Cisco UCS C-Series Servers VMware Installation Guide
VMware vSphere ESX Installation
Download this chapter
VMware vSphere ESX Installation VMware vSphere ESX Installation
Download the complete book
Cisco UCS C-Series Servers VMware Installation GuideCisco UCS C-Series Servers VMware Installation Guide (PDF - 870 KB)
 Feedback

VMware vSphere ESX Installation

This chapter includes the following sections:

Installing VMware vSphere ESX on an Internal Drive

This procedure describes how to install VMware vSphere ESX 4 and required drivers on an internal drive using CIMC GUI and the KVM Console.

Before You Begin
  • Make sure you have completed the prerequisites described in Installation Prerequisites Checklist.
  • If you are installing VMware on a Cisco UCS C200 M1 Server or Cisco UCS C250 M1 Server, make sure that the server is using an LSI 1064-based controller mezzanine card for RAID configuration. The VMware server software does not support integrated software RAID with the ICH10R controller.
Procedure
    Step 1   If you are installing the OS or drivers from virtual media, launch the KVM Console and mount the media as described in Mounting the Installation ISO Image.
    Step 2   Power cycle the server using one of the following methods:
    • In the KVM Console, go to the KVM tab and select Macros > Ctrl-Alt-Del.
    • In CIMC GUI, click Summary in the Navigation pane, then click Power Cycle Server in the Actions area of the Server Summary tab.
    • On the physical server, press the Power button.
    Step 3   (Optional)If you want to set the boot order that the server will use after the OS is installed, watch the boot messages and press F2 when prompted to enter BIOS setup, then set the boot order.

    For details, see Configuring the Server Boot Order Using the KVM Console.

    Step 4   To override the normal boot order and boot from the installation media, in the KVM tab of the KVM Console, watch the boot messages and press F6 when prompted to enter the Boot Menu.
    Step 5   On the Boot Menu screen, do one of the following:
    • If you are using an ISO image, select Cisco Virtual CD/DVD and press Enter.
    • If you are using a physical install disk, select the disk drive in which that disk resides and press Enter.

    The server reboots from the selected device and begins installing the OS from the image or disk.

    Step 6   (Optional)If you are experiencing slow response times when using the KVM window, you can change the mouse acceleration:
    1. In the KVM tab in the KVM Console, select Tools > Session Options.
    2. Select the Mouse tab.
    3. In the Mouse Acceleration field, select Linux.
    4. Click OK to apply your changes.
    Step 7   When the installer displays the Custom Drivers window, do one of the following:
    • If you do not need to install any custom drivers, click No. When you are prompted to load the system drivers, click Yes.
    • If you need to install custom drivers:
      1. Click Yes.
      2. Click Add.
      3. When you are prompted to insert the driver CD, return to the VM tab or Virtual Media Session dialog box in the KVM Console.
      4. Because you can only have one virtual CD/DVD mapped at a time, unmap any existing virtual CD/DVD connections by clearing the check box associated with that connection.
        Tip   

        To verify that you can create a new connection, look at the Details table. The first line should show that the Virtual CD/DVD is not mapped.

      5. Click Add Image and navigate to the directory containing the driver ISO image you downloaded from VMware.com.
      6. Select the ISO image file and click Open.
      7. In the Client View area, check the check box in the Mapped column associated with the ISO file, then wait for mapping to complete.
      8. Return to the ESX installation prompt in the KVM tab.
      9. Click OK at the prompt and select the driver you want to load.
      10. If you want to add another custom driver, click Add and select the driver. Repeat this process until you have selected all of the required custom drivers.
      11. When you are done adding drivers, click Next in the Custom Drivers window.
      12. When prompted to install the system drivers, click Yes.
      13. When you are prompted to insert the ESX installation CD, return to the VM tab or Virtual Media Session dialog box in the KVM Console.
      14. Clear the check box next to the driver ISO file and check the check box next to the installation ISO file.
      15. Wait until mapping completes, then return to the installer in the KVM tab.
    Step 8   When the installer prompts you to select the location where you want to install the OS, select the installation-target drive and click Next.

    All non-RAID drives are listed by name. Volumes created by a RAID controller are listed as logical drives.

    Step 9   Complete the installation according to the requirements and standards of your company by continuing to monitor the installation progress and answering prompts as required.

    After the installation is complete, the installer software ejects any physical disks, unmaps any virtual drives, and reboots the server again. The installation target that is first in the boot order is booted with the OS.

