Cisco Identity Services Engine Installation Guide, Release 3.5

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Cisco Identity Services Engine Installation Guide, Release 3.5

Create a Cisco ISE virtual machine on Hyper-V

Updated: September 18, 2026

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Provides instructions on how to create and configure a new virtual machine on Microsoft Hyper-V for your Cisco ISE deployment. This process includes mapping the installation ISO, adjusting CPU settings, and completing the software installation.

This section explains how to create a new virtual machine, map the ISO image, edit CPU settings, and install Cisco ISE on Hyper-V.

Note

Cisco ISE does not support Multipath I/O (MPIO). If you use MPIO for the VM, installation will fail.

Before you begin

Download the Cisco ISE ISO image from cisco.com to your computer.

Procedure

  1. Launch Hyper-V Manager on a supported Windows server.

    Figure 1. Hyper-V manager console
    This image shows the Hyper-V Manager Console.

  2. Right-click the VM host and click New > Virtual Machine.

    Figure 2. Create a new virtual machine
    This image shows how to create a VM.

  3. Click Next to customize the VM configuration.

    Figure 3. New virtual machine wizard
    This image shows the New Virtal Machine Wizard

  4. Enter a name for the VM. Choose a different path to store the VM. Click Next.

    Figure 4. Specify name and location
    Specify name and location for the virtual machine.

  5. Click the Generation 1 radio button and click Next.

    If you create a Generation 2 Cisco ISE VM, disable the Secure Boot option in the VM settings.

    Figure 5. Specify generation
    Choose the generation for the virtual machine.

  6. Allocate memory to the VM, for example, 16384 MB. Click Next.

  7. Select your network adapter and click Next.

    Figure 6. Configure networking
    Configure networking for the virtual machine.

Configure and start the VM

Procedure

  1. Click the Create a virtual hard disk radio button and click Next.

    Figure 7. Connect Virtual Hard Disk

  2. Click the Install an operating system from a bootable CD/DVD-ROM radio button.

    1. In the Media area, click the Image file (.iso) radio button.
    2. Click Browse to select the ISE ISO image from the local system and click Next.
    Figure 8. Installation Options

  3. Click Finish.

    Figure 9. Complete the New Virtual Machine Wizard

    You have created the Cisco ISE VM on Hyper-V.

    Figure 10. New Virtual Machine created
    New Virtual Machine created.

  4. Select the VM and edit the VM settings.

    1. Select Processor. Enter the number of virtual processors (such as 6). Click OK.

  5. Select the VM and click Connect to launch the VM console. Click Start to power on the Cisco ISE VM.

    Figure 11. Start the Cisco ISE VM
    Start the virtual machine.

    The Cisco ISE installation menu appears.

    Figure 12. Cisco ISE installation menu
    Virtual Machine installation menu.

  6. Enter 1 to install Cisco ISE using a keyboard and monitor.