626 lines
30 KiB
Plaintext
626 lines
30 KiB
Plaintext
---
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modeline: |
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vim: set ft=pandoc:
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description: |
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This VMware Packer builder is able to create VMware virtual machines from an
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ISO file as a source. It currently supports building virtual machines on hosts
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running VMware Fusion for OS X, VMware Workstation for Linux and Windows, and
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VMware Player on Linux. It can also build machines directly on VMware vSphere
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Hypervisor using SSH as opposed to the vSphere API.
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layout: docs
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page_title: 'VMware ISO - Builders'
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sidebar_current: 'docs-builders-vmware-iso'
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---
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# VMware Builder (from ISO)
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Type: `vmware-iso`
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This VMware Packer builder is able to create VMware virtual machines from an ISO
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file as a source. It currently supports building virtual machines on hosts
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running [VMware Fusion](https://www.vmware.com/products/fusion/overview.html) for
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OS X, [VMware
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Workstation](https://www.vmware.com/products/workstation/overview.html) for Linux
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and Windows, and [VMware Player](https://www.vmware.com/products/player/) on
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Linux. It can also build machines directly on [VMware vSphere
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Hypervisor](https://www.vmware.com/products/vsphere-hypervisor/) using SSH as
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opposed to the vSphere API.
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The builder builds a virtual machine by creating a new virtual machine from
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scratch, booting it, installing an OS, provisioning software within the OS, then
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shutting it down. The result of the VMware builder is a directory containing all
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the files necessary to run the virtual machine.
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## Basic Example
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Here is a basic example. This example is not functional. It will start the OS
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installer but then fail because we don't provide the preseed file for Ubuntu to
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self-install. Still, the example serves to show the basic configuration:
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``` json
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{
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"type": "vmware-iso",
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"iso_url": "http://old-releases.ubuntu.com/releases/precise/ubuntu-12.04.2-server-amd64.iso",
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"iso_checksum": "af5f788aee1b32c4b2634734309cc9e9",
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"iso_checksum_type": "md5",
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"ssh_username": "packer",
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"ssh_password": "packer",
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"shutdown_command": "shutdown -P now"
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}
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```
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## Configuration Reference
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There are many configuration options available for the VMware builder. They are
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organized below into two categories: required and optional. Within each
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category, the available options are alphabetized and described.
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In addition to the options listed here, a
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[communicator](/docs/templates/communicator.html) can be configured for this
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builder.
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### Required:
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- `iso_checksum` (string) - The checksum for the OS ISO file. Because ISO
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files are so large, this is required and Packer will verify it prior to
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booting a virtual machine with the ISO attached. The type of the checksum is
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specified with `iso_checksum_type`, documented below. At least one of
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`iso_checksum` and `iso_checksum_url` must be defined. This has precedence
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over `iso_checksum_url` type.
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- `iso_checksum_type` (string) - The type of the checksum specified in
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`iso_checksum`. Valid values are `none`, `md5`, `sha1`, `sha256`, or
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`sha512` currently. While `none` will skip checksumming, this is not
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recommended since ISO files are generally large and corruption does happen
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from time to time.
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- `iso_checksum_url` (string) - A URL to a GNU or BSD style checksum file
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containing a checksum for the OS ISO file. At least one of `iso_checksum`
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and `iso_checksum_url` must be defined. This will be ignored if
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`iso_checksum` is non empty.
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- `iso_url` (string) - A URL to the ISO containing the installation image.
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This URL can be either an HTTP URL or a file URL (or path to a file). If
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this is an HTTP URL, Packer will download it and cache it between runs.
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### Optional:
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- `boot_command` (array of strings) - This is an array of commands to type
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when the virtual machine is first booted. The goal of these commands should
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be to type just enough to initialize the operating system installer. Special
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keys can be typed as well, and are covered in the section below on the
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boot command. If this is not specified, it is assumed the installer will
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start itself.
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- `boot_wait` (string) - The time to wait after booting the initial virtual
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machine before typing the `boot_command`. The value of this should be
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a duration. Examples are `5s` and `1m30s` which will cause Packer to wait
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five seconds and one minute 30 seconds, respectively. If this isn't
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specified, the default is `10s` or 10 seconds.
