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After you have created a project and applied policies to the virtual machines in the project, you create packages to deploy those virtual machines to end users. A package includes an installer and the additional files needed to install a virtual machine and the VMware ACE application that runs the virtual machine.

You may deploy a package over a network or on DVD or CD. If you deploy the package on discs, the first disc of the set includes the autorun files needed to start the installer automatically when the user inserts the disc in the host computer's drive.

A wizard guides you through the process of creating a package.

To create a package, take the following steps:

1. Start VMware ACE Manager and open the project you want to use as the basis for the package.
2. To assure that the package is as compact as possible, defragment and shrink the virtual disks before you create the package. Take the following actions, in the order listed:
   1. Run a disk defragmentation utility inside the virtual machine to defragment each virtual disk.
   2. Use the VMware Tools control panel to shrink each virtual disk. In a Windows guest, double-click the VMware Tools icon in the system tray. In a Linux or FreeBSD guest, run vmware-toolbox. Click the Shrink tab. Select the virtual disks you want to shrink, then click Prepare to Shrink.

3. Be sure that the virtual machine in the package is configured as you want it, then be sure it is shut down and powered off.

   Note, for example, that if you previewed the virtual machine in the VMware ACE interface, the virtual machine is affected by any changes you made while you were previewing it. In addition, when you quit the VMware ACE interface, the virtual machine is suspended, not shut down and powered off.

   If a virtual machine is suspended on one host computer, it cannot be resumed reliably on a host computer with different hardware. As a result, you must be sure that a virtual machine is powered off, not just suspended, when you create a package including that virtual machine.

   Also be sure that there is no snapshot for the virtual machine. If a snapshot exists, remove it (Snapshot > Remove Snapshot) before creating the package.

   Note: Be sure the version of VMware Tools provided with VMware ACE is installed in the guest operating system. A number of key features in VMware ACE are provided by the VMware Tools package.

4. Under Commands, click Create package for distribution to end users. This starts the New Package Wizard.
5. Click Next to enter the wizard. The Name the Package panel appears.

   

   Enter a name for the package in the Package name field.

   The Location field displays the path to the default location for storing the package's files. To change the location, type a new path into the field or click Browse and navigate to the new location.

   Use the Notes field to enter any background information you want to store with the package. Your end users do not see this information.

   Click Next.

6. The Select Package Contents panel appears. It shows the application and all virtual machines available in the project.

   

   You can include VMware ACE and the virtual machines by selecting ACE environment.

   To include only some of the items, click the + signs to expand the tree, then select only those items you want to include.

   Click Next.

7. The wizard checks the items you want to include. If it finds any problems, the Validate Package panel appears.

   

   Click OK, cancel the wizard, correct the problems, then start the wizard again.

8. The Package Files panel appears.

   

   For network distribution, select Network image.

   If you plan to distribute the package on CD or DVD, select Multiple folders for creating distribution DVDs or CDs.

   When you select the multiple files option, you must choose the type of media you plan to use. If you choose DVD or CD, the default media size for a standard disc is shown. If you choose Custom, you may set the maximum file size for the media you plan to use.

   When the package wizard creates the package, it divides the package into sets of files small enough to fit on the media you choose in this step.

   The default disc label prefix is shown. You may change it if you wish. When files are created for each disc, they are saved into folders named with this prefix plus a number, beginning with 1.

   Note: When you use multiple discs, be sure that the disc label you enter in your disc burning software for each disc is the same as the name of the folder the wizard creates to hold that disc's contents (for example, DISC1, DISC2).

   Note: When the package wizard creates a package, it needs a substantial amount of working space for temporary files. The total is about twice the combined sizes of all the components of the package. The wizard displays information about the amount of space needed and the locations where the space is needed. If you do not have enough free space, the wizard displays an error message. You may move or delete files on the target drives to make room for the wizard's working files.

   Click Next.

9. The Ready to Complete panel appears.

   

   Review the summary information. If you need to make changes, click Back. If the information is correct, click Next.

   A progress bar appears while the wizard is creating the package files. It may take quite some time to complete this step, especially for packages that include large virtual machines or multiple virtual machines.

   The wizard notifies you when the package is complete and tells you how many files are included in the package.

10. If you created a single file for network distribution, the file is now ready to copy to the appropriate location on a network.

    If you created one or more files for distribution on CD or DVD, the files are now ready to burn to disc. Use disc-burning software of your choice to create the discs.

    Note: Be sure that the disc label you enter in your disc-burning software for each disc is the same as the name of the folder the wizard creates to hold that disc's contents.

Contents of the Package