Transcript VMware ESX and ESXi

VMware ESX and ESXi
Module 3
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
Module Lessons
Lesson 1:
Overview of ESX/ESXi
Lesson 2:
Configuring ESX/ESXi
VMware vSphere 4.1: Install, Configure, Manage – Revision A
Lesson 1:
Overview of ESX/ESXi
VMware vSphere 4.1: Install, Configure, Manage – Revision A
Lesson Objectives
 Identify the versions of ESX
 Describe the architecture of ESX and ESXi
VMware vSphere 4.1: Install, Configure, Manage – Revision A
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
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
ESX/ESXi Architecture
VMware vSphere 4.1: Install, Configure, Manage – Revision A
Lesson Summary
 Identify the versions of ESX
 Describe the architecture of ESX and ESXi
VMware vSphere 4.1: Install, Configure, Manage – Revision A
Lesson 2:
Configuring ESX/ESXi
VMware vSphere 4.1: Install, Configure, Manage – Revision A
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
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
Configuring ESXi
The DCUI is similar to the BIOS of a computer with a keyboardonly user interface.
VMware vSphere 4.1: Install, Configure, Manage – Revision A
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
Configuring ESXi: Management Network
The DCUI allows
you to modify
network settings:
 Host name
 IP
configuration
(IP address,
subnet mask,
default
gateway)
 DNS servers
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Configuring ESXi: Other Settings
The DCUI allows
an administrator
to:
 Configure
keyboard
layout
 View support
information
 View
system logs
 Enable
troubleshooting
services, when
required
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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
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vSphere Client: Configuration Tab
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Viewing Processor and Memory Configuration
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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
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 Provides full functionality for
ESX/ESXi as an NTP Client
Network Time Protocol is a
client-server protocol used to
NTP
server
synchronize a computer’s clock
to a time reference.
NTP
server
NTP
server
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
VMware
vSphere 4.1: Install, as
Configure,
A
configured
anManage
NTP– Revision
client.
NTP
client
ESX/ESXi
host
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
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(ESX only)
Viewing ESX/ESXi System Logs
Use the vSphere
Client to view logs.
Export system logs
to an archive file.
 Send to
VMware
Support.
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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
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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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.
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Lab 1
In this lab, you will configure an ESXi host.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
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.
VMware vSphere 4.1: Install, Configure, Manage – Revision A
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
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