This section explains how to collect cloning images.
Use the following procedure to collect cloning images:
After installing an OS, stop the target L-Server.
Right-click the target L-Server in the orchestration tree, and select [Cloning]-[Collect] from the popup menu.
Click <OK>.
A cloning image is collected.
A given cloning image (identified by its name attribute) can be managed by image version.
If a cloning image is created using VM management software, it can be used as is.
Point
When "Default" is specified in the [Collect a Cloning Image] dialog, it is assumed that the virtual storage resource containing the L-Server for collecting cloning images has been specified.
When performing cloning of a Windows OS on an L-Server, the Microsoft Sysprep tool is necessary.
The necessary files vary depending on the CPU architecture (x86, x64) of the target system, and the OS version.
It is not necessary to obtain new files, since the following OSs include Microsoft Sysprep:
Windows Server 2008
Windows Server 2008 R2
Windows Server 2012
Windows Vista
Windows 7
Windows 8
For details on obtaining tool and its installation, refer to the information regarding the Microsoft Sysprep tool in the "vSphere Basic System Administration" documentation and the following VMware web site.
Refer to the relevant version of the document, referring to the following web site:
vSphere Basic System Administration
URL: http://www.vmware.com/support/pubs/ |
VMware web site
URL: |
Note
If an L-Server is created with a specified Windows image, when deploying the image use Sysprep, provided by Microsoft, to reconfigure the properties unique to the server. By executing Sysprep, the user information and OS setting information are reset.
For details on Sysprep, refer to the information provided by Microsoft.
If stopping or restarting of the manager is performed during execution of Sysprep, the operation being executed will be performed after the manager is started.
Until the process being executed is completed, do not operate the target resource.
When using MAK license authentication for activation for the following OSs, Sysprep can be executed a maximum of three times.
Windows Server 2008
Windows Server 2008 R2
Windows Vista
Windows 7
Since Sysprep is executed when creating L-Server with images specified or when collecting cloning images, collection of cloning images and creation of L-Servers with images specified cannot be performed more than four times. Therefore, it is recommended not to collect cloning images from L-Servers that have had cloning images deployed, but to collect them from a dedicated master server. The number is also included in the count when Sysprep is performed in the following cases:
When customizing a guest OS using template functions in VMware
When creating templates in SCVMM
If an L-Server is created with a Windows image specified, use Sysprep to set the server specific information again, when starting for the first time after creating the L-Server. After startup and resetting of the server specific information, when the L-Server console is opened from the server virtualization software management window, you will be logged on with Administrator status. Therefore, it is recommended that you log off.
Note the following points when collecting cloning images from an L-Server that was created using a cloning image.
As L-Servers which have not been used even once after creation do not have server specific information set, creation of L-Servers using cloning images collected from an L-Server may fail. When collecting cloning images, set the server specific information on L-Server, after starting the target L-Server.
