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Creating a VM Template on VMware vSphere 7

Prerequisites

• ISO Images: Ensure you have the ISO images for RHEL9 and OEL9 downloaded.
• vSphere Client: Have the vSphere Client open and connected to your vCenter or ESXi host.

1. Prepare the ISO Image

• Upload the RHEL9 and OEL9 ISOs to a datastore accessible by the ESXi hosts.

2. Create a New Virtual Machine

Step 1

• In the vSphere Client, right-click on the target ESXi host or cluster. Choose New Virtual Machine.

Step 2

• Follow the wizard:
  • Name and Location: Name your VM.
  • Compute Resource: Select the host or cluster.
  • Storage: Choose the datastore.
  • Compatibility: Stick with the default for vSphere 7.
  • Guest OS: Choose Linux -> Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 (or the appropriate version for OEL9).
  • Customize Hardware: Attach the RHEL9 or OEL9 ISO image to the virtual CD/DVD drive. Adjust other hardware settings as needed.
  • Finish: Review and complete the VM creation.

3. Install the OS with ks.cfg

Step 1

• Start the VM.

Step 2

• At the boot screen, modify the boot options to use the ks.cfg. Append the boot line with: inst.ks=http://your_server/ks.cfg.

Step 3

• Proceed with the installation. The OS will install using settings from the ks.cfg.

4. Post-Installation

Step 1

• Log into the VM after installation.

Step 2

• Install VMware Tools (yum install open-vm-tools).

Step 3

• Perform any other necessary configurations.

5. Convert VM to Template

Step 1

• Clean up (e.g., clear command history with history -c).

Step 2

• Shut down the VM.

Step 3

• In vSphere Client, right-click on the VM. Select Template > Convert to Template.

6. Deploying from the Template

• To deploy a new VM from the template, right-click on the template and choose New VM from this Template.