Integrated Installer Solution
Metadata
When you prepare an OVF for a plug-in solution, the metadata available to the virtual
machine includes solution properties that control how the virtual machine registers itself
with a vCenter Server instance. These properties, with their subproperties and recommended
practices, are as follows.
vmw.vsphereui.solutioninstall.solutionId
Subproperty | Required? | Value | Best Practice |
---|---|---|---|
Category | no | vendor-defined | vSphere Client Plugin Configuration (read-only) |
Purpose: Distinguish groups of related
properties | |||
Label | no | vendor-defined | Solution ID
|
Purpose: User-friendly property
label | |||
Key class ID | no | ||
Key ID | Fixed value | vmw.vsphereui.solutioninstall.solutionId
| |
Purpose: Unique property
identifier | |||
Key instance ID | no | ||
Description | no | vendor-defined | Include vendor identification |
Purpose: User-friendly brief description
of solution purpose | |||
Static property | yes | true (checked) | |
Purpose: Distinguish a fixed property of
the solution | |||
Type | Fixed value | String choice
| |
Purpose: Data format | |||
User configurable | Fixed value | true (checked) | |
Choice list | yes | vendor-defined | Reverse domain name notation, in quotes, single value |
Purpose: Uniquely identify solution (for
single plug-in solution can be same as plug-in ID) | |||
Default value | yes | vendor-defined | Value from choice list |
Purpose: Assign ID value to deployed
solution |
vmw.vsphereui.solutioninstall.pluginId
Subproperty | Required? | Value | Best Practice |
---|---|---|---|
Category | no | vendor-defined | vSphere Client Plugin Configuration (Read-only) |
Purpose: Distinguesh groups of
related properties | |||
Label | no | vendor-defined | Plugin ID
|
Purpose: User-friendly property
label | |||
Key class ID | no | ||
Key ID | Fixed value | vmw.vsphereui.solutioninstall.pluginId
| |
Purpose: Unique property
identifier | |||
Key instance ID | no | ||
Description | no | vendor-defined | Include vendor identification |
Purpose: User-friendly brief
description of plug-in or solution purpose | |||
Static property | yes | true (checked) | |
Purpose: Distinguish a fixed
property of the solution | |||
Type | Fixed value | String choice
| |
Purpose: Data format | |||
User configurable | Fixed value | true (checked) | |
Choice list | yes | vendor-defined | Reverse domain name notation, in quotes, single value |
Purpose: Uniquely identify
plug-in | |||
Default value | yes | vendor-defined | Value from choice list |
Purpose: Assign ID value to deployed
plug-in |
vmw.vsphereui.solutioninstall.vCenterSupport
Subproperty | Required? | Value | Best Practice |
---|---|---|---|
Category | no | vendor-defined | vSphere Client Plugin Configuration (Read-only) |
Purpose: Distinguesh groups of
related properties | |||
Label | no | vendor-defined | vCenter Servers registration support
|
Purpose: User-friendly property
label | |||
Key class ID | no | ||
Key ID | Fixed value | vmw.vsphereui.solutioninstall.vCenterSupport
| |
Purpose: Unique property
identifier | |||
Key instance ID | no | ||
Description | no | vendor-defined | Include link to solution documentation |
Purpose: User-friendly brief
description of plug-in topology | |||
Static property | yes | true (checked) | |
Purpose: Distinguish a fixed
property of the solution | |||
Type | Fixed value | String choice
| |
Purpose: Data format | |||
User configurable | Fixed value | true (checked) | |
Choice list | yes | 'Single' or
'Multiple' | Specify 'Multiple' if shared server-side
context or low request volume |
Purpose: 'Single'
restricts plug-in to registering with a single vCenter Server
instance | |||
Default value | yes | vendor-defined | Value from choice list |
Purpose: Assign chosen value to
deployed plug-in |
vmw.vsphereui.solutioninstall.requiredVcVersion
As of vSphere 8.0 U1. Neither
vSphere 8.0 nor vSphere 7.0 U3 support this property.
