How to copy a whole folder to a Datastore?

[Leica]

Hi,

I am using the new Web Client to access my vCenter Server.

I see a way to upload an individual file to a datastore, but not a whole folder. With the traditional (C#?) client when you click on upload files you see two options to upload a file or a whole folder. With the folder option, the whole folder is copied.

Is there a similar way to do it in the vSphere Web Client? I can't find it!

I have a folder with many files and it is very cumbersome to do then all one by one!

Thanks.

[Sreejesh_D]

there is no option in vSphere web client to upload the folders. An alternative may be zip the folder and upload to the datastore and get it unzipped using unziop from CLI. Its cumborsome.

We use Veeam FastSCP for copying files to ESXi datastores. Its faster than any other copying approach including vSphere c# client. Its fast because there is no encryption happens during file copying. Its a free product, its downloadable at following link.

http://www.veeam.com/vmware-esxi-fastscp.html

[Leica]

Thanks for the reply.

I am aware of other ways to copy to the datastore, including using the old client and WinSCP. I wanted to know how to do it via the web client which I am really liking so far.

It seems that there is no way. It's a shame that they left this feature out

[Sreejesh_D]

yeah, we miss some features in web client. As you can see, Web client is at its infant stage. It will take time to be matured like vSphere Client.

You can open a feature request with VMware to get this feature included in next release.

http://www.vmware.com/support/policies/feature.html

[orddie]

hitting this thread as I cam across it in a google search.

your best option to upload an entire folder is to use a program like FileZilla. 

Within VMware, enable SSH than connect to the host using an SFTP program (FileZilla).  Change directory to /vmfs/volumes/<Data store>.  Drag and drop and your good to go.

[HMIBarryLSalter]

orddie

This was the perfect answer to my situation, using filezilla.  I found another post explaining how to enable ssl shell, it's in the web interface, under manage and services and enable the services there..  with file zilla, hunt around for the datastore and then save the address in advance settings.  With it i was able to upload the whole folder!  I also discovered that I could cancel the one largest file, and then use esxi web interface to upload that file a little quicker, maybe twice as fast????

Thank you for sharing your answer..  I was getting frustrated with the idea of having to select one for one the files...  However it should be noted:

***Update!!!   (DON'T use the web based file upload-er..  it's crap!)  See my update at the bottom.

you can select one by one the files, but it will allow you to continue selecting a bunch one by one and it shows how many are being copied over.. no waiting for one to finish to go to the next one is unnecessary.

And having ssh on and left on is probably not the most secure thing to do, they promote turning it off constantly unless it's needed..  I will be turning mine off as soon as I'm not in need of it and back on when I need it again...

Barry,

Update: I have now wasted two nights with this move.  1st) the web based file copier IS NOT faster than filezilla.  I moved one file by file zilla and two more by web based upload, filezillas file finished in less than half the time.  2nd) the web based may randomly log out and if it does, it stops copying.  You may also, unintentionally close the copy window, and with no warning, it stops coping.  This stopping the copy cost me one deployment night, this random failure has now cost me an additional deployment night. 

[orddie]

Barry,

Always great to know my advise helped you in moving files to your host!

I like FileZilla in that it will show you how many files are left to be moved and the % in which the file is being moved to the host.