How to Create a VMWare Template for Deployment

by Mark | Jul 11, 2016 | How To, VMWare

How to Create a VMWare Template for Deployment

So you are deploying Servers regularly and ask becoming sick of completing this the manual way. Well to create a template for quick deployment is relatively easy, just follow the steps in this blog post and you will be deploying VMs in no time.

There are two methods to create a VMWare template, Clone to Template or Convert to Template. 

Clone to Template

Clone to Template does exactly that. It creates an exact copy of the VM and leaves the original VM you choose intact. Choosing this option allows you to change the format of the Virtual Disk to either Thick or Thin Provisioning. Thin Provisioning the disk will allow the VM to use only the disk space it requires, and grow with time. Thick Provisioning the VM will use the amount of Disk Space you specify. Creating a Clone to Template VMWare duplicates the Virtual Disks and the .VMX file that holds all the configuration settings for that Virtual Machine.

Convert to Template is the other possible method available to you. (This is what I use in this example). It is much faster than using Clone to Template as it is not required to duplicate the source Virtual Machine disks. What it does is changes this VM to a Template format.

Once you have finished creating a VMWare Template following this post, Click this link to see how to make a VM automatically join a Windows Domain.

Convert to Template

Convert to Template is the other possible method available to you. (This is what I use in this example). It is much faster than using Clone to Template as it is not required to duplicate the source Virtual Machine disks. What it does is changes this VM to a Template format.

Once you have finished creating a VMWare Template following this post, Click this link to see how to make a VM automatically join a Windows Domain.

VMWare Template FAQs

What is a VMWare template? 

VMWare template is a pre-configured virtual machine that can be easily duplicated and deployed.

Why should I create a VMWare template? 

Creating a VMWare template can save you time and effort when deploying multiple virtual machines with the same configuration.

What are the two methods for creating a VMWare template? 

The two methods are Clone to Template and Convert to Template.

What is the difference between Clone to Template and Convert to Template? 

Clone to Template creates an exact copy of the virtual machine, while Convert to Template changes the virtual machine to a template format.

Which method is faster, Clone to Template or Convert to Template? 

Convert to Template is generally faster as it doesn’t require duplicating the source virtual machine disks.

What are the steps to create a VMWare template? 

The steps are: log in to your VMWare console, create a new virtual machine, specify the name, host/cluster, storage, operating system, network, and disk settings, install the operating system, shut down the virtual machine, and finally convert it to a template.

How can I customize the hardware settings of my VMWare template? 

You can customize the hardware settings by selecting “Edit Settings” on the virtual machine and changing the appropriate settings.

How can I deploy a virtual machine using my VMWare template? 

To deploy a virtual machine using your VMWare template, right-click the template, choose “New Virtual Machine,” and follow the prompts.

Can I change the configuration of a VMWare template after it has been created? 

Yes, you can edit the settings of a VMWare template by converting it back to a virtual machine, making the necessary changes, and then converting it back to a template.

Are there any considerations to keep in mind when creating a VMWare template? 

Yes, it’s important to ensure that the operating system is properly licensed and that any necessary updates and patches are applied before creating the template. It’s also important to follow best practices for securing virtual machines.

Create a VMware Template in the VMware Console

Login to your VMWare Console

Log in to your VMWare console and then Right Click your datacentre and choose New Virtual Machine.

VMware Templation Creation

 Now give the VM a name. As this is going to be a template for future deployment of Windows Server 2016, I have chosen 2016 Template to make it easier to see which Operating System this template will install.

VMware Host / Cluster Tab

Chose the Host or Cluster you want the VM to be deployed to then click on Next.

VMware Host / Cluster Tab

Chose the Host or Cluster you want the VM to be deployed to then click on Next.

VMware Storage Tab

Next you specify the storage location for the VM to reside on. Select the appropriate VM datastore and then click on Next.

VMware Guest Operating System Tab

Choose the Operating System you want to install on the VM and click Next.

VMware Template Creation Network TAB

Select the VMware network you want this VM to communicate on and click Next.

VMware Template Disk Creation

Specify the size of the Operating System Disk then click Next.

VMware Template Completion

Confirm the settings are correct and click on Finish. In this example I checked the checkbox for Edit the virtual machine settings before completion to show you what hardware settings you can change. Click Finish when ready.

VMware Template Settings

Now the VM is ready to install the operating system, you will have to attach an ISO file for the installation. Find the VM then Right Click the Virtual Machine and select Edit Settings.

Edit VMware VM Settings

Select CD/DVD drive then Datastore ISO file. Browse to the datastore location of your Operating System installation media and select the appropriate media then click on OK. You can also change other hardware settings for this template.

VMware Template – Power On

Now we need to install the Operating System so that we can easily redeploy this VM as a template. Right Click the VM and choose Power On.

VMware Template – Open the VM Console

Right Click the VM again and choose Open Console so that you can install the Operating System.

Install the VM Operating System

Next will require you to install the Operating System. Please note that if you are going to change this to a VM Template, do not join your Windows Domain.