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- `cdrom_adapter_type` (string) - The adapter type (or bus) that will be used
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by the cdrom device. This is chosen by default based on the disk adapter
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type. VMware tends to lean towards `ide` for the cdrom device unless
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`sata` is chosen for the disk adapter and so Packer attempts to mirror
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this logic. This field can be specified as either `ide`, `sata`, or `scsi`.
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- `disable_vnc` (boolean) - Whether to create a VNC connection or not.
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A `boot_command` cannot be used when this is `true`. Defaults to `false`.
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- `disk_adapter_type` (string) - The adapter type of the VMware virtual disk
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to create. This option is for advanced usage, modify only if you know what
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you're doing. Some of the options you can specify are `ide`, `sata`, `nvme`
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or `scsi` (which uses the "lsilogic" scsi interface by default). If you
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specify another option, Packer will assume that you're specifying a `scsi`
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interface of that specified type. For more information, please consult the
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<a href="http://www.vmware.com/pdf/VirtualDiskManager.pdf" target="_blank"
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rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">
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Virtual Disk Manager User's Guide</a> for desktop VMware clients.
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For ESXi, refer to the proper ESXi documentation.
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- `disk_additional_size` (array of integers) - The size(s) of any additional
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hard disks for the VM in megabytes. If this is not specified then the VM
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will only contain a primary hard disk. The builder uses expandable, not
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fixed-size virtual hard disks, so the actual file representing the disk will
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not use the full size unless it is full.
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- `disk_size` (number) - The size of the hard disk for the VM in megabytes.
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The builder uses expandable, not fixed-size virtual hard disks, so the
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actual file representing the disk will not use the full size unless it
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is full. By default this is set to `40000` (about 40 GB).
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- `disk_type_id` (string) - The type of VMware virtual disk to create. This
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option is for advanced usage.
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For desktop VMware clients:
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Type ID | Description
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--- | ---
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`0` | Growable virtual disk contained in a single file (monolithic sparse).
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`1` | Growable virtual disk split into 2GB files (split sparse).
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`2` | Preallocated virtual disk contained in a single file (monolithic flat).
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`3` | Preallocated virtual disk split into 2GB files (split flat).
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`4` | Preallocated virtual disk compatible with ESX server (VMFS flat).
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`5` | Compressed disk optimized for streaming.
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The default is `1`.
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For ESXi, this defaults to `zeroedthick`. The available options for ESXi
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are: `zeroedthick`, `eagerzeroedthick`, `thin`. `rdm:dev`, `rdmp:dev`,
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`2gbsparse` are not supported. Due to default disk compaction, when using
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`zeroedthick` or `eagerzeroedthick` set `skip_compaction` to `true`.
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For more information, please consult the [Virtual Disk Manager User's
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Guide](https://www.vmware.com/pdf/VirtualDiskManager.pdf) for desktop
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VMware clients. For ESXi, refer to the proper ESXi documentation.
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- `floppy_dirs` (array of strings) - A list of directories to place onto
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the floppy disk recursively. This is similar to the `floppy_files` option
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except that the directory structure is preserved. This is useful for when
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your floppy disk includes drivers or if you just want to organize it's
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contents as a hierarchy. Wildcard characters (\*, ?, and \[\]) are allowed.
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- `floppy_files` (array of strings) - A list of files to place onto a floppy
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disk that is attached when the VM is booted. This is most useful for
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unattended Windows installs, which look for an `Autounattend.xml` file on
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removable media. By default, no floppy will be attached. All files listed in
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this setting get placed into the root directory of the floppy and the floppy
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is attached as the first floppy device. Currently, no support exists for
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creating sub-directories on the floppy. Wildcard characters (\*, ?,
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and \[\]) are allowed. Directory names are also allowed, which will add all
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the files found in the directory to the floppy.
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- `fusion_app_path` (string) - Path to "VMware Fusion.app". By default this is
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`/Applications/VMware Fusion.app` but this setting allows you to
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customize this.
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- `guest_os_type` (string) - The guest OS type being installed. This will be
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set in the VMware VMX. By default this is `other`. By specifying a more
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specific OS type, VMware may perform some optimizations or virtual hardware
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changes to better support the operating system running in the
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virtual machine.
