How to Manage the Library Folder in Essentials
Applies To: System Center Essentials 2010
In System Center Essentials 2010, you can import Microsoft virtual hard drive files (VHD) or VMware files (VMX) to create virtual machines and use ISO images to install operating systems on virtual machines. This results in not having to physically install an operating system on each machine, because it might not be practical to install from disks in environments where machines are in multiple locations. To use these files, they must be added to the library folder.
Note
The default library folder is <drive letter>:\SCE\Virtual Machine Library, where drive letter represents the hard disk on which Essentials is installed and cannot be changed. If you require additional space to store virtual hard drive files or ISO images, delete files that are no longer required to create additional space on the hard drive, or add a new hard drive to the machine and map it to a folder inside the original library folder.
The following procedures describe how to add files, how to import virtual machine files to the library folder, and how to use ISO images to install operating systems on virtual machines.
To add files to the library folder
Use Windows Explorer to navigate to the library folder. This is the folder that was created during Essentials 2010 setup to be used for storing virtualization management data. The default library folder is <drive letter>:\SCE\Virtual Machine Library, where drive letter represents the hard disk on which Essentials is installed.
Copy the VHD, VMX, or ISO image files to the folder.
Note
You can create subfolders and copy files into those subfolders based on type, such as the \VHD subfolder that was created during Essentials setup, which is used to store the two default virtual hard drives; however, using subfolders is not required.
To import a VHD or VMX file to create a virtual machine from a virtual hard disk
In the Essentials console, click the Computers button, click Computer Groups, and then click All Virtual Machines.
In the Tasks pane, click Import Virtual Hard Disk.
When the Select a virtual hard disk to use dialog box appears, click the library folder link to open the library folder.
Copy the VHD or VMX files into the library folder.
In the dialog box, click Refresh List to select the file you copied into the library folder.
To continue creating the new virtual machine from an imported virtual hard disk file or VMware file, and for instructions on how to create a virtual machine from a virtual disk, see How to Create a New Virtual Machine from a Virtual Disk in Essentials.
To import a VHD file to create or edit a virtual machine template
In the Essentials console, click the Computers button, click Computer Groups, and then click All Virtual Machines.
In the Tasks pane, click Manage Templates.
When the Manage Virtual Machine Templates dialog box appears, click New, or select one of the existing templates and click View/Edit.
When the Template Properties page appears, click Hard Disk. On the Hard Disk page, click the link to the library folder.
Copy the VHD file you want to use into the library folder.
Important
Only blank virtual hard disks without any operating systems installed on them can be used.
On the Hard Disk page, click Refresh List to select the file from the drop-down box.
To continue creating or editing virtual machine templates, and for instructions on how to install an operating system on an unmanaged virtual machine and prepare it for management by Essentials, see Virtualizing Your Server Environment in Essentials.
To add and use an ISO image file to create a new virtual machine and install an operating system
In the Essentials console, click the Computers button, click Computer Groups, and then click All Virtual Machines.
In the Tasks pane, click New Virtual Machine.
When the Select Template page appears, select a template from the drop-down box. Click Change Properties to edit the virtual machine hardware configuration, or click Next.
When the Install Operating System page appears, click Select from the available ISO images.
Click the library folder link to open the library folder. Copy the ISO image file that you want to use into the library folder.
On the Install Operating System page, click Refresh List, and then select the ISO image file to use from the drop-down box.
To continue creating the virtual machine and for instructions on how to prepare it for management by Essentials, see Virtualizing Your Server Environment in Essentials
See Also
Tasks
How to Designate a Host for Virtualization Management in Essentials
How to Configure a Virtual Machine for Management in Essentials
How to View or Change Virtual Machine Properties in Essentials