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There is a number of key prerequisites that must be in place in order to successfully install Cisco Modeling Labs using an OVA file.
These prerequisites are:
The host must support Intel VT-x/EPT virtualization extensions, and these extensions must be enabled in the BIOS.
The target disk must be at least 250 GB.
VMware vSphere ESXi 5.5 Update 2 (Build 1993072) or later
VMware vSphere ESXi 6.0 (Build 2494585).
VMware vSphere ESXi 6.5 (Build 4564106).
Note | Additionally, you must verify that you are using vSphere Client v5.5 Update 2 (Build 1993072) or later before deploying Cisco Modeling Labs. Failure to use this minimum version will result in a failed deployment that returns an error stating that nested virtualization is not supported. |
Note | The implementation of Cisco Modeling Labs within a VM is limited to the listed VMware vSphere ESXi versions. Other hypervisors such as Oracle VirtualBox, Microsoft HyperV, XenServer, etc. are not supported. Depending on network speed and target platform performance, an installation can take between 30 and 60 minutes. |
You must download the Cisco Modeling Labs OVA file using the link provided in your purchase confirmation email.
The OVA files are large (~4 GB), so rather than HTTP downloads using a web browser, the use of a download manager for Mac or Windows is recommended.
An MD5 hash sum for the OVA file is provided along with the download link on the download website. You must calculate and verify that the hash sum of the downloaded OVA file matches the source file:
Note | You must enable Intel VT in the BIOS for Cisco Modeling Labs to operate correctly. |
The ESXi host must be enabled for remote access using SSH sessions. This is necessary for Cisco’s Technical Support staff to provide diagnostic and corrective assistance should the need arise.
The Cisco Modeling Labs virtual machine requires connections to five distinct virtual network port groups. The first connection is for Cisco Modeling Labs server management, and is named VM_Network, by default. Depending on the vSphere deployment policies, this port group may be assigned to the same address space as the host’s VMkernel port (placing it on the same network), or on a distinct VLAN if isolation from the ESXi management is required. The other four port groups FLAT, FLAT1, SNAT, and INT are used by Cisco Modeling Labs for external communications. These ESXi port groups must be prepared prior to initiating the installation of Cisco Modeling Labs.
The following steps illustrates the most common deployment method of Cisco Modeling Labs in a VM environment.
Step 1 | To install the OVA, log in to the VMware ESXi server. |
Step 2 | From the vSphere
client menu, choose
The
.
window is displayed.
|
Step 3 | In the Source window, click Browse to navigate to the OVA package. |
Step 4 | In the dialog box displayed, click Open. |
Step 5 | Click
Next.
|
Step 6 | In the
Name and
Location window, provide a name for the virtual machine and click
Next.
|
Step 7 | In the
Disk
Format window, choose the target data storage (Datastore) disk
format, and click
Next.
|
Step 8 | In the
Network
Mapping window, map the virtual networks defined in the OVA, with
those present in the host, and click
Next.
|
Step 9 | In the Ready to Complete window, ensure that the Power on after deployment check box remains unchecked to allow the virtual machine settings to be updated before it is powered on. |
Step 10 | Click
Finish to start
the OVA deployment.
OVA deployment starts.
|
Step 11 | When the
deployment completes, click
Close.
|
Step 1 | In the vSphere client, click Edit Virtual Machine Settings. The Virtual Machine Properties dialog box is displayed. |
Step 2 | Update the value
for
Memory as
required for your environment.
|
Step 3 | Update the value
for
CPUs as
required for your environment.
|
Step 4 | After revising the Memory and CPU settings for the virtual machine
properties, it is recommended that the memory resources be reserved for the VM.
To do this, select the
Resources tab and highlight
Memory in the settings list. Check the
Reserve all guest memory (All locked) checkbox and click
OK to save the change.
|
Step 5 | In addition, confirm that the network adapters have been setup correctly. |
Step 6 | Under the
Options tab,
ensure that the setting
CPUID Mask
is set to
Expose Nx flag
to guest as shown.
|
Step 7 | Click OK to save the changes. |
Following the software installation, the Cisco Modeling Labs server must be customized for the environment within which it will operate and desired integration with existing lab/test devices. This customization includes setting the following attributes:
The interface configurations associated with external communications (Ethernet1 [Flat], Ethernet2 [Flat1], and Ethernet3 [SNAT]), if required.
Application details such as ports associated with the VIRL-services, internal passwords, resource over-commit ratios, and access/download proxy details.