    For information about customizing the OS, see your OS documentation.

    Installing VMware vSphere ESX on a Bootable SAN LUN

    This procedure describes how to install VMware ESX 4 on a bootable SAN LUN logical disk or RAID volume using CIMC GUI and the KVM Console.

    Before You Begin
    • Make sure you have completed the prerequisites described in Installation Prerequisites Checklist.
    • Configure a LUN or RAID volume on your SAN, then connect to the SAN and verify that one (and only one) path exists from the SAN HBA to the LUN. If you are using an LSI RAID controller or the onboard Intel ICH10R controller, see RAID Controller Considerations for more information.
    • If you are installing VMware on a Cisco UCS C200 M1 Server or Cisco UCS C250 M1 Server, make sure that the server is using an LSI 1064-based controller mezzanine card for RAID configuration. The VMware server software does not support integrated software RAID with the ICH10R controller.
    Procedure
      Step 1   If you are installing the OS or drivers from virtual media, launch the KVM Console and mount the media as described in Mounting the Installation ISO Image.
      Step 2   Power cycle the server using one of the following methods:
      • In the KVM Console, go to the KVM tab and select Macros > Ctrl-Alt-Del.
      • In CIMC GUI, click Summary in the Navigation pane, then click Power Cycle Server in the Actions area of the Server Summary tab.
      • On the physical server, press the Power button.
      Step 3   (Optional)If you want to set the boot order that the server will use after the OS is installed, watch the boot messages and press F2 when prompted to enter BIOS setup, then set the boot order.

      For details, see Configuring the Server Boot Order Using the KVM Console.

      Step 4   To override the normal boot order and boot from the installation media, in the KVM tab of the KVM Console, watch the boot messages and press F6 when prompted to enter the Boot Menu.
      Step 5   On the Boot Menu screen, do one of the following:
      • If you are using an ISO image, select Cisco Virtual CD/DVD and press Enter.
      • If you are using a physical install disk, select the disk drive in which that disk resides and press Enter.

      The server reboots from the selected device and begins installing the OS from the image or disk.

      Step 6   When the ESX splash screen displays, press Enter to install ESX in graphical mode.
      Step 7   (Optional)If you are experiencing slow response times when using the KVM window, you can change the mouse acceleration:
      1. In the KVM tab in the KVM Console, select Tools > Session Options.
      2. Select the Mouse tab.
      3. In the Mouse Acceleration field, select Linux.
      4. Click OK to apply your changes.
      Step 8   When the installer prompts you to select the location where you want to install the OS, select the installation-target LUN and click Next.
      Step 9   When the installer displays the Custom Drivers window, do one of the following:
      • If you do not need to install any custom drivers, click No. When you are prompted to load the system drivers, click Yes.
      • If you need to install custom drivers:
        1. Click Yes.
        2. Click Add.
        3. When you are prompted to insert the driver CD, return to the VM tab or Virtual Media Session dialog box in the KVM Console.
        4. Because you can only have one virtual CD/DVD mapped at a time, unmap any existing virtual CD/DVD connections by clearing the check box associated with that connection.
          Tip   

          To verify that you can create a new connection, look at the Details table. The first line should show that the Virtual CD/DVD is not mapped.

        5. Click Add Image and navigate to the directory containing the driver ISO image you downloaded from VMware.com.
        6. Select the ISO image file and click Open.
        7. In the Client View area, check the check box in the Mapped column associated with the ISO file, then wait for mapping to complete.
        8. Return to the ESX installation prompt in the KVM tab.
        9. Click OK at the prompt and select the driver you want to load.
        10. If you want to add another custom driver, click Add and select the driver. Repeat this process until you have selected all of the required custom drivers.
        11. When you are done adding drivers, click Next in the Custom Drivers window.
        12. When prompted to install the system drivers, click Yes.
        13. When you are prompted to insert the ESX installation CD, return to the VM tab or Virtual Media Session dialog box in the KVM Console.
        14. Clear the check box next to the driver ISO file and check the check box next to the installation ISO file.
        15. Wait until mapping completes, then return to the installer in the KVM tab.
      Step 10   Complete the installation according to the requirements and standards of your company by continuing to monitor the installation progress and answering prompts as required.

      After the installation is complete, the installer software ejects any physical disks, unmaps any virtual drives, and reboots the server again. The installation target that is first in the boot order is booted with the OS.

      For information about customizing the OS, see your OS documentation.