When you run the machineOutput option in import mode, OVF Tool reports the following status sequence:

1

AUTHENTICATION (zero or more)

2

MANIFEST (zero or one)

3

CERTIFICATE (zero or one)

4

PROGRESS (one or more)

5

TARGET_ID (exactly one)

6

RESULT (exactly one)

To use machine mode to upload an OVF to vSphere, you run the following command. 

ovftool.exe --machineOutput                                       \
            --acceptAllEulas                                      \
            --I:morefArgs                                         \
            --I:targetSessionTicket=<session ticket>              \
            --net:<ovf netname>=vim.Network:<moref-id>            \
            --datastore=vim.Datastore:<moref-id>                  \
            --vmFolder=vim.Folder:<moref-id>                      \
            --deploymentOption=<value>                            \
            --diskMode=<value>                                    \
            --ipAllocationPolicy=<value>                          \
            --ipProtocol=<value>                                  \
            --name=<value> (optional)                             \
            --overwrite (optional)                                \
            --powerOffTarget (optional)                           \
            --powerOn (optional)                                  \
            --prop:<key>=<value>                                  \
            <src URL or PATH>                                     \
             vi://<servername>?moref=vim.ResourcePool:<moref-id>

For an example, see Output from Running machineOutput in Import Mode.