how to create another new VM from existing configured VM?

[kelvinng]

Hi, i'm new to ESXi 4.

Recently i setup a free ESXi 4 on one IBM server with local datastore 540GB (RAID5) & 2 Win2003 Server VM set provisioned size to 250GB each.

1) how to create another new VM from existing configured VM?, is it as below?

i) create folder for new VM in browse datastore via vSphere Client

ii) copy .vmx .vmdk .vmxf .vmsd from configured VM to new VM folder

iii) register the copied .vmx on new VM folder to Inventory

iV) edit the setting on new VM, change virtual machine name (will the virtual machine configuration file & other files name change to reflect with the new virtual machine name?

V) where can i find setting for changing IP address for new VM?

2) am i right the .vmdk file size depends on provision size setting? although Win2003 server VM didn't used up all partition disk space.

3) do i need to backup vmxf .vmsd? or just both .vmx .vmdk will do?

Thanks & Regards,

Kelvin

[vmroyale]

Hello and welcome to the forums.

You could always use VMware Converter and greatly simplify the entire process.

Good Luck!

[kelvinng]

Hi vmroyale,

Thanks for your reply. you mean using hot cloning/cold cloning V2V feature from vCenter Converter to convert existing ready configured VM (with guest OS inatlled) to something like template that can be use for any future VM creation?

Thansks & Regards,

Kelvin

[vmroyale]

Thanks for your reply. you mean using hot cloning/cold cloning V2V feature from vCenter Converter to convert existing ready configured VM (with guest OS inatlled) to something like template that can be use for any future VM creation?

You could use the vCenter Converter or the free standalone to make the copy. For true templates, you will need vCenter, although Converter can do some of the same work. You could have a base VM and then use Converter to make copies of it, when you want to deploy a new VM. You would then just want to make sure you run sysprep, assuming we are talking Windows boxes. Converter will keep the VM side of things clean like the names and directories, and sysprep will keep Windows happy.