(this contains a free license key with my name - Pablo Fernandez - so you need to be authorized to view it)

Setting up a VMWare ESXi 4 host

• Installation with the ILOM
  • in the ILOM, redirect the installation cdrom (/extras/VMware-VMvisor-Installer-4.1.0-260247.x86_64.iso) and reboot the machine icdrom xx, ireset xx
  • Follow the installation, it's just continue-continue.
  • When you see the welcome screen press F2 to customize it.
  • The first password is empty. Set it in the menu.
  • Check that the management network is correct (it should be in the 10.10 network, taken from DHCP)
  • Enter also Troubleshooting Options and enable Remote Tech Support (SSH)
  • You can exit the ILOM, the basic setup is done.
• Enable IPoIB Infiniband support
  • xen02# scp /extra/MEL-OFED-1.4.1-375-offline_bundle.zip 10.10.66.90:/scratch/
  • ssh 10.10.66.90
  • # esxupdate --bundle /scratch/MEL-OFED-1.4.1-375-offline_bundle.zip update
  • # esxcfg-module -s "port_types=24,1,1,24,1,1 port_type_default=1" mlx4_en
  • # reboot
• Finish the setup from the GUI
  • Identify the ID of the windows VM guest on xen02 (with xm list. In this example, id=11)
  • Open a tunnel from your workstation to route VNC traffic ssh root@xen02 -L 12345:localhost:5911 (change the 11 for the ID from before)
  • Run in your desktop vncviewer localhost:12345
  • Start the VMWare vSphere Client, and open the session to the 10.10 management interface of the host.
  • In "Configuration - Licensed Features", edit the license type and enter this license key: JH4C7-4E385-08831-09924-AN94N
• Enable IB networking
  • In the GUI, in "Configuration - Adapters" you should see the two IB ports on the MT26428 interface. One is probably up and the other down. Note both.
  • Enter "Configuration - Networking" and click on "Add networking".
  • Select Virtual Machine type, click Next.
  • Create a virtual switch with both IB adapters, click Next.
  • Choose a nice name, like IB-all, Next, and Finish.

Afterwards everything should be ready, now you can proceed creating virtual machines. Here is how: CreateVMWareGuests

There are some pages on how to manage ESXi from the command line:

• http://www.vm-help.com/esx40i/manage_without_VI_client_1.php
• http://robertbchase.blogspot.com/2008/12/vmware-esxi-ssh-cli-commands.html
• http://myitstuff.tumblr.com/post/350186035/how-to-control-esxi-virtual-machine-from-a-command-line
• http://benincosa.org/blog/?p=266
• http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=isg3T1012138

And maybe, at some point, you want to use this, but probably not: http://www.vmware.com/support/developer/vima/

Console actions

-- PabloFernandez - 2010-12-02