6.5.1

Import a Software Depot
If an offline depot is located on your local file system, you can import the ZIP file to the vSphere ESXi
Image Builder inventory by using the vSphere Web Client.
Prerequisites
Verify that the vSphere ESXi Image Builder service is enabled and running. See Configure the vSphere
ESXi Image Builder Service Startup Type.
Procedure
1 On the vSphere Web Client Home page, click Auto Deploy.
By default, only the Administrator role has privileges to use the vSphere ESXi Image Builder service.
2 On the Software Depots tab, click the Import Software Depot icon.
3 Enter the name of the software depot in the inventory.
4 Click Browse and select a ZIP file from the local system, that contains the software depot you want to
import.
5 Click Upload.
What to do next
n
You can associate an image profile with a new vSphere Auto Deploy rule to provision ESXi hosts.
See Create a Deploy Rule or Clone a Deploy Rule.
n
You can associate an image profile with an ESXi host. See Add a Host to the vSphere Auto Deploy
Inventory.
n
Edit the Image Profile Association of a Host.
Clone an Image Profile
You can use the vSphere Web Client to clone image profiles. You can clone an image profile when you
want to make small changes to the VIB list in a profile, or if you want to use hosts from different vendors
and want to use the same basic profile, but want to add vendor-specific VIBs.
The acceptance level of the VIBs you add to the base image must be at least as high as the level of the
base image. If you add a VIB with a lower acceptance level to the image profile, you must lower the
image profile acceptance level. For more information, see Working with Acceptance Levels.
Prerequisites
n
Verify that the vSphere ESXi Image Builder service is enabled and running. See Configure the
vSphere ESXi Image Builder Service Startup Type.
n
Add or import a software depot to the vSphere ESXi Image Builder inventory. See Add a Software
Depot and Import a Software Depot.
vSphere Installation and Setup
VMware, Inc. 57