CLONE, TEMPLATE, OVF, VAPS, SNAPSHOTS

What is cloning:- A clone is an exact copy of an existing virtual machine.

What is Snapshot- A snapshot is a point in time check points of a VM

with all its configuration settins disk states and memory contains . We
can return back to that point in time check point or image stage at any
time.

Is cloning a running VM possible- Yes

Linked Clone-A linked clone is a copy of a virtual machine that shares

virtual disks with the parent virtual machine in an ongoing manner. This
conserves disk space, and allows multiple virtual machines to use the same
software installation. It is made of parent VM's snapshot. It
needs continuous access to its parent VM' and is disabled if access to
parent VM fails. Linked clone have some performance issues than a full
clone VM.

What is customization specification- While cloning a VM you can

also customize VMs, ensuring that each VM is unique. This VM
customization information can be saved and used over and over again.

How to customize Unix or linux VMs- vCenter has inbuilt customization

tools because these software’s are open source.

What is Template-By creating templates, you ensure that your VM’s

master image doesn’t get accidentally changed or modified. It is because
you can’t start the template as a VM and can’t make any changes to it.

What is “Clone to Template”- Copies source or initial VM to a

template format, leaving the original VM intact
What is “Convert to Template”- This process takes the source or initial VM
and changes it to a template format. Thus it removes the ability to turn
on the VM without converting it back to a VM format.

Why “Convert To Template” command is grayed out- Because the VM is

currently powered on.

Customizing the VM template possible-No. templates can’t be powered on,

and guest OS customization requires that the VM be powered on.

Does cloning from template happens between 2 datacenter-Yes

What is OVF Template- Open Virtualization Format (OVF) is a standard

format for describing the configuration of a VM along with the data in
the VM’s virtual hard disk.

What IS “Transient” IP allocation policy while deploying OVF- It sets the

IP address of a guest OS using a ‘script’ or an ‘executable application.

What are the OVF format available?-

Folder of file
Single files OVA.

The Folder Of Files:-This format puts the integrity checking manifest

(.MF) file, the structural definition (.OVF) file, and the virtual hard disk
(.VMDK) file — as separate files in a folder.

Single File (OVA) format:- This format combines those separate

components (.MF,.OVF,.VMDK) into a single file.

What are the different files that make up an OVF Template-

.mf or Manifest file:- contains SHA-1 digests of the other two files.
Used For OVF’s integrity checking

.ovf or OVF descriptor:- XML document that contains information about

the OVF template, such as product details, virtual hardware,
requirements, licensing, a full list of file references,

.vmdk or virtual hard disk file:- it may contain multiple VMDK files, all
of which would need to be referenced in the OVF descriptor file

What is OVA- OVF templates can also be distributed as a single file for
easy distribution? This single file ends in .ova and is in zipped TAR
format. .Ova means Open Virtualization Appliance.

What is VAPP- vSphere vApps leverage OVF as a way to combine multiple

VMs into a single administrative unit. When the vApp is powered on, all
VMs in it are powered on, in a sequence specified by the administrator.
The same goes for shutting down a vApp. vApps also act a bit like
resource pools for the VMs contained within them.
Remember:- You can create a vApp inside other vApps, but you can’t
create a vApp on a cluster that does not have vSphere DRS enabled.

What is P2V and V2V migration- VMware offer a stand-alone product

called VMware Converter. VMware Converter provides both P2V
functionality as well as virtual-to-virtual (V2V) functionality.

What are the common issues in snapshot regarding RDM or mapped LUN’s?

If you configure the VM with mapped LUNs (Physical mode RDM) then
the snapshot fails. If it is mapped as virtual (Virtual mode RDM which
uses a VMDK mapping file to access raw LUN) then we can take snapshot
from it. So to take a snapshot of a VM which uses physical mapped LUNs
you must remove the LUN?

Differences between a clone and a template?

No Clones
1 Clone creates an exact copy of a
running virtual machine at the
time of cloning process.
Templates
Template act as a baseline
image with a predefined
configuration as per organization
standard.

2 Template are best suited

VM clones are best suited
for production environments where
in test and
you want mass distribution of a
development environments where
baseline virtual machine along with
you create test and work with
the installed OS, standard security
exact copies of a production
policy and basic software. Once the
server without disturbing the
VMs are deployed then you can
production server.
configure other specific software
installation and configuration task

Cloned virtual machine can be

3 Templates can’t be powered on.
powered on
4 Clone virtual machine can be Template can’t be edited.
edited.

5 VM clones are not suited for Templates are best suited for mass
mass deployment of virtual deployment of virtual machine.
machine.