Creating a Windows virtual machine from a template

Using the VMware Create Windows Virtual Machine from Template Task, you can create VMware virtual machines from a VMware template from within the BigFix console.

Before you begin

You must activate the following analyses
  • VMware Host Overview
  • SSL Encryption Analysis for Windows Administrator Password

For non-English users: VMware vCenter supports only Simplified Chinese, Japanese, German, and French. You can use this Task only if the console language that you selected in BigFix console is identical to the console language selected in VMware.

To create a virtual machine from a template, you must install VMware tools on the template that you want to use.

About this task

This Task is automatically populated with data from VMware. To work with other data, you must turn off validation and enter your own values in the parameter field. To override the data that is provided in the form, check whether a button exists in the Validation column for the parameter that you want to disable and select OFF. For more information, see Turning off validation in a task.

Complete the following steps to create a virtual machine from template.

Procedure

  1. Open the Server Automation domain.
  2. From the navigation tree in the Server Automation domain, click Virtualization > Host Management > Host Configuration to open the list of Host Configuration Tasks.
  3. From the Host Configuration list, select VMware Create Windows Virtual Machine from Template To create a virtual machine from a template, you must complete the following parameters. in the Task: VMware Create Windows Virtual Machine from Template window.
  4. In the Specification section, enter values for the following parameters.
    Host containing the Template
    Select the host that contains the template that you want to use to create a virtual machine.
    Template
    Select the name of the template to be cloned. If the template that you want to work with is not listed, select OFF on the button in the Validation column. You must ensure that the template name that you enter is correct.
    VMware Tools Installed
    You can view whether VMware tools is installed. You can create virtual machines only from templates that have installed.
    Virtual Machine Name
    Enter the name of the new virtual machine to be created. Ensure that you use a unique name to avoid any confusion with duplicate names in the future.
    Virtual Machine Host
    Enter the name of the host on which you want the virtual machine to be located.
    Datastore Name
    Enter the name of the datastore in which you want to store the virtual machine configuration files.
    Maximum file size (GB)
    You can view the maximum file size, in gigabytes, that can be allocated to a virtual machine that is created on the datastore. You cannot create a virtual machine with a disk size that is larger than the maximum file size allowed for the datastore. If you select a template that has more than one hard disk, you must ensure that each hard disk has a provisioned disk size that does not exceed the maximum file size for the datastore.
    Datastore free space (GB)
    You can view the free space, in gigabytes, that is available on the datastore. The virtual machine provisioned disk size cannot exceed the free space size that is available on the datastore.
    Provisioned Disk size (GB)
    You can view the disk size, in gigabytes, that is provisioned for the template that you selected. If you want to use a template that has a greater disk size than the free space on the datastore, select OFF on the validation button in the Validation column for Provisioned Disk size (GB). For example, if you know that virtual machines on the datastore are scheduled to be deleted and free disk capacity becomes available, you can disable validation and use the template with a greater disk size than that that is available. You can schedule the Task to take action when more disk space becomes available. You must ensure that the data that you provide is correct. You cannot create a virtual machine with a provisioned disk size greater than the Maximum file size for the datastore even if you disable validation. You cannot create a virtual machine with a provisioned disk size greater than the Maximum file size for the datastore even if you disable validation.
    Memory Size (MB)
    You can view the memory size, in megabytes, that are available for your virtual machine.
    Number of Virtual Processors
    You can view the number of processors that are allocated to your virtual machine.
    Power On VM
    Select whether you want the new virtual machine to be powered on or off on creation. The default power setting for the new virtual machine is off.
  5. In the Registration Information section, enter values for the following parameters.
    Owner Name
    Enter the name of the owner of the new virtual machine.
    Organization Name
    Enter the organization name of the new virtual machine.
  6. In the Computer Name section, enter values for the following parameter.
    NetBIOS Name
    Enter the computer name for the new virtual machine when it is shown on the network. Ensure that you give the computer a slightly different name than the virtual machine name to distinguish them in a list.
  7. In the Windows License, enter values for the following parameter.
    Product Key
    Enter the product license key for the Windows operating system for the new virtual machine. You are not required to enter the license key before you create the virtual machine from template. You can also enter the product key after the virtual machine is created.
  8. In the Administrator Password section, enter values for the following parameters.
    Windows administrator Password
    Enter a Windows administrator password. The password can contain only alphanumeric characters.
    Confirm Windows administrator Password
    Reenter the administrator password to confirm.
    Auto Login Attempts
    Enter the number of times that you want to allow the computer to restart without entering the password. The default value is 1.
  9. In the Time Zone section, select a timezone with the following parameter.
    TimeZone
    Select the time zone that you want to set for the new virtual machine.
  10. From the Network Configuration list, select whether you want a typical or custom configuration.
    1. Select Typical for DHCP configuration.
    2. If you select Custom, you must enter information into the following parameters.
      Network Adapter
      Select the network adapter that you want to configure with your custom configurations.
      Network Adaptor Configuration
      Select whether you want DHCP or static IP configuration. If you select static IP configuration, the parameters for the Network Adaptor Configuration list become editable and you must complete the following parameters.
      IP Address
      Enter the fixed IP address for your new virtual machine. Only IPv4 is supported.
      Subnet Mask
      Enter the subnet mask of the network that you want to use for your new virtual machine.
      Default Gateway
      Enter the default gateway for your new virtual machine.
      Alternative Gateway
      Enter an alternative gateway for your new virtual machine.
      Preferred DNS
      Enter the preferred DNS for your new virtual machine.
      Alternative DNS
      Enter an alternative DNS for your new virtual machine.
  11. In the Workgroup or Domain section, enter values for the following parameters.
    Join Domain or Workgroup
    Select whether you want to assign the new virtual machine to a Windows workgroup or a domain. If you select Workgroup, enter a value in the Workgroup parameter. If you select Domain, enter values in the Domain Domain user name and Domain Password parameters.
    WorkGroup
    Enter the Windows workgroup to which you want to assign the new virtual machine.
    Domain
    Enter the domain name to which you want to assign the new virtual machine.
    Domain user name
    Enter the user name with to associate with the new virtual machine in the domain.
    Domain Password
    Enter the password that corresponds with the domain user name.
  12. Click Take Action. In the Take Action dialog box, ensure Specific computers selected in the list below is selected and from the list of Computer Names, select the host computer on which you want to create the virtual machine. Click OK.

Results

In the Action: VMware Create Windows Virtual Machine from Template window, when the Status changes to Complete the virtual machine is created. The new virtual machine is also visible in the Device List of the Virtualization Device Inventory.

For information about how to create a template with a preinstalled BigFix client, see HCL Software support article KB0023280.