I have a .ova created supplied to me that I'd like to open on several local copies of VMWare Workstation.

On one machine I am able to open it successfully.

On another using VMWare Workstation I get warnings that the .ova "did not pass OVF specification conformance or virtual hardware compliance checks" and then if I attempt to retry, I get an "Invalid access to memory location."

This is using VMWare Workstation 8.0.0 build-471780 on a Windows 7 Pro 64-bit 6.1.7601, SP 1 machine.

Attempting it with the latest build of OVFtool (2.1.0 build-461994) also fails.

Here's the output of ovftool.exe to the console - suggestions/ideas welcome!

I didn't find this documented anywhere else, so I wanted to note that, if you want to use windows domain accounts in the authentication process for ovftool without specifying it interactively, you must specify the \ character using %5c, as in:

ovftool --acceptAllEulas --net:nat=mgmt-net --datastore=nfs-1 --name=Ubuntu-test Ubuntu.vmwarevm/Ubuntu.vmx vi://WINDOMAIN%5cAdministrator:password@10.10.10.100/dcName/host/cluster-name

When I try to export one of my VMs using File/Export/Export OVF Template....it crashes vSphere with a nice assertion window.

To see what the cause of this is, I decided to try using ovftool 2.1.0 on Linux to export the VM instead, to see what happens (like does it crash ovftool?).

I got stuck though because when I log into the vCenter I have to specify a domain\username format and I can't figure out how to pass this to ovftool in a way that doesn't cause errors.

For example, I tried things like this:

# ovftool  vi://myvcenter.domain.com/DataCenterName/vm/

Username:  MYDOMAIN\Administrator

Password: whatever

Didn't work, I don't think it likes the backslash.

So I tried stuffing it in a variable:

# DF="MYDOMAIN\Administrator"

# ovftool  vi://"$DF"@myvcenter.domain.com/DataCenterName/vm/

Error: Curl error: Couldn't connect to server

Anyone have any ideas?

Thanks,

CJ

I'm getting wildly different results while importing large OVF file into vCloud Director 1.0.1 via the ovftool than when performing the upload of the same OVF via the native JAva tool within vCloud Director itself. AS long as the file transfer compeltes through the vCD Java tool, the file is importing into vCenter correctly, and then being correctly registered within vCD.

The OVF I'm working with is 68.2 GB in size.

Below is a sanatized version of my command line and the output from the tool:

ovftool --net:"dvportgroup-48=company-Services_Internal" E:\OlioWebtest\oliowebtest.ovf "vcloud://user:password@testvcd1.company.com:443/?org=company_Services&vapp=OlioWebTest&vdc=company_Services_ALLO_vDC01&catalog=test"
Opening OVF source: E:\OlioWebtest\oliowebtest.ovf
The manifest validates
Warning: File is not referred in the manifest: oliowebtest.ovf
Opening vCloud target: vcloud://user@testvcd1.company.com:443/
Waiting for task on server .done
Deploying to vCloud: vcloud://user@testvcd1.company.com:443/
Disk Transfer Completed

Error: Invalid response from server
Completed with errors

Looking in the vCD GUI logs for the organization, I see the descriptor being processed, and the process for finalizing the upload completing, but the vApp is never added to the catalog. If I look in vCenter, I can find the VM on a valdi datastore for the org vDC and the correct resource pool in the proper state for a catalog vApp. The error "Error: Invalid response from server" is displayed immediately upon completion of the data transfer.

If I move the VM to the root of the datacenter, I can import the VM as a vApp and copy it to the caalog with no issue.