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- `headless` (boolean) - Packer defaults to building VMware virtual machines
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by launching a GUI that shows the console of the machine being built. When
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this value is set to `true`, the machine will start without a console. For
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VMware machines, Packer will output VNC connection information in case you
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need to connect to the console to debug the build process.
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- `http_directory` (string) - Path to a directory to serve using an
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HTTP server. The files in this directory will be available over HTTP that
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will be requestable from the virtual machine. This is useful for hosting
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kickstart files and so on. By default this is an empty string, which means
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no HTTP server will be started. The address and port of the HTTP server will
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be available as variables in `boot_command`. This is covered in more detail
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below.
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- `http_port_min` and `http_port_max` (number) - These are the minimum and
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maximum port to use for the HTTP server started to serve the
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`http_directory`. Because Packer often runs in parallel, Packer will choose
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a randomly available port in this range to run the HTTP server. If you want
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to force the HTTP server to be on one port, make this minimum and maximum
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port the same. By default the values are `8000` and `9000`, respectively.
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- `iso_target_extension` (string) - The extension of the iso file after
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download. This defaults to `iso`.
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- `iso_target_path` (string) - The path where the iso should be saved after
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download. By default will go in the packer cache, with a hash of the
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original filename as its name.
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- `iso_urls` (array of strings) - Multiple URLs for the ISO to download.
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Packer will try these in order. If anything goes wrong attempting to
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download or while downloading a single URL, it will move on to the next. All
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URLs must point to the same file (same checksum). By default this is empty
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and `iso_url` is used. Only one of `iso_url` or `iso_urls` can be specified.
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- `network` (string) - This is the network type that the virtual machine will
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be created with. This can be one of the generic values that map to a device
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such as `hostonly`, `nat`, or `bridged`. If the network is not one of these
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values, then it is assumed to be a VMware network device. (VMnet0..x)
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- `network_adapter_type` (string) - This is the ethernet adapter type the the
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virtual machine will be created with. By default the `e1000` network adapter
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type will be used by Packer. For more information, please consult the
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<a href="https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/1001805" target="_blank"
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rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">
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Choosing a network adapter for your virtual machine</a> for desktop VMware
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clients. For ESXi, refer to the proper ESXi documentation.
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- `output_directory` (string) - This is the path to the directory where the
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resulting virtual machine will be created. This may be relative or absolute.
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If relative, the path is relative to the working directory when `packer`
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is executed. This directory must not exist or be empty prior to running
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the builder. By default this is `output-BUILDNAME` where "BUILDNAME" is the
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name of the build.
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- `parallel` (string) - This specifies a parallel port to add to the VM. It
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has the format of `Type:option1,option2,...`. Type can be one of the
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following values: `FILE`, `DEVICE`, `AUTO`, or `NONE`.
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* `FILE:path` - Specifies the path to the local file to be used for the
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parallel port.
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* `DEVICE:path` - Specifies the path to the local device to be used for the
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parallel port.
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* `AUTO:direction` - Specifies to use auto-detection to determine the
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parallel port. Direction can be `BI` to specify
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bidirectional communication or `UNI` to specify
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unidirectional communication.
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* `NONE` - Specifies to not use a parallel port. (default)
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- `remote_cache_datastore` (string) - The path to the datastore where
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supporting files will be stored during the build on the remote machine. By
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default this is the same as the `remote_datastore` option. This only has an
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effect if `remote_type` is enabled.
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- `remote_cache_directory` (string) - The path where the ISO and/or floppy
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files will be stored during the build on the remote machine. The path is
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relative to the `remote_cache_datastore` on the remote machine. By default
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this is `packer_cache`. This only has an effect if `remote_type`
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is enabled.
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- `remote_datastore` (string) - The path to the datastore where the resulting
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VM will be stored when it is built on the remote machine. By default this
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is `datastore1`. This only has an effect if `remote_type` is enabled.
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- `remote_host` (string) - The host of the remote machine used for access.
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This is only required if `remote_type` is enabled.
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- `remote_password` (string) - The SSH password for the user used to access
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the remote machine. By default this is empty. This only has an effect if
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`remote_type` is enabled.
