Creating a Linux virtual machine from template

Using the VMware Create Linux Virtual Machine from Template Task, you can create a new Linux virtual machine using a VMware template within the IBM® BigFix console.

Before you begin

You must ensure that the analysis Host Overview is active. If this analysis is not activated, a warning message is displayed in the VMware Create Linux Virtual Machine from Template Task. You cannot create the virtual machine from template without activating this analysis. After you activate the analysis, it can take a few minutes to gather. To check the status of the analysis, from the navigation tree in the Server Automation domain, click Virtualization > Setup and Maintenance > Activate Analyses. In the Activate Analysis list, check that the Status of the analysis changes from Not Activated to Activated Globally. In the Activate Analysis list, you must select Host Overview and click the Results tab. When the Results window is populated with one or more computer names, the analysis is gathered. If any of the computer names displays the message "not reported", the analysis is not gathered.

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

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 IBM® BigFix console is identical to the console language selected in VMware.

If you configured the VMware Management Extender with an ESX host, you cannot use this Task.

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 to the left of 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 Linux 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 the VMware Create Linux Virtual Machine from Template Task. To create a virtual machine from a template, you must complete the following parameters in the Task: VMware Create Linux Virtual Machine from Template window. If you are working with a copied Task, click Take Action and enter the required information when you are prompted by the alert boxes.
    Table 1. Create Linux Virtual Machine from Template parameters

    To create a virtual machine from a template, you must complete the following parameters in the Task: VMware Create Linux Virtual Machine from Template.
    Parameter name Description
    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 that you want to use to create a virtual machine. If the template that you want to work with is not listed, select OFF on the button in the Validation column and enter the name of the template that you want to use. You must ensure that the template name that you enter is correct.
    VMware Tools Installed You can view whether or not VMware tools is installed. You can only create virtual machines from templates which have VMware tools 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.
    Note: In later actions, when a Fixlet or Task targets the computer that you create by name, unique names allow the IBM Endpoint Manager Platform to route actions to the correct computers. If the computer has the same name as another computer, host, or agent, this can cause targeting errors.
    Virtual Machine Host Enter the name of the host on which you want the virtual machine to run.
    Datastore Name Enter the name of the datastore in which you want to store the virtual machine configuration files.
    Maximum file size 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 which 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 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.
    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.
    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 will become available, you can disable validation and use the template with a greater disk size than that which 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.
    Memory Size (MB) You can view the memory size, in megabytes, that is allocated for your virtual machine.
    Number of Virtual Processors You can view the number of processors that are allocated to your virtual machine.
    Computer Name Enter the computer name for the new virtual machine as it would appear on the network.
    Domain Name Enter the domain name for the new virtual machine.
    Timezone Area Select a region which contains the time zone that you want to use for the virtual machine. For more information on time zones, see the following VMware documentation: http://www.vmware.com/support/developer/vc-sdk/visdk400pubs/ReferenceGuide/timezone.html
    Timezone location Enter the location of the time zone that you want to use for the virtual machine.
    Hardware Clock Setting Select whether the Hardware clock should be set to UTC or local time.
  4. From the Network Configuration list, select whether you want a typical or custom configuration. Whether you choose typical or custom configuration, you must enter the DNS search path for your new virtual machine in the DNSSearchPath field.
    1. Select Typical if you want all network adaptors to be configured with DHCP configuration.
    2. Select Custom to manually configure one network adaptor. If you select Custom, you must enter information into the following parameters.
      Table 2. Custom Network Configuration requirements
      Parameter name Description
      Network Adaptor Select the network adaptor that you want to configure with your custom configurations.

      You can configure multiple network adapters. When you enter the network configuration details for the first adapter, return to this parameter and select the next adapter that you want to configure. The information that you entered is saved in the form.
      Network Adaptor Configuration Select whether you want DHCP or static IP configuration. If you select static IP configuration, the parameters below the Network Adaptor Configuration list become editable and you must complete the following parameters.
      IP address (Static IP configuration only) Enter the fixed IP address for your new virtual machine. Only IPv4 is supported.
      Subnet Mask (Static IP configuration only) Enter the subnet mask of the network that you want to use for your new virtual machine. Only IPv4 is supported.
      Default Gateway (Static IP configuration only) Enter the preferred gateway for your new virtual machine. This field is optional.
      Alternative Gateway (Static IP configuration only) Enter an alternative gateway for your new virtual machine. This field is optional.
  5. For both static and custom network configuration, you can enter a Primary DNS, Secondary DNS and Tertiary DNS for your new virtual machine. These fields are optional.
  6. When you complete the form, click Take Action.
  7. 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. To schedule a task to run at a specific time, select the Execution tab in the Take Action dialog box and enter the scheduling information in the Constraints menu. Click OK.

Results

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