VMware Tools 12.5.0

12.5.0 12.4.0 12.3.0 12.2.0 12.1.0 12.0.0 11.3.0 11.2.5 11.2.0 11.1.0 11.0.0
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Distribute VMware Tools Configuration at Scale

You can distribute VMware Tools configuration file across multiple virtual machines from the GuestStore repository.
The
GlobalConf
 feature automatically updates VMware Tools configuration with the configuration available in the GuestStore repository. The
GlobalConf
 feature is disabled by default. When enabled, it allows vSphere administrators to distribute global VMware Tools configuration across multiple virtual machines in the vSphere environment.
The
GlobalConf
 feature relies on VMware Tools configuration being present in GuestStore repository. By default, VMware Tools configuration is fetched from GuestStore repository
"/vmware/configurations/vmtools/windows/tools.conf"
 for Windows GOSes and
"/vmware/configurations/vmtools/linux/tools.conf"
 for Linux GOSes, unless overridden by a setting in local VMware Tools configuration inside the guest. Before using this feature, the desired VMware Tools configuration should be added to GuestStore repository as the resource
GlobalConf
 feature expects.
When the
GlobalConf
 feature is enabled, VMware Tools system service periodically checks for
tools.conf
 file in the GuestStore respository.
  • If a
    tools.conf
     file is present, it is downloaded and applied locally at runtime. During this process, only the settings that are not specified in the local
    tools.conf
     file inside the guest are applied.
  • If the
    tools.conf
     file is not available in the GuestStore respository, any previously downloaded configuration file will be deleted from the local file system in the guest.
The
GlobalConf
 module in VMware Tools checks the GuestStore repository every 60 mins by default. Inside the virtual machine, the guest administrator can manually edit the
tools.conf
 file to configure various settings related to the
GlobalConf
 module.
GlobalConf
 feature has the following configuration settings:
[globalconf]
  • enabled=true
    : Enables the module.
  • poll-interval=3600
    : Interval value should be specified in seconds. Default value: 3600 seconds. Minimum Value: 1800 seconds.
  • resource=/path/to/tools/conf/in/gueststore
    : Default value is
    "/vmware/configurations/vmtools/windows/tools.conf"
     for Windows GOSes and
    "/vmware/configurations/vmtools/linux/tools.conf"
    for Linux GOSes.
  • The VMware Tools system service (vmsvc) must be restarted, if any of the above settings are updated in the local
    tools.conf
     file.
  • Starting from VMware Tools 11.3.0 release, when
    GlobalConf
     related settings are modified in the
    tools.conf
     file,VMware Tools system service (vmsvc) does not need a restart.
You can use VMware Tools Toolbox command line utility to perform the following operations:
  • Query the state of
    GlobalConf
     module.
    • Windows
      VMwareToolboxCmd.exe globalconf status
    • Linux
      vmware-toolbox-cmd globalconf status
  • Enable the
    GlobalConf
     module.
    • Windows
      VMwareToolboxCmd.exe globalconf enable
    • Linux
      vmware-toolbox-cmd globalconf enable
  • Disable the
    GlobalConf
     module.
    • Windows
      VMwareToolboxCmd.exe globalconf disable
    • Linux
      vmware-toolbox-cmd globalconf disable
  • Trigger an immediate update of VMware Tools configuration from the GuestStore repository without waiting for polling interval.
    • Windows
      VMwareToolboxCmd.exe globalconf refresh
    • Linux
      vmware-toolbox-cmd globalconf refresh
You can use the
globalconf enable
 or
globalconf disable
 commands instead of editing
tools.conf
 for enabling or disabling
GlobalConf
 feature.

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