Preserve Image Profiles Across Sessions with PowerCLI

You can export the image profile to a ZIP file software depot and add that depot in the next session.

Prerequisites

When you create an image profile and exit the PowerCLI session, the image profile is no longer available when you start a new session. You can export the image profile to a ZIP file software depot, and add that depot in the next session.

Install the PowerCLI and all prerequisite software. See Install vSphere ESXi Image Builder and Prerequisite Software.

Procedure

1. In a PowerCLI session, create an image profile, for example by cloning an existing image profile and adding a VIB.
2. Export the image profile to a ZIP file by calling Export-EsxImageProfile with the ExportToBundle parameter.

   Export-EsxImageProfile	-ImageProfile "my_profile" -ExportToBundle -FilePath
   				"C:\isos\temp-base-plus-vib25.zip"

3. Exit the PowerCLI session.
4. When you start a new PowerCLI session, add the depot that contains your image profile to access it.

   Add-EsxSoftwareDepot "C:\isos\temp-base-plus-vib25.zip"