Installing VMware

C H A P T E R 7

Installing VMware

This chapter contains information about installing a VMware ESX Server 4 OS on a Sun Fire X4140, X4240, or X4440 server.

Note - If you want to mirror your OS, the recommended procedure is to create a hardware RAID before you install the OS.

If you are using an Adaptec-based Sun StorageTek SAS RAID Internal HBA (PCIe card), see Appendix A.

If you are using an LSI-based Sun StorageTek PCI Express SAS 8-Channel HBA (SG-XPCIE8SAS-I-Z) that controls internal disks, see Appendix B.

If you are using an LSI-based Sun StorageTek PCI Express SAS 8-Channel HBA (SG-XPCIE8SAS-E-Z) that controls external disks, RAID is not available.

Before You Begin

Review the following sections:

Task Map for VMware ESX Server 3 Installation

VMware Installation and Administration Documentation

Task Map for VMware ESX Server 3 Installation

The following table maps out the installation task order and points to the relevant section where you can find more information.

Installation Task	Relevant Section
Collect information about your system.	VMware Installation and Administration Documentation.
Plan your network interface.	Planning Network Interfaces
Choose an installation method.	Select an Installation Method
Download ISO image.	Downloading the VMWare ESX Server ISO Image.
Download ISO image and burn to CD.	Downloading the VMWare ESX Server ISO Image.
Identify a specific network interface.	Planning Network Interfaces
Complete the VMware ESX Server 3 software installation.	Refer to: `http://www.vmware.com/support/pubs/vi_pubs.html`.
Update the ESX Server 3 software if necessary.	VMware Updates and Patches

VMware Installation and Administration Documentation

Before you begin installing VMware ESX Server 3 software on a Sun Fire X4140, X4240, or X4440 server, collect the necessary information pertinent to your situation by consulting the following required documents at:

http://www.vmware.com/ support/pubs/vi_pubs.html

Introduction to VMWare Infrastructure

Quick Start Guide

Installation and Upgrade Guide

Basic System Administration

Virtual Infrastructure Web Access Administrator’s Guide

Server Configuration Guide

Planning Network Interfaces

The Virtual Infrastructure 3 service console and management interface is dependent on a network interface. The service console does not automatically use the first interface with a live connection. A live interface must be associated with the service console for host management.

Refer to the Sun Fire X4140, X4240, and X4440 Servers Service Manual for detailed information concerning network interface cabling and the BIOS considerations of these interfaces.

By default, vmnic0 is assigned for service console communications.

Select an Installation Method

The most common methods to install VMware on your server are to use:

A remote ISO image downloaded from the VMware website, redirected through Java remote console.

A remote CD/DVD drive (with a disk burned from the ISO image downloaded from the VMware website) redirected through Java remote console.

A local CD/DVD drive with a disk burned from the ISO image downloaded from the VMware website.

Automatic kickstart installation from VMware software (installation tree) stored on a Preboot Execution Environment (PXE) network server.

This chapter contains the procedures for the first three methods. For information about preparing for PXE install, see the VMware Installation and Upgrade Guide for VESX Server 3 and Virtual Center 2.0, Chapter 6, “Remote and Scripted Installations” at http://www.vmware.com/ support/pubs/vi_pubs.html.

VMware ESX Server 3 Installation Overview

Read the required documents for VMware ESX Server 3, available at

http://www.vmware.com/support/pubs/vi_pubs.html.

Decide which of the installation methods you will use:

From a remote ISO image or from a remote CD/DVD (with a disk burned from an ISO image drive) see Installing the VMware ESX Server OS Using the Remote Console Application):

-or-

From the server’s CD/DVD drive (with a disk burned from an ISO image) connected to the Sun Fire X4140, X4240, or X4440 server see To Install VMware ESX Server 3 From a Local CD/DVD Drive.

Downloading the VMWare ESX Server ISO Image

No matter what method you choose to install VMWare ESX Server, you must first download an ISO image of the software installation CD.

To Download the VMware ESX Server ISO Image

1. Download the ISO image using a network-connected system with CD-burning capabilities from:

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

2. Optionally, burn the image to a CD.

Installing the VMware ESX Server OS Using the Remote Console Application

This section explains how to install the VMWare ESX OS on your server using the Integrated Lights Out Manager (ILOM) Remote Console application.

Note - Read the Integrated Lights Out Manager (ILOM) Administration Guide before completing the following steps. This guide provides details on using the ILOM Service Processor Web interface to redirect the console.

To Install Using the ILOM Remote Console Application

1. Locate your VMWare ESX Server installation CD/DVD or the equivalent ISO image.

2. Connect to the ILOM Service Processor Web interface.

3. Click the Remote Control tab, then the Mouse Mode Settings tab.

4. If necessary, change the mouse mode to Relative Mouse Mode.

See the “Remote Console Application” chapter of the Integrated Lights Out Manager (ILOM) Administration Guide for further instructions.

5. Click the Redirection tab.

6. Click the Launch Redirection button to start the JavaRConsole application.

7. Log in to the JavaRConsole.

8. Start keyboard and mouse redirection.

Select Keyboard and Mouse in the Devices menu.

9. Start CD/DVD redirection.

From the JavaRConsole Devices menu, you can redirect the CD in two ways:

If you are installing a physical CD into the remote console CD ROM drive, insert the CD into the drive and select CD-ROM.

If you are using an ISO image installed on the remote console, select CD-ROM Image and provide the location.

Note - Depending on the number of USB devices in use, you may be prompted for the install location or device. This deviates from the normal installation. To continue installation under these circumstances, select CD-ROM Image. Then, when prompted to select a device driver, select Linux USB Driver.

10. Refer to the Installation and Upgrade Guide for VMware Infrastructure to guide you through the installation process.

From your network-connected system go to:

http://www.vmware.com/support/pubs/vi_pubs.html.

11. Identify the specific network interface.

In the service console window on the Sun Fire X4140, X4240, or X4440 server, identify the available network configuration alternatives (see FIGURE 7-1).

To Install VMware ESX Server 3 From a Local CD/DVD Drive

1. Connect a USB Keyboard and Mouse to the USB ports on the server.

2. Connect a monitor to the server.

3. Power on the server.

4. Insert the media into the server’s CD/DVD drive. The server will boot from the CD/DVD and display a boot prompt:

boot:

5. To access the graphical mode, press Enter.

6. To work in text mode, enter the following:

esx text

7. Refer to the Installation and Upgrade Guide for VMware Infrastructure to guide you through the installation process.

From your network-connected system go to:

http://www.vmware.com/support/pubs/vi_pubs.html.

8. Identify the specific network interface.

In the service console window on the Sun Fire X4140, X4240, or X4440 server, identify the available network configuration alternatives (see FIGURE 7-1). The listing may differ depending on the NICs installed in your server.

FIGURE 7-1 ESX Server 3 Network Configuration Dialog Box

ESX Server 3 Network Configuration dialog box.

9. Complete the VMware installation.

This is detailed in the Installation and Upgrade Guide for VMware Infrastructure at:

http://www.vmware.com/support/pubs/vi_pubs.html.

VMware Updates and Patches

VMware ESX Server 3 update images are available for download at:

http://www.vmware.com/selfsupport/download