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- `remote_private_key_file` (string) - The path to the PEM encoded private key
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file for the user used to access the remote machine. By default this is empty.
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This only has an effect if `remote_type` is enabled.
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- `remote_type` (string) - The type of remote machine that will be used to
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build this VM rather than a local desktop product. The only value accepted
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for this currently is `esx5`. If this is not set, a desktop product will
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be used. By default, this is not set.
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- `remote_username` (string) - The username for the SSH user that will access
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the remote machine. This is required if `remote_type` is enabled.
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- `serial` (string) - This specifies a serial port to add to the VM.
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It has a format of `Type:option1,option2,...`. The field `Type` can be one
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of the following values: `FILE`, `DEVICE`, `PIPE`, `AUTO`, or `NONE`.
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* `FILE:path(,yield)` - Specifies the path to the local file to be used as the
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serial port.
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* `yield` (bool) - This is an optional boolean that specifies whether
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the vm should yield the cpu when polling the port.
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By default, the builder will assume this as `FALSE`.
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* `DEVICE:path(,yield)` - Specifies the path to the local device to be used
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as the serial port. If `path` is empty, then
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default to the first serial port.
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* `yield` (bool) - This is an optional boolean that specifies whether
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the vm should yield the cpu when polling the port.
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By default, the builder will assume this as `FALSE`.
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* `PIPE:path,endpoint,host(,yield)` - Specifies to use the named-pipe "path"
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as a serial port. This has a few
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options that determine how the VM
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should use the named-pipe.
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* `endpoint` (string) - Chooses the type of the VM-end, which can be
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either a `client` or `server`.
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* `host` (string) - Chooses the type of the host-end, which can be either
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an `app` (application) or `vm` (another virtual-machine).
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* `yield` (bool) - This is an optional boolean that specifies whether
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the vm should yield the cpu when polling the port.
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By default, the builder will assume this as `FALSE`.
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* `AUTO:(yield)` - Specifies to use auto-detection to determine the serial
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port to use. This has one option to determine how the VM
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should support the serial port.
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* `yield` (bool) - This is an optional boolean that specifies whether
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the vm should yield the cpu when polling the port.
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By default, the builder will assume this as `FALSE`.
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* `NONE` - Specifies to not use a serial port. (default)
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- `shutdown_command` (string) - The command to use to gracefully shut down the
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machine once all the provisioning is done. By default this is an empty
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string, which tells Packer to just forcefully shut down the machine.
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- `shutdown_timeout` (string) - The amount of time to wait after executing the
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`shutdown_command` for the virtual machine to actually shut down. If it
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doesn't shut down in this time, it is an error. By default, the timeout is
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`5m` or five minutes.
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- `skip_compaction` (boolean) - VMware-created disks are defragmented and
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compacted at the end of the build process using `vmware-vdiskmanager` or
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`vmkfstools` in ESXi. In certain rare cases, this might actually end up
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making the resulting disks slightly larger. If you find this to be the case,
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you can disable compaction using this configuration value. Defaults to
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`false`. Default to `true` for ESXi when `disk_type_id` is not explicitly
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defined and `false` otherwise.
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- `skip_export` (boolean) - Defaults to `false`. When enabled, Packer will
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not export the VM. Useful if the build output is not the resultant
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image, but created inside the VM.
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Currently, exporting the build VM is only supported when building on
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ESXi e.g. when `remote_type` is set to `esx5`. See the [Building on a
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Remote vSphere
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Hypervisor](/docs/builders/vmware-iso.html#building-on-a-remote-vsphere-hypervisor)
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section below for more info.
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- `keep_registered` (boolean) - Set this to `true` if you would like to keep
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the VM registered with the remote ESXi server. If you do not need to export
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the vm, then also set `skip_export: true` in order to avoid an unnecessary
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step of using ovftool to export the vm. Defaults to `false`.
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- `ovftool_options` (array of strings) - Extra options to pass to ovftool
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during export. Each item in the array is a new argument. The options
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`--noSSLVerify`, `--skipManifestCheck`, and `--targetType` are reserved,
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and should not be passed to this argument.
