Templates allow for common configurations to be easily replicated when deploying virtual machines. They can also speed up the amount of time required to deploy a large number of virtual machines.

From vSphere 6.0, a content library has been introduced to allow for simplified management of templates, whether they are individual VMs, OVFs, or vApps. It can even store other files, such as ISOs. This prevents virtual machine and template sprawl, and allows for a single source for the storage of these items that can be shared among multiple vCenter Server instances.

Consider the following when designing your environment:

• Use templates to provision virtual machines because they are faster, less error prone, and decrease administrative overhead.
• Configure a template for each operating system and each key application. Refer to the architecture design for PaaS and IaaS to build an optimized catalog.
• Create at least one content library to store templates and associated media. The content library can be stored on the local vCenter server filesystem, on an NFS share, or on a VMFS datastore.
• Create the content library using less-expensive storage. In most cases, provisioning virtual machines does not require the highest-performing storage technology.