine is the same as the name of the selected OVF or OVA template. If you change the default name, choose a name that is unique within each vCenter Server virtual machine folder.The default deployment location for the virtual machine is the inventory object where you started the wizard.
- On the Select a compute resource page, select a resource where to run the deployed VM template, and click Next.
- On the Review details page, verify the OVF or OVA template details and click Next.
Option
Description Publisher Publisher of the OVF or OVA template, if a certificate included in the OVF or OVA template file specifies a publisher. Download size Size of the OVF or OVA file. Size on disk Size on disk after you deploy the OVF or OVA template. - On the Select storage page, define where and how to store the files for the deployed OVF or OVA template.
- Select the disk format for the virtual machine virtual disks.
Format
Description Thick Provision Lazy Zeroed Creates a virtual disk in a default thick format. Space required for the virtual disk is allocated when the virtual disk is created. Data remaining on the physical device is not erased during creation, but is zeroed out later, on demand, on first write from the virtual machine. Thick Provision Eager Zeroed A type of thick virtual disk that supports clustering features such as Fault tolerance. Space required for the virtual disk is allocated at creation time. In contrast to the flat format, the data remaining on the physical device is zeroed out when the virtual disk is created. It might take much longer to create disks in this format than to create other types of disks. Thin Provision Use this format to save storage space. For the thin disk, you provision as much datastore space as the disk requires based on the value that you enter for the disk size. However, the thin disk starts small and at first, uses only as much datastore space as the disk needs for its initial operations. - Select a VM Storage Policy. This option is available only if storage policies are enabled on the destination resource.
- (Optional) Select the Show datastores from Storage DRS clusters check box to choose individual datastores from Storage DRS clusters for the initial placement of the virtual machine.
- Select a datastore to store the deployed OVF or OVA template. The configuration file and virtual disk files are stored on the datastore. Select a datastore large enough to accommodate the virtual machine or vApp and all associated virtual disk files.
- Select the disk format for the virtual machine virtual disks.
- On the Select networks page, select a source network and map it to a destination network and click Next. The Source Network column lists all networks that are defined in the OVF or OVA template.
- On the Ready to complete page, review the settings and click Finish.