Shutdown the VM

Once the machine has logged in to Windows for the first time, shut the machine down.

Create a VMWare Template

Once the installation of the Operating System has completed and the Virtual Machine is powered off we can now create a VMWare Template. Right Click the Virtual Machine, go to Template,  then Convert to Template. This will now change the Virtual Machine and convert it to a ready to deploy Template for quick and easy future deployment.

Creating a VMWare template can save you time and effort when deploying servers regularly. By following the steps in this post, you can create a VMWare template using the Convert to Template method. Remember to shut down the VM after the first Windows login and then convert it to a template. With a VMWare template, you can deploy VMs in no time and focus on other tasks that need your attention.

How to Deploy a VM and Join a Domain Automatically

by Mark | Jul 11, 2016 | How To, VMWare

Virtual machines have become an essential part of modern IT infrastructure, as they allow administrators to create and manage multiple computing environments on a single physical machine. This can be incredibly useful for tasks such as testing, development, and training. When deploying a virtual machine, it is often necessary to perform customizations, such as joining the machine to a domain, setting network configurations, and specifying local administrator password, among others. This article provides a step-by-step guide to deploying a virtual machine and joining it to a domain automatically using VMWare Customization script. The article covers each step of the customisation process, including how to specify domain information, set the computer name, configure the Windows license, set the time zone, and much more. This guide is intended for administrators who want to automate the process of deploying virtual machines and joining them to a domain, and it provides detailed, actionable instructions for achieving this goal.

How to Deploy a VM and join a Domain Automatically

If you ever have the need to deploy a Virtual Machine and have some customisations for deployment (i.e. Network Settings or have the automatically join a domain), this post will show you how to.

The VMWare Customistation script will allow you to specify;

1. Domain to join automatically
2. Network settings
3. Registration Settings
4. Computer Name
5. Windows License
6. Time Zone
7. Local Administrator Password
8. Operating System Settings.

Assuming here (I know, never assume anything) that you have already created a VM template to deploy (If you havent already created one, click the link to see a blog post on How to Create a VMWare Template) follow these steps to create your very own VMWare Customisation Script.

VMWare vCentre Console

1. Log in to your Vmware vCentre Console. Choose Home, then Inventory, Management and finally Customistation Specifications Manager.

VM Properties Tab

2. The VMware Customisation Wizard starts. Choose the Operating System and provide a Name and Description then click Next.

Registration Information Tab

3. Provide the Name and Organisation that the server will belong to then click Next.

Virtual Machine Computer Name Tab

4. Next we need to configure the name of the VM. In this example, I am choosing to use the Virtual Machine name as this will match against Vmware and Active Directory making it easier to identify. Click Next when ready to proceed.

Windows License Tab

5. If you have a product key you can enter it here. As I am using KMS in my domain for Windows Licensing, I chose to leave this blank. Again, click Next when ready.

Administrator Password Tab

6. Add the Administrator password and how many times you wish for the Administrator account to login. This is used for the Local Administrator account not a Domain Administrator. Click Next.

Time Zone Tab

7. Choose the Time Zone relevant to your environment then click Next.

Run Once Tab

8. If you wish for any commands to run (ie scripts to customise your server further) you can enter them here. I havent any for this Customisation so have left this as black. Click Next.

Network Tab

9. For the Network portion of the wizard, you can choose custom settings if required (i.e DNS server and IP address settings). Im using the typical settings (i.e. DHCP). Click Next  when you have chosen the settings you require.

Workgroup or Domain Options Tab

10. Now the important part. If you want the VM to deploy and then to automatically join your Windows domain you will need to add the Domain Name, Administrator Account and Password. Click Next when ready.

Operating System Options Tab

11. Allow the VMWare customisation script to Generate New Security ID (SID) then click Next.

Ready to Complete Tab

12. Finally, check the settings are correct then click Finish to proceed.

Deploy Virtual Machine from this Template.

13. Now hopefully everything went well and you are ready to start using the VMWare Customisation Script you created and deploy your first VM with these settings. Choose the template you wish to apply this customisation to, Right Click and choose Deploy Virtual Machine from this Template.

Name and Location Tab

14.Give the VM a name and then the Inventory Location the machine will reside in and then click Next.

Host and Cluster Tab

15. Choose a Host or Cluster for the VM to run on then click Next.

Storage Tab

16. Next you choose the storage location that the VM will use to store its files (VMDK). Select the storage destination then click Next.

Guest Customisation Tab

17. This is another important part of the VM deployment process. You can choose not to customise but since this blog post is about using the customisation we created earlier, choose Customise using an existing customisation specification.  Select the VMWare customisation you created then click Next.

Ready to Complete Tab

18. Check the settings that are specified in this screen are what you have selected and when confirmed click Next. You can also edit the Virtual Machines hardware if you wish to do so (i.e. set CPU, Ram, Disk Space etc)

Finished 🙂

19. You should now be able to see that your new Virtual Machine is deploying using the VMWare Customisation Script you created. It will now automatically join the Windows Domain and be ready to use once the installation has completed.