If you created a vSphere Lifecycle Manager image in an external vCenter Server, you export the image from vCenter Server to your local computer.

The following files need to be exported from vCenter Server.
Format Content
JSON Image specification
JSON Cluster specification
ISO ESXi image (optional)

You can use the ISO file for imaging additional hosts that you bring into VMware Cloud Foundation.
ZIP Image components

Prerequisites

Create a vSphere Lifecycle Manager image in the vSphere Client. For more information, see Create a vSphere Lifecycle Manager Image.

Procedure

  1. Log in to the vSphere Client of the vCenter Server where you created the vSphere Lifecycle Manager image.
  2. Export the image specification JSON, ISO, and ZIP files from vSphere to your local computer.
    1. In the vSphere Client, click Host and Clusters.
    2. In the navigation pane, expand vCenter > Datacenter and select the vSphere Lifecycle Manager image you want to export.
    3. On the Updates tab, click Hosts > Image.
    4. Click the horizontal ellipsis icon and select Export.
    5. Click JSON and then click Export.

      This downloads the image specification JSON file.

    6. Repeat steps c and d for the ISO and ZIP file formats.

      You can use the ISO file for imaging additional hosts that you bring into VMware Cloud Foundation. Exporting this file is optional.

      Note: Do not rename these files.
  3. Retrieve the vSphere cluster ID using vSphere APIs.
    1. Click Menu > Developer Center..
    2. Click the API Explorer tab.
    3. Ensure that Select Endpoint has the local vCenter Server selected and Select API is set to vcenter.
    4. Expand the cluster section.
    5. Expand GET /api/vcenter/cluster and click Execute.
    6. Under Response, expand VcenterClusterSummary (...) for the cluster where you created the image and copy the cluster value.
  4. Retrieve the cluster JSON specification and download to the local computer using vSphere APIs.
    1. In the API Explorer tab of the vCenter Server, ensure that Select Endpoint has the local vCenter Server selected and Select API is set to esx.
    2. Expand the settings/clusters/software section.
    3. Expand GET /api/esx/settings/clusters/{cluster}/software.
    4. In the cluster parameter area, paste the cluster value you had retrieved in step 3 and click Execute.
    5. Under Response next to EsxSettingsSoftwareInfo, click the download arrow to download the JSON specification.