VMware VS4-ENT-PL-A Setup Guide - Page 229

Chapter 7 Installing ESXi n If any VIB in the image profile depends on another VIB, that other VIB must also be included in the image profile. VIB creators store that information in the SoftwarePackage object's Depends property. n VIBs must not conflict with each other. VIB creators store conflict information in the SoftwarePackage object's Conflicts property. n Two VIBs with the same name, but two different versions, cannot coexist. When you add a new version of a VIB, the new version replaces the existing version of the VIB. n No acceptance level validation issues exist. When you make a change to an image profile, Image Builder checks that the change does not invalidate the profile. Dependency Validation Acceptance Level Validation When you add or remove a VIB, Image Builder checks that package dependencies are met. Each SoftwarePackage object includes a Depends property that specifies a list of other VIBs that VIB depends on. See "Structure of ImageProfile, SoftwarePackage, and ImageProfileDiff Objects," on page 230 Image Builder performs acceptance level validation each time an image profile is created or changed. Image Builder checks the acceptance level of VIBs in the image profile against the minimum allowed acceptance level of the profile. The acceptance level of the VIB is also validated each time the signature of a VIB is validated. VIB Validation During Export When you export an image profile to an ISO, Image Builder validates each VIB by performing the following actions. n Checks that no conflicts exist by checking the Conflicts property of each SoftwarePackage object. n Performs VIB signature validation. Signature validation prevents unauthorized modification of VIB packages. The signature is a cryptographic checksum that guarantees that a VIB was produced by its author. Signature validation also happens during installation of VIBs on an ESXi host and when the Auto Deploy server uses VIBs. n Checks that VIBs follow file path usage rules. VMware tests VMwareCertified and VMwareAccepted VIBs to guarantee those VIBs always follow file path usage rules. Acceptance Levels Each VIB is released with an acceptance level that cannot be changed. The host acceptance level determines which VIBs can be installed to a host. You can change the host acceptance levels with esxcli commands. VMware supports the following acceptance levels. VMwareCertified VMwareAccepted The VMwareCertified acceptance level has the most stringent requirements. VIBs with this level go through thorough testing fully equivalent to VMware in-house Quality Assurance testing for the same technology. Today, only IOVP drivers are published at this level. VMware takes support calls for VIBs with this acceptance level. VIBs with this acceptance level go through verification testing, but the tests do not fully test every function of the software. The partner runs the tests and VMware verifies the result. Today, CIM providers and PSA plugins are among the VIBs published at this level. VMware directs support calls for VIBs with this acceptance level to the partner's support organization. VMware, Inc. 229