VMware's templates ease virtual server provisioning hassles

With templates, system administrators can save a baseline configuration for any Windows or Linux guest operating system. Thus a system administrator can create a template of baseline server configurations to expedite the deployment of servers. Templates can be created for file servers, application servers or Web servers or even "small" or "large" server configurations. Antivirus, systems management agents and other tools can be installed and saved within templates, enabling a fully configured server guest OS upon deployment. You can use simple processes in VirtualCenter -- such as Clone to Template, which creates a new virtual machine by copying the virtual disks and creating new configuratio

Digg This!     StumbleUpon     Del.icio.us

And indeed, whether you're deploying a new Windows or Linux system, creating a new guest OS from a template is relatively straightforward. To deploy a Windows server, VirtualCenter leverages the Microsoft Sysprep utility, enabling the creation of an answer file and integration into the Customization Specification Manager wizard within VirtualCenter. When a new Linux guest OS is requested, Linux leverages the Customization Specification Manager in VirtualCenter.

You manage templates through VirtualCenter. Templates can be powered on to tweak configurations, install updates or new software and, with newer Virtual Infrastructure updates, to deploy updates to guest OSes built on the template.

About the author: Craig A. Newell is a senior consultant at Focus Consulting (www.focusonsystems.com) in Boulder, Colo. He helps end users evaluate technology needs concerning virtualization, server consolidation and blade systems. Newell is a certified project management professional, a certified wireless network administrator, and a certified business continuity planner and served as a technical editor for the book Blade Servers and Virtualization: Transforming Enterprise Computing While Cutting Costs.

Rate this Tip To rate tips, you must be a member of SearchVMware.com. Register now to start rating these tips. Log in if you are already a member. DISCLAIMER: Our Tips Exchange is a forum for you to share technical advice and expertise with your peers and to learn from other enterprise IT professionals. TechTarget provides the infrastructure to facilitate this sharing of information. However, we cannot guarantee the accuracy or validity of the material submitted. You agree that your use of the Ask The Expert services and your reliance on any questions, answers, information or other materials received through this Web site is at your own risk.