The vSphere infrastructure allows you to import and export virtual machines. VMs that are deployed or exported from the inventory are usually referred as OVFs or OVAs.
Importing and exporting VMs
Deploying Open Virtual Format (OVF) and Open Virtual Appliance (OVA) templates
Virtual machines can be exported in OVF and OVA formats and deployed in the same or different environments. OVA and OVF are compressed file packages that enable faster deployment and may contain more than one VM. From vSphere 6.5, the installation of the CIP is no longer required to import and export OVF or OVA templates.
The procedure to deploy a VM from an OVF or OVA file is similar to deployment from a template:
- From the vSphere Web Client, right-click...