A template is a master copy of a virtual machine. It is used to create and provision multiple other virtual machines of same type, including the same guest operating system and its configuration.
A template generally includes the following:
A guest operating system
A set of applications
Virtual hardware configuration
Creating a template makes the provisioning of multiple virtual machines faster and easier. It is very easy to deploy virtual machines from a template, and it saves a lot of time which was otherwise used in installing the guest operating system and applications.
A template can be created in many ways:
Clone a Virtual Machine to Template: The virtual machine's power status doesn't affect this process; it can be powered on or off. In this case, we will continue to have the original virtual machine, and a new template of the same virtual machine will also be created.
Convert a Virtual Machine to a Template: The virtual machine should be powered off. In this...