Installing Prime Network Services Controller in VMware Environments

This section includes the following topics:

VMware Installation Overview

You can install Prime Network Services Controller on VMware by using either an ISO or an OVA image. The installation time varies from 10 to 20 minutes, depending on the host and the storage area network load.

To install Prime Network Services Controller on VMware, complete the following tasks:

Task Comments

1. Configuring VMware for Prime Network Services Controller

Required for ISO installations only.

2. Installing Prime Network Services Controller

Use the procedure appropriate for your environment:

3. Performing VMware Post-Installation Tasks

Required for all installations.

Installing Prime Network Services Controller Using the OVA Image

This procedure describes how to deploy the Prime Network Services Controller OVA image on VMware.

Before You Begin

  • Set your keyboard to United States English.

  • Confirm that the Prime Network Services Controller OVA image is available from the VMware vSphere Client.

  • Make sure that all system requirements are met.

  • Gather the information identified in Information Required for Configuration and Installation.

Procedure
    Step 1   Using the VMware vSphere Client, log in to the vCenter server.
    Step 2   Choose the host on which to deploy the Prime Network Services Controller VM.
    Step 3   Choose File > Deploy OVF Template.
    Step 4   In the wizard, provide the information as described in the following table:
    Screen Action

    Source

    Choose the Prime Network Services Controller OVA.

    OVF Template Details

    Review the details.

    End User License Agreement

    Review the agreement and click Accept.

    Name and Location

    Enter a name and choose a location for the template.

    Deployment Configuration

    Choose Installer.

    Datastore

    Select the data store for the VM. The storage can be local or shared remote, such as NFS or SAN.

    Disk Format

    Choose either Thin provisioned format or Thick provisioned format to store the VM virtual disks.

    Network Mapping

    Choose the management network port group for the VM.

    Properties

    Address any errors that are indicated in red colored text below a selection box. You can enter placeholder information as long as your entry meets the field requirements.

    A. IP Address

    VM management IP address.

    B. IP Netmask

    VM subnet mask.

    C. Gateway

    Gateway IP address.

    D. DNS

    • VM hostname

    • VM domain

    • DNS server IP address

    E. NTP

    NTP server IP address.

    F. Operation Mode

    • Standalone—Operates as a standalone VM.

    • Orchestrator—Integrates through an orchestrator with a northbound application.

    Note    Prime Network Services Controller 3.4 does not support Orchestrator mode.

    G. Passwords

    • Administrator password

    • Shared secret password

    H. Restore

    You can safely ignore the Restore fields.

    Ready to Complete

    Review the deployment settings.

    Caution    Any discrepancies can cause VM booting issues. Carefully review the IP address, subnet mask, and gateway information for accuracy.
    Step 5   Click Finish. A progress indicator shows the task progress until Prime Network Services Controller is deployed.
    Step 6   After Prime Network Services Controller is successfully deployed, click Close.
    Step 7   Power on the Prime Network Services Controller VM.

    Installing Prime Network Services Controller Using an ISO Image

    To install Prime Network Services Controller in a VMware environment using an ISO image, complete the tasks described in the following topics:

    1. Configuring VMware for Prime Network Services Controller

    2. Installing Prime Network Services Controller Using the ISO Image

    Configuring VMware for Prime Network Services Controller

    Before you install Prime Network Services Controller on VMware using an ISO image, you must configure a VM for Prime Network Services Controller. This procedure describes how to configure the VM so that you can install Prime Network Services Controller on it.

    Before You Begin
    Procedure
      Step 1   Download a Prime Network Services Controller ISO image to your client machine.
      Step 2   Open the VMware vSphere Client.
      Step 3   Right-click the host on which to install the ISO image, and then choose New Virtual Machine.
      Step 4   Create a new VM by providing the information as described in the following table:

      Screen Action

      Configuration

      Choose Custom.

      Name and Location

      Enter a name and choose a location for the VM.

      Storage

      Choose the data store.

      Virtual Machine Version

      Choose Version 8.

      Guest Operating System

      Choose Linux and Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 (64-bit).

