VM Templates

The VM Templates feature in MSPControl enables administrators to create standardized virtual machine templates for deployment across Hyper-V and RDS environments. This standardization reduces manual errors, improves efficiency, and ensures consistency in your RMM (Remote Monitoring & Management) processes.

Accessing VM Templates

Navigate to Settings > VM Templates to view the current list of templates. The main grid displays:

• Name: Identifier for the template.
• Operating System: OS pre-installed on the template (e.g., Windows Server 2022).
• Disk Size: The storage allocation for the VM disk image.
• Status: Indicates if the template is Active or Inactive.

Clicking a template name opens the details page for managing or updating the template configuration.

Creating a New VM Template

To add a new template:

1. Click the Add VM Template button.
2. Fill in the required fields:
   • Name: Provide a unique identifier (e.g., WinServer2022-Template).
   • Operating System: Select from pre-configured OS images or upload a new image.
   • Disk Size: Specify the desired disk allocation (e.g., 100 GB).
3. Select the Service to define the Hyper-V node where the VM Template will be hosted. This is typically a Hyper-V server registered in MSPControl’s Servers section.
4. Assign the appropriate Hosting Add-On to define the resource pool, licensing, or cost-related aspects of the VM Template. Hosting Add-Ons are configured in the Add-Ons module and connect with your overall service plans.
5. Optional: Configure advanced settings (e.g., CPU, RAM) by selecting Template Settings.
6. Click Save Changes to save the template or Cancel to discard changes.

Using VM Templates for Deployments

VM Templates integrate tightly with other MSPControl modules, including:

• Hyper-V: Use templates to quickly deploy VMs on your Hyper-V clusters with consistent configurations.
• Remote Desktop Services (RDS): Provision RDS session hosts using standardized templates to ensure security and performance consistency.
• RMM Module: Monitor, patch, and manage VMs created from templates with integrated remote management capabilities.

To deploy a VM from a template, navigate to Virtual Machines > Create New VM and select the desired template. This pre-fills configuration details and reduces manual input, enforcing consistency across your deployments.

Managing Existing Templates

To edit or update an existing template:

1. Click on the template name in the VM Templates list.
2. Modify fields such as name, OS, disk size, Service, or Add-On as needed.
3. Click Save Changes to apply updates. Use Deactivate to temporarily disable the template without deleting it.

Deleting a template is possible via the Actions menu, but ensure no active deployments rely on the template before removal.

Best Practices

• Use consistent naming conventions for templates that reflect deployment roles (e.g., HyperV-Prod, RDS-Template).
• Regularly update templates to include the latest OS patches and configuration best practices.
• Assign appropriate Services and Add-Ons to match your infrastructure, licensing, and billing requirements.
• Use Microsoft’s Azure VM documentation for additional guidance on VM image management and best practices.
• Coordinate with Hyper-V and RDS modules to ensure seamless deployments and manageability.

MSPControl: Empowering administrators to create, manage, and deploy VMs efficiently—integrating with RMM, Hyper-V, and RDS modules for comprehensive management of your virtual infrastructure.