Create a vApp Template from an OVF File

You can upload an OVF package to create a vApp template in a catalog.

VMware Cloud Director supports the Open Virtualization Format (OVF) and Open Virtualization Appliance (OVA) specifications. 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.

For VMware Cloud Director 10.4.2 and later, uploading an OVF with a Trusted Platform Module (TPM) RASD section creates a vApp template. When you instantiate from the vApp template a VM with a defined TPM, VMware Cloud Director creates a new TPM device.

Prerequisites

• This operation requires the rights included in the predefined Catalog Author role or an equivalent set of rights.

• For VMware Cloud Director 10.4.2 and later, if you want work with VMs with TPM devices, verify that the following criteria are met.
  • A VDC that supports TPM backs the VM.
  • For operations across vCenter Server instances, verify that the key provider used to encrypt each VM is registered on the target vCenter Server instance under the same name.
  • For operations across vCenter Server instances, verify that the VM and the target vCenter Server instance are on the same shared storage or that fast cross vCenter Server vApp instantiation is enabled. See the fast cross vCenter Server vApp instantiation information in the VMware Cloud Director 10.4 Release Notes.

Procedure

1. In the top navigation bar, click Libraries and in the left panel, select vApp Templates.
   The list of templates appears in a grid view.
2. Click New.
3. Enter a URL address of the OVF file, or click the Upload icon to browse to a location accessible from your computer and select the OVF/OVA template file.
   The location might be your local hard drive, a network share, or a CD/DVD drive. The supported file extensions include .ova, .ovf, .vmdk, .mf, .cert, and .strings. If you select to upload an OVF file, which references more files than you are trying to upload, for example, a VMDK file, you must browse and select all files.
4. Verify the details of the OVF/OVA template you are about to deploy and click Next.
5. Enter a name and, optionally, a description for the vApp template, and click Next.
6. From the Catalog drop-down menu, select the catalog, to which you want to add the template.
7. Review the vApp template settings, and click Finish.

Results

The new vApp template appears in the templates grid view.