6.5.1

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.
VM Templates and vApp Templates in Content Libraries
In a content library you can store VM and vApp templates. You can use the VM and vApp templates to
deploy virtual machines and vApps in the vSphere inventory.
A VM template is a template of a virtual machine. 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.
A vApp template is a template of a vApp, which can contain multiple virtual machines or multiple vApps. A
vApp template that resides in a content library is in OVF format, and if you export the template to your
local system it is saved as an .ovf file. vApp templates are inventory objects that exist only in content
libraries.
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 you can synchronize it.
When creating the subscribed library, if you selected the option to download library content only when
needed, only metadata for the library contents is downloaded to the associated storage. When you need
to use the item, you synchronize it to download its content to your local storage. When you no longer
need the item, to free space on your storage you can delete the content of the item. You continue to see
the item in your subscribed library, but it no longer takes up space on your storage because only the items
metadata remains on the storage.
Prerequisites
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Required privilege: Content library.Sync library item on the library item.
Procedure
1 In the vSphere Web Client navigator, select vCenter Inventory Lists > Content Libraries.
2 Select a subscribed library from the list.
3 Synchronize the item you need to use.
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On the Templates tab, right-click a VM or a vApp template, and select Synchronize Item.
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On the Other Types tab, right-click an item, and select Synchronize Item.
vSphere Virtual Machine Administration
VMware, Inc. 86