To download the OVF descriptor or OVA file, make a GET request to the appropriate download link in the download-enabled VApp or VAppTemplate element.

When downloading an OVF or OVA, you can choose whether or not to include identity information such as lease settings and network connection details. Identity information is typically not portable to another deployment environment.

Prerequisites

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

  • Verify that you have a vApp or vApp template that is enabled for download. See Enable a vApp or vApp Template for Download.

Procedure

  1. Retrieve the XML representation of the VApp or VAppTemplate object.
  2. Examine the representation to find the download URLs for the OVF descriptor.
    The download URLs are contained in Link elements, each with a different value for the rel attribute.
    Option Description
    Retrieve a descriptor that does not include identity information Use the download:default or download:ovaDefaultURL
    Retrieve a descriptor that includes identity information. Use the download:identity or download:ovaIdentity URL
  3. Make a GET request to the URL that retrieves the download you want.
    If you are downloading an OVA file, you do not need to make any further requests. The server constructs the file and returns it in the response to the GET request. If you are downloading an OVF descriptor, you must take additional steps to download any other files that the descriptor references. See Downloading an OVF Descriptor and Download a Referenced File.

Example: Downloading an OVF Descriptor

This example downloads the OVF descriptor from the download:default URL shown in the href value of the Link shown in vApp Template with Download URLs. The response includes the entire Envelope element, only part of which appears here.

Request: 
GET https://vcloud.example.com/transfer/..../descriptor.ovf
Response: 
200 OK
Content-Type text/xml
...
<Envelope 
   xmlns="http://schemas.dmtf.org/ovf/envelope/1" 
   ... >
   ...
</Envelope>