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Currently, exporting the build VM (with ovftool) is only supported when
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building on ESXi e.g. when `remote_type` is set to `esx5`. See the
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[Building on a Remote vSphere
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Hypervisor](/docs/builders/vmware-iso.html#building-on-a-remote-vsphere-hypervisor)
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section below for more info.
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- `sound` (boolean) - Enable VMware's virtual soundcard device for the VM.
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- `tools_upload_flavor` (string) - The flavor of the VMware Tools ISO to
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upload into the VM. Valid values are `darwin`, `linux`, and `windows`. By
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default, this is empty, which means VMware tools won't be uploaded.
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- `tools_upload_path` (string) - The path in the VM to upload the
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VMware tools. This only takes effect if `tools_upload_flavor` is non-empty.
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This is a [configuration
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template](/docs/templates/engine.html) that has a single
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valid variable: `Flavor`, which will be the value of `tools_upload_flavor`.
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By default the upload path is set to `{{.Flavor}}.iso`. This setting is not
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used when `remote_type` is `esx5`.
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- `usb` (boolean) - Enable VMware's USB bus for the guest VM. To enable usage
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of the XHCI bus for USB 3 (5 Gbit/s), one can use the `vmx_data` option to
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enable it by specifying `true` for the `usb_xhci.present` property.
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- `version` (string) - The [vmx hardware
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version](http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=1003746)
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for the new virtual machine. Only the default value has been tested, any
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other value is experimental. Default value is `9`.
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- `vm_name` (string) - This is the name of the VMX file for the new virtual
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machine, without the file extension. By default this is `packer-BUILDNAME`,
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where "BUILDNAME" is the name of the build.
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- `vmdk_name` (string) - The filename of the virtual disk that'll be created,
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without the extension. This defaults to `packer`.
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- `vmx_data` (object of key/value strings) - Arbitrary key/values to enter
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into the virtual machine VMX file. This is for advanced users who want to
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set properties such as memory, CPU, etc.
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- `vmx_data_post` (object of key/value strings) - Identical to `vmx_data`,
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except that it is run after the virtual machine is shutdown, and before the
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virtual machine is exported.
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- `vmx_remove_ethernet_interfaces` (boolean) - Remove all ethernet interfaces
|
|
from the VMX file after building. This is for advanced users who understand
|
|
the ramifications, but is useful for building Vagrant boxes since Vagrant
|
|
will create ethernet interfaces when provisioning a box. Defaults to
|
|
`false`.
|
|
|
|
- `vmx_template_path` (string) - Path to a [configuration
|
|
template](/docs/templates/engine.html) that defines the
|
|
contents of the virtual machine VMX file for VMware. This is for **advanced
|
|
users only** as this can render the virtual machine non-functional. See
|
|
below for more information. For basic VMX modifications, try
|
|
`vmx_data` first.
|
|
|
|
- `vnc_bind_address` (string / IP address) - The IP address that should be
|
|
binded to for VNC. By default packer will use `127.0.0.1` for this. If you
|
|
wish to bind to all interfaces use `0.0.0.0`.
|
|
|
|
- `vnc_disable_password` (boolean) - Don't auto-generate a VNC password that
|
|
is used to secure the VNC communication with the VM. This must be set to
|
|
`true` if building on ESXi 6.5 and 6.7 with VNC enabled. Defaults to
|
|
`false`.
|
|
|
|
- `vnc_port_min` and `vnc_port_max` (number) - The minimum and maximum port
|
|
to use for VNC access to the virtual machine. The builder uses VNC to type
|
|
the initial `boot_command`. Because Packer generally runs in parallel,
|
|
Packer uses a randomly chosen port in this range that appears available. By
|
|
default this is `5900` to `6000`. The minimum and maximum ports are
|
|
inclusive.
|
|
|
|
## Boot Command
|
|
|
|
The `boot_command` configuration is very important: it specifies the keys to
|
|
type when the virtual machine is first booted in order to start the OS
|
|
installer. This command is typed after `boot_wait`, which gives the virtual
|
|
machine some time to actually load the ISO.
|
|
|
|
As documented above, the `boot_command` is an array of strings. The strings are
|
|
all typed in sequence. It is an array only to improve readability within the
|
|
template.
