Preparing for the VM Import
Before you begin the VM import process, you'll need to perform the following preparation activities.
If your VM meets these specifications, it can be imported into CloudShare.
Formats Supported by CloudShare
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For VMWare, hardware versions 4 through 15 are supported. For full CloudShare functionality, make sure that VMware Tools is installed on your VM.
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Oracle VirtualBox, OVF 1.0 is fully supported.
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Other OVF formats are supported with autocorrection. When required, CloudShare will override the imported OVF hardware specification, including the memory and CPU parameters that are defined there, In order to automatically create valid CloudShare VM.
Guest OS
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CloudShare supports VMs running any Linux or Windows guest OS.
Virtual Hardware Specification
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CPUs: Any number of CPUs are supported. However, if the VM used more than four CPUs, the import will automatically reduce the number to four.
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Disks: At least one attached disk. (The VM can include more than one disk but you will not be able to change the disk size of the additional drives after uploading the VM to CloudShare). Only Virtual Machine Disk (VMDK) format is supported (i.e., no Floppy Disk or CD formats).
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Network Adapters: Up to 10 network adapters are supported.
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Sizes of CPU, RAM and Disk: Capacities should not exceed the CloudShare hardware quota specified for your account.
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CPUID Mask: The mask set for your VM must not use an AMD processor.
If it is available, access to Windows VMs from a CloudShare environment via Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) is strongly recommended.
If RDP is already enabled on the VM before import, RDP will be enabled on the imported VM after import. (Remember that RDP will only be available to access a VM in a CloudShare environment when the VM is connected to the CloudShare network.)
Therefore, prior to import, we recommend:
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Ensure that RDP Desktop is enabled on the VM.
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When a separate firewall must be enabled, ensure that Port 3389 is open for remote access. (Optionally, you can disable the firewall, since the imported VM will be protected using CloudShare’s firewall and access controls).
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Ensure that the Administrator account whose credentials you will provide for accessing the VM belongs to the Remote Users group.
For details on performing these tasks on a specific version of Windows, see Microsoft documentation.
Note
Should you import a VM that does not support remote access via RDP, access to the VM initially will be restricted to Console access when it is added to a CloudShare environment. After connecting to the new VM using the Console, you can change the configuration to enable RDP, if required.
You prepare an image of the VM you want to import by first exporting it to Open Virtualization Format (OVF).
When the VM image is exported correctly, the resulting OVF package will contain:
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One OVF descriptor with file extension .ovf. This is an XML file that specifies the packaged VM.
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One or more disk image files with the file extension .vmdk.
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Zero or more other files, such as a file with extension .mf.
Using VMWare
Export the VM using VMWare infrastructure (Workstation, ESX, vCenter Server, Fusion).
If you are using VMware Workstation, please perform the following:
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Check the settings of your VM for the Virtual Disk type being used (i.e., IDE, SCSI, SATA or NVMe). If the type is NVMe, do the following steps:
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Note the location of the Virtual Disk (.vmdk) file and remove the NVMe Virtual Disk from your VM's devices.
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Add the Virtual Disk (.vmdk) file back to your VM's devices configured as SATA Virtual Disk type.
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Go to Manage > Change Hardware Compatibility and set your VM version to VMX11 (VMware Workstation 11).
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Go to File > Export to OVF... and export your VM.
Using VirtualBox
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Export the VM using Oracle VM VirtualBox Manager.
CloudShare fully supports OVF 1.0 format (recommended). OVF 2.0 and 0.9 are also supported, however, CloudShare will need to apply some autocorrections on import, assigning a default CPU and RAM size.
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VirtualBox export creates an OVA file (i.e., a single distribution file containing an OVF file package, saved in TAR format). Before running the CloudShare VM import wizard, you will need to extract this file on your local machine using a supporting compression tool.
Before you do your first VM import, you need to install IBM Aspera components on both your web browser and computer.
CloudShare VM import requires two separate Aspera components:
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the Aspera Connect browser plugin, installed directly from the browser; and
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the Aspera Connect application, downloaded from the Aspera website.
To ensure maximum robustness and resilience of the VM import process, it is important that the latest versions of both Aspera Connect components are used.
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Select VM Import from the menu.
CloudShare detects and notifies you when one or both of the Aspera Connect components are not installed on your computer:
This notice also appears when only one of the two Apera Connect components is found on your computer. You should ensure that the latest version of both components is installed.
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Click Install to install the Aspera Connect plugin on your browser. Follow your browser's instructions to complete the process. In case a problem occurs, refer to the Aspera support site.
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Click Download to download the Aspera Client application. Follow the instructions provided by the application wizard to complete the process. In case a problem occurs, refer to the Aspera support site.
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When you have completed the setup wizard, open your browser and the CloudShare VM Import page again.
If the VM Import page still displays the Aspera prerequisites message, try refreshing the page.
Note
If you do not have permission to download or install an Aspera Connect component, you can still perform the VM import using the manual process supported by CloudShare. For complete information, see VM upload via Cloud Folders.
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