Please Help! ESXi Configuration to get Cisco Surv. Media Software to work.

[Dollygrice]

Quick overview of what I am doing:

I am running VMWare ESXi  on a Dell Poweredge R710 Server.  My virtual machine is Linux SuSE 10, Service Pack 1, the recommended platform of the Cisco Video Surveuillance media Software.  .  I am trying to get My Cisco software to run on the machine, but It requires an IP address from a remote location to access the software.  My IP address that I have assigned to VMware is all assigned, but when I use the same address and have the x.x.x.x/cisco.vsm.html there is a conflict with the original address assigned to the address that the VMware is using to access the server itself.  I am a newbie and this is all very confusing to me, so I apprecaite some help.

Is this an IP routing issue or a port assignment issue?  The Cisco software is supposed to load when I type http:/x.x.x.x/vsms.html into a browser window on the same network.

Any suggestions?  I have been researching this for days on trying to figure out how to get a simple program to work. 

Thanks so much for your help!

[DSTAVERT]

Networking rules don't change in a virtual environment. Your Virtual machines need their own unique IP addresses (DHCP or static). The ESX(i) host machine needs it's own unique address(es).

[Dollygrice]

I completely understand the network stuff doesn't change.   However, the VSXi addres is set to a certain address.  For this case, lets say my VSXi addres is 1.2.3.4.   Can other programs utilize this same address and be tricked into thinking that this is the server?     When I try to access the Cisco software as instructed in their installation book, the address should be http://1.2.3.4/vsmc.html.   When I do that, I get all kinds of messages saying that VSXi has control of that address and the host does not exist.  Do I need to do some sort of subnetting and assign the cisco software to a different path (not sure how to do that?)?   It is so incredibly frustrating.  

[DSTAVERT]

The address assigned to the cisco software is outside the IP range on your local network??? If so can you not assign an address inside your network?

[DSTAVERT]

This doesn't sound like an ESX(i) issue. Like I said networking rules don't change. If you have routing or subnetting questions or ESX(i) configuration questions you really need to provide more information. Draw a diagram and list some portions of the network segments you are working with.

[a_p_]

The IP address of the ESXi host has nothing to do with the IP address of your SUSE VM.

If you need the IP address 1.2.3.4 in your SUSE VM, assign something else like 1.2.3.5 to the ESXi host. IP addresses have to be unique.

André

[Dollygrice]

Thanks for the replies.

I have an entire Class C to work with, subnetted at 255.255.255.0    I have numerious other servers on this class C to support my project.  But anytime I load something to the address that the VSXi host is assigned to, I can only seem to get to the VMware Sphere login.  It is like VSXi has that address locked down and can't be used. 

[DSTAVERT]

There just isn't enough information. ESXi doesn't violate networking in any way. You either need to post some more information (mask your IP range but post something meaningful) or do some basic network troubleshooting.

[a_p_]

But anytime I load something to the address that the VSXi host is assigned to, I can only seem to get to the VMware Sphere login.

I assume you are not trying to assign one single IP address to more than one of the other servers which you have running. So why do you want to assign the same IP address to the ESXi host as well as to the SUSE VM? Just use different IP addresses and you will see everything will work as expected.

If you are still having trouble, please do what DSTAVERT suggested and provide more info about your environment.

André

[Dollygrice]

Okay, appreciate the responses, maybe there is something much more basic about VM ESXi that I need to understand.  Forgive me since I am a newbie at this Linux stuff and VM stuff as well.   So this is a summary of my environment.

I have an entire class C /24 assigned for my project.  The x.x.x.1 gateway plus 254 more addresses to use.

I have real physical servers assigned at x.x.x.18, another assinged at x.x.x.20, workstations at x.x.x.22-30, printers assigned, a switchvox IP PBX elsewhere, VoIP gateways, so on and so forth.

I have decided to install VM ESXi on another particular server because this Cisco software that I wish to use for my camera data storage requires an older version of SuSE to operate on.  The Dell server I bought is too new to support the version of SuSE that I need.  So VM ESXi presents the best solution.   Now when you install the ESXi base onto the server (VMKernal 260247) , you assign an IP address to that server for the vSphere client to access the server through.   In this case, lets just say I programmed it is x.x.x.16.

