Each standalone virtual machine (VM) is a vApp with one VM. By adding that vApp to a catalog, you convert the particular vApp to a vApp template.

When you add a standalone VM to a catalog, the vApp template includes the placement and sizing policies of the source VM as unmodifiable tags.

For more information on VMs with Trusted Platform Module (TPM) devices, see Working with Virtual Machines in the VMware Cloud Director Tenant Portal.

Prerequisites

  • Verify that you are logged in as a vApp Author or a role with an equivalent set of rights.

  • Verify that your organization must has a catalog and a virtual data center with available space.

  • If you want to add a VM with a Trusted Platform Module (TPM) device, verify that a VDC that supports TPM backs the VM.

Procedure

  1. On the Virtual Data Center dashboard screen, click the card of the VDC you want to explore and from the secondary left panel, select Virtual Machines.
  2. Click Card Icon to view the list in a card view and, optionally, arrange the list of VMs from the Sort by drop-down menu.
  3. From the Actions menu of the machine you want to move, select Create Template.
    Note: You can add standalone VM to a catalog even if the VM is in a running state. However, if you select a running VM, it is added to the catalog as a vApp template, and the VM is in a suspended state.
  4. Select the destination catalog from the Catalog drop-down menu.
  5. Enter a name and, optionally, a description for the vApp template.
  6. (Optional) Select Overwrite catalog item if you want the new catalog item to overwrite any existing vApp template and select the catalog item to overwrite.
    For example, when you upload a new version of a vApp to the catalog, you might want to overwrite the old version.
  7. Specify how the template must be used.
    The setting applies when you are creating a vApp based on the vApp template. It is ignored when you build a vApp by using individual virtual machines from this template.
    Option Description
    Make identical copy Select to make an identical copy of the vApp when you create a vApp from the vApp template.
    Customize VM settings Select to enable customization of the virtual machine settings when you create a vApp from the vApp template.
  8. If the VM has a TPM device, select to copy or replace the devices.

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

  9. Click OK.

Results

The vApp template appears in the specified catalog.