Testing vmotion DRS HA clustering in a single box

[eldingo]

Hello All:

I have a decommisioned HP proliant server I am trying to use for ESX testing/learning. What I am trying to accomplish is install atleast two ESX Servers, and Opefiler iscsi to test vmotion, DRS, and HA. I tried nesting ESX virtual machine on an ESX server and I am getting "No supported network devices found" error. Have any of you tried to accomplish all of this on a single box. Please help, I am new to vmware, and trying to learn as much as possible.

ciao

[lamw]

First off, make sure your physical hardware is on the ESX(i) 4 HCL and all subsequent components such as network card, raid controllers, etc.

If you haven't seen this post already, this article shows how you can run ESX within ESX: http://www.vcritical.com/2009/05/vmware-esx-4-can-even-virtualize-itself/

=========================================================================

William Lam

VMware vExpert 2009

VMware ESX/ESXi scripts and resources at:

VMware Code Central - Scripts/Sample code for Developers and Administrators

VMware Developer Comuunity

Twitter: @lamw

If you find this information useful, please award points for "correct" or "helpful".

[TimPhillips]

I wouldn`t recommend you to use OpenFiler, espesially if you are just learning. OpenFiler, as all Linux and free solutions, is a little bit hard to use if you are new to it. I would you try some Windows-based solutions such as StarWind or DataCore either Lefthand. AFAIK StarWind has a free option of it`s software, which is limited about functions, but will give you general options you need to use.

[eldingo]

Mr. Lam, thanks for the prompt response. This server used to be our ESX server, but it has been decommionsed recently. Now I am trying to use it for testing. It has 4GB memory, 2 xeon processors, and plenty of hard disk space. I would like to virutalize ESX 3.5 rathan than Vsphere.

Thanks.

[eldingo]

TimPhillips, thanks for the suggestion. I will checkout your solutions.

[Datto]

I tried nesting ESX

virtual machine on an ESX server and I am getting "No supported network

devices found" error. Have any of you tried to accomplish all of this

on a single box.

-

---

I run eight nested ESX 4.0 VMs on the two AMD Athlon X2 7750 boxes described here:

http://communities.vmware.com/thread/218140

Quite a few tweaks (and late nights) to get VMs running correctly on the nested ESX 4.0 VMs.

Datto

[mouradb]

Hello,

Here is my scenario built on a quad core Intel machine with 4 gig of ram

with a two Sata HD, this is for a testing purposes.

- Installed W2k3 on the machine ad a DC,

- VMworkstation of top of it

- and built two ESX3.5 on it as well with an XP VM for the vcenter.

Lods of documentation can be found on how to setup ESX 3.x and the 4 Version

on a VMware Workstation.

you can play with the workstation version of VMware to add Nic cards and

also do some more.

If not found, I can sent you the links.

Facile comme Bonjour.

.MB

[eldingo]

Thanks Mouradb:

Appreciate, if you could send me the link.

Date: Mon, 21 Sep 2009 15:35:56 -0700

From: communities-emailer@vmware.com

To: baig17@hotmail.com

Subject: New message: "Testing vmotion DRS HA clustering in a single box"

,

A new message was posted in the thread "Testing vmotion DRS HA clustering in a single box":

http://communities.vmware.com/message/1369921#1369921

Author : mouradb

Email : mourad.boubchir@gmail.com

Profile : http://communities.vmware.com/people/mouradb

Message:

[el86]

Hi eldingo,

You probably found this link already, but here it is anyway: http://vinf.net/2008/05/18/running-esx-35-and-3i-under-vmware-workstation-65-beta-build-91182/

I used NFS for shared storage on my test lab. I used Ubuntu server, it took less than 20 minutes to install it and create the NFS shares.

Regards,

[mouradb]

Hi,

At this website, I've found much of the documentation I needed to install and configure ESX3.x and 4 on a VMware workstation, as I said, I've installed a W2k3 DC and then the VMware workstation and from there I now have two ESX4 version and an openfiler as the iSCSI storage, It works welland running XP and CentOS on both ESX servers.

Note that you can install VC on a DC but this is not recommen.

If you need some other links and blogs, send me your email address and I will send you the best I have,

Good day.

[eldingo]

mouradb, thanks for all your help.

[mouradb]

Hello,

We all here to help each other, Just had a try installing VC 4 on a DC and this doen't work due to the ADAM you will need to have this on a sepatare Vmachine or on a standalone phisical one.

Good luck

If you found this or any other answer useful please consider the use of the Helpful or correct buttons to award points

MB

[Datto · Accepted solution]

James Pearce's notes on nested ESX hosts:

http://www.techhead.co.uk/vmware-vsphere-esx-install-configure-manage-preparing-your-test-lab

Datto