6.0.1

Using Content Libraries 4
Content libraries are container objects for VM templates, vApp templates, and other types of files. vSphere
administrators can use the templates in the library to deploy virtual machines and vApps in the vSphere
inventory. Sharing templates and files across multiple vCenter Server instances in same or different
locations brings out consistency, compliance, efficiency, and automation in deploying workloads at scale.
You create and manage a content library from a single vCenter Server instance, but you can share the library
items to other vCenter Server instances if HTTP(S) traffic is allowed between them.
If a published and a subscribed library belong to vCenter Server systems that are in the same vCenter Single
Sign-On domain, and both the libraries use datastores as backing storage, you can take advantage of
optimized transfer speed for synchronization between these libraries. The transfer speed optimization is
made possible if the libraries can store their contents to datastores managed by ESXi hosts that are directly
connected to each other. Therefore the synchronization between the libraries is handled by a direct ESXi
host to ESXi host transfer. If the datastores have VMware vSphere Storage APIs - Array Integration (VAAI)
enabled, the library content synchronization between the published and the subscribed library is further
optimized. In this case the contents are synchronized by a direct datastore to datastore transfer.
Each VM template, vApp template, or another type of file in a library is a library item. An item can contain a
single file or multiple files. In the case of VM and vApp templates, each item contains multiple files. For
example, because an OVF template is a set of multiple files, when you upload an OVF template to the
library, you actually upload all the files associated with the template (.ovf, .vmdk, and .mf), but in the
vSphere Web Client you see listing only of the .ovf file in the content library.
You can create two types of libraries: local or subscribed library.
Local Libraries
You use a local library to store items in a single vCenter Server instance. You can publish the local library so
that users from other vCenter Server systems can subscribe to it. When you publish a content library
externally, you can configure a password for authentication.
VM templates and vApps templates are stored as OVF file formats in the content library. You can also
upload other file types, such as ISO images, text files, and so on, in a content library.
Subscribed Libraries
You subscribe to a published library by creating a subscribed library. You can create the subscribed library
in the same vCenter Server instance where the published library is, or in a different vCenter Server system.
In the Create Library wizard you have the option to download all the contents of the published library
immediately after the subscribed library is created, or to download only metadata for the items from the
published library and later to download the full content of only the items you intend to use.
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