cot
Common OVF Tool
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
No, unless you are maintaining legacy infrastructure that already uses this tool. The package is abandoned (last release 2019, last commit August 2023) with no active maintenance or security updates. Its dependencies target older Python versions and may conflict with modern environments. If you need OVF/OVA editing, evaluate actively maintained alternatives or VMware's own tooling.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Before you install
- Requires Python 2.7 or Python 3.4+.
- Some runtime dependencies (pyOpenSSL, ndg-httpsclient) may require system OpenSSL libraries.
- VMware vSphere/ESXi connectivity requires network access and valid credentials.
License · maintenance · safety
MIT (permissive) — MIT license is permissive; you can use, modify, and distribute this package freely with minimal restrictions, though you must retain the license notice.
last release 2019-12-04 (2445 days) · last repo commit 2023-08-08 · 99 stars
0 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 219,566 downloads/mo, #9,325 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
pip install cot
from cot.cli import main
main()- Whether the package's Python 2.7 and early Python 3.x support remains functional on modern systems.
- Current state of compatibility with recent VMware vSphere/ESXi API versions.
- Whether dependencies like enum34 and backports.shutil-get-terminal-size are still necessary or conflict with modern Python.
What it is and what it does
COT is a command-line tool for working with OVF and OVA virtual appliance packages, particularly those used in VMware environments. It lets you inspect, modify, and deploy these packages—editing hardware specs like CPU and RAM counts, adding or removing disks, embedding bootstrap configuration, and provisioning new VMs on ESXi servers. The tool is built around the Open Virtualization Format standard and includes support for Cisco network appliances.
The package depends on pyvmomi for VMware API interaction, requests for HTTP operations, and several utilities for logging and system introspection. It runs on macOS and Linux, supporting both Python 2.7 and Python 3.4 through 3.7. However, it has been abandoned since 2019 with no active maintenance, so it may have compatibility issues with current Python versions and VMware APIs.
Use it for
- Modify CPU, RAM, or NIC configuration in OVF/OVA packages before deployment to ESXi.
- Add bootstrap or cloud-init configuration files to virtual appliance packages.
- Inspect and summarize the contents of OVA packages to understand their hardware and software requirements.
- Automate provisioning of Cisco CSR 1000V or IOS XRv appliances to VMware vSphere environments.
- Remove or replace disk images and other files within OVF/OVA packages.
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page. Verify before relying on it.
No, unless you are maintaining legacy infrastructure that already uses this tool.
The package is abandoned (last release 2019, last commit August 2023) with no active maintenance or security updates. Its dependencies target older Python versions and may conflict with modern environments. If you need OVF/OVA editing, evaluate actively maintained alternatives or VMware's own tooling.
Install
cot on PyPI
Before you install
Low install friction with a pure-Python wheel distribution. However, the package is abandoned—last release was in 2019 and last commit in August 2023—so expect no active maintenance or security updates.
Requires Python 2.7 or Python 3.4+. Some runtime dependencies (pyOpenSSL, ndg-httpsclient) may require system OpenSSL libraries. VMware vSphere/ESXi connectivity requires network access and valid credentials.
License in practice
MIT license is permissive; you can use, modify, and distribute this package freely with minimal restrictions, though you must retain the license notice.
Quickstart
pip install cot
from cot.cli import main
main()Verify before relying
- Whether the package's Python 2.7 and early Python 3.x support remains functional on modern systems.
- Current state of compatibility with recent VMware vSphere/ESXi API versions.
- Whether dependencies like enum34 and backports.shutil-get-terminal-size are still necessary or conflict with modern Python.
Package facts
| License | MIT permissive |
| Python support | Supports the current Python release >=2.7, !=3.0.*, !=3.1.*, !=3.2.*, !=3.3.*, <4 |
| Install friction | Low. Pure-Python wheel |
| Runtime dependencies | 10 packagesargparsecolorlogpyvmomirequestsverboselogspyOpenSSLndg-httpsclientpsutilbackports.shutil-get-terminal-sizeenum34 |
| Maintenance | Abandoned 2,445 days since the last release |
| Last repo commit | |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 219,566 / month, #9,325 on PyPI 30-day window, as of 2026-08-14 |
| Known vulnerabilities | None known OSV.dev, checked 2026-08-14 |
| Classifiers | Development Status :: 5 - Production/StableEnvironment :: ConsoleIntended Audience :: DevelopersIntended Audience :: Information TechnologyIntended Audience :: System AdministratorsLicense :: OSI Approved :: MIT LicenseOperating System :: MacOS :: MacOS XOperating System :: POSIX :: LinuxProgramming Language :: Python :: 2Programming Language :: Python :: 2.7Programming Language :: Python :: 3Programming Language :: Python :: 3.4Programming Language :: Python :: 3.5Programming Language :: Python :: 3.6Programming Language :: Python :: 3.7Programming Language :: Python :: Implementation :: CPythonProgramming Language :: Python :: Implementation :: PyPyTopic :: Software Development :: Libraries :: Python ModulesTopic :: System :: EmulatorsTopic :: System :: Installation/SetupTopic :: System :: Software DistributionTopic :: System :: Systems Administration |
Evidence: cot-2.2.1-py2.py3-none-any.whl
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See also pyvmomi · vmware-vcenter · kcli · os-traits · vmware-vapi-common-client · vmware-vapi-runtime · oslo.vmware · libvirt-python · homeconnect-websocket · azure-mgmt-desktopvirtualization