Steps to migrate VM templates from one Content Library to another

Products

• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

• Moving the VM templates from one Content Library to another is required when the underlying datastore of the original Content Library is being decommissioned.
• When you create a VM template in a content library, the library item is backed by a VM template in the vCenter Server inventory.
• Even when VM templates reside on a datastore different from that of the Content Library, deletion of the VM template from the Content Library results in the associated VM template being removed from the vCenter Server inventory.

Resolution

• Creating a copy of the VM Template to another Content Library requires the template to be converted into a VM and then converted back into a template.
  
  
  • In the vSphere Client, navigate to VMs/Templates view
  • Right Click the VM Template -> Convert to Virtual Machine -> Finish.
  • Right Click on the converted VM -> Clone as Template to Library.
  • Ensure that the Template type is set to 'VM Template'.
  • Select the new Content Library from the Wizard.
  • You can place the new VM Template on any datastore irrespective of where the new Content Library is created.

Additional Information

• Manage VM Templates in a Content Library
• Clone OVA/OVF templates to a new Content Library

• For bulk migration of VM Templates to a new Content Library, you can clone the VM Templates as OVA/OVF files to the new Content Library using PowerCLI.