Installing VMware

C H A P T E R 5

Installing VMware

This chapter summarizes the necessary steps for installing the following VMware versions:

VMware ESX/ESXi 3.5 Update 4

VMware ESX/ESXi 4.0

In particular, this chapter includes specific information for selecting a network interface card (NIC) for the VMware service console.

Note - VMware ESX 3.5 was formerly named as VMware ESX Server 3.5 and VMware ESXi 3.5 as VMware ESX Server 3i version 3.5.

This chapter includes the following topics:

Task Map for the VMware Installation

Installing VMware ESX or ESXi Using Local or Remote Media

VMware ESX and ESXi Post Installation Tasks

Task Map for the VMware Installation

Use TABLE 5-1 to preview the installation process defined as a series of tasks. The table identifies the required tasks, describes them, and provides pointers to the instructions for performing the task.

TABLE 5-1 Task Map for the VMware Installation
Step	Task	Description	Relevant Topic(s)
1	Review installation prerequisites.	Verify that all applicable requirements are met for installing an operating system to your server.	Installation Methods
2	Choose an installation method.	Evaluate and select an installation method that meets the needs of your infrastructure.	Installation Methods
3	Ensure that the BIOS factory defaults are set.	Verify that the factory default settings in the BIOS are set prior to performing the operating system installation.	Verify BIOS Settings for New Installations
4	Gather the VMware installation software.	A VMware ESX license can be purchased from Sun or VMware. VMware ESXi is available as a free download from VMware.	You can download the software for VMware ESX/ESXi 3.5 Update 4 or ESX/ESXi 4.0 from the following site: `http://www.vmware.com/`
5	Perform the VMware ESX or ESXi OS installation.	The installation instructions in this chapter explain the initial steps for booting the installation media. For further information about installing VMware ESX and ESXi, refer to the VMware documentation at: For ESX/ESXi 3.5 Update 4: `http://www.vmware.com/support/pubs/vi_pubs.html` For ESX/ESXi 4.0: `http://www.vmware.com/support/pubs/vs_pubs.html`	Installing VMware ESX or ESXi Using Local or Remote Media
6	Update the VMware operating system, if necessary.	The VMware ESX or ESXi installation media might not contain the most up-to-date versions of the operating system. Follow the instructions in this chapter to update the ESX or ESXi operating system.	Update the ESX or ESXi Operating System
7	Enable the Wake On LAN option, if desired.	This feature enables you to power on the server from another location over the network.	Enable the Option for Wake On LAN

Installing VMware ESX or ESXi Using Local or Remote Media

The following procedures summarize the steps for installing VMware (ESX or ESXi) from local or remote installation media.

The following procedures assume you are booting the VMware installation software from one of the following sources:

VMware ESX or ESXi CD or DVD (internal or external CD/DVD)

VMware ESX or ESXi ISO software image (network repository)

Note - If you want to use a CD/DVD for installation, you must create it. VMware does not provide the OS software on media. It is only available as a download.

Refer to the following procedures to install the VMware OS from local or remote media:

Install VMware ESX 3.5 Update 4 From Local or Remote Media

Install VMware ESXi 3.5 Update 4 From Local or Remote Media

Install VMware ESX 4.0 From Local or Remote Media

Install VMware ESXi 4.0 From Local or Remote Media

Before You Begin

Prior to performing the installation, the following requirements must be met:

All applicable installation prerequisites for installing an operating system should have been met. For further information about these prerequisites, see TABLE 1-1 Installation Prerequisites.

An installation method (for example: console, boot media, and installation target) should have been chosen and established prior to performing the installation. For more information about these setup requirements, see Installation Methods.

Note that the following procedures explain the initial steps for booting the installation media and launching the VMware ESX or ESXi installation program.

After completing this procedure, you should review and perform the required post installation tasks described later in this chapter. For more details, see VMware ESX and ESXi Post Installation Tasks.

Install VMware ESX 3.5 Update 4 From Local or Remote Media

1. Ensure that the installation media is available to boot.

Note - For the Sun Fire X4275 Server, which has neither a CD/DVD-ROM drive nor a USB connector on the front panel, use the ILOM Remote Console to redirect the boot media from a remote storage device. For instructions, see “Remote Boot Media” in TABLE 1-4 Boot Media Options for Performing the OS Installation.

For CD/DVD distribution media. Insert the media boot disk into the local or remote USB CD/DVD-ROM drive.

For ISO images. Ensure that the ISO images are available and that the boot disk image has been selected in the ILOM Remote Console application (Device menu --> CD-ROM Image).

For additional information about how to set up the installation media, see TABLE 1-4 Boot Media Options for Performing the OS Installation.

2. Reset the power on the server.

For example:

From the ILOM web interface, select Remote Control --> Remote Power Control, then select the Power Cycle option from the Host action list box.

From the local server, press the Power button (approximately 1 second) on the front panel of the server to power off the server, then press the Power button again to power on the server.

Note - The next events occur very quickly; therefore, focused attention is needed for the following steps. Watch carefully for these messages as they appear on the screen for a brief time. You might want to enlarge the size of your screen to eliminate scroll bars.

