VMware vSphere
A VMware vSphere connector configuration contains the credentials and storage location that the appliance needs to connect to vSphere. Use the vSphere connector to package layers and publish images to VMware vSphere or VMware Cloud on AWS.
Before you start
You can use your VMware vSphere environment to create layers and publish layered images. Each connector configuration accesses a specific storage location in your VMware vSphere environment. You might need more than one VMware vSphere connector configuration to access the correct location for each purpose. Further, you can publish each layered image to a location convenient to the system you provision with the published image. You can also export images from your VMware vSphere environment via the Image Portability feature. For more information about Connectors and connector configurations, see Connector configurations.
Layering
To package layers using a VMware vSphere virtual machine, specify a VMware vSphere connector configuration when creating or versioning a layer. Specify a VMware vSphere or Machine Creation for VMware vSphere connector configuration in an image template to have that image created in VMware vSphere when published.
Image Portability
You can export existing images from your VMware vSphere environment by using the VMware vSphere connector in conjunction with the Windows File Share connector via the Image Portability export feature. Specify a VMware vSphere connector with Offload Compositing enabled in the Connector Configuration dropdown of a Windows File Share connector and then specify that Windows File Share connector to the IPS export command. This will allow Image Portability to access your VMware vSphere environment, and export images to the configured file share location. Use the datastore path of a vmdk (e.g. [vsanDatastore] d6650865-56fd-065b-20f6-e4434b003954/myimage.vmdk) to specify to the export command which image to export. The vmdk must be on the same datastore as the one specified in the connector configuration.
Machine Creation for vSphere Connector
The Machine Creation version of the VMware vSphere connector publishes layered images in a state that is ready for use by Citrix Machine Creation Service in your vSphere environment. Published layered images are booted for final configuration, shut down, and then a snapshot is taken.
Notes:
The Machine Creation for vSphere connector configuration is for publishing layered images. You cannot package layers with it, nor use it with the Image Portability feature. Instead, use a VMware vSphere connector configuration.
The Machine Creation for vSphere connector does not support caching
Additional considerations
Virtual controllers
You can use either the default LSI Logic SAS controller, or a VMware paravirtual SCSI controller.
To use the default LSI Logic SAS controller, simply select it for the layer’s virtual machine, and make sure that all of your layers use the same controller.
To use a VMware paravirtual SCSI controller, you need a pre-existing Template VM with a VMware Paravirtual SCSI controller and without any disks.
To use an existing LSI OS Layer with a VMware Paravirtual SCSI controller
If you have an OS layer with an LSI Logic SAS controller, and you want to use it with a VMware Paravirtual SCSI controller you can use either of the following approaches:
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Add a version to the OS layer, using a VMware vSphere connector with an LSI Logic SAS VM template. When the packaging machine is created, follow the steps below to make the OS layer Paravirtual enabled.
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Add a new platform layer with an LSI OS layer, and a platform connector with an LSI Logic SAS VM template. When the packaging machine is created, follow the steps below to make the platform layer Paravirtual enabled.
Note:
The following changes must be performed on the OS layer and the platform layer.
When the packaging machine from your chosen approach is ready:
- Log in to the virtual machine and shut it down.
- In the vSphere Web Client open the Edit Settings page for the packaging machine.
- Add a new SCSI controller, by selecting SCSI Controller from the New Device menu, and click Add.
- Expand the New SCSI controller section that was added, and set Change Type to VMware Paravirtual.
- Add a new hard disk, by selecting New Hard Disk from the New device menu, and clicking Add.
- Expand the New Hard disk section and set the following parameters:
- Size: 1 GB
- Disk Provisioning: Thin provision
- Virtual Device Node: New SCSI controller default bus
- Click OK.
- Install the Paravirtual drivers by powering on the packaging machine, logging in, and then shutting down.
- In the vSphere Web Client, open the Edit Settings page for the packaging machine.
- Remove both the hard disk and the Paravirtual controller that you added earlier in this procedure.
- Power on the packaging machine, log in, and click Shut down For Finalize.
Once you finish creating the layer, you can use it to create an image with a Paravirtual controller.
Required information for vSphere connector configuration settings
Refer to the following required, recommended, and optional fields for configuration of your VMware vSphere connector.
- Connector Configuration Name- A useful name to help identify and track this connector configuration.
- vCenter Server- The address, hostname, or FQDN of the vCenter server with which the appliance integrates.
