My VMware ESXi installation checklist

Last updated $Date: 2008-10-03 07:47:15 $

Martti Kupar inen <martti.kuparinen@iki .fi>

http://www.iki.fi/kuparine/comp/vmware/esxichecklist.html

Abstract

This is how I installed and configured all VMware ESXi hosts.

Introduction
Network layout
Installing VMware ESXi
Configuring VMware ESXi
Installing RCLI
Installing VMware ESXi updates
Backing up VMware ESXi configuration
Backing up virtual machines
Converting existing virtual machines to ESXi
Miscellaneous
References

Introduction

VMware, Inc. has a bare-metal hypervisor for AMD and Intel x86 CPUs called ESXi which is now available for free of charge. This document described how I installed and configured all our VMware ESXi hosts. Before trying to install ESXi on your host, make sure your hardware is compatible with ESXi (see also this list).

Network layout

The following picture gives an overview of our VMware ESXi setup.

Network overview

Each ESXi host has two or three NICs: management and guest NICs and optionally also a separate (10 GbE) storage NIC.
The iSCSI target has two or more NICs: one management NIC and one or more storage NICs. In a simple case all ESXi hosts share the same storage network.
One or more management hosts located on the production network running Microsoft Windows. These can be virtual hosts running inside VMware Player. These hosts must be properly secured with local firewall and antivirus software.
The management network is separated from the production network with a router. The router between those two networks:
- Has a firewall which restricts traffic to/from the management network. Access to the management network is allowed only from few management desktops located on the production network. Access from management network to to the production network (or internet) is denied.
- Has an NTP server used by all VMware ESXi hosts to make sure all hosts have correct time.
- Has a syslog daemon to enable centralized log management for all VMware ESXi hosts.

Installing VMware ESXi

First modify/check your BIOS settings:

Enable all NICs without PXE.
Enable VT if you want to have 64-bit guests.
Disable Demand Based Power Management.

Next add a third NIC (1 GbE or 10 GbE) for the storage network (only if iSCSI or NFS is used).

Next fetch the latest VMware ESXi from www.vmware.com and burn it on a CD disk. Boot from the CD and install it. Do not connect any ethernet cables before the initial configuration is done.

If you just want to test ESXi first before installing it on real hardware, you can install VMware ESXi on a USB memory stick. The only restriction with that setup is that you must have external storage (iSCSI or NFS) for virtual machines, all the configuration tasks presented here are same as when you install ESXi on HDD.

Configuring VMware ESXi

Some basic things are configured on the Direct Console User Interface (DCUI) while most of the configuration is done with the VMware Infrastructure Client from your Microsoft Windows PC. This PC needs either be on the management network or have access to it via some router. Our administrators are normally using Ubuntu PCs so we have a Windows XP running inside VMware Player, in other words, this management host can be a virtual machine instead of a normal PC.

Configuring with DCUI

Setting the root password

Select Configure Root Password from the main menu and set the root password.

Configuring IP address for the management interface

Now connect ethernet cable to the management NIC. Next select Configure Management Network from the main menu. Select Network Adapters and select the only adapter which has a connection. Next select IP Configuration, select Set static IP address and network configuration and set the address, netmask and gateway. Next select DNS Configuration and define you DNS server's IP address(es). Next select Custom DNS Suffixes and add your local network name. Next select Restart Management Network from the main menu. Finally connect ethernet cable to the remaining interfaces.

Configuring SSH

Activate SSH on the ESXi by following the following instructions. Please note that you must properly secure the management network as this opens an additional way to access the ESXi host. Consider also allowing SSH only for non-root users in order to increase security.

Configuring with VMware Infrastructure Client

Configuring network interfaces and virtual switches

Virtual network configuration

Configuring virtual switch for guests

Configuration > Networking > Add Networking > Virtual Machine > Create a virtual switch
Network Label = Production
VLAN ID = Empty

Configuration > Networking > vSwitch0 > Properties > VM Network > Remove

Configuring virtual switch for storage devices

Configuration > Networking > Add Networking > VMkernel > Create a virtual switch
Network Label = Storage
VLAN ID = Empty
IP Address: xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx
Netmask: 255.255.255.xxx

Setting the license key

Configuration > Licensed Features > License Source > Edit > Use Serial Number

Configuring NTP

Configuration > Time Configuration > Properties > Options

NTP Settings > Add > esxgw.mycompany.com
General > Start automatically

Configuring remote logging

Configuration > Advanced Settings > Syslog > Remote

Syslog.Remote.Hostname = esxgw.mycompany.com
Syslog.Remote.Port = 514

Resource limits for SFCB

Configuration > System Resource Allocation > Advanced > host > vim > sfcb > Edit Settings > CPU Resources > Limit = 500 MHz

Configuring automatic VM start and stop

Configuration > Virtual Machine Startup/Shutdown > Properties > Allow virtual machines to start and stop automatically with the system

Configuring users and permissions

TBD

Configuring storage network - iSCSI

Configuration > Storage Adapters > iSCSI Software Adapter > Properties
General > Configure > Enabled
Dynamic Discovery > Add > iSCSI Server = xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx

Configuring storage network - NFS

Configuration > Storage > Network File System
Server = xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx
Folder = /some/path
Datastore Name = xxx

Installing real certificates

TBD: http://www.vm-help.com/esx/esx3i/change_name_and_cert.php

scp server.key esx1:/host/ssl_key
scp server.pem esx1:/host/ssl_cert

Backing up the current configuration

TBD

vicfg-cfgbackup -s --server myesx --username root myesx.bak

http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/software/eslvmwre/EN/VES_3i/Solutions Guide/PDF/MSGPA03.pdf
Appendix E

Cloning existing configuration

TBD

/etc/vmware/esx.conf

TBD

Installing RCLI

Fetch RCLI from the VMware Infrastructure 3 Drivers & Tools page. Extract and install it on your Linux desktop.

tar xzf /home/www/vmware/VMware-RCLI-3.5.0-104314.i386.tar.gz -C /tmp
cd /tmp/vmware-rcli-distrib
sudo ./vmware-install.pl

Installing VMware ESXi updates

VMware ESXi, like any other host, needs maintenance from time to time. The VMware Update Manager is a simple Microsoft Windows application which makes it easy to push all the software updates available to your ESXi hosts. Another method is to use the vihostupdate utility from the RCLI package. See KB 1006089 and the vihostupdate(8) manual page for details how to use this utility.

In addition to installing VMware Update Manager or RCLI, you should sign-up for security notifications at VMware Security Center.

Backing up VMware ESXi configuration

TBD

Backing up virtual machines

TBD

http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vi3_301_201_vm_backup.pdf

Converting existing virtual machines to ESXi

TBD

http://www.vmware.com/download/vi/drivers_tools.html

Miscellaneous

Mapping VMware Tools to virtual CD-ROM

TBD

cd /vmfs/volumes/datastore1
ln -s /usr/lib/vmware/isoimages/linux.iso
ln -s /usr/lib/vmware/isoimages/windows.iso
ln -s /usr/lib/vmware/isoimages/freebsd.iso