---
modeline: |
  vim: set ft=pandoc:
description: |
    This VMware Packer builder starts from an ISO and creates a vm using the
    vSphere API to build on a remote VMWare machine.
layout: docs
page_title: 'VSphere ISO - Builders'
sidebar_current: 'docs-builders-vsphere-iso'
---

# Packer Builder for VMware vSphere

Type: `vsphere-iso`

This builder uses the vSphere API, and creates virtual machines remotely. It
starts from an ISO file and creates new VMs from scratch.

- VMware Player is not required.
- It uses the official vCenter API, and does not require ESXi host [modification](https://www.packer.io/docs/builders/vmware-iso.html#building-on-a-remote-vsphere-hypervisor)

## Examples

See complete Ubuntu, Windows, and macOS templates in the [examples folder](https://github.com/hashicorp/packer/tree/master/builder/vsphere/examples/).

# Configuration Reference

There are many configuration options available for this builder. In addition to
the items listed here, you will want to look at the general configuration
references for [HTTP](#http-directory-configuration),
[Floppy](#floppy-configuration),
[Boot](#boot-configuration),
[Driver](#driver-configuration),
[Hardware](#hardware-configuration),
[Output](#output-configuration),
[Run](#run-configuration),
[Shutdown](#shutdown-configuration),
[Communicator](#communicator-configuration),
[Tools](#tools-configuration),
[vmx](#vmx-configuration),
[Export](#export-configuration),
configuration references, which are
necessary for this build to succeed and can be found further down the page.

<%= partial "partials/builder/vsphere/iso/Config-not-required" %>

### Connection Configuration
<%= partial "partials/builder/vsphere/common/ConnectConfig-not-required" %>

### Hardware Configuration
<%= partial "partials/builder/vsphere/common/HardwareConfig-not-required" %>

### Location Configuration
<%= partial "partials/builder/vsphere/common/LocationConfig-not-required" %>

### Run Configuration
<%= partial "partials/builder/vsphere/common/RunConfig-not-required" %>

### Shutdown Configuration
<%= partial "partials/builder/vsphere/common/ShutdownConfig-not-required" %>

### Wait Configuration
<%= partial "partials/builder/vsphere/common/WaitIpConfig-not-required" %>

### ISO Configuration

<%= partial "partials/common/ISOConfig" %>

#### Required:

<%= partial "partials/common/ISOConfig-required" %>

#### Optional:

<%= partial "partials/common/ISOConfig-not-required" %>

### CDRom Configuration

Each iso defined in the CDRom Configuration adds a new drive. If the "iso_url" is defined in
addition to the "iso_paths", the "iso_url" is added to the VM first. This keeps the "iso_url" first in
the boot order by default allowing the boot iso being defined by the iso_url and the vmware tools iso added
from the datastore. Example:

```json
"iso_urls": [
  "win10.iso",
  "http://example.org/isos/win10.iso"
],
"iso_paths": [
    "[] /usr/lib/vmware/isoimages/windows.iso"
],
```

<%= partial "partials/builder/vsphere/iso/CDRomConfig-not-required" %>

### Create Configuration
<%= partial "partials/builder/vsphere/iso/CreateConfig-not-required" %>

### Network Adapter Configuration
<%= partial "partials/builder/vsphere/iso/NIC-required" %>

### Storage Configuration
<%= partial "partials/builder/vsphere/iso/DiskConfig-required" %>
<%= partial "partials/builder/vsphere/iso/DiskConfig-not-required" %>

### Floppy Configuration
<%= partial "partials/builder/vsphere/iso/FloppyConfig-not-required" %>

### Export Configuration
<%= partial "partials/builder/vsphere/common/ExportConfig" %>

### Optional:

<%= partial "partials/builder/vsphere/common/ExportConfig-not-required" %>

#### Output Configuration:

<%= partial "partials/builder/vsphere/common/OutputConfig-not-required" %>

### Extra Configuration Parameters
<%= partial "partials/builder/vsphere/common/ConfigParamsConfig-not-required" %>

### Communicator configuration

#### Optional common fields:

<%= partial "partials/helper/communicator/Config-not-required" %>

#### Optional Network Adapter fields:

<%= partial "partials/builder/vsphere/iso/NIC-not-required" %>

#### Optional SSH fields:

<%= partial "partials/helper/communicator/SSH-not-required" %>

#### Optional WinRM fields:

<%= partial "partials/helper/communicator/WinRM-not-required" %>

## Working with Clusters
#### Standalone Hosts
Only use the `host` option. Optionally specify a `resource_pool`:
```
"host": "esxi-1.vsphere65.test",
"resource_pool": "pool1",
```

#### Clusters Without DRS
Use the `cluster` and `host `parameters:
```
"cluster": "cluster1",
"host": "esxi-2.vsphere65.test",
```

#### Clusters With DRS
Only use the `cluster` option. Optionally specify a `resource_pool`:
```
"cluster": "cluster2",
"resource_pool": "pool1",
```

## Required vSphere Permissions

* VM folder (this object and children):
    ```
    Virtual machine -> Inventory
    Virtual machine -> Configuration
    Virtual machine -> Interaction
    Virtual machine -> Snapshot management
    Virtual machine -> Provisioning
    ```
    Individual privileges are listed in https://github.com/jetbrains-infra/packer-builder-vsphere/issues/97#issuecomment-436063235.
* Resource pool, host, or cluster (this object):
    ```
    Resource -> Assign virtual machine to resource pool
    ```
* Host in clusters without DRS (this object):
    ```
    Read-only
    ```
* Datastore (this object):
    ```
    Datastore -> Allocate space
    Datastore -> Browse datastore
    Datastore -> Low level file operations
    ```
* Network (this object):
    ```
    Network -> Assign network
    ```
* Distributed switch (this object):
    ```
    Read-only
    ```

For floppy image upload:

* Datacenter (this object):
    ```
    Datastore -> Low level file operations
    ```
* Host (this object):
    ```
    Host -> Configuration -> System Management
    ```