You can distribute VMware Tools configuration file across multiple virtual machines from the GuestStore repository.

The GlobalConf feature automatically updates VMware Tools configuration with the configuration available in the GuestStore repository. The GlobalConf feature is disabled by default. When enabled, it allows vSphere administrators to distribute global VMware Tools configuration across multiple virtual machines in the vSphere environment.

The GlobalConf feature relies on VMware Tools configuration being present in GuestStore repository. By default, VMware Tools configuration is fetched from GuestStore repository "/vmware/configurations/vmtools/windows/tools.conf" for Windows GOSes and "/vmware/configurations/vmtools/linux/tools.conf" for Linux GOSes, unless overridden by a setting in local VMware Tools configuration inside the guest. Before using this feature, the desired VMware Tools configuration should be added to GuestStore repository as the resource GlobalConf feature expects.

When the GlobalConf feature is enabled, VMware Tools system service periodically checks for tools.conf file in the GuestStore respository.

  • If a tools.conf file is present, it is downloaded and applied locally at runtime. During this process, only the settings that are not specified in the local tools.conf file inside the guest are applied.
  • If the tools.conf file is not available in the GuestStore respository, any previously downloaded configuration file will be deleted from the local file system in the guest.

The GlobalConf module in VMware Tools checks the GuestStore repository every 60 mins by default. Inside the virtual machine, the guest administrator can manually edit the tools.conf file to configure various settings related to the GlobalConf module.

GlobalConf feature has the following configuration settings:

[globalconf]
  • enabled=true: Enables the module.
  • poll-interval=3600: Interval value should be specified in seconds. Default value: 3600 seconds. Minimum Value: 1800 seconds.
  • resource=/path/to/tools/conf/in/gueststore: Default value is "/vmware/configurations/vmtools/windows/tools.conf" for Windows GOSes and "/vmware/configurations/vmtools/linux/tools.conf" for Linux GOSes.
Note:
  • The VMware Tools system service (vmsvc) must be restarted, if any of the above settings are updated in the local tools.conf file.
  • Starting from VMware Tools 11.3.0 release, when GlobalConf related settings are modified in the tools.conf file,VMware Tools system service (vmsvc) does not need a restart.

You can use VMware Tools Toolbox command line utility to perform the following operations:

  • Query the state of GlobalConf module.
    • Windows

      VMwareToolboxCmd.exe globalconf status

    • Linux

      vmware-toolbox-cmd globalconf status

  • Enable the GlobalConf module.
    • Windows

      VMwareToolboxCmd.exe globalconf enable

    • Linux

      vmware-toolbox-cmd globalconf enable

  • Disable the GlobalConf module.
    • Windows

      VMwareToolboxCmd.exe globalconf disable

    • Linux

      vmware-toolbox-cmd globalconf disable

  • Trigger an immediate update of VMware Tools configuration from the GuestStore repository without waiting for polling interval.
    • Windows

      VMwareToolboxCmd.exe globalconf refresh

    • Linux

      vmware-toolbox-cmd globalconf refresh

Note: You can use the globalconf enable or globalconf disable commands instead of editing tools.conf for enabling or disabling GlobalConf feature.

Prerequisites