How to Clone VMs in ESXi

1. Create a new VM (clone2) without a disk equipped.
2. Use the VM tool to clone the disk from
the existing VM to the new VM. Usually, you can find all the VMs in the /vmfs/volumes/datastore1/.

vmkfstools -i /vmfs/volumes/4c3b50b8-d57dc2fc-d2b7-00241d1852fa/Test_wjh/Test_wjh.vmdk /vmfs/volumes/4c3b50b8-d57dc2fc-d2b7-00241d1852fa/clone2/disk1.vmdk

3. On the client add the cloned disk to the
VM clone2
“edit settings… -> Harware -> add “hard disk” -> “using
existing virtual disk” -> find the “disk1.vmdk” and choose it.

4. Power on the VM.

[Warning]:

You must shutdown the VM which you want to clone.

The cloned VM is identical to the original one, including the physical address(MAC) of the network card, the network configuration and so on. So, please change such config after clone.