First time in the VM environment and it is a pretty cool and powerful tool I am coming to realize.  Installing SuSE 10 Service pack 1 was pretty easy.   In the SuSE layer (the VM machine, I assigned the network card the same address x.x.x.16, as that is the address of the server.  I got all the required dependancies for this Cisco Media server software I needed installed and eventually got the Cisco software insalled, which was a bit of a challenge considering I have never touched a linux box before in all my years in the engineering and communications fields.

So I know I have connectivity to the outside world out of the SuSE vm.  I can get to this VMware web page, the SuSE page, everything pings, etc. 

Now, the instructions to start my Cisco software state to use a web browser and open the ulr http://"server"/vsmc.html  where "server" is the IP address or host name of the server where the Cisco software was installed to.  So from a client machine (outside of the VM environment) , I plug in http//x.x.x.16/vsmc.html which is what I assigned my VSXi address to be of the server.    I get back a message box that states "connection refused".

When I launch a browswer from WITHEN my VM and plug in the x.x.x.16/vsmc.html, I get a message that says "You have attempted to establish a connection with "x.x.x.16".  However the security certificate presented belongs to "localhost.localdomain"  It is possible, though unlikely that someone may be trying to interecept your communication with this web site.  View Certificate shows that the VMware software holds the security cirtificate, obviously.  I click on okay and is just a blank emtpy empty browser window.

I guess my question is, am I doing something wrong with my IP addressing to not allow the Cisco software to come up?  Should I be bridging another IP address on a virtual network card with the one that VM is on.  Is there something in the routing on the IP configuration of the SuSE layer of the VM that I need to configure?

Thanks for any further help or guidance.  

Gratefully appreciated.

[DSTAVERT]

You need to assign an address to the SuSE machine from within the SuSE OS. It does not take on the address of the ESXi host. Each VM is just a normal computer and you treat it just like physical. They appear on the network just like physical machines.

[a_p_]

In the SuSE layer (the VM machine, I assigned the network card the same address x.x.x.16, as that is the address of the server

That's exactly the problem, each, the ESXi host (Management network) and the VM (SUSE) need their own IP address. Consider the Management network and each VM (in case you are going to install more) as an individual system.

So I'd suggest you assign x.x.x.17 to either the ESXi host or the VM to have different IP addresses and everything will work.

André

[DSTAVERT]

The physical network adapters in your ESXi host machine are just a way to connect the virtual network to the physical network (uplink ports). Inside, each Virtual machine has it's own virtual network adapter and it connects to the virtual switch.

I would spend some time with documantation an some of the podcasts. http://communities.vmware.com/community/vmtn/vsphere?view=overview

This may also be helpful  http://www.viadmin.com/pages/VMWare-FREE-Training-Videos.html

[DSTAVERT]

If you are getting outside the SuSE machine the VM probvably already has an address. Open a terminal window on the SuSE machine and type ifconfig

It should show you the address of the SuSE machine. Use that address in your http://"SuSE"/vsmc.htm

[DSTAVERT]

Here is another good resource page for networking http://www.vmware.com/technical-resources/virtual-networking/

[Dollygrice]

Thanks all,

That makes total sense now.  I have configured the ip address of the SuSE VM to .17   My management interfance is at .16

I still get the message however, "connection refused"  which may be some sort of firewall issue (I don't know why if I am opening the browser from the SuSE VM layer.)  or something in the layer of the Cisco program.  Hmmmmm.... 

Thanks again for the help! 

[a_p_]

Just to make sure, you are browsing to http:/x.x.x.17/vsms.html now?

André

[Dollygrice]

Thanks Andre,

Yes, I am at the right address, still get the "connection refused' message.   Hmmmm

[DSTAVERT · Accepted solution]

Try the localhost URL directly on the SuSE machine http://127.0.0.1/vsmc.html  If that gets refused then you have configuration issues within the software.

[Dollygrice]

Ahhh, a local loop.  Very good idea.