I tested with a much smaller OVF (1.3 GB), and received exactly the behavior I expected.

ovftool --net:"none=company-Services_Internal" E:\suse\descriptor.ovf "vcloud://user:password@testvcd1.company.com:443/?org=company_Services&vapp=SUSE32&vdc=company_Services_ALLO_vDC01&catalog=test"
Opening OVF source: E:\suse\descriptor.ovf
Warning: No manifest file
Opening vCloud target: vcloud://user@testvcd1.company.com:443/
Waiting for task on server .done
Deploying to vCloud: vcloud://user@testvcd1.company.com:443/
Disk Transfer Completed

Waiting for task on server ...................done
Waiting for task on server .......................................done
Waiting for task on server ..done
Completed successfully

Looking at the succesful transfer, I see an additonal action logged in the GUI logs for the organization. After the finalization record, there is a "Create virtual application" event logged on the smaller transfer that is never logged on the larger transfer.

The only item I can think of from a vCloud Director standpoint is that that vCD logon sesion timeout has expired on the large transfer long before the additional tasks are issued to vCD resulting in the invalid response. Is this the case, or is something else going on?

When looking at the vcloud-container-info.log file on the cells doing the processing for the succesful imports, I see a whole string of commands being executed in the current logged on user context.

There is unfortunately a bug in OVF Tool 3.0.1 on Mac that causes OVF Tool not to work if the current directory is not the same as the installation directory! For example, if you have made a symbolic link to OVF Tool or have OVF Tool in the path, you will see the following error:

Hi,

I am getting below error while depoying a OVF template. Please suggest.

Failed to Deploy:Unable to access file: server1.vmdk.
The process cannot access the file "fullpath of vmdkfile\server1.vmdk' because it is being used by another process.

Hi,

I want to config IP-address/gateway/netmask to the deployed ovf virtual machine and i getting the following info when i run ovftool.exe

Can anyone help me out in configure ipaddress fields.

Or is there any other way to do it.

I'm trying to create an additional property in my VM that I build with VMware Studio so that I can use OVFTool to pass a value for the property when I deploy the VM to a vCenter.

The property looks like that shown in red.  But when I invoke OVFTool to give a value to this property, what am I supposed to be using? 

Something like this I can't get to work:

    ovftool  <...>  --prop.ConfigurationManagementServer.My_VM_Name= 10.1.2.3   <..>

Thanks for any hints,

CJ

        <Section xsi:type="vadk:IpAssignmentSection_Type">

                <Info>Supported IP assignment schemes</Info>

                <vmw:IpAssignmentSection ovf:required="false" vmw:protocols="IPv4,IPv6" vmw:schemes="">

                        <Info>Supported IP assignment schemes</Info>

                </vmw:IpAssignmentSection>

        </Section>

        <Section xsi:type="vadk:PropertySection_Type">

                <Info/>

                <Property ovf:key="ConfigurationManagementServer" ovf:type="string" ovf:userConfigurable="true" ovf:value="puppet" ovf:qualifiers="MinLen(0),MaxLen(65535)">

                        <Label>Configuration Management Server (Optional)</Label>

                        <Description>Your configuration management server&apos;s fully-qualified name (e.g. config.avamar.com ). Blank if none.</Description>

                </Property>

        </Section>

        <Section xsi:type="vadk:AnyOVFSection_Type">

                <Info>

            Unknown OVF elements in this element will be passed directly

            to the OVF output descriptor without interpretation

        </Info>

        </Section>

        <Section xsi:type="vadk:UpdateSection_Type">

                <Info/>

                <vadk:Repository vadk:url="" vadk:username="" vadk:password="" vadk:passwordFormat="base64"/>

Hi All,

I'm unable to get ovftool to export a vm from my server that has spaces in the path to the vmx file.

Any help would be appreciated.  Thanks!

On the server:

~ # vim-cmd vmsvc/getallvms

Vmid Name             File Guest                              OS Version     Annotation

112  ar-vm            [sata3] har_vm/har_vm.vmx                rhel5_64Guest  vmx-07

16   eluefin          [sata1] eluefin/eluefin.vmx              rhel4_64Guest  vmx-07

32   igloo (RH5)      [sata0] igloo (RH5)/igloo (RH5).vmx      rhel5_64Guest  vmx-07           

When I try to export "igloo (RH5)":

