Deploy the vSphere Integrated Containers Appliance Using VMware OVF Tool

You can deploy the vSphere Integrated Containers Appliance using the VMware OVF Tool.

The vSphere Integrated Containers Engine bundle includes the OVA-util utility. The OVA-util utility is a command-line utility that allows you to import and export OVF packages. This utility contains the ovftool command that you can use to deploy the vSphere Integrated Containers Appliance at the command line.

Prerequisites

Download the VMware OVF Tool from https://code.vmware.com/web/tool/4.3.0/ovf.

Running the ovftool Command

You run ovftool by specifying the source locator, target locator, and options for the command.

At the command-line prompt, run the command as follows:

ovftool <source locator> <target locator>

If you are using an operating system where spaces are not allowed in paths on the command line, and need the full path to run OVF Tool, enclose the path in quotes as shown below:

"/Applications/VMware OVF Tool/ovftool"

The <source locator> can be one of the following:

  • A path to an OVF or OVA file (a local file path, or an HTTP, HTTPS, or FTP URL).
  • A virtual machine (a local file path to a .vmx file).
  • A vSphere locator identifying a virtual machine or vApp on vCenter, ESXi, or VMware Server.

The target locator can be one of the following:

  • A local file path for VMX, OVF, OVA, or vApprun workspace.
  • A vSphere locator identifying a cluster, host, or a vSphere location

Example:

ovftool
[...]
${ova-file} 'vi://%{TEST_USERNAME}:%{TEST_PASSWORD}@%{TEST_URL}/%{TEST_RESOURCE}'

Specifying Option Arguments

To specify additional options, type them before the source and target locators as follows: ovftool <options> <source locator> <target locator>

Options perform actions only between certain source and target types. If you specify an option using an irrelevant source or target type, the command does nothing.

All options can be set as follows:

--option=value

Example:

--net:"Network"="%{PUBLIC_NETWORK}"

Binary options can be enabled or disabled explicitly. For example: --option=true, --option=false.

Basic ovftool Options

This section lists some of the basic ovftool options. You can set environment variables so that you do not have to specify the <source locator>, <target locator>, --datastore, --name, --net, and --prop options in every ovftool command.

--datastore

Short name: -ds

Target datastore name for a vSphere locator.

Usage

datastore=datastore name

Example: --datastore='%{TEST_DATASTORE}'

--noSSLVerify

Short name: None

Skips SSL verification for vSphere connections.

Usage

--noSSLVerify

--acceptAllEulas

Accepts all end-user licenses agreements (EULAS) without being prompted.

--name

Short name: -n

The target name. If you do not specify name, the name defaults to the source name.

Usage

--name=OVA name

--diskMode

Short name: -dm

Specify the disk format. You can specify the following formats: monolithicSparse, monolithicFlat, twoGbMaxExtentSparse, twoGbMaxExtentFlat, seSparse (vSphere target), eagerZeroedThick (vSphere target), thin (vSphere target), thick (vSphere target), sparse, and flat.

Usage

--diskmode=format

Example: --diskMode=thin

--help

Short name: -h

Prints the OVF Tool help message that lists the --help options.

Usage

--help

--powerOn

Short name: None

Powers on a virtual machine that is deployed on a vSphere target.

Usage

--powerOn

--net

Short name: None

Sets a network assignment in the deployed OVF package.

Usage

--net:OVF name=target name

Example: --net:"Network"="%{PUBLIC_NETWORK}"

--prop

Short name: None

Sets a property in the deployed OVF package.

Usage

--prop:key=value

For multiple property mappings, repeat the option by separating them with a blank as follows: 

--prop:key1=value1 --prop:key2=value2 --prop:key3=value3

Examples:

```
--prop:appliance.root_pwd='${OVA_PASSWORD_ROOT}'
--prop:appliance.permit_root_login=True
--prop:appliance.tls_cert="${tls_cert}"
--prop:appliance.tls_cert_key="${tls_cert_key}"
--prop:appliance.ca_cert="${ca_cert}" 
--prop:network.ip0="${static-ip}"
--prop:network.netmask0="${netmask}" 
--prop:network.gateway="${gateway}" 
--prop:network.DNS="${dns}" 
--prop:network.searchpath="${searchpath}" 
--prop:network.fqdn="${fqdn}"
--prop:syslog_server.syslog_srv_host="${syslog_srv_host}"
--prop:syslog_server.syslog_srv_protocol="${syslog_srv_protocol}"
--prop:syslog_server.syslog_srv_port="${syslog_srv_port}" --
```

Advanced ovftool Options

This section lists some of the advanced ovftool options.

--X:waitForIp

Waits for VMware tools to return an IP address and print it out. This option must be used together with the --powerOn option of the VI target and a single VM source.

Usage:

--powerOn --X:waitForIp

Example:

ovftool 
[...]
--powerOn --X:waitForIp
[...]
${ova-file} 'vi://%{TEST_USERNAME}:%{TEST_PASSWORD}@%{TEST_URL}/%{TEST_RESOURCE}'

--X:injectOvfEnv

If you are running ovftool on an ESXi host, you must “inject” the parameters into the resulting VM when it is powered on. This is because the ESXi host lacks a cache to store the OVF parameters, as in vCenter Server. Therefore, you must use the --X:injectOvfEnv debug option with the --powerOn flag in the command line if you are deploying a virtual machine from ESXi.

Usage:

--X:injectOvfEnv --powerOn

Example:

ovftool 
[...]
--X:injectOvfEnv 
[...]
--powerOn
[...]

--X:enableHiddenProperties

Enables source properties that are marked as ovf:userConfigurable=false. Use this option to set the values to true. By default, the OVF Tool sets them as false.

Usage:

--X:enableHiddenProperties

--X:logFile

Logs internal events to given log file.

Usage:

--X:logFile=log-file-name

Example:

--X:logFile=ovftool-log.txt

--X:logLevel

Indicates the log level. Specify one of the following values: none, quiet, panic, error, warning, info, verbose, trivia.

Usage:

--X:logLevel=level

Example:

--X:logLevel=verbose

--X:logToConsole

Log internal events to console.

Usage:

--X:logToConsole

--X:logTransferHeaderData

Add transfer header data to the log. Use this option with care. The default value is false.

Usage:

--X:logTransferHeaderData

Example ovftool Command

The following command sets the appliance root password and uses the default values for other options:

<pre>ovftool --datastore=vsanDatastore --noSSLVerify --acceptAllEulas --name=<ova_name> --diskMode=thin --powerOn --X:waitForIp --X:injectOvfEnv --X:enableHiddenProperties --prop:appliance.root_pwd=<root_pwd>' --prop:appliance.permit_root_login=True --net:"Network"="vm-network" installer/bin/vic-*.ova 'vi://<vc_username>:<vc_pwd>@10.160.222.221/vcqaDC/host/cls' 2>&1</pre>

For password requirements, see Deploy the vSphere Integrated Containers Appliance.

For more information about the VMware OVF Tool and how to use it, see the OVF Tool Documentation.

The following sources also provide useful information:

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