Answer File Field and Host Profile Extraction

There are changes in the host profiles policy options and host customization values, when a new profile is extracted from a host (or post upgrade). You can get more familiar with those changes by referring to the Answer File Field and Host Profile Extraction table.

After you extract a new host profile from an ESXi host, the values for some of the policy options change. To keep these values, you have to save them manually before extracting the host profile. The Answer File Field and Host Profile Extraction table lists the policy options with changed values as well as the options that keep their values the same in the newly extracted host profile.

To locate the policy options, navigate to Host Profiles main view, right-click the extracted host profile and select Edit Host Customizations.

Table 1. Answer File Field and Host Profile Extraction

Policy option path	Policy option	Variations in the policy options value in the newly extracted profile
Security and Services -> Security Settings -> Security	UserInputPasswordConfigOption	For default users, it leaves the password unchanged (root). For non-default users, it always extracts user input.
	UserInputPasswordConfigOption	If host profile version is earlier than 6.5, this option is not extracted. You explicitly need to create a UserAccount profile in the extracted host profile.
	UserInputAdminPasswordOption	Changes to fixed. Does not keep user input value.
Storage configuration -> iSCSI Initiator Configuration	AdvancedUserInputUserConfigOption	Changes to fixed. Does not keep user input value.
	UserInputIqn	Keeps user input value.
	UserInputAlias	Keeps user input value.
	UserInputChapName	Changes to fixed. Does not keep user input value.
	UserInputChapSecret	Changes to fixed. Does not keep user input value.
	UserInputFirstBurstLength	Changes to fixed. Does not keep user input value.
	UserInputMaxBurstLength	Changes to fixed. Does not keep user input value.
General System Settings -> Management Agent Configuration -> SNMP Agent Configuration	UserInputMaxReceiveSegmentLength	Changes to fixed. Does not keep user input value.
	UserInputUsers	Changes to fixed. Does not keep user input value.
	UserInputV3Targets	Changes to fixed. Does not keep user input value.
	UserInputEngineId	Changes to fixed. Does not keep user input value.
	UserInputContact	Changes to fixed. Does not keep user input value.
	UserInputLocation	Changes to fixed. Does not keep user input value.
Security and Services -> Security Settings -> Security -> Active Directory Permission	UserInputUserName	Keeps user input value.
	UserInputPassword	Keeps user input value.
Networking Configuration	UserInputMacAddress	Conditional, prompt user if no default value is available.
	UserInputHostName	Conditional, prompt user if no default value is available.
	UserInputIPAddress	Conditional, prompt user if no default value is available.
Advanced Configuration Settings -> Advanced Options	UserInputAdvancedConfigOption	Changes to fixed. Does not keep user input value.
Advanced Configuration Settings -> System Image Cache Configuration	Enable Stateless Caching	You must explicitly select the policy option.
	Enable Stateful Install	You must explicitly select the policy option.

Note: This table does not list all policy options. You must be aware of the policy options you modified before extracting a new host profile.