How to Add File-Based Resources to the VMM Library

Updated: May 13, 2016

Applies To: System Center 2012 SP1 - Virtual Machine Manager, System Center 2012 R2 Virtual Machine Manager, System Center 2012 - Virtual Machine Manager

You can use the following procedure to add file-based resources (such as virtual hard disks and application packages, also known as physical resources) to an existing library share in Virtual Machine Manager (VMM), and then manually refresh the library share. When you add files to a library share, the files do not appear in the library until VMM indexes the files during the next library refresh. By default, the library refresh interval is one hour.

For information about the types of file-based resources that the VMM library automatically indexes and adds as physical resources, see the table under the “File-based resources” bullet in Configuring the VMM Library.

Account requirements To add resources to a library share outside VMM or by using the Explore option in the Library workspace, a user must have appropriate share and file system permissions assigned outside VMM. This applies to administrators, delegated administrators and to self-service users (for private cloud library shares). For information about the account requirements to import and export file-based resources, see How to Import and Export File-Based Resources To and From the Library.

To add file-based resources to the library

1. Do any of the following:

   • Outside VMM, browse to the library share, and then copy the files to the share.

   • In the Library workspace of the VMM console, expand Library Servers, expand a library server, right-click a library share, and then click Explore. Then, copy files to the share.

   • In the Library workspace of the VMM console, on the Home tab, use the Import Physical Resource and Export Physical Resource options to import and export file-based resources between library shares. For more information, see How to Import and Export File-Based Resources To and From the Library.

   For example, copy files that you want to use to the library shares in both sites (VMMServer01\SEALibrary and NYLibrary01\NYLibrary).

   Note

   If you want to create sets of equivalent objects, make sure that you add resources that you consider equivalent to library shares in one or more sites. For example, add a Windows Server 2008 R2-based .vhd file to multiple sites. For information about how to create equivalent objects, see How to Create or Modify Equivalent Objects in the VMM Library.

2. To be able to use the files immediately, manually refresh the library share or library server. To do this, follow these steps:

   1. Open the Library workspace.

   2. In the Library pane, expand Library Servers, right-click the library server or library share that you want to refresh, and then click Refresh.

   You can open the Jobs workspace to view the refresh status.

3. If the file you added is a virtual hard disk file, as a best practice, provide VMM with important information about that file. This can simplify the process of creating virtual machine templates (VM templates) based on the file. To do this:

   1. In the Library workspace, with Library Servers expanded, navigate to the library server or library share that contains the file.

   2. Right-click the file and then click Properties.

   3. For Operating system, expand the list and select the operating system that has been placed on the virtual hard disk.

   4. Optionally, for Virtualization platform, select the virtualization platform on which you will deploy virtual machines that use the file.

   When you have updated the properties, click OK.

Configuring the VMM Library
How to Add a VMM Library Server or VMM Library Share