C:\OVF_Tool>ovftool.exe  --compress=9 --X:logToConsole "vi://root:doublesecret@hoo.lgc.com/ha-datacenter?ds=[sata0] igloo (RH5)/igloo (RH5).vmx" F:\igloo

2013-05-23T12:55:47.089-05:00 [02908 verbose 'Default'] [SSL_DB] Using C:\Users\owjune\AppData\Roaming\VMware\ovftool_SSLDB as SSL DB

2013-05-23T12:55:47.105-05:00 [02908 verbose 'Default'] Subscribing to signal: 2 (SIGINT)

2013-05-23T12:55:47.105-05:00 [02908 verbose 'Default'] Subscribing to signal: 4 (SIGILL)

2013-05-23T12:55:47.120-05:00 [02908 verbose 'Default'] Subscribing to signal: 22 (SIGABRT)

2013-05-23T12:55:47.120-05:00 [02908 verbose 'Default'] Subscribing to signal: 8 (SIGFPE)

2013-05-23T12:55:47.120-05:00 [02908 verbose 'Default'] Subscribing to signal: 15 (SIGTERM)

2013-05-23T12:55:47.120-05:00 [02908 verbose 'Default'] OvfTool Version: VMware ovftool 3.0.1 (build-801290)

2013-05-23T12:55:47.120-05:00 [02908 verbose 'Default'] Using home directory: C:\Users\owjune\AppData\Roaming\VMware\ovftool.cfg

2013-05-23T12:55:47.120-05:00 [02908 verbose 'Default'] OvfTool Environment:

--> /X:httpTimeout = "0"

--> /X:imageReadSize = "262144"

--> /X:logToConsole = "true"

--> /X:maxNumberOfTermSignals = "5"

--> /X:maxRedirects = "256"

--> /X:maximalDeltaConfSize = "8"

--> /X:maximalDeltaTreeSize = "6"

--> /X:progressSmoothing = "60"

--> /X:useMacNaming = "false"

--> /X:vCloudEnableGuestCustomization = "false"

--> /X:vCloudKeepTemplate = "true"

--> /X:vCloudTimeout = "3600"

--> /X:vimSessionTimeout = "600"

--> /authdPortSource = "902"

--> /authdPortTarget = "902"

--> /compress = "9"

--> /fencedMode = "bridged"

--> /prgPath = "C:\OVF_Tool"

--> /source = "vi://root:doublesecret@hoo.lgc.com/ha-datacenter?ds=[sata0] igloo (RH5)/igloo (RH5).vmx"

--> /target = "F:\igloo"

--> /vCloudTemplate = "false"

-->

2013-05-23T12:55:47.152-05:00 [02908 verbose 'Default'] Done initializing libs

2013-05-23T12:55:47.152-05:00 [02908 verbose 'Default'] Determining source

2013-05-23T12:55:47.152-05:00 [02908 verbose 'Default'] Determining target

2013-05-23T12:55:47.152-05:00 [02908 verbose 'HttpConnectionPool-000000'] HttpConnectionPoolImpl created. maxPoolConnections = 20; idleTimeout = 900000000; maxOpenConnections = 20; maxConnectionAge = 0

2013-05-23T12:55:47.152-05:00 [02908 verbose 'Default'] Getting http page: https://hoo.lgc.com/sdk/vimServiceVersions.xml

2013-05-23T12:55:47.152-05:00 [02908 verbose 'Default'] Proxy host

2013-05-23T12:55:47.167-05:00 [00756 info 'Default'] Thread attached

2013-05-23T12:55:47.183-05:00 [03816 verbose 'Default'] CURL: header data removed

2013-05-23T12:55:47.183-05:00 [03816 verbose 'Default'] CURL: header data removed

2013-05-23T12:55:47.183-05:00 [03816 verbose 'Default'] CURL: header data removed

2013-05-23T12:55:47.183-05:00 [03816 verbose 'Default'] CURL: header data removed

2013-05-23T12:55:47.183-05:00 [03816 verbose 'Default'] CURL: header data removed

2013-05-23T12:55:47.183-05:00 [03816 verbose 'Default'] CURL: header data removed

