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kcs201110141
Contributor
Contributor

OVF Compatibility in VMWare products

Hi

I have created CentOS VM in ESXi 4.1 server and i have exported this VM into OVF using vSphere Client 4.1 with export OVF option. Because I wanted use and test this same VM  in other following VM Ware products.

      ESXi 4.0

      ESX 4.0/4.1

      VM Player / Fusion.

Here my question is that , Can we use this OVF (generated through export option in vSphere Client 4.1) in the above all VMWare products to create VM? is it compatable with all the VM Products?

Please let me know your inputs and suggestions on this.

Thanks in advance.

KCS

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admin
Immortal
Immortal

If you use ovftool or the vpxClient the OVF will work in all VMware products. Some older version also contain the product converter but we do not recommend to use this between all the product when importing/exporting OVFs

If you use ovftool, you can use it for all the different products.

I have to add, if your OVF uses any OVF properties they will not be used for fusion/vm player unless you use vapprun (see your fling site for more info)

Eske

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theNURSE
Contributor
Contributor

Howdy Eske,  Amazing, I had the same question today and was planning on testing in the AM!!  Recent convert to VM so please excuse the noob question.  Have searched and the data is conflicted.  Have come to this site for answers before 1/2 day is spent in experimentation and frustration.

So what I read was:

ESXI4.1 OVF -//-> WM OVF import

EXSI4.1 OVF -> ovftool/vpxClient -> VM OVF import

EXSI4.1 OVF -> ovftool/vpxClient -> vpxClient -> VM OVF VMplayer/Fusion

While the search for "fling site" was very interesting, even VMware fling was unique, glad the wife didn't come in.  Again, please excuse my inquiry.  Not everything can be searched on the internet.  TX

'

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bulletprooffool
Champion
Champion

the export theory is sound, though I have had instances where I have had to drop and recreate NICs on imported OVFs - it is worth testing, but for the most part you should be OK.

One day I will virtualise myself . . .
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theNURSE
Contributor
Contributor

TX BulletPro...  Will spend St Pats trying this out. Making a custom BackTrack vm to distribute during my class at Interop-LV and was hoping it would just be a simple OVF export.  VMware was the big pusher/backer of OVF format and just didn't seem to make good business sense if VMware didn't read it's own OVF format.   Will post results and TX again for your expertise.

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admin
Immortal
Immortal

Let me make something clear.

The code used when exporting/importing in and out of ESX/VC is the same.

It will import and generate the same OVFs and it will be usable on all VMware products atm.

ESX/VC -> ovftool/vpxClient -> ESX/VC OVF

ESX/vc/workstation/fusion/vapprun -> ovftool -> esx/vc/Workstation/Fusion/VMplayer/vapprun/

The OVF is the same in all cases (some network name can change so use the --net to map the different OVF network names to host system network names.

If you find problems please report them to the forum as we would like to know and fix them.

Eske

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