Note | When deploying Cisco Modeling Labs using the OVA-formatted install file, the installed application is preconfigured to use DHCP services to acquire an IP address for the management port, Ethernet0. |
On initial startup of Cisco Modeling Labs, a virtual console session is started to ascertain the assigned IP address, or to set the static addressing details to the Ethernet0 interface. Complete the following steps to start the Cisco Modeling Labs server for the first time.
Step 1 | In the vSphere client, click Power On the Virtual Machine. The virtual machine starts up. | ||
Step 2 | Open a console
window by right-clicking on
Cisco Modeling
Labs 1.3 and choose
Open Console
from the list.
In the
Console window, you can see the virtual machine starting up.
|
From the ESXi virtual machine console, assign the static IP address as follows:
Step 1 | Login using
username/password virl/VIRL, as shown.
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Step 2 | Edit the /etc/network/interface file, using the command: sudo nano /etc/network/interfaces. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Step 3 | Scroll through
the file to the configuration associated with Ethernet0 and make the following
changes:
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Step 4 | Enter Ctrl-X to exit the editor. Enter Y to save the edits, then Enter to confirm overwriting the /etc/network/interfaces file. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Step 5 | Reboot the
virtual machine using the
sudo reboot
now command.
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Step 6 | Once the
virtual machine completes the reboot cycle, the login screen provides
information on how to establish a browser session to the Cisco Modeling Labs
server’s management interface, using the static address
http://<static_ip_address> added to the
/etc/network/interfaces file.
The CML Server main menu is displayed. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Step 7 | Click the
User
Workspace Management interface link. Login with the default
credentials (username= uwmadmin, password=password). The
User
Workspace Management Overview page is displayed.
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Step 8 | From the options
on the left, expand the
CML Server
option and select
System
Configuration. Click
System to
set the system management details.
Update the system configuration as required.
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Step 9 | Click
Networks
to configure the other interfaces for external communications.
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Step 10 | Click
Services
to configure the port numbers for VIRL services.
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Step 11 | Click
Infrastructure to configure the other interfaces for
external communications.
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Step 12 | Click
Resources
to configure the other interfaces for external communications to meet
integration requirements.
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Step 13 | With all
configuration options set, click
Apply
Changes. At this point, the system will ask you to please enable
maintenance mode first as shown.
Click Enable. The system is now in maintenance mode. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Step 14 | Click
Apply
Changes as shown.
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Step 15 | When
completed, click
Reboot to
reboot the system.
The
Reboot System dialog box is displayed.
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Step 16 | Click
Reboot to
reboot the system.
The
System Configuration page is displayed.
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Step 17 | Click
Disable
Maintenance Mode.
A
Maintenance Mode dialog box is displayed.
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Step 18 | Click
Disable.
The system is no longer in maintenance mode.
Your
configuration is complete.
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Step 19 | Click OK on the System Configuration page to return to the System Configuration Controls page. |
On initial startup of Cisco Modeling Labs, a virtual console session is started to ascertain the assigned IP address, or to set the static addressing details to the Ethernet0 interface. Complete the following steps to start the Cisco Modeling Labs server for the first time.
Step 1 | In the vSphere client, click Power On the Virtual Machine. The virtual machine starts up. | ||
Step 2 | Open a console
window by right-clicking on
Cisco Modeling
Labs 1.3 and choose
Open Console
from the list.
In the
Console window, you can see the virtual machine starting up.
| ||
Step 3 | From the ESXi virtual machine console, deploy DHCP as follows: | ||
Step 4 | Establish a
browser session to the Cisco Modeling Labs server’s management interface, using
the IP address
http://<eth0_ip_address>
|
Returning to the
User Workplace Management interface shows the server’s current licensing
status; the red banner indicates that there is no product licensing in place.
To license the Cisco Modeling Labs server, complete the following steps:
Step 1 | In the left
pane, click
Licenses.
The
Licenses page is displayed.
| ||||||||
Step 2 | In the Licenses page, click Register Licenses. | ||||||||
Step 3 | Record the
Host Name and
Mac Address for
license key registration.
Use this information when completing the Register Claim Certificates instructions in the eDelivery Order Notification email to request your license key for use with the Cisco Modeling Labs server.
You will receive your license key as an attachment via an email. | ||||||||
Step 4 | Open the attachment in a text editor and copy all of the contents. | ||||||||
Step 5 | Return to the
Register
Licenses
page and paste the details into the
Licenses
text area.
| ||||||||
Step 6 | Click
Register to
register the license key.
| ||||||||
Step 7 | Repeat Steps 4 – 6 for each license file received from the registration process. Verify that the Licenses page correctly reports the applied node count and expiration dates. | ||||||||
Step 8 | Click Log Out to exit the User Workspace Management interface. |