|
|
|
|
The boot command is "typed" character for character over a VNC connection to the
|
|
machine, simulating a human actually typing the keyboard.
|
|
|
|
-> Keystrokes are typed as separate key up/down events over VNC with a
|
|
default 100ms delay. The delay alleviates issues with latency and CPU
|
|
contention. You can tune this delay on a per-builder basis by specifying
|
|
"boot_key_interval" in your Packer template, for example:
|
|
|
|
```
|
|
{
|
|
"builders": [
|
|
{
|
|
"type": "vmware-iso",
|
|
"boot_key_interval": "10ms"
|
|
...
|
|
}
|
|
]
|
|
}
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
<%= partial "partials/builders/boot-command" %>
|
|
|
|
-> **Note**: for the `HTTPIP` to be resolved correctly, your VM's network
|
|
configuration has to include a `hostonly` or `nat` type network interface.
|
|
If you are using this feature, it is recommended to leave the default network
|
|
configuration while you are building the VM, and use the `vmx_data_post` hook
|
|
to modify the network configuration after the VM is done building.
|
|
|
|
Example boot command. This is actually a working boot command used to start an
|
|
Ubuntu 12.04 installer:
|
|
|
|
``` text
|
|
[
|
|
"<esc><esc><enter><wait>",
|
|
"/install/vmlinuz noapic ",
|
|
"preseed/url=http://{{ .HTTPIP }}:{{ .HTTPPort }}/preseed.cfg ",
|
|
"debian-installer=en_US auto locale=en_US kbd-chooser/method=us ",
|
|
"hostname={{ .Name }} ",
|
|
"fb=false debconf/frontend=noninteractive ",
|
|
"keyboard-configuration/modelcode=SKIP keyboard-configuration/layout=USA ",
|
|
"keyboard-configuration/variant=USA console-setup/ask_detect=false ",
|
|
"initrd=/install/initrd.gz -- <enter>"
|
|
]
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
For more examples of various boot commands, see the sample projects from our
|
|
[community templates page](/community-tools.html#templates).
|
|
|
|
## VMX Template
|
|
|
|
The heart of a VMware machine is the "vmx" file. This contains all the virtual
|
|
hardware metadata necessary for the VM to function. Packer by default uses a
|
|
[safe, flexible VMX
|
|
file](https://github.com/hashicorp/packer/blob/20541a7eda085aa5cf35bfed5069592ca49d106e/builder/vmware/step_create_vmx.go#L84).
|
|
But for advanced users, this template can be customized. This allows Packer to
|
|
build virtual machines of effectively any guest operating system type.
|
|
|
|
~> **This is an advanced feature.** Modifying the VMX template can easily
|
|
cause your virtual machine to not boot properly. Please only modify the template
|
|
if you know what you're doing.
|
|
|
|
Within the template, a handful of variables are available so that your template
|
|
can continue working with the rest of the Packer machinery. Using these
|
|
variables isn't required, however.
|
|
|
|
- `Name` - The name of the virtual machine.
|
|
- `GuestOS` - The VMware-valid guest OS type.
|
|
- `DiskName` - The filename (without the suffix) of the main virtual disk.
|
|
- `ISOPath` - The path to the ISO to use for the OS installation.
|
|
- `Version` - The Hardware version VMWare will execute this vm under. Also
|
|
known as the `virtualhw.version`.
|
|
|
|
## Building on a Remote vSphere Hypervisor
|
|
|
|
In addition to using the desktop products of VMware locally to build virtual
|
|
machines, Packer can use a remote VMware Hypervisor to build the virtual
|
|
machine.
|
|
|
|
-> **Note:** Packer supports ESXi 5.1 and above.
|
|
|
|
Before using a remote vSphere Hypervisor, you need to enable GuestIPHack by
|
|
running the following command:
|
|
|
|
``` text
|
|
esxcli system settings advanced set -o /Net/GuestIPHack -i 1
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
When using a remote VMware Hypervisor, the builder still downloads the ISO and
|
|
various files locally, and uploads these to the remote machine. Packer currently
|
|
uses SSH to communicate to the ESXi machine rather than the vSphere API. At some
|
|
point, the vSphere API may be used.
