To create a vApp based on an existing vApp, you can copy a vApp and change the copy so that the copy meets your needs. You do not have to power off virtual machines in the vApp before you copy the vApp. The memory state of running virtual machines is preserved in the copied vApp.

Starting with VMware Cloud Director 10.4.2, you can create, copy, and edit VMs with Trusted Platform Module (TPM) devices. For more information on VMs with TPM devices, see Working with Virtual Machines in the VMware Cloud Director Tenant Portal.

Prerequisites

Verify that the following conditions are met.
  • You are at least a vApp user.
  • The organization virtual data center is backed up by vCenter Server 5.5 or later.
  • To enable operations across vCenter Server instances where the source and destination vCenter Server instances are not the same, verify that the vCenter Server instances trust each other independently of VMware Cloud Director. To view the certificates that a vCenter Server instance trusts, see the Explore Certificate Stores Using the vSphere Client in the VMware vSphere Product Documentation. Verify that each vCenter Server instance trusts the other vCenter Server instances that it needs to interact with. See also KB 89906.
    • The copy operation is not across vCenter Server instances.

      VMware Cloud Director does not support copying a powered-on vApp across vCenter Server instances.

    • A VDC that supports TPM backs the VM.

Procedure

  1. On the Virtual Data Center dashboard screen, click the card of the virtual data center you want to explore, and from the left panel, select vApps.
  2. Click Card Icon to view the vApps in a card view.
  3. From the Actions menu of the vApp you want to copy, select Copy.
  4. Type a name and description.
  5. Select the virtual data center in which you want to create the copy of the vApp.
  6. If one or more VMs in the vApp have a Trusted Platform Module (TPM) device, select to copy or replace the devices.

    This option copies or replaces all TPM devices within the vApp. The availability of the Replace option depends on the backing vCenter Server instance. Copying a vApp to a VDC backed by vCenter Server 7.x automatically copies the TPM device. If you copy a vApp to a VDC backed by vCenter Server 8.x, you can choose to copy or replace the TPM device.

    When you copy the TPM devices, you create identical copies of the devices with the same secrets. You might need to use this option if the VMs on the copied vApp cannot work without the same secrets. When you use the replace option, you create TPM devices with new secrets. Replacing the TPM devices improves the security of the VMs because less devices use the same secrets.

  7. (Optional) Select a storage policy.
  8. Click OK.

Results

A copy of the vApp is created and the vApp copy is in a suspended state. The copied vApp is enabled for network fencing.

What to do next

Modify the network properties of the new vApp or power on the vApp.