Quality Download Vmdk File From Datastore — High
. Note: The Datastore Browser often presents the pair as a single file, but it may download them separately or as a compressed archive. Broadcom Community +3 Method 2: Using SFTP/SCP (WinSCP or FileZilla) This method is often preferred for large files or when the browser download is slow. Broadcom Community +1 12 sites Flat VMDK files after trying to delete files from datastore | VMware ... May 19, 2016 —
Report: Downloading a VMDK File from a VMware Datastore 1. Objective To outline the methods, prerequisites, and step-by-step procedures for securely downloading a Virtual Machine Disk (VMDK) file from a VMware datastore for backup, migration, or forensic analysis. 2. Prerequisites
Access Credentials : vSphere Client (Web or Desktop) or ESXi host credentials (root or equivalent privileges). Network Access : Connectivity to the vCenter Server or ESXi host on ports 443 (HTTPS) or 902 (VMware remote console). Storage Path : Knowledge of the datastore name and the full path to the VMDK (e.g., /vmfs/volumes/Datastore1/VMname/VMname.vmdk ). Sufficient Space : Local storage capacity equal to or greater than the VMDK file size. Tools :
VMware vSphere Client (HTML5) VMware OVF Tool (command-line) SCP or WinSCP (for direct ESXi access) Datastore browser (built into vSphere) download vmdk file from datastore
3. Important Considerations
VM State : For a consistent copy, power off the VM or take a snapshot before downloading. File Size & Time : Large VMDKs (e.g., >500 GB) can take hours to download over standard networks. Thick vs. Thin Provisioning :
Thick : Downloaded size equals allocated size. Thin : Download the -flat.vmdk or use OVF Tool to export efficiently. Broadcom Community +1 12 sites Flat VMDK files
Locking : A running VM may lock the VMDK; snapshot or clone avoids this.
4. Methods for Downloading VMDK 4.1 Using vSphere Client (Datastore Browser) Best for : Small files or individual flat VMDK files when VM is powered off. Steps :
Log in to vSphere Client → navigate to Storage → select datastore. Click Files tab → browse to the VM folder. Locate the VMDK descriptor file (e.g., vmname.vmdk ) and the data file ( vmname-flat.vmdk ). Right-click each file → Download → save locally. may timeout. Not recommended for &
Limitation : Very slow for large files; may timeout. Not recommended for >100 GB. 4.2 Using OVF Tool (Recommended) Best for : Reliable, resumeable download with automatic conversion. Command example (export as OVF with embedded VMDK): ovftool --powerOffTarget vi://root@esxi-ip/DatastoreName/VMname ./output-directory/
To download only the VMDK (descriptor + flat): ovftool --noImageFiles --skipManifestGeneration vi://user@vcenter/Datastore/VMname/VMname.vmdk ./local.vmdk
