Deploying the OVF template

In vCenter, select the hypervisor host, and from Actions, select Deploy OVF Template.

Install from Local file and select the appropriate files from the OVF file from Fortinet. The readme.txt file contains information as to which OVF file to use.

For versions earlier than FortiOS 7.0, there is no readme.txt file and the administrator must consider hardware versions more. If it is not obviously indicated in the filename, the OVF file is an XML file, which you can inspect to determine the hardware version. For example, the FortiGate-VM64.ovf file for 6.4.8 has the following content:

<Info>Virtual hardware requirements</Info>

<vssd:ElementName>Virtual Hardware Family</vssd:ElementName>

<vssd:InstanceID>0</vssd:InstanceID>

<vssd:VirtualSystemIdentifier>FGT_VM</vssd:VirtualSystemIdentifier>

<vssd:VirtualSystemType>vmx-07</vssd:VirtualSystemType>

</System>

In this case, it is hardware version 7. The recommendation is to pick the latest hardware version that the ESXi deployment supports, and allow ESXi to upgrade the hardware if/when prompted.

Name the VM and select an appropriate folder to associate it to.

Confirm the chosen compute resource:

Review details and accept license as appropriate.

Select storage, and click through until Finish and wait for the VM instance to be built.