Unable to deploy OVF Template to content Library for Windows 11 VMs. Error "The operation is not supported on the object. The operation is not supported on encrypted VM The operation failed due to The operation is not supported on the object."

Products

• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

The following operations will fail when working with any VM encrypted with a vTPM module:

• Right clicking the VM > Clone > Clone as Template to Library... operation from existing vTPM enabled Windows 11 VM to the Content Library
• Right clicking the VM > Template > Export OVF Template

You may see the following messages when attempting the above operations:

• The operation is not supported on the object. The operation is not supported on encrypted VM The operation failed due to The operation is not supported on the object.
• The selected virtual machine cannot be exported because it is encrypted

Environment

VMware vCenter Server 7.x

VMware vCenter server 8.x

Windows 11

Cause

Virtual machines with a vTPM device do not support the OVF/OVA template format directly.

It is not supported to export a virtual machine with a vTPM device to an OVF/OVA file using the vSphere Client.

Resolution

It is not supported to export a virtual machine with a vTPM device to an OVF/OVA file using the vSphere Client. The vTPM device must be first removed before you can export the VM as an OVF/OVA template.

Reference: vSphere Virtual TPM (vTPM) Questions & Answers

Additional Information

The OVF Tool can automate the process by adding a vTPM placeholder attribute. See the section “TPM as a Virtual Device in OVF” in the OVF Tool User Guide for more details on using OVF Tool.

References: vSphere Virtual TPM (vTPM) Questions & Answers

Deploy and Export OVF and OVA Templates