3. In the BIOS power-on self-test screen, press F8 to specify a temporary boot device for the VMware installation.

The Please Select Boot Device menu appears.

4. In the Boot Device menu, select either the external or virtual CD/DVD device as the first boot device, then press Enter.

The device strings listed in the Boot Device menu are in the following format: device type, slot indicator, and product ID string.

After a few seconds, the splash screen for the VMware installation appears.

5. Refer to the VMware installation documentation for ESX to assist you through the installation process.

For installation documentation, see: http://www.vmware.com/support/pubs/vi_pubs.html

During the installation procedure, a Network Configuration dialog appears.

Graphic showing the VMware Network Configuration Dialog.

6. In the Network Interface Card field, click the Device drop-down menu and select the desired network adapter.

A live network adapter (that is, an adapter connected to the network) must be specified for the VMware service console (vmnic0). To determine how to translate the PCI bus labels to the physical ports on a NIC, see Appendix A Translate Network Interface Card PCI Bus Number to Physical Network Port

Note - If you are not sure which network adapter to select, contact your network administrator.

7. To configure the network interface card, do one of the following:

To auto-configure the network adapter, select Set automatically using DHCP, and click Next.

To manually configure the network adapter, select Use the following network Information, enter the network settings and host name, and click Next.

8. Refer to the VMware installation documentation for ESX and complete the installation.

For installation documentation, see: http://www.vmware.com/support/pubs/vi_pubs.html

9. Review and, if necessary, perform the post installation tasks described later in this chapter.

Refer to VMware ESX and ESXi Post Installation Tasks.

Install VMware ESXi 3.5 Update 4 From Local or Remote Media

1. Ensure that the installation media is available to boot.

For CD/DVD distribution media. Insert the media boot disk into the local or remote USB CD/DVD-ROM drive.

For ISO images. Ensure that the ISO images are available and that the boot disk image has been selected in the ILOM Remote Console application (Device menu --> CD-ROM Image).

For additional information about how to set up the installation media, see TABLE 1-4 Boot Media Options for Performing the OS Installation.

2. Reset the power on the server.

For example:

From the ILOM web interface, select Remote Control --> Remote Power Control, then select the Power Cycle option from the Host action list box.

From the local server, press the Power button (approximately 1 second) on the front panel of the server to power off the server, then press the Power button again to power on the server.

3. In the BIOS power-on self-test screen, press F8 to specify a temporary boot device for the VMware installation.

The Please Select Boot Device menu appears.

4. In the Boot Device menu, select either the external or virtual CD/DVD device as the first boot device, then press Enter.

The device strings listed in the Boot Device menu are in the following format: device type, slot indicator, and product ID string.

After a few seconds, the splash screen for the VMware installation appears.

5. Refer to the VMware installation documentation for ESXi 3.5 Update 4 to assist you through the installation process.

For installation documentation, see: http://www.vmware.com/support/pubs/vi_pubs.html

During the installation procedure, the following Network Configuration dialog appears.

Graphic showing the VMware Network Configuration Dialog.

6. Under Configure Management Network, select Network Adapters, and press Enter.

The Network Adapters dialog appears.

Graphic showing the VMware Network Adapters Dialog.

7. In Network Adapters dialog, select a live network adapter (that is, an adapter connected to the network) for the VMware service console (vmnic0) and press Enter.

A live network adapter (that is, an adapter connected to the network) must be specified for the VMware service console (vmnic0). Notice that the MAC address that is associated with the server’s physical network port (NET0, NET1, NET2, or NET3) is displayed in the Hardware Label column. Therefore, you can use the MAC address to determine which of the server’s physical network ports is being displayed. For example, to determine the MAC address for each server network port, enter the following command in the Sun ILOM command-line interface (CLI) for each server network port:

-> show /SYS/MB/NETn

Where is n is 0, 1, 2, or 3.

If the network adapter shown in the above dialog were associated for network port NET0, then the CLI command show /SYS/MB/NET0, would produce the following output, where the fru_serial_number field lists the MAC address.

-> show /SYS/MB/NET0
  /SYS/MB/NET0
  Targets:
 
  Properties:
    type = Network Interface
    ipmi_name = MB/NET0
    fru_name = GIGABIT ETHERNET CONTROLLERS
    fru_manufacturer = INTEL
    fru_part_number = 82575EB
    fru_serial_number = 00:14:4f:ca:b1:fa
    fault_state = OK
    clear_fault_action = (none)

Note - If you are not sure which network adapter to select, contact your network administrator.

8. Refer to the VMware installation documentation for ESXi and complete the installation.

For installation documentation, see: http://www.vmware.com/support/pubs/vi_pubs.html

9. Review and, if necessary, perform the post installation tasks described later in this chapter.

Refer to VMware ESX and ESXi Post Installation Tasks.

Install VMware ESX 4.0 From Local or Remote Media

1. Ensure that the installation media is available to boot.

For CD/DVD distribution media. Insert the media boot disk into the local or remote USB CD/DVD-ROM drive.

For ISO images. Ensure that the ISO images are available and that the boot disk image has been selected in the ILOM Remote Console application (Device menu --> CD-ROM Image).

