Download the Catalyst Center on ESXi OVA file from the location specified by Cisco.

Log in to the vSphere Web Client.

In the navigation pane, right-click the IP address of host or cluster on which you want to deploy the OVA file and then click Deploy OVF Template.

Complete the Deploy OVF Template wizard:

1. In the Select an OVF Template wizard page, specify the OVA file you want to use for deployment and then click Next. You can either:

   • Click the URL radio button and enter the appropriate path and OVA filename. If you choose this option, ensure that the OVA file is stored in and shared from a web-accessible location.

   • Click the Local file radio button, click Upload Files, and then navigate to and select the appropriate OVA file.

   The wizard's Select a name and folder page opens. By default, the OVA's filename is set as the name of the virtual machine you're about to create. Also, the location where the ESXi host or cluster you selected in Step 3 resides is set as the deployment location.

2. If you want to use the default values, click Next and proceed to Step 4c.

   If you want to use different values, do these steps:

   1. Enter a name for the virtual machine you are creating.

   2. Specify where the virtual machine will reside.

   3. Click Next.

   The wizard's Select a compute resource page opens.

3. Click the ESXi host or cluster on which you want to deploy the OVA file (the same one you right-clicked in Step 3), then click Next.

   A page that lists deployment template details is displayed.

4. Review the template details and then do one of these tasks:

   • If you need to make any changes, click Back as needed to return to the appropriate wizard page.

   • If you want to proceed, click Next.

   Note

   Ignore the information provided in the Extra configuration field. This refers to additional configurations that Cisco provides in the Catalyst Center on ESXi OVA file.

   The wizard's Select storage page opens.

5. Configure the storage:

   1. Click the radio button for the storage device you want to use.

   2. In the Select virtual disk format field, choose either the Thick Provision or Thin Provision option.

   3. Click Next.

   The wizard's Select networks page opens.

6. Configure the destination network for the enterprise network.

   1. In the Destination Network drop-down list for the enterprise network, choose the network that will connect to the Catalyst Center on ESXi enterprise interface.

   2. Click Next.

   A summary of the deployment settings you've entered is displayed by the Ready to complete wizard page.

7. Review the settings and then do one of these tasks:

   • If you need to make any changes, click Back as needed to return to the appropriate wizard page.

   • If you want to proceed with deployment, click Finish.

     In general, deployment takes around 45 minutes to complete. You can monitor the progress in the vSphere Client's Recent Tasks tab.