Why should solution providers use OVF to package virtual appliances instead of other formats?
OVF formatted virtual appliances provide a better customer experience. To enable a streamlined and automated installation process, virtual appliances require critical information such as the definition of the virtual hardware, configuration information, and licensing information. Other virtual machine formats only provide information about the virtual hardware and require a user to manually supply other information or make assumptions about how to configure the virtual appliance while OVF formatted virtual appliances include all this information.