      CPUs

      Set the number of virtual sockets to 4.

      Memory

      Set the memory to 4 GB.

      Network

      1. Set the number of NICs to 1. A single NIC is required for Prime Network Services Controller.
      2. Choose a NIC.
      3. From the Adapter drop-down list, choose E1000. Prime Network Services Controller supports only E1000 adapters.

      SCSI Controller

      Choose LSI Logic Parallel.

      Select a Disk

      Choose Create a new virtual disk.

      Create a Disk

      1. Disk Size—Enter a minimum of 20 GB.
      2. Disk Provisioning—Choose Thin Provision or Thick Provision.
      3. Location—Specify the location of the data store.

      Advanced Options

      Specify options as needed.

      Step 5   In the Ready to Complete screen, review the information for accuracy, check the Edit the Virtual Machine Settings Before Completion check box, and then click Continue.
      Step 6   In the Virtual Machine Properties dialog box in the Hardware tab, do the following:
      1. Click Memory and in the Memory Size field, choose 4 GB.
      2. Click CPUs and in the Number of Virtual Sockets field, choose 4.
      3. Click New Hard Disk and then click Add to create a new hard disk. The disk requires a minimum of 20 GB.
      4. After you supply the information in the Add Hardware Wizard, click Finish to create the new disk and to return to the Virtual Machine Properties dialog box.
      Step 7   In the Options tab, choose Boot Options, check the Force BIOS Setup checkbox, and then click Finish.
      Step 8   After the new VM is created, power it on.
      Step 9   Mount the ISO to the VM CD ROM drive as follows:
      1. Right-click the VM and choose Open Console.
      2. From the VM console, click Connect/Disconnect the CD/DVD Devices of the virtual machine.
      3. Choose CD/DVD Drive 1.
      4. Choose Connect to ISO Image on Local Disk.
      5. Choose the ISO image that you downloaded in Step 1.
      What to Do Next

      Install Prime Network Services Controller as described in Installing Prime Network Services Controller Using the ISO Image.

      Installing Prime Network Services Controller Using the ISO Image

      This procedure describes how to install the ISO image on a VM that has been configured for Prime Network Services Controller.

      Before You Begin

      Confirm the following items:

      • All system requirements are met.

      • You have the information identified in Information Required for Configuration and Installation.

      • You have configured the hypervisor for the Prime Network Services Controller installation procedure.

      • A VM has been created for Prime Network Services Controller and has network access.

      • You can access the VM console.

      Procedure
        Step 1   Open the VM console if it is not already open. If you have just finished configuring the hypervisor, the Prime Network Services Controller installer displays within a few minutes.
        Step 2   In the Network Configuration screen, click Edit in the Network Devices area, enter the IP address and netmask for the Prime Network Services Controller VM, and click OK.
        Step 3   In the Network Configuration area, enter the hostname, domain name, and IP addresses for the gateway, DNS server, and NTP server.
        Step 4   In the Modes screen, choose the required modes, and click Next:

        • Prime Network Services Controller Operation Mode: Choose Standalone. This release of Prime Network Services Controller is available in Standalone mode only.

        • Prime Network Services Controller Configuration:

          • Prime Network Services Controller Installation—Choose if this is the initial Prime Network Services Controller installation on the VM.

          • Restore Prime Network Services Controller—Choose to restore a previous Prime Network Services Controller installation.

        Step 5   In the Administrative Access screen, enter the administrator and shared secret passwords with confirming entries.

        For information on creating a strong password, see Shared Secret Password Criteria.

        Note    If you configure a weak shared secret password, no error message is generated during entry here, but the shared secret password is not usable when the VM is started during the installation process.
        Step 6   In the Summary screen, confirm that the information is accurate, and then click Finish. Prime Network Services Controller installs on the VM. This takes a few minutes.
        Step 7   When prompted, disconnect from the media source and then click Reboot. Prime Network Services Controller is then installed on the VM.
        Step 8   To confirm that Prime Network Services Controller is accessible, connect to Prime Network Services Controller through the console for the CLI or a browser for the GUI.