VMware vSphere 5.5 Cookbook
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Exporting a Host Profile

The vSphere Host Profiles can be exported to back up or transport the configuration. The exported data is stored in an XML data file with the extension (.vpf). Since this is an XML file, the contents of the file can be viewed using any text editor, so the passwords are not exported into this file.

How to do it…

The following procedure will guide you through the steps required to export or import Host Profiles:

  1. Connect to the vCenter server using the vSphere Web Client.
  2. Go to the vCenter Inventory Home tab and navigate to Rules and Profiles | Host Profiles.
  3. Right-click on the Host Profile that you intend to export and go to All vCenter Actions | Export Host Profile.
    How to do it…
  4. It should display a message window informing you that the administrator passwords have not been exported for security reasons. Click on Save and choose a location to the save the profile:
    How to do it…
  5. Choose the location and click on Save to save the file:
    How to do it…
  6. The Recent Tasks pane should show an Export Host Profile task completed successfully.

How it works…

When the export operation is initiated, it will extract the profile data and dump it into an XML data file with the extension (.vpf):

How it works…

This file can then be imported into the vCenter Server as a Host Profile object.

Note

During the export operation, the newly formed Host Profile file (*.vpf) loses its association with the reference host it was originally extracted from.