2013-05-23T12:55:47.183-05:00 [03816 verbose 'Default'] CURL: header data removed

2013-05-23T12:55:47.183-05:00 [03816 verbose 'Default'] CURL: header data removed

2013-05-23T12:55:47.183-05:00 [02908 verbose 'Default'] [ViConnection] Using vim API version: 4.1

2013-05-23T12:55:47.183-05:00 [02168 info 'Default'] Thread attached

2013-05-23T12:55:47.183-05:00 [03780 info 'Default'] Thread attached

2013-05-23T12:55:47.198-05:00 [03920 info 'Default'] Thread attached

2013-05-23T12:55:47.198-05:00 [03192 info 'Default'] Thread attached

2013-05-23T12:55:47.198-05:00 [02752 info 'Default'] Thread attached

2013-05-23T12:55:47.245-05:00 [02908 verbose 'HttpConnectionPool-000001'] HttpConnectionPoolImpl created. maxPoolConnections = 1; idleTimeout = 900000000; maxOpenConnections = 1; maxConnectionAge = 0

2013-05-23T12:55:47.261-05:00 [02908 verbose 'Default'] Keeping VI session alive

Opening VI source: vi://root@hoo.lgc.com:443/ha-datacenter

2013-05-23T12:55:47.432-05:00 [02908 verbose 'Default'] Backtrace:

--> backtrace[00] rip 000007fef141722a

--> backtrace[01] rip 000007fef12df578

--> backtrace[02] rip 000007fef12e078e

--> backtrace[03] rip 000007fef129266b

--> backtrace[04] rip 000007feeeb0d3d1

--> backtrace[05] rip 000007fef0f703b8

--> backtrace[06] rip 000007fef0f707e9

--> backtrace[07] rip 000007fef0f8efbe

--> backtrace[08] rip 000007feee8b024e

--> backtrace[09] rip 000000013f83824d

--> backtrace[10] rip 000000013f7aca0d

--> backtrace[11] rip 000000013f7ad04a

--> backtrace[12] rip 000000013fa3a426

--> backtrace[13] rip 0000000076b5b1bd

--> backtrace[14] rip 0000000076d66861

-->

Error: vim.fault.FileNotFound

Completed with errors

I have a Linux VM running on fusion, and using ovftool to convert this .vmx into .ovf, then import into a ESXi 5...unfortunately having this error message.

I tried the -lax option, but doesn't help...I look into the ovf file, and found it could be this section issue

    <vmw:BootOrderSection vmw:instanceId="7" vmw:type="disk">

      <Info>Virtual hardware device boot order</Info>

    </vmw:BootOrderSection>

Anyone can share me some light to get around this...thanks

Hi,

I have created a Video Tutorial for Beginners to show 'How to use ovftool command line utility'

fosshelp: How to use ovftool command line utility

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iuvHfB6BdJk

Thanks,

I am creating ova file using VMware OVF tool .

And I want to use public Code Signing Certificate like published by Globalsign or Verisign.

But current OVF tool doucment is not introduce how to sign with timestamp.

So, when public cert is expired, just ova file is also expired.

This is problem.

Ex: Using vsphere client call deploying OVF Template, then display signing is expired.

Document

https://www.vmware.com/support/developer/ovf/ovf350/ovftool-350-userguide.pdf

Deploy an OVF Template

http://pubs.vmware.com/vsphere-4-esx-vcenter/index.jsp?topic=/com.vmware.vsphere.vmadmin.doc_41/vsp_vm_guide/working_with_ovf_templates/t_import_a_virtual_appliance.html

Will signed code still be valid after the Code Signing Certificate expires?

