VMware ESX 4.0 - GETTING STARTED UPDATE 1 User manual

ESX and vCenter Server Installation
Guide
Update 1
ESX 4.0
vCenter Server 4.0
This document supports the version of each product listed and
supports all subsequent versions until the document is replaced
by a new edition. To check for more recent editions of this
document, see http://www.vmware.com/support/pubs.
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You can find the most up-to-date technical documentation on the VMware Web site at:
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Contents
Updated Information 7
About This Book 9
1Introduction to VMware vSphere 11
2System Requirements 13
ESX Hardware Requirements 13
vCenter Server and vSphere Client Hardware Requirements 16
vCenter Server Software Requirements 17
vSphere Client Software Requirements 18
Support for 64-Bit Guest Operating Systems 18
Requirements for Creating Virtual Machines 18
Required Ports 18
Supported Remote Management Firmware Versions 19
3Introduction to Installing ESX 21
Prerequisites for Installing ESX 21
About the esxconsole.vmdk 22
Options for Accessing the Installation Media, Booting the Installer, and Running the Installer 22
About ESX Evaluation Mode 23
ESX Installation Options 23
4Location of the ESX Installation Media 27
Download the ESX ISO Image and Burn the Installation DVD 27
Creating a Media Depot 27
5Booting the ESX Installer 29
Bootstrap Commands 29
Boot the ESX Installer from the Installation DVD 30
PXE Booting the ESX Installer 31
6Installing VMware ESX 41
Install ESX Using the Graphical Mode 41
Install ESX Using the Text Mode 45
Installing ESX Using Scripted Mode 47
7ESX Partitioning 63
Required Partitions 63
Optional Partitions 64
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8Post-Installation Considerations for ESX 65
Download the vSphere Client 65
Licensing the Host 65
Set an ESX/ESXi Host to Evaluation Mode 66
9Installing, Removing, and Updating Third-Party Extensions 67
About Patching Hosts with vSphere Host Update Utility 67
About the vihostupdate Command-Line Utility 68
Update an ESX/ESXi Host Using Offline Bundles with the vihostupdate Utility 68
Update an ESX/ESXi Host Using a Depot with the vihostupdate Utility 69
Remove Custom Packages on ESX Using the Service Console 70
Remove Selected Custom Packages on ESX/ESXi Using the vSphere Command Line 70
10 Preparing the vCenter Server Databases 73
vCenter Server Database Patch and Configuration Requirements 73
Create a 32-Bit DSN on a 64-Bit Operating System 75
Configure vCenter Server to Communicate with the Local Database After Shortening the Computer
Name to 15 Characters or Fewer 75
About the Bundled Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express Database Package 76
Maintaining a vCenter Server Database 76
Configure DB2 Databases 76
Configure Microsoft SQL Server Databases 85
Configure Oracle Databases 89
11 Introduction to Installing vCenter Server 95
vCenter Server Prerequisites 95
Using a User Account for Running vCenter Server with SQL Server 96
About Installing vCenter Server on IPv6 Machines 97
Configure the URLs on a Standalone vCenter Server System 97
Running the vCenter Server and vSphere Client Installers from a Network Drive 97
vCenter Server Components 98
Required Data for Installing vCenter Server 98
12 Installing vCenter Server 101
Download the vCenter Server Installer 101
Install vCenter Server in a Virtual Machine 101
Install vCenter Server 102
13 Postinstallation Considerations for vCenter Server 105
Install the vSphere Client 106
Install the vSphere Host Update Utility 107
Uninstall VMware vSphere Components 108
14 Creating vCenter Server Linked Mode Groups 109
Linked Mode Prerequisites 109
Linked Mode Considerations 110
Configure the URLs on a Linked Mode vCenter Server System 110
Joining to a Linked Mode Group During and After Installation 111
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Join a Linked Mode Group After Installation 111
Isolate a vCenter Server Instance from a Linked Mode Group 112
Linked Mode Troubleshooting 113
15 Install Additional Modules 117
Install VMware vCenter Guided Consolidation 117
Install VMware vCenter Update Manager 118
Install VMware vCenter Converter 119
16 Managing ESX/ESXi and vCenter Server Licenses 121
About License Key Capacity 122
About vSphere and vCenter Server License Keys 123
About Using a License Server to Manage ESX 3.x/ESXi 3.5 Hosts 123
About the License Portal 123
About License Inventories 124
Controlling License Permissions 125
View License Information 126
Add a License Key to the License Inventory and Assign It to an Asset 127
Add Multiple License Keys to the License Inventory 127
Assign a License Key to Multiple Assets 128
Export Report Data 129
License a Host Without vCenter Server 130
License a Host When Adding It to the vCenter Server Inventory 130
View Which Features Are Licensed on a Host 130
Set an ESX/ESXi Host to Evaluation Mode 131
Troubleshooting Licensing 131
Index 135
Contents
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Updated Information
This ESX and vCenter Server Installation Guide is updated with each release of the product or when necessary.
This table provides the update history of the ESX and vCenter Server Installation Guide.
Revision Description
EN-000258-02 nIn “vCenter Server Database Patch and Configuration Requirements,” on page 73, Table 10-1 now
contains information that the patch version is updated to 10.2.0.4 for Oracle 10g database.
n“vCenter Server Prerequisites,” on page 95 now contains information that to use vCenter Linked
Mode, multiple vCenter Server systems should be added to a domain.
EN-000258-01 nAdded a command to Step 1 in the topic “Use a Script to Create a DB2 Database,” on page 79.
nAdded commands to Step 3 in the topic “Use a Script to Create the DB2 Database Schema (Optional),”
on page 81.
nAdded commands to Step 4 in the topic “Use a Script to Create the Microsoft SQL Server Database
Schema (Optional),” on page 86.
nAdded commands to Step 3 in the topic “Use a Script to Create the Oracle Database Schema
(Optional),” on page 91.
EN-000258-00 Initial release.
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About This Book
The Installation Guide describes how to install new configurations of VMware® vCenter Server and ESX. It does
not include setup or installation information for ESXi.
Intended Audience
This book is intended for anyone who needs to install vCenter Server and install ESX 4.0.
The information is written for experienced Windows or Linux system administrators who are familiar with
virtual machine technology and datacenter operations.
Document Feedback
VMware welcomes your suggestions for improving our documentation. If you have comments, send your
feedback to [email protected].
VMware vSphere Documentation
The vSphere documentation consists of the combined VMware vCenter Server and ESX/ESXi documentation
set.
Technical Support and Education Resources
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other books, go to http://www.vmware.com/support/pubs.
Online and Telephone
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Customers with appropriate support contracts should use telephone support
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pilot programs and implementation best practices, VMware Consulting
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Services provides offerings to help you assess, plan, build, and manage your
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