Virtualization for Enterprise Chat and Email - Additional Information

Contents 1 Preparing to Install Enterprise Chat and Email Components on Virtual Machines 1.1 How to Design 1.2 How to Deploy 1.3 Downloading the OVA Template 1.4 Creating Virtual Machines by Deploying the OVA Templates 1.5 Installing VMware Tools 1.6 Installing Enterprise Chat and Email Components on Virtual Machines 1.7 Configuring the ESXi Host Network for the Virtual Machines 1.7.1 To add a vSwitch: 1.7.2 To associate a VM Network Adapter to Network Connection

Preparing to Install Enterprise Chat and Email Components on Virtual Machines (top)

Follow the steps and references below to install OR upgrade ECE components on Virtual Machines:

1. Install, set up, and configure the UCS Hardware.
2. Configure the UCS Network. Refer to Unified Communications in a Virtualized Environment - How to Design.
3. Install and boot VMWare ESXi. Refer to Unified Communications in a Virtualized Environment - How to Deploy.
4. Create ECE Virtual Machines from the OVA template. OVA templates are available on Cisco.com.

How to Design (top)

Use the following as a "workflow" to arrive at a design.

• Start with sizing the UC apps by using the following links. This will determine which Collaboration apps you need, compatible versions and for each app how many UC virtual machines are needed and which virtual machine configurations to use.

• Cisco Unified Communications System Releases
• Cisco Unified Communications Design Guide

• Next, determine your virtual machine placement by using the following links. This will determine how many physical servers you need and which VMs will go on which physical servers.

• For a "wizard" approach, use the Cisco Collaboration Virtual Machine Placement Tool (remember to read the caveats of what this tool does NOT do for you).
• For a "manual" approach, use the following links:

• Unified Communications Virtualization Sizing Guidelines

• Allowed co-residency policies of applications that you want to share a physical server
• Virtual-to-Physical sizing rules for each app

• Support policies in the product details pages (see At a Glance table at the top of this page).

• Correct application versions for virtualization support
• Supported virtualization software (vendors, products, versions)
• Supported hardware options, and which virtual machine configurations are supported for different hardware options

Note:

Mixed deployments of virtual, nonvirtual, Cisco-provided, and customer-provided servers are supported provided you follow all design guide rules, sizing tool rules and support policy rules on this site.

• Next, pick the virtualization software (vendor, product, version, license option) using the following links.

• Virtualization Software Requirements
• Remember to verify all UC app VMs sharing a physical server can support the same version.

• Next, use the following links to see if you have any network considerations for LAN, QoS or storage access, or any DAS/NAS/SAN storage hardware design considerations.

• Virtualization QoS Design Considerations
• Virtualized Collaboration Storage Design Requirements

How to Deploy (top)

Use the following if deploying a packaged collaboration solution:

• Cisco Business Edition 6000 Install and Upgrade Guides
• Cisco Business Edition 7000 Install and Upgrade Guides

Use the following for general considerations for any virtualized deployment:

• Cisco Collaboration Virtualization
• Cisco Unified Communications Licensing
• License Comparison

Downloading the OVA Template (top)

To download the OVA template:

1. Proceed to the OVA template download page and select the template that you want:
2. To download a OVA file, click the Download File button next to that file.
3. Click the Add to Cart button next to file, and then click on the Download Cart link. A Download Cart page appears.
4. Click the Proceed with Download button on this page. A Software License Agreement page appears.
5. Read the Software License Agreement, then click the Agree button.
6. On the next page, click on either the Download Manager link (requires Java) or the Non Java Download Option link. A new browser window appears.
7. Choose one:

• If you selected Download Manager, a Select Location dialog box appears. Specify the location where you want to save the file, and click Open to save the file to your local machine.
• If you selected Non Java Download Option, click the Download link on the new browser window. Specify the location and save the file to your local machine.

Creating Virtual Machines by Deploying the OVA Templates (top)

In the vSphere client, perform the following steps to deploy the Virtual machines:

1. Highlight the host or cluster to which you want the VM to be deployed.
2. Select File > Deploy OVF Template.
3. Click the Deploy from File radio button and specify the name and location of the file you downloaded in the previous section OR click the Deploy from URL radio button and specify the complete URL in the field; then click Next.
4. Verify the details of the template, and click Next.
5. Give the VM you are about to create a name, and choose an inventory location on your host; then click Next.
6. Choose the datastore on which you would like the VM to reside, making sure there is sufficient free space to accommodate the new VM; then click Next.
7. Choose a virtual network for the VM, and then click Next.
8. Verify the deployment settings, and then click Finish.

Notes:

• VM CPU affinity is not supported. You do not need to set CPU affinity for the VMs that are running ECE applications on the VMware ESXi on UCS platform.
• VM resource Reservation - VM resource reservation is not supported for the VMs that are running ECE applications on the VMware ESXi on UCS platform. The VM computing resources should have a default reservation setting, which is no resource reservations.
• You cannot change the computing resource configuration of your VM at any time.
• You can never go below the minimum VM computing resource requirements as defined in the OVA templates.
• ESXi Server hyperthread is enabled by default.

Installing VMware Tools (top)

The VMware Tools must be installed on each of the VMs and all of the VMware Tools default settings should be used. Refer to the VMware documentation for instructions on installing or upgrading VMware Tools on the VM with the Windows operating system.

Installing Enterprise Chat and Email Components on Virtual Machines (top)

You can install the ECE components after the configuration of the VMs. Installation of these ECE components on a VM is the same as the installation of these components on physical hardware. Refer to the Enterprise Chat and Email Install Guide for the steps to install components.

Configuring the ESXi Host Network for the Virtual Machines (top)

To configure the network for VMs, you create a virtual switch connected to an Ethernet port on the server, and then associate the virtual machine's network adapter to this virtual switch.

To add a vSwitch:

Log in to the ESXi host using VMware Infrastructure Client.

1. Select the ESXi host.
2. Click the Configuration tab.
3. Click Hardware/Networking.
4. Click Add Networking.
5. Select Connection Types: Virtual Machine; and then click Next.
6. Select "Create a virtual switch" and select an associated VM NIC.
7. Enter Port Group Properties/Network label: VM Network n, where n is an integer.(Example: "VM Network 1")
8. Click Finish.

To associate a VM Network Adapter to Network Connection

Edit virtual machine settings.

1. Select the Network Adapter.
2. Select a virtual switch from the Network Connection/network label. (Example: "VM Network 1")
3. Click OK.
4. Click Hardware/Networking
5. Click Add Networking.
6. Select Connection Types: Virtual Machine, and then click Next.
7. Select "Create a virtual switch" and select an associated VM NIC.
8. Enter Port Group Properties/Network label: VM Network n, where n is an integer.(Example: "VM Network 1")
9. Click Finish.