most customizations beyond root credentials and name will need to be performed
using the RunOnce Commands option.
Deploying a virtual machine using a template is simple:
1 . Within the VMs And Services workspace, select the Create Virtual Machine action,
which has an option to create based on an existing virtual machine, VM template,
or virtual hard disk in the library, as shown in Figure 5.28. Click Next.
2 . Enter a name and optional description and click Next.
3 . The virtual hardware profile can be customized from the profile in the template or
even a completely separate hardware profile can be loaded. If this virtual machine
needs to be highly available, in the Advanced ➣ Availability section, ensure that
the Make This Virtual Machine Highly Available box is checked, as shown in
Figure 5.29. Click Next.
4 . Customizations for the operating system can be performed, such as identity,
answer file, and RunOnce commands. Notice that all of the defaults from the
template are populated automatically. Click Next.
5 . Select the location for the deployment. This can be to a cloud or to a host group.
When you have made your selection, click Next.
6 . An evaluation against all hosts is performed and each available host is given a
rating based on its suitability, as shown in Figure 5.30. The rating is explained in
the Details section. The first two are good matches, but the third and fourth are
not, because the VM needs to be clustered, and these nodes are not clustered,
which is shown in the Rating Explanation section. Select a host and click Next.
7 . The Configure Settings dialog box allows changes to configurations such as the
computer name and location. Make changes as required and click Next.
8 . In the Select Networks dialog box, select the VM network and click Next.
9 . Set the automatic actions for startup and shutdown, and choose whether the new
VM should be excluded from placement optimizations. (This is covered in Chapter
7 but it’s a technology that moves VMs between hosts if necessary for optimal
resource utilization. This should be left enabled for most virtual machines.) Click
Next.10 . A summary screen is displayed (along with the View Script button, should you
wish to capture the PowerShell). Click Create to create the virtual machine.