6.0.1

Managing Multi-Tiered Applications
with vSphere vApp 8
A vSphere vApp allows packaging of multiple interoperating virtual machines and software applications
that you can manage as a unit and distribute in OVF format.
A vApp can contain one or more virtual machines, but any operation carried out on the vApp, such as clone
or power off, affects all virtual machines in the vApp container,
From the vSphere Web Client, you can access the vApp summary page with the current status of the vApp,
and you can manage the vApp.
NOTE Because the vApp metadata resides in the vCenter Server database, a vApp can be distributed across
multiple ESXi hosts. This information can be lost if the vCenter Server database is cleared or if a standalone
ESXi host that contains a vApp is removed from vCenter Server. Back up your vApps to an OVF package to
avoid losing metadata.
vApp metadata for virtual machines within a vApp do not follow the snapshots semantics for virtual
machine configuration. vApp properties that are deleted, modified, or defined after a snapshot is taken
remain intact (deleted, modified, or defined) after the virtual machine reverts to that snapshot or any prior
snapshots.
This chapter includes the following topics:
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“Create a vApp,” on page 165
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“Create a Virtual Machine, Resource Pool, or Child vApp Inside a vApp,” on page 167
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“Add Virtual Machine or Child vApp to a vApp,” on page 167
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“Edit vApp Settings,” on page 167
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“Clone a vApp,” on page 172
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“Perform vApp Power Operations,” on page 173
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“Edit vApp Notes,” on page 174
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“Add a Network Protocol Profile,” on page 174
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“Virtual Machine vApp Options,” on page 178
Create a vApp
A vApp allows you to perform resource management and certain other management activities such as
power operations for multiple virtual machines at the same time. You can think of the vApp as the container
for the virtual machines, and you can perform the operations on the container.
When you create a vApp, you can add it to a folder, standalone host, resource pool, cluster enabled for DRS,
or another vApp.
VMware, Inc.
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