I'd like to create copies of the VMs located on my datastore that I can put up temporarily on a different server while I perform some maintenance on our main virtualization server.
Aside from using the Converter utility (which I don't believe I can use with the Linux machines) is there a way to make copies of these machines? It would make my life a lot easier.
Thank!
I've done this before by using "File -> Export OVF Template" (make sure the VM is off). You can then deploy this on a new system with "File -> Deploy OVF Template". I highly recommend you test this before wiping out your old system, as there have been occasions where it hasn't quite worked properly.
If you need to do this without turning the VM off, I think you are going to have a much harder time, but you might be able to do it by installing a temporary/Demo vCenter server, connect the ESXi box to it (assuming you are still within the demo license that will allow that or you get a new license that allows it), then clone the running VM and perform the export on the cloned VM.
Good luck!
--jed
If you just need to back up the disk images somewhere temporarily while the maintenance is being done (meaning the VMs don't need to continue running), You could do the following to back up disk images to a temporary NFS server.
Create an NFS share on some other machine in your network. Make sure there is enough available space to save your disk images. Use the vSphere client to create an NFS datastore which points to your new share.
Enable "Tech Supoort Mode" in ESXi. From the ESXi console, Press Alt-F1. The screen will clear and print a couple of lines at the top of the screen. There will not be any prompt. type "unsupported" and press enter. You will then be prompted for the admin password. After you enter your password you will be left at a linux prompt.
The datastores are mounted under /vmfs/volumes. You can now use the linux cp command to copy the disk images from one datastore to the other.
Alternatively, you can enable SSH to the ESXi server and use scp (secure copy) from another machine to copy the images.
Here's a link with an article and a video describing the process.