vRA 8.1 cannot deploy linked clone from template

[darrenoid]

I am having issues getting linked clones to work in vRA 8.1 with a blueprint using the vsphere machine resource. The imageRef property does not validate with an input string of a VM Template with a snapshot. It only seems to validate if I use a VM name with a snapshot for VM that is not marked as a template.

For example, if I have a template VM "vm-template" and a non template VM "myvm" with a snapshot "Snapshot1" on each:

imageRef: 'vm-template/Snapshot1'

- Test of blueprint fails with "Cannot find matching image mappings for image: vm-template/Snapshot1"

imageRef: 'myvm/Snapshot1'

- Test of blueprint succeeds

Does this mean that vRA 8.1 does not support linked clones from a template?

As a workaround I tried to convert my template back into a VM, but when I sync images from the Cloud Account settings, it only seems to pick up new templates added, but not any new VMs. I can see VMs in the inventory that are not templates, so I think they were picked up on the initial creation of the cloud account, but I can't seem to get any new VMs to show up in vRA 8.1.

It would be nice to be able to specify a linked clone from snapshot option on the image mappings, but I don't see an option for this.

Is anyone else experiencing these issues?

Regards,

Darren

[rami2aa]

I have the same issue, and it doesn't work either way. any suggestion?

[Lalegre]

I have that configured and working.

I have a template with a snapshot and it is configured as an Image Mapping. You have to configure it as Image Mapping, otherwise it will not work.

[rami2aa]

I have it configured as an image mapping and I added the snapshot name to it as following in the blueprint, but it's still not working and I'm getting the same error:

imageRef: 'vRACentOS82-64-tmpl/Dont-Delete-vra-snapshot'

Can you please share the steps that you did to get it to work?

Thanks.

[powerofcanberra]

In case anyone finds this thread after having similar issues.

I've just configured this to work in vRA 8.4. It would appear that image mappings are not used for linked clones however a placement validation error message may be received for the cloud template property imageRef: 'vmname/snapshotname' pertaining to image mapping which is confusing.

When using standard vSphere VM templates, create an image mapping pointing to the template and add property image: 'imageMappingName' to cloud template.

When using vSphere linked clones. Create your VM image, and add a snapshot in vCenter. Replace the image property with  imageRef: 'vmname/snapshotname' in your cloud template (I also had cloneStrategy: LINKED but not sure it's required). If validation complains about image mapping, you will need to wait for the next Cloud Account data collection to complete (up to 10 mins). Validation should work after this is complete. Placement must also resolve to a storage profile containing a datastore. Linked clone deployments cannot be deployed to storage profiles containing a datastore cluster.

Note: vmname and snapshotname are the vCenter object names.