VMware vSphere
This section describes considerations and requirements when creating layers or publishing images in vSphere.
Platform layer
A platform layer is required for creating layers or publishing images in vSphere ONLY in the following cases:
- The operating system for your OS layer originated on a different hypervisor. If the OS originated in vSphere, you do not need a platform layer, because the vSphere settings are already configured on your OS layer.
- If you have been using BIOS machines and you want to start using UEFI machines, a new version of the platform layer is required.
- If you want to publish images to a new location in vSphere, we recommend that you create a specific platform layer for each location.
Platform layer requirements
When publishing images to Machine creation in vSphere, you need the following resources to create the platform layer:
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An OS Layer
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Machine creation for vSphere resource information: The Machine Creation info listed in this Machine creation for vSphere connector configuration topic.
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vSphere resource information: The vSphere info listed in vSphere connector configuration.
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Access to the Machine Creation software to install on the layer.
When to install VMware vSphere tools on the platform layer
If the OS was created on a different hypervisor than vSphere, install the VMware vSphere software on the platform layer, along with App Layering tools and App Layering Agent (if the agent is required). You need:
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Access to the VMware vSphere software installer
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App Layering Agent and PowerShell Snap-in, if using a Script as part of the connector configuration: As part of the connector configuration, if you include a script to run on the newly published layered image, you need the App Layering agent and PowerShell Snap-in installed and running.
UEFI machines
To start using UEFI machines in vSphere when your existing machines are BIOS:
- Create a new VMware vSphere connector configuration with the Offload compositing feature enabled and UEFI selected.
- Create a UEFI platform layer.
- Publish UEFI images using this platform layer and your existing BIOS app layers.
If you are starting with a fresh deployment in vSphere:
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Create your OS layer from a BIOS OS image.
Note:
The Create OS layer feature does not yet support UEFI machines. However, you can add a version to the OS layer with Offload Compositing and UEFI selected, as described in the next step.
- Create a VMware vSphere connector configuration with the Offload compositing feature enabled and UEFI selected.
- Add a UEFI version to the OS layer.
- Create UEFI app layers.
- Create an image template with the new connector selected, and publish the images.