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Info

This section describes how to upload an OVA file from a local file system to create a VM template in the catalogue.
If your file is very large, you may prefer to save it directly to the VM repository or use the AM API, see Appliance manager template API upload and download

The enterprise you are working in when you upload and save the VM template will be the owner of the VM template.

Panel

Privileges: Upload virtual machine template

Before you begin, check these requirements:

  1. Abiquo reads OVA files created with VMware and from the VM marketplace. See also Export an OVA from ESXi vSphere 7 with OVF tool

  2. The file name must have the .ova extension and it must contain an OVF file

  3. The OVA must have a single VM (virtual system)

  4. Abiquo uses the Name tag in the VirtualSystem as the template name. If the Name is not set, the platform falls back to uses the ID. The template name will be the default name for VMs that users create from this template

  5. To deploy a VM from an OVA with parameters, the template must have guest tools. See Deploy a VM from an OVA with parameters

Note
  • For very large files, use another method of adding templates. For example, see Appliance manager template API upload and download

  • If you do not have any hypervisors, the platform will convert the template into ALL possible hypervisor formats. So first add your VMware hypervisors first, to reduce use of the NFS repository space.

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  1. Go to Catalogue

  2. In the Private cloud section, select the datacenter

  3. On the Virtual machine templates tab, at the bottom of the templates panel, click the + add button

  4. Select Create from OVA file

     Create a template from an OVA fileImage Removed Create a template from an OVA fileImage Added
  5. Click Select file and browse for the file.

    Browse for an OVA file on your local filesystemImage RemovedBrowse for an OVA file on your local filesystemImage Added

    Abiquo will display the File name.

  6. Click Save. Abiquo will upload the file and create the template. When Abiquo has created the template, it will open the Edit template dialog

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Basic steps to configure a VM template

Here is a brief description of some initial steps to edit a VM template:

  1. On the Disks tab, you can add an extra empty hard disk for your application data.

  2. To add OVA parameters to all VMs, add them on the Variables tab. See Deploy a VM from an OVA with parameters.

  3. On the Advanced tab, if your VM template requires UEFI boot, select the checkbox

  4. Optionally, select Guest setup option

  5. Select Guest initial password to generate an initial password according to platform . If you are not sure, check with your system administrator because a UEFI VM will not boot without this configuration

  6. For the User,enter the default user for the template

  7. For the Password,enter the default password of the user on the VM template

  8. Check and select the Operating system and if required, the OS version. For more details see Set the guest operating system for VMware

  9. Click Save

Tip
The enterprise where you upload the template will be the owner of the template. To modify this template, you must be in the owner enterprise
  • To modify a VM template, you must log into or switch to the owner enterprise (where the template was created).

  • To share a VM template with other enterprises, go to Scopes and select access lists

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Advanced VM template configuration

To use advanced VM configuration with cloud_init or guest tools:

  1. Install cloud_init (or cloudbase_init) or VMware guest tools on your VM template

  2. Follow the steps on the page for your tool:

For a diagram and comparison of these features, see Guest setup

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Related links