The vCenter Server Appliance installer contains JSON templates that are located in the vcsa-cli-installer/templates directory. In the install subfolder, you can find eight JSON templates with the minimum configuration parameters for all deployment types.

For each deployment type, there is one template for deploying the appliance on an ESXi host and another template for deploying the appliance on a vCenter Server instance.

Table 1. Deployment JSON Templates Included in the vCenter Server Appliance Installer
Location Template Description
vcsa-cli-installer\templates\install embedded_vCSA_on_ESXi.json Contains the minimum configuration parameters that are required for deployment of a vCenter Server Appliance with an embedded Platform Services Controller on an ESXi host.
embedded_vCSA_on_VC.json Contains the minimum configuration parameters that are required for deployment of a vCenter Server Appliance with an embedded Platform Services Controller on a vCenter Server instance.
embedded_vCSA_replication_on_ESXi.json Contains the minimum configuration parameters that are required for deployment of a vCenter Server Appliance with an embedded Platform Services Controller as a replication partner to another embedded vCenter Server Appliance on an ESXi host.
embedded_vCSA_replication_on_VC.json Contains the minimum configuration parameters that are required for deployment of a vCenter Server Appliance with an embedded Platform Services Controller as a replication partner to another embedded vCenter Server Appliance on a vCenter Server instance.
PSC_first_instance_on_ESXi.json Contains the minimum configuration parameters that are required for deployment of a Platform Services Controller appliance as the first instance in a new vCenter Single Sign-On domain on an ESXi host.
PSC_first_instance_on_VC.json Contains the minimum configuration parameters that are required for deployment of a Platform Services Controller appliance as the first instance in a new vCenter Single Sign-On domain on a vCenter Server instance.
PSC_replication_on_ESXi.json Contains the minimum configuration parameters that are required for deployment of a Platform Services Controller appliance joining an existing vCenter Single Sign-On domain on an ESXi host.
PSC_replication_on_VC.json Contains the minimum configuration parameters that are required for deployment of a Platform Services Controller appliance joining an existing vCenter Single Sign-On domain on a vCenter Server instance.
vCSA_on_ESXi.json Contains the minimum configuration parameters that are required for deployment of a vCenter Server Appliance with an external Platform Services Controller on an ESXi host.
vCSA_on_VC.json Contains the minimum configuration parameters that are required for deployment of a vCenter Server Appliance with an external Platform Services Controller on a vCenter Server instance.