|
|
|
|
Packer also requires VNC to issue boot commands during a build, which may be
|
|
disabled on some remote VMware Hypervisors. Please consult the appropriate
|
|
documentation on how to update VMware Hypervisor's firewall to allow these
|
|
connections. VNC can be disabled by not setting a `boot_command` and setting
|
|
`disable_vnc` to `true`.
|
|
|
|
To use a remote VMware vSphere Hypervisor to build your virtual machine, fill in
|
|
the required `remote_*` configurations:
|
|
|
|
- `remote_type` - This must be set to "esx5".
|
|
|
|
- `remote_host` - The host of the remote machine.
|
|
|
|
Additionally, there are some optional configurations that you'll likely have to
|
|
modify as well:
|
|
|
|
- `remote_port` - The SSH port of the remote machine
|
|
|
|
- `remote_datastore` - The path to the datastore where the VM will be stored
|
|
on the ESXi machine.
|
|
|
|
- `remote_cache_datastore` - The path to the datastore where supporting files
|
|
will be stored during the build on the remote machine.
|
|
|
|
- `remote_cache_directory` - The path where the ISO and/or floppy files will
|
|
be stored during the build on the remote machine. The path is relative to
|
|
the `remote_cache_datastore` on the remote machine.
|
|
|
|
- `remote_username` - The SSH username used to access the remote machine.
|
|
|
|
- `remote_password` - The SSH password for access to the remote machine.
|
|
|
|
- `remote_private_key_file` - The SSH key for access to the remote machine.
|
|
|
|
- `format` (string) - Either "ovf", "ova" or "vmx", this specifies the output
|
|
format of the exported virtual machine. This defaults to "ovf".
|
|
Before using this option, you need to install `ovftool`. This option
|
|
currently only works when option remote_type is set to "esx5".
|
|
Since ovftool is only capable of password based authentication
|
|
`remote_password` must be set when exporting the VM.
|
|
|
|
- `vnc_disable_password` - This must be set to "true" when using VNC with
|
|
ESXi 6.5 or 6.7.
|
|
|
|
### VNC port discovery
|
|
|
|
Packer needs to decide on a port to use for VNC when building remotely. To find
|
|
an open port, we try to connect to ports in the range of `vnc_port_min` to
|
|
`vnc_port_max`. If we notice something is listening on a port in the range, we
|
|
try to connect to the next one, and so on until we find a port that has nothing
|
|
listening on it. If you have many clients building on the ESXi host, there
|
|
might be competition for the VNC ports. You can adjust how long packer waits
|
|
for a connection timeout by setting `PACKER_ESXI_VNC_PROBE_TIMEOUT`. This
|
|
defaults to 15 seconds. Set this shorter if vnc connections are refused, and
|
|
set it longer if Packer can't find an open port. This is intended as an
|
|
advanced configuration option. Please make sure your firewall settings are
|
|
correct before adjusting.
|
|
|
|
### Using a Floppy for Linux kickstart file or preseed
|
|
|
|
Depending on your network configuration, it may be difficult to use packer's
|
|
built-in HTTP server with ESXi. Instead, you can provide a kickstart or preseed
|
|
file by attaching a floppy disk. An example below, based on RHEL:
|
|
|
|
``` json
|
|
{
|
|
"builders": [
|
|
{
|
|
"type":"vmware-iso",
|
|
"floppy_files": [
|
|
"folder/ks.cfg"
|
|
],
|
|
"boot_command": "<tab> text ks=floppy <enter><wait>"
|
|
}
|
|
]
|
|
}
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
It's also worth noting that `ks=floppy` has been deprecated. Later versions of
|
|
the Anaconda installer (used in RHEL/CentOS 7 and Fedora) may require
|
|
a different syntax to source a kickstart file from a mounted floppy image.
|
|
|
|
``` json
|
|
{
|
|
"builders": [
|
|
{
|
|
"type":"vmware-iso",
|
|
"floppy_files": [
|
|
"folder/ks.cfg"
|
|
],
|
|
"boot_command": "<tab> inst.text inst.ks=hd:fd0:/ks.cfg <enter><wait>"
|
|
}
|
|
]
|
|
}
|
|
```
|