The digital signature on code will not expire, when a timestamping service is used. A time stamp shows the validity of the certificate at the time the code was signed. Unless you’re adding additional code to your application, a new signature will not need to be applied even if the certificate used to initially sign the code expires. GlobalSign Code Signing Certificates include a time stamp feature.

https://www.globalsign.com/support/faq/objectfaq.php

We found ovftool fails to deploy a vApp instance, within which 12VMs are to be created, from an ova file, while it succeeds if the ova file contains a slimmer version ovf file (VMs' no is decreased to 8). The host where ovftool runs is in the same LAN with VCenter server so network is probably not a problem. Besides, it also succeeds to deploy the package.ova file using VSphere Client GUI.

ovftool --X:logToConsole --noSSLVerify --name=DBaaS-fail --vmFolder=BuildValidation --powerOffTarget --overwrite '--net:VMNetwork=VLAN138' --datastore=store1800-1 --diskMode=thin

--prop:BaseIP=ww.xx.yy.zz --prop:Netmask=255.255.255.128 --prop:Gateway=ww.xx.yy.253 '--prop:DNS_Servers=10.132.71.1 10.132.71.2' --acceptAllEulas --powerOn /mnt/DATA/release/XXXXX/ova-demo/package.ova vi://user:password@10.ab.cc.dd/vCHS-DBaaS/host/ALMA/Resources/BuildValidation

The progress bar indicating complete percentage never shows up for the 12VM-version's deployment. The verbose log shows that the upload never starts. Has anybody encountered this issue? And you'll be appreciated if you can give us a hand. And we are willing to provide our ova file to troubleshooting this issue.

Background

We generate an OVA file which contains multiple VMs. Every VM specified in the ovf file refers to either a Linux vmdk or a Win vmdk within the OVA file. With two vmdk files contained in the ova file, the file size is almost 3G. We used the above command to deploy an vApp instance, but it always fail.

The following are what we have tried.

- The machine to run ovftool always keeps in the same LAN as VCenter server. This ensures network low latency.

- We tried ovftool both with its linux's version and windows's version. Deploying the ova containing 12VMs, always fail; deploying the slimmer version with 8VMs, it works;

- The difference between 12VM and 8VM ovafiles are very simple: both has two vmdk files, file-size are almost the same(~3G). It's just the latter ovf file choose to generate small number of homogenous VMs.

The verbose logs are attached below.

ovftool --X:logToConsole --noSSLVerify --name=DBaaS-fail --vmFolder=BuildValidation --powerOffTarget --overwrite '--net:VMNetwork=VLAN138' --datastore=store1800-1 --diskMode=thin

--prop:BaseIP=ww.xx.yy.zz --prop:Netmask=255.255.255.128 --prop:Gateway=ww.xx.yy.253 '--prop:DNS_Servers=10.132.71.1 10.132.71.2' --acceptAllEulas --powerOn /mnt/DATA/release/XXXXX/ova-demo/package.ova vi://user:password@10.ab.cc.dd/vCHS-DBaaS/host/ALMA/Resources/BuildValidation

ŠŠŠŠŠŠŠŠ.

-->

Opening VI target:

vi://root@10.146.25.129:443/vCHS-DBaaS/host/ALMA/Resources/BuildValidation

2014-01-17T08:15:55.791Z [7FCDED7D2740 verbose 'Default'] Hostsystem used

as deploy target: vim.HostSystem:host-16

Deploying to VI:

