1. VMware ESX and ESXi
Module 3

2. Importance
VMware® ESX™/ESXi hosts provide the physical resources used to run virtual machines. Failure to properly install and configure ESX/ESXi hosts can negatively affect the performance, operation, and administration of all virtual machines located on these hosts.
VMware vSphere 4.1: Install, Configure, Manage – Revision A

3. Module Lessons Lesson 1: Overview of ESX/ESXi
Lesson 2: Configuring ESX/ESXi
VMware vSphere 4.1: Install, Configure, Manage – Revision A

4. Lesson 1: Overview of ESX/ESXi
VMware vSphere 4.1: Install, Configure, Manage – Revision A

5. Lesson Objectives Identify the versions of ESX
Describe the architecture of ESX and ESXi
VMware vSphere 4.1: Install, Configure, Manage – Revision A

6. ESX/ESXi: Virtualization Platform
ESX and ESXi:
Are bare-metal, efficient, and reliable hypervisors running directly on the host
Abstract CPU, memory, storage, and networking into multiple virtual machines
VMware vSphere 4.1: Install, Configure, Manage – Revision A

7. ESXi Installable, ESXi Embedded, and ESX
ESX comes in two main versions:
ESXi:
Managed through either a BIOS-like direct console or the vSphere Command-Line Interface (vCLI)
A high-security, small disk footprint
ESXi Installable – Available as an installable CD or DVD boot image
ESXi Embedded – ESX image preinstalled as firmware or burned onto an external USB key by the hardware vendor
ESX:
Managed through either a built-in service console or vCLI
Available as an installable DVD boot image
VMware vSphere 4.1: Install, Configure, Manage – Revision A

8. ESX/ESXi Architecture
VMware vSphere 4.1: Install, Configure, Manage – Revision A

9. Lesson Summary Identify the versions of ESX
Describe the architecture of ESX and ESXi
VMware vSphere 4.1: Install, Configure, Manage – Revision A

10. Lesson 2: Configuring ESX/ESXi
VMware vSphere 4.1: Install, Configure, Manage – Revision A

11. Lesson Objectives
Describe how to access the ESXi direct console user interface (DCUI)
Use the VMware vSphere™ Client to access an ESX/ESXi host
View or configure ESX/ESXi settings:
Processor and memory configuration
Licensing
NTP client
DNS and routing
Security profile
View ESX/ESXi system logs
Identify user account best practices
Describe how to manage ESX/ESXi from the command prompt
VMware vSphere 4.1: Install, Configure, Manage – Revision A

12. Installing and Configuring ESX/ESXi
ESX and ESXi Installable must be installed on supported hardware.
ESXi Embedded is preinstalled in the firmware of a supported vendor’s hardware.
In all cases, ESX/ESXi must be configured.
This lesson assumes that ESX/ESXi is already installed.
(Installation is discussed in a later module.)
VMware vSphere 4.1: Install, Configure, Manage – Revision A

13. Configuring ESXi
The DCUI is similar to the BIOS of a computer with a keyboard-only user interface.
VMware vSphere 4.1: Install, Configure, Manage – Revision A

14. Configuring ESXi: root Access
The DCUI allows an administrator to:
Set a root password (complex passwords only)
Enable or disable lockdown mode (to prevent user access to host as root)
VMware vSphere 4.1: Install, Configure, Manage – Revision A

15. Configuring ESXi: Management Network
The DCUI allows you to modify network settings:
Host name
IP configuration (IP address, subnet mask, default gateway)
DNS servers
VMware vSphere 4.1: Install, Configure, Manage – Revision A

16. Configuring ESXi: Other Settings
The DCUI allows an administrator to:
Configure keyboard layout
View support information
View system logs
Enable troubleshooting services, when required
VMware vSphere 4.1: Install, Configure, Manage – Revision A

17. Connecting to an ESX/ESXi Host
The vSphere Client is an interface used to connect remotely to an ESX/ESXi host from a Windows PC.
On the vSphere Client login screen, enter:
Host name or IP address of ESX/ESXi host
User name root
Password for user root
VMware vSphere 4.1: Install, Configure, Manage – Revision A

