Best way to create an appliance

[TheVMinator]

I need to create an appliance.  I can:

1.  Export an existing Vm as an appliance from vsphere client

2.  Use a program like VMware studio to create it for me

What is the best way to create it?  The goal is to make it as easy to administer within vCenter as possible - get all the info on it in the vCenter Web Client that I can, make tools an hardware easy to update/upgrade, etc.  Thanks!

[JoaoCastro]

You can export your VM to OVA or OVF file, follow the steps described here:

VMware vSphere 4 - ESX and vCenter Server

Best Regards,

Joao Castro

[TheVMinator]

Thank you.  I realize it is possible to export an ova from vCenter - my question was around why I would choose to do it that way vs using VMware studio or another method....

For example I know VMware studio creates a VAMI for your applaince, which just exporting from vCenter doesn't.  It also creates CIM providers, which I'm not sure if an export from vCenter does.  What else differentiates the process of just exporting from vCenter from other methods which may add more functionaility or maintainability to the appliance?