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mahazara
Contributor
Contributor

Wanting some suggestion on how to create a Vcentre Lab Environment using just 2 x Physical host

Hello All

Wanting some suggestion on how to create a 2 node Vcentre cluster for a home lab environment

Below is my hardware

Host - 1

AMD 8 Core

32GB Ram

4 x 1GB NIC

Host - 2

AMD 8 Core

32GB Ram

4 x 1GB NIC

Switch

24 port Gigabit, Layer 2

Shared Storage

1 do have a QNAP NAS (but i dont want to use it if i absolutely dont have to)

Shared Storage Alternatives Option

I was hoping to create a windows VM inside one of the HOST, use that Windows VM as the ISCI target that both host can access to create the Datastore cluster

Suggestion found so far

So far I am finding lot of nested ESXI suggestion but nothing quite similar to what I am trying to do. I want to basically use a VM as a shared storage presented from one host.

Can someone please give me a detailed how to for this approach please?

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6 Replies
vembutech1
Hot Shot
Hot Shot

Yes, you can start with two ESXi hosts for setting up Lab. Here are my two cents,

1.Download vCenter server appliance, deploy in one of the ESXi hosts, and add both the ESXi hosts.

2. Try to use iSCSI storage for shared storage ( Openfiler,FreeNAS,Windows 2016 server ) on a hardware system with enough storage. You can add further storage when needed.

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admin
Immortal
Immortal

Hi,

You are good to go.

1. install esxi on both hosts. make sure your hardware is listed on VMware HCL. if not, it wouldn't be good for production use. for lab purpose, I think it will not be issue.

2. setup ip for management

3. need to setup vswitch (you may have default portgroup call "VM Network", but you can change or make another portgroup)

4. connect host via vsphere client, create Windows VM.

5. I would suggest that you build DNS server before you setup vCenter. also you better to have NTP server.

6. deploy VCSA on hosts

7. connect hosts to your vcenter.

8. you don't want to use qnap, so leave it away.

9. create VM for shared storage (like freenas) and configure it.

10. if you would like to have iSCSI, configure it.

Enjoy

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mahazara
Contributor
Contributor

Hi

Thanks for your reply, The whole reason for not wanting to use a hardware storage is to keep the running electricity cost down (since its a home lab)

So, I am wanting to see if I can use a shared storage from a vm that resides in either of 2 hosts.

The steps I have thought are below

1) Install ESXI in 2 x hosts

2) Install VCSA in one of the host with PSC

3) Setup DVswitch

4) Setup VM as server 2012 Storage iscsi target from a host

5) Setup datastore cluster from vcentre

and then the usual.. , not sure if this approach will work or not issue..

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admin
Immortal
Immortal

setup dvswitch is optional step. it is not must.

datastore cluster is also optional. you dont need it at least you use storage drs feature.

so yes. you can go ahead

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mahazara
Contributor
Contributor

Hi Guys

Thanks for all your reply. So here is what I am up to.

1) Both host with esxi install.

2) Each host has 2 physical nic each.

3) Host 1 is now holding my VCSA.

4) Host 1 also has a vm that I have configured to use as Iscsi target and assiged this target to a iscsi vmware software adapter that uses 1 physical nic out of the 2 physical nic of host1. The other physicla nic is for vm and management.

5) in host 2, i have 2 physical nic, 1 is for vm and management of host2 and the 2nd nic will be to use the iscsi target vm loacted in host1. This is so I can create a datastore in my vcentre datacentre that is accessible by both host. So all this is done already and working except the datastore. I havent created that yet.

I want to use the vmware dvswitch. And both of my host now only have 2 physical nics which is being used by vm and iscsi kernal. I have looked into migrating the physical nic of both hosts to be the uplink of the dvswitch when i create the dvswitch but it looks like from what i am reading, as soon as i go to migrate the vswitch uplinks to form dvswitch uplink, there will be problem, which makes sense as there will be connection issue.

Is there anything you can recommand that will help me to achieve the dvswitch using the current 2 physical nic of the host vswitchs?

Also, in future if I ever shud down vcentre how will it impact for other vms since the hosts vswitch is being migrated to dvswitch, how will i manage the hosts if vcentre isnt available? Is the anser to all these is that I now have to have a 3rd nic in each host just for management purpose and the other 2 to form a dvswitch?

Sorrry for thr big essay, hopefully someone can shed some light plz.

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mahazara
Contributor
Contributor

Hi Wondering if you would know the answer to below

1) Both host with esxi install.

2) Each host has 2 physical nic each.

3) Host 1 is now holding my VCSA.

4) Host 1 also has a vm that I have configured to use as Iscsi target and assiged this target to a iscsi vmware software adapter that uses 1 physical nic out of the 2 physical nic of host1. The other physicla nic is for vm and management.

5) in host 2, i have 2 physical nic, 1 is for vm and management of host2 and the 2nd nic will be to use the iscsi target vm loacted in host1. This is so I can create a datastore in my vcentre datacentre that is accessible by both host. So all this is done already and working except the datastore. I havent created that yet.

I want to use the vmware dvswitch. And both of my host now only have 2 physical nics which is being used by vm and iscsi kernal. I have looked into migrating the physical nic of both hosts to be the uplink of the dvswitch when i create the dvswitch but it looks like from what i am reading, as soon as i go to migrate the vswitch uplinks to form dvswitch uplink, there will be problem, which makes sense as there will be connection issue.

Is there anything you can recommand that will help me to achieve the dvswitch using the current 2 physical nic of the host vswitchs?

Also, in future if I ever shud down vcentre how will it impact for other vms since the hosts vswitch is being migrated to dvswitch, how will i manage the hosts if vcentre isnt available? Is the anser to all these is that I now have to have a 3rd nic in each host just for management purpose and the other 2 to form a dvswitch?

Sorrry for thr big essay, hopefully someone can shed some light plz.

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