Installing VMware ESXi Installable

C H A P T E R 7

This chapter explains the procedure to install VMware ESXi Installable on the Sun Fire X4600 M2 server.

About VMware

Although you can install the VMware ESXi Installable software from a local CD/DVD or a remote CD/DVD, you will need to collect some information about your system before you proceed with any of these installation methods.

You can find detailed information and procedures concerning VMware virtualization software at:

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

The most common method to install VMware on your server is:

Installation from downloaded image from the VMware website and burned onto CD-ROM media.

VMware Installation and Administration Documentation

Before you begin installing VMware ESXi Installable software on a Sun Fire X4600 server, consult the following required documents for VMware ESXi Installable install, at: http://www.vmware.com/support/pubs/vi_pubs.html

Introduction to VMware Infrastructure (PDF)

Getting Started with ESX Server 3i Installable (PDF)

Configuration Maximums for VMware Infrastructure 3 (PDF)

ESX Server 3i Installable Setup Guide (PDF)

Upgrade Guide (PDF)

Basic System Administration (PDF)

ESX Server 3i Configuration Guide (PDF)

Resource Management Guide (PDF)

Fibre Channel SAN Configuration Guide (PDF)

iSCSI SAN Configuration Guide (PDF)

Virtual Machine Backup Guide (PDF)

Task Map for VMware ESXi Installable Installation

Consult the following table to determine which sections in this document are relevant to the installation tasks that you want to perform.

Installation Task	Relevant Section
Collect information about your system.	VMware Installation and Administration Documentation.
Download `iso` image. If using a physical CD, burn to CD.	What to Do.
Begin installing the VMware ESXi Installable software using a local or network-attached CD or virtual CD drive.	How To Install From Local Media.
Complete the VMware ESXi Installable software installation.	Refer to: `http://` `www.vmware.com/support/pubs/vi_pubs.html`
Update the ESXi Installable software if necessary.	VMware Updates and Patches.

Installing VMware ESXi Installable from CD-ROM

The following procedure applies to installing VMware ESXi Installable from a local CD-ROM or a virtual CD-ROM redirected from Java Console.

Before You Begin

Read the required documents for VMware ESXi Installable.

If no internal CD-ROM is available, use a network-attached virtual CD (or a USB CD-ROM). For example, you can use ILOM Remote Console to redirect the CD image.

What to Do

The general procedure for installing ESXi Installable follows these steps.

From a network-connected system with CD-burning capabilities:

1. Download the iso image from: http://www.vmware.com/download/vi/eval.html

2. (Optional) Burn the image to a CD.

Note - If Java Remote Console is used to redirect a CD drive or image, you can select "Host Device" as the device type.

3. Install the ESXi Installable software on the Sun Fire X4600 M2 system.

Note - Make sure you install the operating system to a boot disk.

4. Update the ESXi Installable software if necessary. Download available updates from: http://www.vmware.com/support/

The process is detailed in the following sections.

VMware ESXi Installable Installation Requirements

Before you begin installing VMware ESXi Installable on your Sun Fire X4600 M2 server, you will require:

A USB keyboard and mouse connected to rear USB ports of the server, or access through a Java remote console

Monitor connected to Sun Fire server (not required if you are using Java KVMS.)

If there is no built-in CD-ROM, choose either one of the following:

External USB DVD/CD-ROM drive connected to the Sun Fire server or

Virtual CD drive redirected through Java remote console

CD-ROM of VMware ESXi Installable media

The ESX Server 3i Installable Setup Guide

How To Install From Local Media

1. Turn on the Sun Fire system.

2. Insert the media into CD-ROM drive. The server will boot from the CD and display a boot prompt.

boot:

3. Refer to the ESX Server 3i Installable Setup Guide to guide you through the installation process. From your network-connected system go to http://www.vmware.com/support/pubs/vi_pubs.html.

4. Complete the VMware installation.

VMware Updates and Patches

When VMware ESX images are available for updates you can download from: http://www.vmware.com/support/