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Here, we’ll show you how to Use OVA files on VirtualBox. One of the best things about working with virtual machines is that they can be moved around. It’s great to be able to create VMs on one machine and move them to another, or to create and clone a full deployment of VMs.
At the same time, you can find virtual machines that are already set up online. These are easy to import and can be used right away. Most likely, a file with the extension. OVA is a virtual appliance file. Virtualization tools use these files to store different files related to a virtual machine. (VM).
The file is saved as a TAR package in the Open Virtualization Format (OVF). Some of the things you might find in it are disk images (like VMDKs), an OVF descriptor XML-based text file, ISOs or other resource files, certificate files, and an MF manifest file.
How To Use OVA files on VirtualBox
Import OVA File
To use OVA files in VirtualBox, you need to import them and let VirtualBox set them up as needed. The steps are very easy.
- If you don’t already have VirtualBox, download and install it.
- Open VirtualBox and select File > Import Devices….
- Now select your OVA file in the import box and verify the settings in the central window.
- Make any changes in this center window, if necessary.
- Click Import at the bottom.
- Allow VirtualBox to import the file, then configure it for use.
- Importing OVA files may take some time.
Export from VirtualBox to OVA
By default, VirtualBox uses .VDI files for its VM pictures. It can also convert to an OVA file, as well as import from one. It turns a.VDI file into an OVF file, which is the same as an OVA file. This means that you can use the picture on a different computer or VM program.
- Go to File > Export Appliance…
- Now, select the virtual machine that you want to export and then click Next.
- Then, confirm or edit the details on the next screen and then click Next again.
- Next, you can edit the descriptive information on this screen or just hit Export.
- After that, VirtualBox will make an OVA file that you can use in other VM software. All of the choices for format are OVF, which is the same as OVA. No matter which choice you choose here, the end of the file name will be.ova.
What Is an OVA File?
An Open Virtual Appliances file, or OVA file, is a package of files that describe a virtual machine. It has a descriptor file (.OVF), a possible manifest file (.MF), certificate files, and other files that go with it. All of this information is saved in the Open Virtualization Format, which is a standard format used to package and share software that runs in virtual machines.
Simply put, these files hold the configuration information needed to set up virtual machines using tools like VirtualBox, VMware, Microsoft System Center Virtual Machine Manager, and Amazon’s Elastic Compute Cloud. (Amazon EC2). Let’s say you set up a virtual machine on your PC with VMware, but now you want to run it with VirtualBox. Or you might want to move it to a different PC.