[VCL-323] ESX provisioning modules - based on snapshots

• Type: New Feature
• Status: Closed
• Priority: Major
• Resolution: Fixed
• Affects Version/s: 2.2
• Fix Version/s: 2.3
• Component/s: vcld (backend)
• Assignee: Unassigned
• Reporter: Frank Aaron Peeler
• Created: 26/Feb/10 16:56
• Updated: 05/Apr/12 18:06
• Resolved: 05/Apr/12 18:06

Description

from Sean

This module is designed to work against VirtualCenter/vCenter, but should be able to work directly with an ESX host as well. It works a little differently from the existing ESX modules in that it uses the VMware perl API directly instead of calling the helper apps. In addition, it also greatly reduces the amount of disk space and deployment time necessary.

Instead of cloning the VM for deployment, this module uses ESX to create a snapshot of the golden image disk, and uses that for the deployed VM. This means the only disk space used for the deployed VM is the differences between it and the master. Likewise, no time is needed to copy all the bits, so creating the VM takes seconds instead of minutes.