A vApp allows you to perform resource management and certain other management activities such as power operations for multiple virtual machines at the same time. You can think of the vApp as the container for the virtual machines, and you can perform the operations on the container.

When you create a vApp, you can add it to a folder, standalone host, resource pool, DRS cluster, or another vApp.

Prerequisites

Verify that one of those objects is available in your data center.

  • A standalone host that is running ESX 4.0 or later
  • A DRS cluster

Procedure

  1. Start the New vApp wizard.
    • In the vSphere Client, right-click an object that supports vApp creation and click New vApp.
    • In the vSphere Web Client, right-click an object that supports vApp creation and select New vApp > New vApp (create new vApp icon).
  2. On the Select creation type page, select Create a new vApp and click Next.
  3. On the Select a name and location page, type a name and select a location for the vApp, and click Next.
    • If you start the creation process from a folder or vApp, you are prompted for a host, cluster, or resource pool.
    • If you start the creation process from a resource pool, host, or cluster, you are prompted for a folder or data center.
  4. On the Resource allocation page, allocate CPU and memory resources to the vApp.
    Option Description
    Shares

    Defines the CPU or memory shares for this vApp with respect to the parent’s total. Sibling vApps share resources according to their relative share values bounded by the reservation and limit. Select Low, Normal, or High, which specify share values respectively in a 1:2:4 ratio. Select Custom to give each vApp a specific number of shares that expresses a proportional weight.

    Reservation

    Defines the guaranteed CPU or memory allocation for this vApp.

    Reservation Type

    Defines whether the reservation is expandable. Select the Expandable check box to make the reservation expandable. When the vApp is powered on, if the combined reservations of its virtual machines are larger than the reservation of the vApp, the vApp can use resources from its parent or ancestors.

    Limit

    Defines the upper limit for this vApp's CPU or memory allocation. Select Unlimited to specify no upper limit.

  5. On the Review and finish page, review the vApp settings and click Finish.