Create Image Templates (vSphere)

In this article:

You can create Image Templates to publish Layered Images to your target platform where you can then use the Layered Image to provision servers on your chosen publishing platform. An Image Template stores your Layer assignments, along with a Layer icon and description. You can easily edit an Image Template and use it to publish new versions of your Layered Images.

Prerequisites

To create an Image Template you need:

• A Platform Layer containing the software required for your environment.
• The Platform Layer you choose must have the same hardware settings as the OS Layer you are using. (The hardware settings are chosen when you deploy the VM for the OS and Platform Layers.)
• The Platform Layer you choose must contain the software required for your environment.

  Example: When publishing images to PVS for XenApp users running in vSphere, the following must be installed on the Platform Layer:

  • VMware vSphere
  • Citrix PVS Device imaging tools
  • XenApp VDA installed

Create an Image Template

To create an Image Template:

1. In the Unidesk Management Console (UMC), select the Images module, then click Create Template. This opens the Create Template wizard.
2. In the Name and Description tab, enter a Name for the template and notes in the Description field, so you can identify the template when choosing one for publishing a Layered Image.
3. In the OS Layer tab, select one of the Available OS Layers. If there is more than one Layer Version, the most recent version is selected by default. You can choose an older version by expanding the Layer and choosing a different one.
4. In the App Assignment tab, select the App Layers to include in the Layered Images that you publish using this template.

5. On the Connector page, select the vSphere Connector Configuration for the location where you want to publish the Layered Image.

   If the Connector Configuration you need is not available, add one. Click New, choose the Connector Type, and follow the instructions to Create a Connector Configuration.

6. In the Platform Layer tab, select a Platform Layer with the tools and hardware settings that you need to publish Layered Images to your environment.

7. On the Layered Image Disk page, edit the following fields, as needed:

   • (Optional) Layered Image Disk File name. Enter a name for the Layered Image Disk.
   • Layered Image Disk Format. Use the default format, since this is the one required for your selected environment.

   • Sysprep. An appropriate default value will be selected for your environment. This setting determines whether the Layered Image will be generalized, and if so, which script will be used to generalize the image and join a domain.

     • Not Generalized - Does not generalize the image nor join a domain. Machines created from this image will be identical to the OS Disk from which they are created.

     • Generalize Offline - Generalizes the Image using Unidesk code, and without booting the VM. Machines created from this image will be unique, and will run unattend.xml to join a domain.

   • Elastic Layering - Controls whether Elastic Layering on this Layered Image is allowed. Select yes to allow Elastic Layers for users of this Layered Image.
8. On the Confirm and Complete tab, enter any comments you would like for this layer, and click Create Template.

The new Template icon appears in the Unidesk Images module.

Next Step

Publish Layered Images (vSphere)