VirtualBox to Jamf deployment

Discussions related to using VirtualBox on Mac OS X hosts.
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xin73419
Posts: 1
Joined: 11. Jun 2021, 22:50

VirtualBox to Jamf deployment

Post by xin73419 »

Hi there,

I am trying to get Virtualbox out for about 3 computers I have on a jamf server. After the worst experience with Parallels I just want to see if this is even feasible. Honestly, I am not to sure what the best way to go about doing this is.

Is there anyway to create a dmg or pkg with the installer and include the virtual machine I have created? I also want to override any admin credentials necessary in the installation but I believe that can be done through a configuration profile.

Anything would be helpful, even just pointing me into the right direction! Thank you
scottgus1
Site Moderator
Posts: 20965
Joined: 30. Dec 2009, 20:14
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Windows, Linux

Re: VirtualBox to Jamf deployment

Post by scottgus1 »

Virtualbox can export a whole working VM into a single OVA file that can be carried to a hypervisor compatible with the OVF standard (most if not all hypervisors are compatible with OVF).

Virtualbox also has an unattended install feature, see https://www.virtualbox.org/manual/ch02. ... unattended for Mac Hosts info on this. There have been uniquenesses with installing on Macs, read more in the Mac Hosts forum.

Virtualbox does not come with a way to pack the Virtualbox installer and the OVA and an install script together in one file that self-installs the whole shebang. This sounds like what a self-extracting zip file with a built-in batch file launcher could do.

FWIW making such a whole-shebang zip file would lock the VM in with the chosen Virtualbox version, which might need to be changed on occasion. Also, exporting a VM changes the UUIDs in the VM, which might mess up software activation in the VM's OS. Copying or zipping (not exporting) the fully-shut-down VM's folder for transfer to another Virtualbox host will preserve the UUIDs and activation.
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