I am using ESXi 4.0 free license. I'm not sure if you just wanted a free way to do it or if you didn't want to use vCenter. Here's how I do it for free.
To deploy multiple copies of a VM "template", download the free vCenter Converter Standalone.
First setup a VM exactly like you want it on the host.
Make sure your "template" is using DHCP so there aren't conflicts later on.
Power off the VM "template".
Open vCenter Converter Standalone and click on the "Convert Machine" button near the File menu.
Select your source type as "VMware Infrastructure virtual machine".
Input your host's information and click next.
Select your "template" VM from the list and click next.
Select your destination type as "VMware Infrastructure virtual machine"
Input the same host's information (or if you want to create the template on another host, use it's information) and click next
Give the new VM a different name, select your datastore, and click next.
Edit any options you need to. I usually select "Install VMware Tools: Yes" and "Power on destination: Yes", click next.
Click Finish.
When the process finishes, you'll have a brand new, exact copy of your template.
This method usually takes about 10 minutes per machine, but you don't even have to use sysprep!
--
Bradley
