6.7

A new task for creating the vApp appears in the Recent Tasks pane. After the task is complete, the new
vApp is created.
Working with Items in a Library
You can perform various tasks with the items in a content library. You can synchronize an item from a
subscribed library to download all its contents and use the item to deploy a virtual machine for example.
You can delete items you no longer need to use, and so on.
Each VM template, vApp template, or other 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 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 Client
you see listing only of the .ovf file in the content library.
Templates in Content Libraries
Templates are master copies of virtual machines that you can use to deploy virtual machines that are
customized and ready for use. Templates promote consistency throughout your vSphere environment.
Content libraries support only OVF templates. As a result, VM and Vapp templates are converted to OVF
files when you upload the to a content library. You can use the templates to deploy virtual machines and
vApps in the vSphere inventory.
VM Templates in Content Libraries
A VM template is a template of a virtual machine. You create a VM template by cloning a virtual machine
or another VM template into a template. The VM templates that exist in a VM template folder differentiate
from the VM templates that exist in a content library. A VM template that resides in a content library is in
OVF format and if you export it to your local system it is saved as an .ovf file. The VM templates that
exist in a VM template folder are not in OVF format but if you clone them to content library, the resulting
template is in an OVF format.
vApp Templates in Content Libraries
A vApp template is a template of a vApp, which can contain multiple virtual machines or multiple vApps.
vApp templates are inventory objects that exist only in content libraries. A vApp template that resides in a
content library is in OVF format. Because the OVF format is actually a set of files, if you export the
template, all the files in the OVF template library item (.ovf, .vmdk, .mf) are saved to your local system.
You can use VM templates and vApp templates to deploy virtual machines and vApps to a destination
object such as a host or a cluster.
Synchronize a Library Item in a Subscribed Library
To update or download the content of a library item in a subscribed library, you can synchronize the library
item.
vSphere Virtual Machine Administration
VMware, Inc. 74