The New VM wizard takes you through the process of creating a new virtual machine (VM), step-by-step. To start the New VM wizard, on the toolbar, click New VM.

Alternatively, do one of the following:

• Press Ctrl+N .
• On the VM menu, click New VM.
• Select a server in the Resources pane, right-click and then click New VM on the shortcut menu.

Using the wizard, you can configure the new VM exactly the way you want it, adjusting various configuration parameters for CPU, storage and networking resources. Depending on the VM template you choose on the first page of the wizard, you will see slightly different VM configuration options presented on subsequent pages, as the installation options presented are tailored for each guest operating system. Click Help , or press F1 on any wizard page for more information on what to do.

In a XenServer environment where Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) is implemented, the New VM wizard will perform checks when it starts to ensure that you have a role with sufficient permissions to allow you to create new VMs. If your RBAC role does not have sufficient permissions, for example, a VM Operator or Read-only role, you will not be able to continue with VM creation. See RBAC overview for more information.

Overview of VM creation steps

The New VM wizard takes you through the following steps to create a new VM:

1. Selecting a template.The first step is to choose a VM template. Templates contains the setup information needed to create a new VM with a specific guest operating system, and with the optimum storage, CPU, memory and virtual network configuration. A number of different templates are supplied, and you can add custom templates of your own. See Template and BIOS options for more information on this step.
2. Giving the new VM a name.Next, you give the new VM a name and, optionally, a description. VM names are not checked for uniqueness within XenCenter, so it will make it easier for you to manage different VMs if you give them meaningful, memorable names. See VM name and description for more information on this step.
3. Specifying the operating system installation media.The third step in the process is to specify the type and location of the OS installation media. Windows operating systems can be installed from an ISO library, from install media in a physical DVD/CD drive (a CD or DVD-ROM) or from network boot. Linux operating systems can be installed from a network install repository. See OS installation media for more information on this step.
4. Choosing a home server.This step is optional, but you can choose a home server for the new VM. XenServer will always attempt to start the VM on the nominated home server if it can. See Home server for more information on this step.
5. Configuring CPU and memory.Next, you need to assign a number of virtual CPUs (VCPUs) to the new VM and allocate it some memory. Both of these values can be adjusted later, after the new VM has been created. See CPU and memory configurationfor more information on this step.
6. Configuring storage.The next step is to configure some virtual disks for the new VM. A minimum of one virtual disk is automatically configured by the wizard, and the template you select may include more. See Virtual disk configuration for more information on this step.
7. Configuring networking.The last step in the process of provisioning a new VM is to configure networking. You can configure up to 4 virtual network interfaces on each VM. See Configure virtual network interfaces for more information on this step.
8. Complete new VM creation.On the final page of the wizard, you can review all the configuration options you have chosen. Select the Start VM automatically check box to have the new VM start automatically as soon as it is created.