Here's my guide a minimal CentOS 5.0 install for vmware server:
Goal: have a minimal stable install of CentOS that uses as little resources as possible to allow the vmware virtual machines to run as fast as possible. Remote adminstration still needed.
* plan and configure raid arrays prior to installing CentOS
* install can be done from cd, or network. Could not get it to work via http and iis due to some iis permissions restrictions. Works great with warftpd (make sure number of concurrent anonymoud logins is 100). Network install recommended. You still need to boot from cd or usb key, and type when linux starts "
linux askmethod". How to create a network install media:
+ USB flashdrive, use the dd command to copy the diskboot.img image file
from the /images/ directory on the DVD or CD-ROM #1. For example:
dd if=diskboot.img of=/dev/sda
Your BIOS must support booting from a USB device in order for this boot method to work.
From windows, use the HP USB Key Utility to copy the diskboot.img to a USB key
+ CD : burn boot.iso to CD, and not diskboot.img
* choose custom install
* automatic partition with remove all partitions (unless it is a reinstall and you need to preserve some data) + review.
* review partitions and:
+ delete swap (we don't want to swap memory to disk, would slow down vmware)
+ resize main linux partition to 20GB, and rename it to CentOS
+ from the same "Edit LVM Volume Group" window, add more logical volumes as necessary, including
logical volume name = VMWare
mount point = /vmware
size = leave min 10GB for snapshots
type = ext3
That way, vmware images will be stored on a separate partition on same array (this will allow reinstalling linux without losing vmware images)
+ create other partitions on all array as neededs + mount points
note: LVM has the advantage of on-the-fly resizing and snapshotting
* network devices: set all active on boot, assign name + ip address (entry needs to be added manually in dns server)
* components: uncheck all software preselections, and select "Customize Now"
For a
minimum install with only text console, select only the following
+ servers : windows file server
- no options
+ base system : base
- leave default options
- remove aspell, aspell-en, bluez-utils, ccid, mgetty, sendmail, wireless-tools
* stop and disable the firewall:
service iptables stop
chkconfig iptables off
chkconfig ip6tables off
-> from this point onward, the rest of the configuration can be done remotely via ssh
* install additional packages
+++ with >4GB ram, upgrade to kernel-PAE +++
kernel source for compiling, including kernel update to match the former
yum update kernel (or PAE)
yum install kernel-devel (or PAE)
ln -s /usr/src/kernels/<version>/ /usr/src/linux
eg: ln -s /usr/src/kernels/2.6.18-8.1.1.el5-i686/ /usr/src/linux
notes:
+ reboot after updating the kernel
yum install gcc
yum install xinetd
yum install libXtst
* install vmware
+ use winscp to copy the vmware rpm to a suitable location
+
rpm -ihv VMWare_etc_.rpm
(use -Uhv when upgrading)
+ run
vmware-config.pl
- bridge networks
- no nat, no host only networking
- specify /vmware directory for virtual files
- make sure default port 902 is used
+ no need to enter a serial yet, this will be done from a vmware console client, once connected, through the help menu
* install vmware management interface
+ download the mui from vmware and copy to the server with winscp
+ install:
tar xzf <VMware-mui-...>.tar.gz
cd vmware-mui-distrib
./vmware-install.pl
+ once installed, you can connect through
https://<server>:8333
+ to remove:
/usr/bin/vmware-uninstall-mui.pl
+ to configure:
/usr/bin/vmware-config-mui.pl
* install vmktree (historical graphs for wmare server)
+ setup protectbase
yum install yum-protectbase
+ change to yum repository config directory
cd /etc/yum.repos.d/
+ protect core packages, by editing (use nano) all the .repo files and add either
"protect=1" or "protect=0" for each repository
only set [base] and [update] to 1 in CentOS-Base.repo, all the others to 0
+ add the RPMForge repository
- download the rpmforge-release package from
http://wiki.centos.org/Repositories/RPMForge
- install the GPG key:
rpm --import http://dag.wieers.com/rpm/packages/RPM-GPG-KEY.dag.txt
- verify the package you have downloaded
rpm -K rpmforge-release-0.3.6-1.el5.rf.*.rpm
- install the package
rpm -ihv rpmforge-release-0.3.6-1.el5.rf.*.rpm
- configure it for protect base, by editing the new .repo file and adding
protect=0 (normally it is already enabled by default)
+ install RRDTool (prerequisite), available on the RPMForge repository
yum install rrdtool
+ download vmktree from
http://vmktree.org/
+ install
tar xjvf vmktree-0.x.xx.tar.bz2
cd vmktree-0.x.xx
./install.sh
* install webmin -
http://www.webmin.com
yum install perl-Net-SSLeay
rpm -ihv <webmin rpm> package
(use -Uhv when upgrading)
connect to webmin via
http://<host>:10000
change config to force use of SSL
set webmin to manual start:
chkconfig webmin off
* minimal services configuration
chkconfig atd off
chkconfig autofs off
chkconfig cpuspeed off
chkconfig cups off
chkconfig firstboot off
chkconfig gpm off
chkconfig mdmonitor off
chkconfig netfs off
chkconfig nfslock off
chkconfig pcscd off
chkconfig portmap off
chkconfig rpcgssd off
chkconfig rpcidmapd off
chkconfig smartd off
* connect remotely via the vmware console, and enter a serial number
* reboot
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Remote admin:
* vmware (with client tools)
* veeam fastscp (*much* faster than winscp)
https://<server>:8333 for vmware management and stats
https://<server>:8333/vmktree/ for vmware historical data
when needed, webmin can be manually started through a ssh session by typing
service webmin start
and you can then connect via
https://<server>:10000 for webmin
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