Automating ESX 3.5 Deployments

[phowarth]

How are you automating your deployments? I'm looking for a good product to use to consistantly Deploy an ESX Image or an Image slash unattended install. Something that will setup the raid array and deploy the image etc... What are most of you using and on why type of hardware are you deploying to?

Thanks

Pete

[glynnd1]

You mean like a kickstart file which will partition the local disk, create VLAN, enable VMotion etc?

[depping · Accepted solution]

Check my blog article for links etc: http://www.yellow-bricks.com/2008/10/03/scripted-installs/

Duncan

Blogging: http://www.yellow-bricks.com

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[admin]

Hi

I use the UDA on ESX 3.5 U3 and works real well for me, and its on a load of kit - IBM BladeCenter H, IBM xSeries Servers, HP C Class Chasis with all classes of blades and fat servers, not supported but is rock solid.

[dmn0211]

Check out Leo's site he has great stuff on automating\modifying deployments.

Topics like:

Cooking your own ESX/Modifying the ESX installation media

http://lraikhman.blogsite.org/?p=231

ESX 3.5 Kickstart script 17 page kickstart file, that does it all. (Which I use)

http://lraikhman.blogsite.org/?p=147

[Dave_Mishchenko]

Your post has been moved to the VI: ESX 3.5 forum.

Dave Mishchenko

VMware Communities User Moderator

[Craig_Baltzer]

If you like PowerShell, Steve Campbell (who hangs around here periodically) has put together some really cool stuff and put it up in the documents area for the VI toolkit

http://communities.vmware.com/docs/DOC-8170

[admin]

Scripted installs is for sure if you have many servers the way to go. You can do this so many ways - via USB key, UDA maybe or a single iso you upload to the .ilo/rsa/drac card - I've just uploaded a video of how easy life can be on my microsite below, feel free to boogie

www.fritzyboi.com