How to clone a VM in VMware Server 2.0

Last updated on January 16, 2012 by Dan Nanni

When you need to create multiple VMs with vanilla Linux installed, cloning an existing VM saves you time with installation and configuration of new VMs. If you are using VMware Workstation, VM cloning process is streamlined with a built-in Clone Virtual Machine Wizard. However, if you are using VMware Server, it does not have such functionality, and you need to clone VMs manually. In order to clone a VM in VMware Server 2.0, you can follow these step-by-step instructions.

First, make a copy of a disk image of an existing VM (e.g., old_vm).

$ vmware-vdiskmanager -r old_vm.vmdk -t 2 temp_vm.vmdk

Next, create a new VM via VMware Server web interface (using the same VM template as the existing VM), and name it new_vm. When asked about a disk, choose "use existing disk" and point it to the copy you made before. You'll then get directory named new_vm with three files inside: new_vm.vmsd, new_vm.vmx, and new_vm.vmxf.

Now, move the files of your new disk image (e.g., temp_vm.vmdk) to new_vm directory.

Rename your disk image as follows.

$ vmware-vdiskmanager -n temp_vm.vmdk new_vm.vmdk

Open new_vm.vmx file in a text editor, and change paths to point to new location of your disk image (e.g., new_vm.vmdk).

Power up the cloned VM.

The final step needed involves updating the network configuration inside the cloned VM, and is thus Linux-distro specific as shown below.

For CentOS/RHEL/Fedora-based VM, open up the VM console, and modify the following:

• /etc/sysconfig/network: Change hostname
• /etc/udev/rules.d/70-persistent-net.rules: Change MAC address of network interface(s) according to new_vm.vmx specification
• /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-ethX: Change hwaddr field)

For Debian/Ubuntu-based VM, open up the VM console, and modify the following:

• /etc/hostname: Change hostname

Reboot the cloned VM again, to complete the whole process.

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