- vCenter User Name- The user name of the account that the appliance uses to connect to vSphere.
- vCenter Password- The password of the account that the appliance uses to connect to vSphere.
- DataCenter Name- The name of the vSphere data center in which the App Layering appliance creates and retrieves virtual machines.
- Packaging Cache Size in GB (Recommended)- The size of the Disk Cache that App Layering uses when creating layers. If you leave the size blank or set it to 0, App Layering does not use a Disk Cache. If you specify a size, App Layering uses a Disk Cache of up to this size to keep copies of boot disks and packaging disks, and reuses these disks to create packaging machines. The reuse of these boot disks and packaging disks reduces the time that it takes to package an App layer.
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Virtual Machine Template - (Optional) Virtual Machine Template that clones a virtual machine with the hardware settings for VMware, including memory, CPUs, and video settings. This setting lets you specify the host, datastore, and network for configuring the resulting virtual machines.
Important:
When publishing to VMware Cloud, a VMware Virtual Machine template (not a regular VM template) is required for the virtual machine’s network to work correctly.
When selecting a template virtual machine:
- Answer Yes to the prompt asking to update settings, but do not change the network.
- Make sure that the OS version that’s used by the selected template matches the OS version that you’re using for building layers or publishing layered images.
- The template must not have any disks attached, and must have at least one network card attached. Otherwise, you receive an error when trying to validate or save the configuration.
- ESXHost Name- The name of the vSphereESX Host on which the appliance creates and retrieves virtual machines.
- DataStore Name- The name of the vSphere DataStore in which the appliance creates and retrieves virtual machines.
- Network Name- The name of the vSphere Network in which the appliance creates and retrieves virtual machines.
- Virtual Machine Folder Name- The name of the vSphere Folder in which the appliance creates and retrieves virtual machines.
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Offload Compositing - Enables the layer packaging or image publishing process to run on the specified vSphere server. This feature increases performance, and it allows you to use VMDK disk format and either BIOS or UEFI virtual machines. With UEFI, you can also use Secure Boot if it’s enabled on the VM.
Notes:
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Disabling Offload Compositing is a deprecated feature. The ability to disable offload compositing will be removed in a future release.
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When using a vSphere connector configuration with VMware Cloud and a vSAN 7.0 Update 2 (or later) datastore, Offload Compositing must be selected.
When Offload Compositing is selected:
- If you do not provide a virtual machine template, the virtual machine defaults to BIOS.
- If you provide a template configured for BIOS or UEFI, the resulting virtual machine is the type you chose.
- If you provide a template with UEFI-Secure Boot enabled and selected, the resulting VM is UEFI-Secure Boot.
When Offload Compositing isn’t selected:
- If you do not provide a template, the virtual machine defaults to BIOS.
- If you provide a template configured for BIOS, the resulting virtual machine is BIOS.
- If you provide a template configured for UEFI, the machine fails to boot, and results in a blue screen. (Offload Compositing is required for UEFI.)
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Required Privileges for the connector’s vSphere Client Administrator Role
Set the VMware privileges required by the vSphere Client Administrator to match the permissions for the App Layering appliance.
Once you have set the permissions, verify them by clicking Save in the Create Connector configuration summary blade.
Create a connector configuration
To enter values:
- The first three vCenter fields must be entered manually. Once the credentials in those fields are validated, you can select values for the remaining fields from the drop-down menus.
- To enter values manually, click to put the cursor in the field and type the value, making sure that the case matches the value in vCenter.
- To select a value from a drop-down list, click once to put the cursor in the field to display the list of possible values.
To add a connector configuration
- Click the Connectors page.
- Click Add Connector Configuration. A dialog box opens.
- Select the Connector Type for the platform and location where you’re creating the layer or publishing the image. Then click New to open the Connector Configuration page.
- Enter the configuration Name, and the vCenter Server, vCenter User Name, and vCenter Password. For guidance, see the previous field definitions.
- Click the Connect button below the vCenter fields. The data center field is then enabled with a list of data centers available.
- Select the data center, enabling the remaining drop-down lists.
- Complete the remaining fields and click the TEST button to verify that App Layering can access the location specified using the credentials supplied.
- Click Save. Verify that the new connector configuration is listed on the Connectors page.
Error messages
If you receive ENOTFOUND errors when you deploy a packaging machine or publish an image, use the IP Address in place of the FQDN for the vCenter server.