The vCenter Server installer includes JSON templates with the minimum configuration parameters for all deployment options. The templates are located in the vcsa-cli-installer/templates/install directory.

For each deployment option, 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 Installer
Template Description
embedded_vCSA_on_ESXi.json Contains the minimum configuration parameters required for the deployment of a vCenter Server appliance on an ESXi host.
vCSA_with_cluster_on_ESXi.json Contains the minimum configuration parameters required for the deployment of a vCenter Server appliance with a single node vSAN and a vLCM managed cluster on an ESXi host.
embedded_vCSA_on_VC.json Contains the minimum configuration parameters required for the deployment of a vCenter Server appliance on a vCenter Server instance.
embedded_vCSA_replication_on_ESXi.json Contains the minimum configuration parameters required for the deployment of a vCenter Server appliance as a replication partner to another embedded vCenter Server on an ESXi host.
embedded_vCSA_replication_on_VC.json Contains the minimum configuration parameters required for the deployment of a vCenter Server appliance replication partner to another vCenter Server appliance on a vCenter Server instance.