by Ramesh Natarajan on June 23, 2010 As part of the on-going VMware arti!e series, ear!ier we "isusse" about VMware #irtua!i$ation fun"amenta!s, an" how to insta!! VMware %er#er 2& 'n this arti!e, !et us "isuss about how to insta!! VMware (%)i& VMware (%)i is free& *owe#er, the software omes with a +0 "ays e#a!uation mo"e& ,ou shou!" register on VMware website to get your free !iense -ey to ome out of the e#a!uation mo"e& .ne the (%)i is insta!!e", you an either user #%phere /!ient on the 0iret /onso!e 1ser 'nterfae to a"minister the host& VMware (%)i is base" on hyper#isor arhiteture that runs "iret!y on top of a har"ware as shown be!ow& 1. Download ESXi server 2et the software from the VMware (%)i "own!oa" page& 3o!!owing are the #arious "own!oa" options a#ai!ab!e& %e!et 4(%)i 5&0 1p"ate 1 'nsta!!ab!e 6/0 '%.7 8inary 6&iso79 an" burn a /0& (%)i 5&0 1p"ate 1 'nsta!!ab!e 6/0 '%.7 1pgra"e pa-age from (%)i %er#er 3&: to (%)i %er#er 5&0 1p"ate 1 1pgra"e pa-age from (%)i %er#er 5&0 to (%)i %er#er 5&0 1p"ate 1 VMware #%phere /!ient an" *ost 1p"ate 1ti!ity 2. VMware VMvisor oot Menu .ne you insert the (%)i /0 an" reboot the ser#er, it wi!! "isp!ay a boot menu with an option to !aunh 4(%)i 'nsta!!er9 as shown be!ow& !. VMware ESXi Installer "oadin# ;hi!e the insta!!er is !oa"ing a!! the neessary mo"u!es, it wi!! "isp!ay the ser#er onfiguration information at the top as shown be!ow& 'n this e<amp!e, ' was insta!!ing VMware (%)i 5&0 on a 0e!! =ower("ge 2>:0 ser#er& $. %ew ESXi Install %ine this is a new insta!!ation of (%)i, se!et 4'nsta!!9 in the fo!!owing sreen& &. 'ccept VMware E("' Rea" an" aept the (1?A by pressing 311& ). Select a Dis* to Install VMware ESXi VMware (%)i 5&0&0 'nsta!!er wi!! "isp!ay a!! a#ai!ab!e "is- groups& /hoose the 0is- where you wou!" !i-e to insta!! the (%)i& 't is reommen"e" to hoose the 0is-0& +. ,on-ir. ESXi Installation /onfirm that you are rea"y to start the insta!! proess& /. Installation in 0ro#ress @he insta!!ation proess ta-es few minutes& ;hi!e the (%)i is getting insta!!e", it wi!! "isp!ay a progress bar as shown be!ow& 1. ESXi Installation ,o.plete ,ou wi!! get the fo!!owing insta!!ation omp!ete" message that wi!! prompt you to reboot the ser#er& 12. ESXi Initial Screen After the (%)i is insta!!e", youA!! get the fo!!owing sreen where you an onfigure the system by pressing 32& 'n the ne<t arti!e, !et us re#iew how to perform the initia! (%)i onfiguration& 12 Steps to Install and (se the 3ree VMware ESXi $ by 0a#i" 0a#is B=ub!ishe" on 23 Dec. 2009 C ?ast 1p"ate" on 23 Dec. 2009D ? *ow to "own!oa", insta!!, an" use the free VMware (%)i to #irtua!i$e your infrastruture& Introduction 'n my reent arti!e 10 Reasons why VMware (%)i 5 is perfet for the %M8 ' o#ere" why VMware (%)i 5 is perfet for the %M8& 'n this fo!!ow up arti!e, ' wi!! show you, step by step, how to "own!oa", insta!!, an" get starte" using VMware (%)i #ersion 5& ?et us get starte" thenE 1. Make sure your Hardware is Compatible 8efore starting the proess of "own!oa"ing VMware (%)i, you must ma-e sure that your har"ware is ompatib!e with VMware (%)i #ersion 5& @his is espeia!!y true beause (%) an" (%)i #ersion 5 reFuire a ser#er with a +5 bit /=1& 'n other wor"s, (%)i 5 wou!" not run on a ser#er with a 32 bit /=1& @o #erify that your har"ware is ompatib!e, he-out VMwareAs *ar"ware /ompatibi!ity ?ist& 'f you "o ha#e a +5 bit /=1 but your har"ware is not on the !ist, ' enourage you to sti!! try out (%)i 5 to see if it wor-s on your har"ware& 'f you on!y ha#e a 32 bit /=1, VMware is sti!! offering (%)i 3&: 3ree ("ition that is ompatib!e with 32 bit /=1s& 2. Register with VMware and Actiate your account .ne you -now that your har"ware is ompatib!e, you are rea"y to obtain (%)i 5& *owe#er, to obtain it, you nee" to register to "own!oa" it& @o "o this, go to the (%)i 3ree 0own!oa" website& (nter your name an" emai! a""ress to ati#ate your aount& 3i#ure 14 Registering to "own!oa" the free VMware (%)i 5 ,ou wi!! reei#e an emai! where you wi!! !i- to ati#ate your registration& @hat wi!! ta-e you to the "own!oa" site for (%)i 5& !. "ownload #$%i &ree Ne<t, you wi!! see that '%. an" G'= #ersions a#ai!ab!e for "own!oa"& ,ou wi!! a!so see your ati#ation o"e& Ma-e sure you -eep that o"e han"y for !ater& 3i#ure 24 0own!oa"ing the VMware (%)i '%. 