Citrix Systems 6.2.0 manual Open Virtualization Format OVF and OVA, Attribute Description

Models: 6.2.0

1 78
Download 78 pages 59.38 Kb
Page 50
Image 50

Consider using XVA format to:

Share VMs with versions of XenServer earlier than 6.0

Import and export VMs from a script with a CLI

11.1.1. Open Virtualization Format (OVF and OVA)

OVF is an open standard, specified by the Distributed Management Task Force, for packaging and distributing a virtual appliance consisting of one or more VM(s). For further details about OVF and OVA formats, see the following:

Knowledge Base Article CTX121652: Overview of the Open Virtualization Format

Open Virtualization Format Specification

Note:

In order to import or export OVF or OVA packages, you must be logged in as root or have the Pool Administrator Role Based Access Control (RBAC) role associated with your user account.

An OVF Package is the set of files that comprises the virtual appliance. It always includes a descriptor file and any other files that represent the following attributes of the package:

Attribute

Description

 

 

Descriptor (.ovf)

The descriptor always specifies the virtual hardware

 

requirements of the package. It may also specify other

 

information, including:

 

Descriptions of virtual disks, the package itself, and

 

 

guest operating systems

 

• A license agreement

 

Instructions to start and stop VMs in the appliance

 

Instructions to install the package

 

 

Signature (.cert)

The signature is the digital signature used by a public

 

key certificate in the X.509 format to authenticate the

 

author of the package.

 

 

Manifest (.mf)

The manifest allows you to verify the integrity of the

 

package contents. It contains the SHA-1 digests of

 

every file in the package.

 

 

Virtual disks

OVF does not specify a disk image format. An OVF

 

package includes files comprising virtual disks in

 

the format defined by the virtualization product

 

that exported the virtual disks. XenServer produces

 

OVF packages with disk images in Dynamic VHD

 

format; VMware products and Virtual Box produce

 

OVF packages with virtual disks in Stream-Optimized

 

VMDK format.

 

 

 

OVF packages also support other non-metadata related capabilities, such as compression, archiving, EULA attachment, and annotations.

Note:

When importing an OVF package that has been compressed or contains compressed files, you may need to free up additional disk space on the XenServer host in order to import it properly.

43

Page 50
Image 50
Citrix Systems 6.2.0 manual Open Virtualization Format OVF and OVA, Attribute Description