How to Change the Datastore of a Virtual Machine Template

Products

• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

This KB explains how to change the datastore where a virtual machine template is stored.

Environment

vCenter Server 7.0, vCenter Server 8.0

Resolution

Method 1 (Migration with Storage vMotion)

1. Right-click the template in the vSphere Client and select "Convert to Virtual Machine."
2. After converting to a virtual machine, use Storage vMotion to change the datastore.
3. Right-click the virtual machine, select "Template" > "Convert to Template," and then convert the template back to a virtual machine.

Method 2 (Migration with File Movement)

1. Right-click the template in the vSphere Client and select "Remove from Inventory."
2. Select the datastore where the template will be located and open "Files."
3.  Check the appropriate template folder, click "MOVE TO" then select the desired datastore and click OK.
4.  Open "Files" again in the destination datastore and open the moved template folder.
5. Check the [template name].vmtx file and proceed with "REGISTER VM" to complete the template re-registration.

Additional Information

Japanese KB: 仮想マシンテンプレートの保存先データストアを変更する方法