• Manually transfer a VM to another VMware ESXi host
• Virtualize a physical computer (P2V)

If you have a VMware Workstation license, you can connect to your VMware ESXi server and transfer virtual machines from your VMware ESXi hypervisor to your computer (and vice versa).

1. Download a virtual machine from your VMware ESXi hypervisor
2. Upload a virtual machine from VMware Workstation to your VMware ESXi hypervisor

1. Download a virtual machine from your VMware ESXi hypervisor

To begin, connect to your VMware ESXi hypervisor from VMware Workstation by going to : File -> Connect to Server.

Provide the IP address of your VMware ESXi hypervisor, as well as the credentials of a user authorized to download virtual machines from your VMware ESXi hypervisor.

Double click on the desired virtual machine.

Then, right click "Manage -> Download" on it.

Specify under which name and where on your computer it will be saved and click on : Download.

Wait while this virtual machine downloads.

Once the virtual machine is downloaded, it will be automatically opened by VMware Workstation.
As you can see, this is stored on your computer.

Note that the virtual machine is downloaded in VMware format (including the presence of a configuration file in ".vmx" format) and not in OVF format as would be the case if you had exported it from the web interface of VMware ESXi.
If any iso files or any other dependent files were currently linked to the downloaded virtual machine, these will also be downloaded by VMware Workstation. Including the presence of an ".iso" file in the folder of our virtual machine.

2. Upload a virtual machine from VMware Workstation to your VMware ESXi hypervisor

With VMware Workstation, you can also do the opposite. Namely, uploading a virtual machine from your computer to your VMware ESXi hypervisor.
To do this, right click on a local virtual machine open in VMware Workstation and click on : Manage -> Upload.

Warning : it's not possible to upload an encrypted virtual machine from VMware Workstation Pro to a VMware ESXi host or a VMware vCenter Server.

Select the IP address of your VMware ESXi hypervisor and click : Next.

If you have never connected to your VMware ESXi hypervisor from VMware Workstation, it will not appear here.
In this case, select "Other VMware vSphere Server", then provide the IP address and credentials of an account authorized to access your VMware ESXi hypervisor.

Then, choose :

• Name : under which name this virtual machine will be available on your VMware ESXi hypervisor
• Host : the destination server. There is only one since we are connected directly to our VMware ESXi server.
• Datastore : in which datastore the virtual machine will be stored

Wait while your virtual machine is uploaded to your VMware ESXi hypervisor.

The sent virtual machine appears in the list of virtual machines available on your VMware ESXi hypervisor.

As expected, this virtual machine is stored on our VMware ESXi hypervisor.