Using content library to deploy or export Virtual Machines with EFI firmware in 6.5 fails

Products

• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

Symptoms:
Before vSphere 6.5 P03, exporting virtual machine with EFI firmware through content library may result in OVF template with BIOS firmware, and deploying OVF template with EFI firmware through content library may result in virtual machine with BIOS firmware.

With vSphere 6.5 P03, exporting virtual machine with EFI firmware and NVRAM file through content library may result in OVF template with EFI firmware but without the NVRAM file, and deploying OVF template with EFI firmware and NVRAM file through content library may fail.

Cause

This issue occurs because Content Library does not support EFI firmware before vSphere 6.5 P03 and does not support NVRAM boot file with vSphere 6.5 P03.

Resolution

This issue is resolved in VMware vSphere ESXi 6.5 P03 (ESXi650-201811002), available at Product Patches.

Notes:

• Before vSphere 6.5 P03, users can use OVF tool to deploy or export virtual machines with EFI firmware.
• With vSphere 6.5 P03, users can deploy or export virtual machine with EFI firmware but no NVRAM file via content library; for virtual machines with both EFI firmware and NVRAM file, users can use OVF tool to deploy or export.
• With vSphere 6.7, users can use content library to deploy or export virtual machines with EFI firmware and NVRAM boot file.