In the vSphere Client, you can edit the VM templates and monitor the changes that have been made by other privileged users. You can perform the checkout operation to update a virtual machine from the VM template. During this process, the VM template is not available for checkout from other users, but they can deploy a virtual machine from the VM template without any disruptions.

When you check out a VM template, you cannot convert the virtual machine to a template or migrate the virtual machine to a different vCenter Server inventory.

Prerequisites

Verify that you have the following privileges:
  • Content library.Check out a template
  • Resource.Assign virtual machine to resource pool
  • Datastore.Allocate space
  • Virtual machine.Inventory.Create from existing
  • Virtual machine.Configuration.Set annotation
  • If you want to power on the checked out virtual machine, verify that you have the Virtual machine.Interaction.Power On privilege.

Procedure

  1. To check out a VM template
    Option Action
    From a content library
    1. Navigate to Menu > Content Libraries.
    2. To open a local library, click its name.
    3. On the Templates tab, select a VM template and click the Check out VM from this template button.
    From the vSphere Client inventory
    1. Navigate to Menu > VMs and Templates and click the VM template.
    2. Click the Versioning tab and in the vertical timeline view, click Check out VM from this template.
    The Check out VM from VM Template dialog box opens.
  2. On the Name and location page, enter a virtual machine name, select the virtual machine location, and click Next.
  3. On the Select compute resource page, select the compute resource for the checked out virtual machine and click Next.
  4. On the Review page, review the configuration.
  5. Choose whether to power on the virtual machine after checkout by selecting the Power on VM after checkout check box.
  6. Click Finish.

Results

The checked out virtual machine appears in the selected location marked with a blue circle icon. You can perform the necessary configuration changes.

What to do next

After you complete the virtual machine updates, you can check in the virtual machine back to the template.