In the vSphere Client, you can create a local or a subscribed content library. By using content libraries, you can store and manage content in one vCenter Server instance. Alternatively, you can distribute content across vCenter Server instances to increase consistency and facilitate the deployment workloads at scale.

You can create a local content library and populate it with templates and other types of files. You can then use the content library templates to deploy virtual machines or vApps in your virtual environment. You can also share the contents of your local library with users from other vCenter Server instances.

You can also create a subscribed library to use at will the contents of an already existing published local library.

Prerequisites

Required privileges:
  • Content library.Create local library or Content library.Create subscribed library on the vCenter Server instance where you want to create the library.
  • Datastore.Allocate space on the destination datastore.

Procedure

  1. Start the New Content Library wizard.
    Client Steps
    vSphere Client
    1. Select Menu > Content Libraries.
    2. Click the Create a new content library icon (Open the Create a new content library wizard).
    vSphere Web Client
    1. Select Home > Content Libraries.
    2. On the Objects tab, click the Create a new content library icon.
  2. On the Name and location page, enter a name and select a vCenter Server instance for the content library. Click Next.
  3. On the Configure content library page, select the type of content library that you want to create and click Next.
    Option Description
    Local content library

    A local content library is accessible only in the vCenter Server instance where you create it by default.

    1. (Optional) Select Enable publishing to make the content of the library available to other vCenter Server instances.
    2. (Optional) Select Optimize for syncing over HTTP to optimize synchronization.
    3. (Optional) Select Enable authentication and set a password if you want to require a password for accessing the content library.
    Subscribed content library A subscribed content library originates from a published content library. Use this option to take advantage of already existing content libraries.

    You can sync the subscribed library with the published library to see up-to-date content, but you cannot add or remove content from the subscribed library. Only an administrator of the published library can add, modify, and remove contents from the published library.

    Provide the following information to subscribe to a library:

    1. In the Subscription URL text box, enter the URL address of the published library.
    2. If authentication is enabled on the published library, select Enable authentication and enter the publisher password.
    3. Select a download method for the contents of the subscribed library.
      • If you want to download a local copy of all the items in the published library immediately after subscribing to it, select immediately.
      • If you want to save storage space, select when needed. You download only the metadata for the items in the published library.

        If you need to use an item, synchronize the item or the entire library to download its content.

    4. If prompted, accept the SSL certificate thumbprint.

      The SSL certificate thumbprint is stored on your system until you delete the subscribed content library from the inventory.

  4. On the Add storage page, select a storage location for the content library contents and click Next.
    Client Steps
    vSphere Client

    Select a datastore.

    vSphere Web Client

    Select a datastore, or enter an SMB or NFS server and path.

  5. On the Ready to complete page, review the details and click Finish.