You can clone a template from one content library to another in the same vCenter Server instance. The cloned template is an exact copy of the original template.

When cloning a template between libraries, in the clone wizard you can select the source library to also be a destination library.

A subscribed library can be the source of an item you want to clone, but you cannot clone items to a subscribed library. The subscribed libraries are filtered out from the list with destination libraries in the Clone Library Item dialog box. When the source library of an item you want to clone is a subscribed library with the setting to download items only when needed, the item is first downloaded to the source subscribed library and then cloned to the destination library.

Procedure

  1. In the vSphere Web Client navigator, select vCenter Inventory Lists > Content Libraries.
  2. Select a content library and click the Templates tab.
  3. Right-click a library item and select Clone Item.
  4. (Optional) Change the name and notes for the item you clone.
  5. From the list of content libraries, select the library in which you want to clone the template.
    You can select the destination library to be the same as the source library if you want to have identical copy of the template in the same library.
  6. Click OK.

Results

A new task for cloning the template appears in the Recent Tasks pane. After the task is complete, a clone of the template appears on the Templates tab of the destination content library.

What to do next

Deploy a virtual machine from template on a host or a cluster in your vSphere inventory.