6.5.1

Prerequisites
If a load generator is running in the virtual machine, stop it before you perform the clone operation.
Verify that you have the following privileges:
n
Virtual machine .Provisioning.Create template from virtual machine on the source virtual
machine.
n
Virtual machine .Inventory.Create from existing on virtual machine folder where the template is
created.
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Resource.Assign virtual machine to resource pool on the destination host, cluster, or resource
pool.
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Datastore.Allocate space on all datastores where the template is created.
Procedure
1 Start the Clone a Virtual Machine to a Template Task
To make a master copy of a virtual machine, you can clone the virtual machine to a template. You
can open the New Virtual Machine wizard from any object in the inventory that is a valid parent
object of a virtual machine, or directly from the template. The wizard provides several options for
creating and deploying virtual machines and templates.
2 Select a Virtual Machine to Clone to a Template
To clone a virtual machine to a template, you must select an existing virtual machine to clone. You
cannot modify a template after you create it. To change the template, you must convert it back to a
virtual machine.
3 Select a Name and Location for the Template
When you deploy a template to the vCenter Server inventory, you provide a unique name for it. The
unique name distinguishes it from existing templates in the virtual machine folder or datacenter. The
name can contain up to 80 characters. You can select a datacenter or folder location for the
template, depending on your organizational needs.
4 Select a Resource for a Virtual Machine Template
When you deploy a virtual machine template, select a host or cluster resource for the template. The
template must be registered with an ESXi host. The host handles all requests for the template and
must be running when you create a virtual machine from the template.
5 Select a Datastore for the Virtual Machine Template
Each virtual machine or virtual machine template requires a folder or directory for its virtual disks
and files. When you create a virtual machine or template to deploy to the vCenter Server inventory,
select a datastore or datastore cluster for the virtual machine's configuration and other files and all of
the virtual disks. Each datastore can have a different size, speed, availability, and other properties.
6 Finish Virtual Machine Template Creation
Before you deploy the template, you can review the template settings.
vSphere Virtual Machine Administration
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