vi://root@10.146.25.129:443/vCHS-DBaaS/host/ALMA/Resources/BuildValidation

2014-01-17T08:16:24.172Z [7FCDED7D2740 verbose 'Default'] Using file size

as progress measure

2014-01-17T08:16:24.189Z [7FCDE4FB0700 verbose 'Default'] CURL: header

data removed

2014-01-17T08:16:24.190Z [7FCDE416F700 verbose 'Default'] CURL: header

data removed

2014-01-17T08:16:24.190Z [7FCDE412E700 verbose 'Default'] CURL: header

data removed

2014-01-17T08:16:24.190Z [7FCDE40ED700 verbose 'Default'] CURL: header

data removed

2014-01-17T08:16:24.191Z [7FCDE40AC700 verbose 'Default'] CURL: header

data removed

2014-01-17T08:16:24.192Z [7FCDE406B700 verbose 'Default'] CURL: header

data removed

2014-01-17T08:16:24.192Z [7FCDBFFFF700 verbose 'Default'] CURL: header

data removed

2014-01-17T08:16:24.195Z [7FCDE4FB0700 verbose 'Default'] CURL: header

data removed

2014-01-17T08:16:24.197Z [7FCDE416F700 verbose 'Default'] CURL: header

data removed

2014-01-17T08:16:24.197Z [7FCDE412E700 verbose 'Default'] CURL: header

data removed

2014-01-17T08:16:24.197Z [7FCDE40ED700 verbose 'Default'] CURL: header

data removed

2014-01-17T08:16:24.198Z [7FCDE40AC700 verbose 'Default'] CURL: header

data removed

2014-01-17T08:16:24.199Z [7FCDE406B700 verbose 'Default'] CURL: header

data removed

2014-01-17T08:16:24.199Z [7FCDBFFFF700 verbose 'Default'] CURL: header

data removed

2014-01-17T08:16:42.512Z [7FCDBFF7D700 verbose

'HttpConnectionPool-000001'] [RemoveConnection] Connection removed; cnx:

<SSL(<io_obj p:0x00007fcde0014b00, h:-1, <TCP '0.0.0.0:0'>, <TCP

'10.146.25.129:443'>>)>; pooled: 0

work@boxbuilder:~$ lsof -i TCP

COMMAND PID USER FD TYPE DEVICE SIZE/OFF NODE NAME

ovftool.b 31731 work 7u IPv4 574157 0t0 TCP

10.146.25.131:33750->10.146.25.129:https (ESTABLISHED)

ovftool.b 31731 work 9u IPv4 575678 0t0 TCP

10.146.25.131:33752->10.146.25.129:https (ESTABLISHED)

ovftool.b 31731 work 10u IPv4 574954 0t0 TCP

10.146.25.131:57555->w2-tempest-ucs001-30.eng.vmware.com:https (CLOSE_WAIT)

ovftool.b 31731 work 11u IPv4 574159 0t0 TCP

10.146.25.131:57556->w2-tempest-ucs001-30.eng.vmware.com:https (CLOSE_WAIT)

ovftool.b 31731 work 12u IPv4 576636 0t0 TCP

10.146.25.131:57557->w2-tempest-ucs001-30.eng.vmware.com:https (CLOSE_WAIT)

ovftool.b 31731 work 13u IPv4 574955 0t0 TCP

10.146.25.131:57558->w2-tempest-ucs001-30.eng.vmware.com:https (CLOSE_WAIT)

ovftool.b 31731 work 14u IPv4 574160 0t0 TCP

10.146.25.131:57559->w2-tempest-ucs001-30.eng.vmware.com:https (CLOSE_WAIT)

ovftool.b 31731 work 15u IPv4 576637 0t0 TCP

10.146.25.131:57560->w2-tempest-ucs001-30.eng.vmware.com:https (CLOSE_WAIT)

ovftool.b 31731 work 16u IPv4 574956 0t0 TCP

10.146.25.131:57561->w2-tempest-ucs001-30.eng.vmware.com:https (CLOSE_WAIT)

Hi Everyone,

I was trying to deploy a VM using the ovftool, I thought I would use the properties which are thrown from a "probe" of the OVA file.

ovftool http://server/files/builds/vpas/6.0.0/latest/vPAS-installer.ova

Properties:

  ClassId:     vami

  Key:         gateway

  InstanceId   vPAS

  Category:    Networking Properties

  Label:       Default Gateway

  Type:        string

  Description: The default gateway address for this VM. Leave blank if DHCP is

               desired.

  ClassId:     vami

  Key:         DNS

  InstanceId   vPAS

  Category:    Networking Properties

  Label:       DNS

  Type:        string

  Description: The domain name servers for this VM (comma separated). Leave

               blank if DHCP is desired.

  ClassId:     vami

  Key:         ip0

  InstanceId   vPAS

  Category:    Networking Properties

  Label:       Network 1 IP Address

  Type:        string

  Description: The IP address for this interface. Leave blank if DHCP is

               desired.

