How to Clone Virtual Machine on VMware ESXi

How to Clone Virtual Machine on VMware ESXi

To clone a virtual machine on VMware ESXi host, you have to copy all the *.vmdk and *.vmx files.

• Log in to your ESXi host.
• Open the folder which you use to store virtual machines.
• Follow the steps to open the datastore.
  1. Select the hostname/IP address of the VMware ESXi host.
  2. And go to Configuration > Storage.
  3. Right-click on datastore
  4. Click on browse datastore.
• Create the catalog for the new virtual machine clone.
• Shut down the virtual machine which you want to duplicate.
• Open the inventory storage of the virtual machine which you want to clone.
• Choose, and copy the files *.vmdk and *.vmx.
• Open the inventory of the new virtual machine.
• Paste the copied file in the directory.
• Register the cloned virtual machine after the copying is done.
• Click Add to Inventory option that lies right on the .vmx file.
• Give a name to the Cloned virtual machine.
• Select the resource pool on which you want to run the virtual machine.
• To achieve the creation of a cloned virtual machine Click Finish.
• Power on your cloned VM.

As we have copied please select I Copied It. And then Press Ok to run your cloned virtual machine.