Difference Between OVF and OVA

OVF (open virtualization format) –> is a collection of  vm files (*.vmdks, *.ovf, *.mf, *.vhd).  The OVF file  itself is just an xml file that has information about the vmdks files in the directory. When I export my VM as an OVF,  a directory is created that has an ovf file and vmdks … Take a look at my OVF directory below:

OVA (open virtualization Appliance) –> is just one single file (one single file), which could be considered as a zip of all the files that belong to the ovf directory. So if you want to share you VM on the internet you would create a single OVA file (just like a zip file). To consume the file, you have to convert it first to OVF ( just like you  unzip a file before you use it).

References:

Distributed Management Task Force
http://www.dmtf.org/standards/ovf

OFV Format
http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/linux/library/l-open-virtualization-format-toolkit/

Open Virtualization Format Tool
http://communities.vmware.com/community/vmtn/vsphere/automationtools/ovf

How to Successfully Copy a virtual (ESXI Vmware Only) Machine

1. Shell into your vmware ESXI server and copy the  the files (vmdks only) or simply make a copy of  an existing  virtual machine using the  vsphere GUI  interface.

2.  Copy only the vmdk and the XXX-flat.vmdk

3   Create a new Machine  choose custom in the option.

4. Choose "Existing Vritual Disk" then browse to the location of the new virtual disk and select the vmdk listed.

5. Start your new machine.

 

 

VirtualBOX Networking (Without WAN)

Using Virtual Box Without Wan. The power of virtualization resides in the ability to network more than one computers and to be able to route traffic to one or multiple machines without the internet.  Yes without the internet. 
That allows me to simulate the traffic of a real netwrok without getting the internet involved.

Here are the instructions to set up a network without the internet.

1. First turn off the internet on your laptop or desktop

2. Set up a host-only network adapter.

3. Ipconfig /release  Ipconfig/renew on the host and the virtualbox client

4. verify that both (host and virtual box machine are on the same  subnet).

5. Voila. You should be able to communicate with the machine on your network.