  ClassId:     vami

  Key:         netmask0

  InstanceId   vPAS

  Category:    Networking Properties

  Label:       Network 1 Netmask

  Type:        string

After having made sure that such properties exists from the probe, I tried to use them to give the VM a static IP post deployment, automatically.

ovftool --datastore="31_datastore" --acceptAllEulas --ipAllocationPolicy=fixedPolicy --name="vPAS_31_1" --powerOn --prop:ip0="172.16.121.115" --prop:netmask0="255.255.0.0" --prop:DNS="172.16.1.10" --prop:gateway="172.16.1.1" http://server/vpas/6.0.0/latest/vPAS-installer.ova vi://root:password@172.16.121.31/

Opening OVA source: http://server/files/builds/vpas/6.0.0/latest/vPAS-installer.ova

The manifest validates

Opening VI target: vi://root@172.16.121.31:443/

Deploying to VI: vi://root@172.16.121.31:443/

Transfer Completed                   

Powering on VM: vPAS_31_1

Warning:

- OVF property with key: 'DNS' does not exists.

- OVF property with key: 'gateway' does not exists.

- OVF property with key: 'ip0' does not exists.

- OVF property with key: 'netmask0' does not exists.

Completed successfully

Can someone please explain me whether this is a common problem ( from VMware ) or something I am doing wrong?

Thanks,

Hi all,

I have a "little" question. I have installed a new vCenter 5.5 in my farm and I would like to migrate all clusters/hosts to it. In my old vcenter there are a lot of vApps. How can migrate all without problems?

Thank you very much.

Matrix

I need access to my deployed virtual machine's serial console, not through a GUI window, but through ssh or telnet.  I finally found how to define a serial console so that I can telnet in, which is perfect, but now I'd like to automate the defining of that serial device without using the vSphere Client GUI.

I can define my serial port from the vSphere Client GUI after deploying my VM by powering off the VM, Edit Settings -> Add a Serial Port, check "Connect via Network" -> Network Backing -> Server (VM listens for connections), Port URI = telnet://10.36.0.85:7001, where 10.36.0.85 is my ESXi 4.1 server's IP address and 7001 is a random port.  When I power on my VM, I can telnet 10.36.0.85 7001 from a remote system and viola, I have serial console/terminal access.

In the vmx file, I can see

  serial0.present = "TRUE"

  serial0.yieldOnMsrRead = "TRUE"

  serial0.fileType = "network"

  serial0.fileName = "telnet://10.36.0.85:7001"

The question is, how can I define the above either in the ovf file before I deploy, as I deploy (I'm using ovftool from a remote system), or via a remote command afterwards, e.g. a vSphere CLI command?  When I try exporting the ovf template from the vSphere client, I get "Device 'Serial port 1' cannot be exported."

Environment:

- ovftool 2.0.1 (build-260188)

-  ESXi 4.0.0 (244038)

-  ESXi 4.1.0 (260247)

I'm creating an OVA using ovftool from an appliance that's turned off.  It's installed on the ESX 4.1 machine.

When I create the appliance using a self-signed certificate, it deploys correctly on ESX 4.0.

However, the same appliance fails to deploy on the ESX 4.1 device.

I get the following error at 99%:

Failed to deploy OVF package: The request was aborted: The request was canceled.

Any ideas?

Hi All.

VMware OVF Tool 2.1.0 is now ready for download.

Go to the download link on the frontpage.

Eske

Was giving an SSL error, now giving a connecgt error. No firewall involved. I wonder Windows does not have ssh, so, why is vConverter using ssh.

Any help much appreciated.

Hi- has anyone hit any problems with exporting large (e.g. > 1TB) VMs in OVA/OVF format?

I realise that you can split the files generated, but leaving aside any issues to do with the file-system on which the files reside, are there any inherent gotchas with the export mechanism or the file format that would mean it's not a good idea to rely on this for exporting large VMs...?

Thanks!