For additional information about how to set up the installation media, see TABLE 1-4 Boot Media Options for Performing the OS Installation.

2. Reset the power on the server.

For example:

From the ILOM web interface, select Remote Control --> Remote Power Control, then select the Power Cycle option from the Host action list box.

From the local server, press the Power button (approximately 1 second) on the front panel of the server to power off the server, then press the Power button again to power on the server.

3. In the BIOS power-on self-test screen, press F8 to specify a temporary boot device for the VMware installation.

The Please Select Boot Device menu appears.

4. In the Boot Device menu, select either the external or virtual CD/DVD device as the first boot device, then press Enter.

The device strings listed in the Boot Device menu are in the following format: device type, slot indicator, and product ID string.

After a few seconds, the splash screen for the VMware installation appears.

5. Refer to the VMware installation documentation for ESX to assist you through the installation process.

For installation documentation, see: http://www.vmware.com/support/pubs/vi_pubs.html

During the installation procedure, a Network Configuration dialog appears.

Graphic showing the VMware Network Configuration Dialog (screen 1).

6. In the Network Adapter field, click the drop-down menu and select the desired network adapter, and click Next.

A live network adapter (that is, an adapter connected to the network) must be specified for the VMware service console (vmnic0). Each network adapter that is live has a green check mark next to it as shown in the above dialog. Also, notice that the MAC address that is associated with the server’s physical network port (NET0, NET1, NET2, or NET3) is displayed. Therefore, you can use the MAC address to determine which of the server’s physical network ports is being displayed. For example, to determine the MAC address for each server network port, enter the following command in the Sun ILOM command-line interface (CLI) for each server network port:

-> show /SYS/MB/NETn

Where is n is 0, 1, 2, or 3.

-> show /SYS/MB/NET0
  /SYS/MB/NET0
  Targets:
 
  Properties:
    type = Network Interface
    ipmi_name = MB/NET0
    fru_name = GIGABIT ETHERNET CONTROLLERS
    fru_manufacturer = INTEL
    fru_part_number = 82575EB
    fru_serial_number = 00:21:28:3d:ec:04
    fault_state = OK
    clear_fault_action = (none)

Note - If you are not sure which network adapter to select, contact your network administrator.

A second ESX 4.0 Network Configuration dialog appears.

Graphic showing the VMware Network Configuration Dialog (screen 2).

7. Select a network adapter configuration method.

Do one of the following:

To auto-configure the network adapter, select Set automatically using DHCP, and click Next.

To manually configure the network adapter, select Use the following network settings, enter the network settings, and click Next.

8. Refer to the VMware installation documentation for ESX and complete the installation.

For installation documentation, see: http://www.vmware.com/support/pubs/vs_pubs.html

9. Review and, if necessary, perform the post installation tasks described later in this chapter.

Refer to VMware ESX and ESXi Post Installation Tasks.

Install VMware ESXi 4.0 From Local or Remote Media

1. Ensure that the installation media is available to boot.

For CD/DVD distribution media. Insert the VMware ESXi media boot disk into the local or remote USB CD/DVD-ROM drive.

For ISO images. Ensure that the ISO images are available and that the boot disk image has been selected in the ILOM Remote Console application (Device menu --> CD-ROM Image).

For additional information about how to set up the installation media, see TABLE 1-4 Boot Media Options for Performing the OS Installation.

2. Reset the power on the server.

For example:

From the ILOM web interface, select Remote Control --> Remote Power Control, then select the Power Cycle option from the Host action list box.

From the local server, press the Power button (approximately 1 second) on the front panel of the server to power off the server, then press the Power button again to power on the server.

3. In the BIOS power-on self-test screen, press F8 to specify a temporary boot device for the VMware installation.

The Please Select Boot Device menu appears.

4. In the Boot Device menu, select either the external or virtual CD/DVD device as the first boot device, then press Enter.

The device strings listed in the Boot Device menu are in the following format: device type, slot indicator, and product ID string.

After a few seconds, the splash screen for the VMware installation appears.

5. Refer to the VMware installation documentation for ESXi to assist you through the installation process. For installation documentation, see: http://www.vmware.com/support/pubs/vs_pubs.html

6. Review and, if necessary, perform the post installation tasks described later in this chapter.

Refer to VMware ESX and ESXi Post Installation Tasks.

VMware ESX and ESXi Post Installation Tasks

After completing the ESX or ESXi installation, review the following post installation tasks and, if necessary, perform the tasks that are applicable to your system.

Update the ESX or ESXi Operating System

Enable the Option for Wake On LAN

Update the ESX or ESXi Operating System

The VMware ESX or ESXi installation media might not contain the most up-to-date versions of the operating system.

If necessary, update the ESX or ESXi Server software with the latest updates and patches. For download instructions, see this web site:

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

Enable the Option for Wake On LAN

After installing the operating system, you might want to consider enabling the Wake On LAN (WOL) option in the BIOS Setup utility. This feature enables you to power on the server from another location over the network. For details about the requirements for enabling WOL, see “Wake On LAN” in the Sun Fire X4170, X4270, and X4275 Servers Service Manual.