Virtual machine file formats

The files that describe and save a virtual machine, as opposed to the virtual disks that hold its data (those are under Disk & VM image). VMware keeps the configuration, the snapshot list, the suspended state and the memory in separate files, which Fusion groups in a .vmwarevm folder; OVF and OVA package a machine and its disks for moving between products. A separate group exists because these files describe machines, not disks, and several of them are text.

Formats

.MF

OVF manifest

The list of SHA digests of an OVF package’s files.

.NVRAM

VMware BIOS memory file

A VMware machine’s BIOS or UEFI settings; no published layout.

.OVA

Open Virtual Appliance

An OVF package as one tar archive: descriptor, disks and manifest.

.OVF

Open Virtualization Format

The DMTF’s XML description of a virtual machine, its disks and hardware.

.VMEM

VMware guest memory

A VMware machine’s RAM as raw bytes; the .vmss or .vmsn maps it.

.VMSD

VMware snapshot dictionary

A VMware machine’s snapshot list: key = "value" text.

.VMSN

VMware snapshot state

A VMware snapshot’s machine state: tagged groups, memory and CPU.

.VMSS

VMware suspended state

A suspended VMware machine’s state: tagged groups, memory and CPU.

.VMWAREVM

VMware Fusion virtual machine bundle

Fusion’s virtual machine folder: configuration, disks, snapshots and state.

.VMX

VMware virtual machine configuration

VMware’s virtual machine settings: key = "value" text.

.VMXF

VMware supplementary configuration

A VMware machine’s supplemental XML configuration; contents undocumented.