Auto Deploy vSphere 7 in SCCM Environment

[ramlan]

Hello All,

I am trying to learn and setup Auto Deploy within home lab setup.

I have created the following:

1. Enabled Auto Deploy in vCenter

2. Auto Deploy Services running

3. Created Software Depot

4. Created Deploy Rule and activated

5. Installed TFTP Server and configured option 66 and 67.  I am running DHCP on DC Windows 2019

6. I am able to PXE boot but the problem is it load Windows PXE WIM image.  This is because, I am running SCCM.  I double checked TFTP Server 67 which is pointing to VMWare boot file and 66 is pointing to DC. 

My question is how can, I get auto deploy working in SCCM environment like, I have one.  Appreciate your help.

Thanks

Ram

[berndweyand]

im wondering what you want to do ?

first: option 67 names the bootfile - is it a vmware boot file or window wim ? option 66 points to the tftpserver, not the dc (except the dc is running the tftp)

[ramlan]

Here are the details:

67 - undionly.kpxe.vmw-hardwired

66 - DC running TFTP Server (Free Version from Solaris)

Yet when, I boot ESXi VM it is able to get ip address from DHCP but the boot file is WIM.  It is not able to get the file from option 67 from TFTP server where, I have all the files unzipped from TFTP boot file from Auto Deploy Server that, I downloaded.

Thanks

Ram

[berndweyand]

ok - so option 66 is set to snponly64.efi.vmw.hardwired and option 67 to the ip of tftp ?

is the vm configured to boot with efi ?

or have you set option 66 to undionly.kpxe.vmw-hardwired? then thee vm must boot with bios

check if tftp is working by running "tftp <ip of tftp> get tramp" - it should download the tramp file

[ramlan]

Thanks to your reply.  I will create VM within ESXi host and make sure boot option is set to BIOS and will try tonight or tomorrow.  Will keep you posted.

[ramlan]

Tried this morning.  Created VM within VMWare workstation.  Powered on and this is what, I see.  It again boots from SCCM/PXE Server 192.168.0.105.  Not sure why it is not going through TFTP server 192.168.0.2 where my DHCP Server is located.  I even tried shutdown SCCM Server.  VM will power on and it get struck at Network boot.  Cannot go any further.  Don't know how to fix the issue.  By the way this is lab environment and not production.

Here are few screen shots

[nachogonzalez]

On auto deploy you have deploy rules, try creating one based on MAC address.
If that doesn't work, another option would be using separate DHCP networks, my guess is that yo are booting to the default PXE network (SCCM) and you need a dedicated network (i'm no totally sure, but this is the way i've always used it) Being this the case you will need to create a new vlan and a new DHCP

[berndweyand]

option 66 says boot server name is 192.168.0.2, but screenshot says its booting from 192.168.0.5 ?

[ramlan]

You mean a different DHCP scope for Auto Deploy testing?

[ramlan]

PXE Server is 192.168.0.105

TFTP Server for Auto Deploy is 192.168.0.2 that is where DHCP is running.

[nachogonzalez]

Obtain administrative privileges to the DHCP server that manages the network segment you want to boot from. You can use a DHCP server already in your environment, or install a DHCP server. For your vSphere Auto Deploy setup, replace the gpxelinux.0

file name with snponly64.efi.vmw-hardwired for UEFI or undionly.kpxe.vmw-hardwired for BIOS. For more information on DHCP configurations, see Sample DHCP Configurations


Prepare Your System for vSphere Auto Deploy

[ramlan]

I am completely lost with your explanation.  Where do, I replace gpxelinux.0 with undionly.kpxe.vmw-hardwired?  I am running Windows 2019 DHCP. 

I have right configuration for Option 67 on DHCP server already.

Ram

[nachogonzalez]

Please check here:

Prepare Your System for vSphere Auto Deploy

Set up your DHCP server to point to the TFTP server on which the TFTP ZIP file is located.

1. Specify the TFTP Server's IP address in DHCP option 66, frequently called next-server.
2. Specify the boot file name, which is snponly64.efi.vmw-hardwired for UEFI or undionly.kpxe.vmw-hardwired for BIOS in the DHCP option 67, frequently called boot-filename.

[ramlan]

That is exactly what, I have configured.

[berndweyand]

ok - then tell us want you want to do.

are you trying to install esxi into the vm ? what has the sccm-server to do with this ?

[ramlan]

That is what, I am trying to resolve.  Yes, I want to use Auto Deploy feature to install ESXi into the VM. 

I don't understand why SCCM PXE is interfering during PXE boot Process.  I have necessary entry in DHCP for PXE to pick up ESXi boot file from TFTP root folder from DC, but it is not working. 

[sudeshnas]

Hi ramlan,

Using Auto deploy you can push Image profiles, Esxi vibs, Driver vibs nad OEM vibs to the hosts connected to the vcenter

SCCM is a software management suite provided by Microsoft that allows users to manage a large number of Windows based computers.

SCCM features remote control, patch management, operating system deployment, network protection and other various services.

Since both have different set of tasks to be performed on different paltforms both has be configured seperately.

Regards,

Sudeshna Sarkar

Install-Upgrade Specialist

[berndweyand]

ok then try to disconnect the server with 192.168.0.105 to see if this works

[ramlan]

Yes, I am familiar with SCCM. 

What, I am trying to achieve is to use Auto Deploy feature to deploy ESXi to host within the network.  I have configured everything as per vmware documentation - yet my SCCM PXE is in between.  Not sure how the setup should be working for both SCCM and Auto Deploy to function in an environment where we can use SCCM for Windows OS Deployment and Auto Deploy for ESXi deployment.  I am looking for somebody who might have such a setup in Production or Lab setup.

[ramlan]

I tried that already.  Since this is a lab, I powered off SCCM.  After that, I tried powering VM to install ESXi through Auto Deploy.  The VM hangs at network boot and does not proceed further.