18. vSphere Client: Configuration Tab
VMware vSphere 4.1: Install, Configure, Manage – Revision A

19. Viewing Processor and Memory Configuration
VMware vSphere 4.1: Install, Configure, Manage – Revision A

20. License Assignment Procedure
Before purchasing licenses, you can install ESX/ESXi in evaluation mode:
Intended for demonstration and evaluation purposes
Allows software to be completely operational immediately after installation
Does not require any licensing configuration
Provides full functionality for 60 days
VMware vSphere 4.1: Install, Configure, Manage – Revision A

21. ESX/ESXi as an NTP Client
Network Time Protocol is a client-server protocol used to synchronize a computer’s clock to a time reference.
NTP is important:
For accurate performance graphs
For accurate time stamps in log messages
So that virtual machines have a source to synchronize with
An ESX/ESXi host can be configured as an NTP client.
It can synchronize time with an NTP server on the Internet.
NTP server
NTP server
NTP server
UDP port 123
NTP client
ESX/ESXi host
VMware vSphere 4.1: Install, Configure, Manage – Revision A

22. Network Settings: DNS and Routing
The DNS and Routing link allows you to change:
Host name and domain
DNS server addresses and search domains
Default gateways:
VMkernel
Service console (ESX only)
VMware vSphere 4.1: Install, Configure, Manage – Revision A

23. Viewing ESX/ESXi System Logs
Use the vSphere Client to view logs.
Export system logs to an archive file.
Send to VMware Support.
VMware vSphere 4.1: Install, Configure, Manage – Revision A

24. Remote Access Settings: Security Profile
On ESX and ESXi hosts:
Remote clients are prevented from accessing services on the host.
Local clients are prevented from accessing services on remote hosts.
On ESXi hosts:
Unless configured otherwise, daemons will start automatically:
For example, Network Login Server, Remote Tech Support (SSH), Direct Console UI
On ESX hosts:
In the service console firewall, you can enable and disable incoming and outgoing connections for various services:
For example, SSH client, SSH server, NTP client
VMware vSphere 4.1: Install, Configure, Manage – Revision A

25. Managing ESX/ESXi from the Command Prompt
To perform management tasks from a remote command prompt, use:
VMware vSphere Command-Line Interface (vCLI):
Set of commands run from a remote Linux or Windows system and executed on an ESX/ESXi host
Packaged as an application
VMware vSphere Management Assistant (vMA):
A platform for running a variety of toolkits
vCLI
vSphere SDK for Perl
vSphere API
Packaged as a Linux-based virtual appliance
VMware vSphere PowerCLI:
Automation tool for administering a vSphere environment
Distributed as a snap-in to Windows PowerShell
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26. ESX/ESXi User Account Best Practices
Strictly control root privileges to the ESX/ESXi host.
Use the vSphere Client to manage the ESX/ESXi host.
Ideally, use vCenter Server – and thus vCenter Server user accounts – to manage hosts.
VMware vSphere 4.1: Install, Configure, Manage – Revision A

27. Lab 1 In this lab, you will configure an ESXi host.
Connect to an ESXi host with the vSphere Client.
View host hardware configuration.
View virtual machine configuration.
Configure DNS and routing information for an ESXi host.
Configure the ESXi host as an NTP client.
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28. Lesson Summary Describe how to access the ESXi DCUI
Use the vSphere Client to access an ESX/ESXi host
View or configure ESX/ESXi settings:
Processor and memory configuration
Licensing
NTP client
DNS and routing
Security profile
View ESX/ESXi system logs
Identify user account best practices
Describe how to manage ESX/ESXi from the command prompt
VMware vSphere 4.1: Install, Configure, Manage – Revision A

29. Key Points
There are two main versions of ESX: ESX and ESXi (which includes ESXi Installable and ESXi Embedded).
ESXi hosts have a DCUI to configure items like the host name, IP settings, and keyboard layout.
The vSphere Client is used to configure ESX/ESXi hosts.
VMware vSphere 4.1: Install, Configure, Manage – Revision A