Import OVF with PowerCLI

Steps on how to import OVF with PowerCLI to VMware ESXi 6.7 Host

Import OVF with PowerCLI to ESXi 6.7 Host

Download and install VMware OVF Tool for Windows 64-bit

Convert the OVA file which is the zip file for all all *.ovf and *.vmdk files to OVF with ovftool.exe

Import-vApp Invalid URI: The hostname could not be parsed

We try to import the OVA file with import-vapp, but it just failed with Import-vApp Invalid URI: The hostname could not be parsed

Import-VApp -Name $Name -Datastore $DataStore -VMHost $VMHost -Source $OVF -DiskStorageFormat Thin

Import-VApp        Invalid URI: The hostname could not be parsed.

Convert OVA to OVF

Convert the OVA to OVF with ovftool.exe

#Import OVF
$Name = "ArubaMM"
$DataStore = "NUC2-240"
$VMHost = (Get-VMHost -Name "nuc2.lab.aventislab.com")
$OVA = "C:\Temp\Aruba WIFI\ArubaOS_MM_8.6.0.2-FIPS_73854.ova"
$OVF = "C:\Temp\Aruba WIFI\ArubaOS_MM_8.6.0.2-FIPS_73854.ovf"

#Convert OVA to OVF 
Set-Location “C:\Program Files\VMware\VMware OVF Tool”
.\ovftool.exe $OVA $OVF

Opening OVA source: C:\Temp\Aruba WIFI\ArubaOS_MM_8.6.0.2-FIPS_73854.ova
The manifest validates
Opening OVF target: C:\Temp\Aruba WIFI\ArubaOS_MM_8.6.0.2-FIPS_73854.ovf
Writing OVF package: C:\Temp\Aruba WIFI\ArubaOS_MM_8.6.0.2-FIPS_73854.ovf
Transfer Completed
Completed successfully

Import OVF with Import-vApp

Import the OVF to ESXi Host with **Thin Provisioning

Import-VApp -Name $Name -Datastore $DataStore -VMHost $VMHost -Source $OVF -DiskStorageFormat Thin

Name                 PowerState Num CPUs MemoryGB
----                 ---------- -------- --------
ArubaMM              PoweredOff 6        8.000