Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
A Virtual Machine Manager VM template allows you to deploy a single virtual machine with
a consistent set of settings. A VMM VM template is an XML object that is stored with a VMM
library, and includes one or more of the following segments:
■
Guest Operating System Profile
A guest OS profile that includes operating system
settings.
■
Hardware Profile
A hardware profile that includes VM hardware settings.
■
Virtual Hard Disk
This can be a blank hard disk, or a virtual hard disk that hosts a
specially prepared, sysprepped in the case of Windows based operating systems, ver-
sion of an operating system.
You can create VM templates based on existing virtual machines deployed on a virtualiza-
tion host managed by VMM, based on virtual hard disks stored in a VMM library, or by using
an existing VM template.
VM templates have the following limitations:
■
A VM template allows you to customize IP address settings, but you can only configure
a static IP address for a specific VM when deploying that VM from the template.
■
Application and SQL Server deployment are only used when you deploy a VM as part
of a service.
■
When creating a template from an existing VM, ensure that the VM is a member of a
workgroup and is not joined to a domain.
■
You should create a separate local administrator account on a VM before using it as
the basis of a template. Using the built-in administrator account will cause the sysprep
operation to fail.
■
You cannot create a virtual machine template for a Linux virtual machine based on an
existing Linux VM deployed to a virtualization host.
To create a VM template based on an existing virtual hard disk (which can include a blank
hard disk), or existing VM template, perform the following steps:
1.
In the Library workspace of the VMM console, click Create VM Template on the ribbon.
On the Select Source page, click Browse next to Use An Existing VM Template For A
Virtual Hard Disk Stored In The Library.
2.
On the Select VM Template Source dialog box, select the hard disk that will serve as
the basis for the VM template.
3.
On the VM Template Identity page, provide a name for the VM template and choose
between a Generation 1 and a Generation 2 VM. This page is shown in Figure 4-52.
4.