'mage /!i- on the '%. image an" "own!oa" the 351M8 fi!e& ,ou "o not want the G'= fi!e as that is for upgra"ing, not a fresh insta!!& '. (urn a C" .ne "own!oa"e", that image nee"s to be burne" to a physia! /0 6un!ess you are going to run (%)i insi"e VMware ;or-station7& 'n other wor"s, if you are going to run (%)i on a physia! ser#er 6e#eryone is e<ept in rare ases7, then you nee" to put it on a /0 an" boot that ser#er off of the /0& @o "o this, you wi!! nee" to burn the /0 using /0 8urning C /0 Authoring software an" a /0 reor"ab!e "ri#e& 'n my ase, ' ha" a /0 authoring software insta!!e" 6a!!e" =ower22o7 that ame with my /0C0V0 "ri#e so when ' "oub!e-!i-e" on the "own!oa", the burning software starte"& 3i#ure !4 8urning (%)i to a /0 ,ou shou!" note that you on!y nee" to insert a /0 reor"ab!e "is-, not a 0V0 as this image is on!y 350M8& A!so, beause of this, the burning wi!! on!y ta-e a few minutes& 3or more information on '%. 8urning, see this arti!e H *ow to ;rite '%. 3i!es to /0& ). *btain I+ address and register hostname in ",$ ;hi!e the image is burning an" you ha#e a few minutes to spare, ' reommen" that you figure out what stati '= a""ress you wi!! use for the new (%)i host& A!so, you want to figure out what 0N% name you wi!! use an" reate an a!ias for the (%) hostname in your 0N% ser#er& .f ourse, that 0N% host name wi!! map up with the stati '= a""ress you ar#e" out for the new (%)i host& -. (oot #$%i and Install At this point, you an ta-e your burne" VMware (%)i 5 /0, insert it into the ser#er an" start the insta!!ation proess& ?i-e any /0 that you are trying to boot, you may nee" to he- the boot or"er in your 8'.% or press a -ey 6!i-e (%/7 to manua!!y boot from the (%)i /0 in the /0R.M "ri#e& @he (%)i insta!!ation proess is Fui- an" easy& 't is !i-e!y that you wi!! ta-e a!! the "efau!ts, with the on!y "eterrent being that you shou!" enter a!! the neessary networ- information suh asI Static IP address and hostname you defned in step 5 DNS servers and DNS sufx Default gateway 3or some basi step by step on the insta!!ation proess with sreenshots, p!ease see my arti!e- New VMware (%)i %er#er H /onfiguration /he-!ist& .. Initial #$%i $erer Con/gure @o initia!!y set up the new ser#er, again, ' am going to refer you to another of my arti!es that o#ers this step by step& =!ease see New VMware (%)i %er#er H /onfiguration /he-!ist& @his wi!! gui"e you through "oing things !i-e setting the root passwor", !o-ing "own the ser#er, an" more& 3i#ure $4 /onfiguring your new ser#er at the onso!e 0. Install your $phere Client @o manage the new ser#er, you nee" to insta!! the #%phere !ient& @he #%phere !ient is use" whether you purhase the #%phere (nterprise =!us %uite for thousan"s of "o!!ars or if you are using the 3ree (%)i on!y& @o "own!oa" an" insta!! the #%phere !ient, just open your web browser an" enter that stati '= a""ress or hostname of the new (%)i ser#er in the a""ress bar& @his wi!! ta-e you to the webpage for that ser#er where you an "own!oa" the !ient& 3i#ure &4 0own!oa"ing the #%phere !ient 1. #nter your &ree #$%i Actiation Code .ne your #%phere !ient is insta!!e", you an onnet to the hostname of your new (%)i host& ;hen you "o onnet, you wi!! get the message that your +0 "ay tria! has starte"& 4*ey waitE9, you say, 4this was suppose" to be a 3ree (%)i host, not a +0 "ay tria!9& ;e!!, to ma-e it 4free9 you nee" to use the ati#ation o"e that you see up in 3i#ure 2. 'n the #%phere !ient, go to the ,on-i#uration tab, then to "icensed 3eatures an" a"" your "icense 5ey6 !i-e thisI 3i#ure )4 (ntering your ?iense Jey At that point, you an use this (%)i host fore#er at no ostE 12. Install or Import a VM 3ina!!y, you nee" some #irtua! mahines& ,ou an import VMs from the Virtua! App!iane Mar-etp!ae by going to 3ile 7 rowse Virtual 'ppliance Mar*etplace or by reating your own VM by going to 3ile 7 %ew 7 Virtual Machine. ,ou an e#en on#ert physia! mahines into #irtua! mahines using a =2V on#ersion app!iation& At this point we are a!! "one 0own!oa"ing, 'nsta!!ing, an" getting starte" with the free VMware (%)i 5 ser#erE 0o not forget to "oument hanges for your junior '@ staff an" e"uate them how to use the new #irtua! infrastruture& .ne you spen" some time using an" e#a!uating VMware (%)i, you may want to onsi"er a fu!! +0 "ay e#a! of the omp!ete #%phere suite&