(optional property)
Subproperty | Required? | Value | Best Practice |
---|---|---|---|
Category | no | vendor-defined | vSphere Client Plugin Configuration (Read-only) |
Purpose: Distinguish groups of
related properties | |||
Label | no | vendor-defined | vCenter Servers Minimum Version
|
Purpose: User-friendly property
label | |||
Key class ID | no | ||
Key ID | Fixed value | vmw.vsphereui.solutioninstall.requiredVcVersion
| |
Purpose: Unique property
identifier | |||
Key instance ID | no | ||
Description | no | vendor-defined | Include link to solution documentation |
Purpose: User-friendly brief
explanation of reason for minimum version | |||
Static property | yes | true (checked) | |
Purpose: Distinguish a fixed
property of the solution | |||
Type | Fixed value | String choice
| |
Purpose: Data format | |||
User configurable | Fixed value | true (checked) | |
Choice list | yes | vendor-defined | |
Purpose: Specify the minimum vCenter
Server version that can support this plug-in | |||
Default value | yes | vendor-defined | Value from choice list |
Purpose: Assign chosen value to
deployed plug-in |
vmw.vsphereui.solutioninstall.legacyExtensionId
(optional property)
Subproperty | Required? | Value | Best Practice |
---|---|---|---|
Category | no | vendor-defined | vSphere Client Plugin Configuration (Read-only) |
Purpose: Distinguesh groups of
related properties | |||
Label | no | vendor-defined | Legacy Extension ID |
Purpose: User-friendly property
label | |||
Key class ID | no | ||
Key ID | Fixed value | vmw.vsphereui.solutioninstall.legacyExtensionId | |
Purpose: Unique property
identifier | |||
Key instance ID | no | ||
Description | no | vendor-defined | Include vendor identification, link to documentation |
Purpose: Brief description of legacy
plug-in replacement strategy | |||
Static property | yes | true (checked) | |
Purpose: Distinguish a fixed
property of the solution | |||
Type | Fixed value | String choice | |
Purpose: Data format | |||
User configurable | Fixed value | true (checked) | |
Choice list | yes | vendor-defined | Reverse domain name notation, in quotes, single value |
Purpose: Identify the plug-in that
this plug-in replaces; facilitate check for legacy plug-in
already installed | |||
Default value | yes | vendor-defined | Value from choice list |
Purpose: Assign chosen value to
deployed plug-in |
vmw.vsphereui.solutioninstall.preventInstallationWhenLegacyExtension
(optional property)
Subproperty | Required? | Value | Best Practice |
---|---|---|---|
Category | no | vendor-defined | vSphere Client Plugin Configuration (Read-only) |
Purpose: Distinguish groups of
related properties | |||
Label | no | vendor-defined | Prevent installation if legacy extension |
Purpose: User-friendly property
label | |||
Key class ID | no | ||
Key ID | Fixed value | vmw.vsphereui.solutioninstall.preventInstallationWhenLegacyExtension | |
Purpose: Unique property
identifier | |||
Key instance ID | no | ||
Description | no | vendor-defined | Include vendor identification, link to documentation |
Purpose: Brief description of legacy
plug-in replacement strategy | |||
Static property | yes | true (checked) | |
Purpose: Distinguish a fixed
property of the solution | |||
Type | Fixed value | String choice | |
Purpose: Data format | |||
User configurable | Fixed value | true (checked) | |
Choice list | Fixed value | 'true' or
'false' | |
Purpose: Indicate
condition for replacing legacy plug already installed | |||
Default value | yes | vendor-defined | Value from choice list |
Purpose: Assign chosen value to
deployed plug-in |
Plug-in Properties XML
Example
An example of the
<ProductSection>
of an OVF file, containing the three
required plug-in properties with example values,
follows:<ProductSection> <Info>Information about the installed software</Info> <Product>Photonique</Product> <Vendor>Example Inc.</Vendor> <Version>4.0</Version> <FullVersion>4.0</FullVersion> <Category>vSphere Client Plugin Configuration (Read-only)</Category> <Property ovf:qualifiers="ValueMap{"Single"}" ovf:userConfigurable="true" ovf:value="Single" ovf:type="string" ovf:key="vmw.vsphereui.solutioninstall.vCenterSupport"> <Label>vCenter Servers registration support</Label> <Description/> </Property> <Property ovf:qualifiers="ValueMap{"com.example.solution.id"}" ovf:userConfigurable="true" ovf:value="com.example.solution.id" ovf:type="string" ovf:key="vmw.vsphereui.solutioninstall.solutionId"> <Label>Solution ID</Label> <Description/> </Property> <Property ovf:qualifiers="ValueMap{"com.example.plugin.id"}" ovf:userConfigurable="true" ovf:value="com.example.plugin.id" ovf:type="string" ovf:key="vmw.vsphereui.solutioninstall.pluginId"> <Label>Plugin ID</Label> <Description/> </Property> </ProductSection>