(add) Install ESX 3.5

[rucky]

Hi Guys

I would like to install a new ESX 3.5 server in our present virtual Infrastructure. We have 2 ESX's servers already configured and setup which is hosting few of our production servers.

When VMware iNf was set up i was not here, i have started recently for this company.

I would like to know how would i go about adding (installing the 3rd/4th ESX servers in our enviroment. I am going to obviously read on the installation guide and i have already watched the insallation nugget.

What are the things i need to be careful about for eg.

1. how will i format the disk (will it be same sizez etc as the previous ESX servers, how will i find out, or should i just use what the setup reccomends)

2. we have HA.DRS.,Vmotion etc, different subnet for VMware and a DELL eqaulogic SAN.

Could someone guide me please as i am quite new to this.

Regards

Rucky.

[MikeS1983]

Hi Rucky,

First of all you will need to ensure you have the available licenses for installing 2new hosts into your environment. Secondly as the hosts will be used for vmotion you will have to ensure that the CPU's are compatible. If not you will have to configure EVC.

When installing ESX on a new host I just go with the default settings as for local disk setup. I always make sure the SAN is disconnected before installing just in case of any mishaps!!!!

After installation is complete just import the new host into VC and drag into the desired cluster. HA will then reconfigure.

As for networking Can you be more specific on your network setup.

Mike.

[djciaro]

here are a few useful links:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZ-zAELeClc

http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vi3_35/esx_3/r35/vi3_35_25_installation_guide.pdf

http://www.rtfm-ed.co.uk/?cat=3

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[TomHowarth · Accepted solution]

assuming you have the requisite licensing in place, you will need to make sure that you have a compatible CPU in your new Host, same family, do not mix AMD and Intel. different core levels are OK. if your current machines are older and now longer current, I would seriously suggest buying a pair of servers. or trawling Ebay for the same model. it will save you a lot of pain in the long run.

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Tom Howarth VCP / vExpert

VMware Communities User Moderator

Blog: www.planetvm.net

Contributing author for the upcoming book "VMware Virtual Infrastructure Security: Securing ESX and the Virtual Environment”.

[aleph0]

hi

have a look if the previous installer follow best practices that segregate mount point... going with the default could lead to filling out the / directory.

issue a vdf command from console window and see if the filesystem's mount point has been separated

it's important to separare the /var/log from the / but i segregate the /tmp and /var , too.

cheers

\aleph0

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(in italian)

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[rucky]

ESX1

Filesystem Size Used Avail Use% Mounted on

/dev/sda2 7.9G 1.1G 6.4G 15% /

/dev/sda1 244M 26M 206M 12% /boot

/dev/sda7 2.0G 88M 1.8G 5% /opt

none 132M 0 132M 0% /dev/shm

/dev/sda6 2.0G 33M 1.9G 2% /tmp

/dev/sda5 7.9G 278M 7.3G 4% /var

ESX2

Filesystem Size Used Avail Use% Mounted on

/dev/sda2 7.9G 1.1G 6.4G 15% /

/dev/sda1 244M 26M 206M 12% /boot

/dev/sda7 2.0G 88M 1.8G 5% /opt

none 132M 0 132M 0% /dev/shm

/dev/sda6 2.0G 33M 1.9G 2% /tmp

/dev/sda5 7.9G 292M 7.2G 4% /var

[rucky]

Hi all

We have got the licence and the CPU's are same. I sat in meeting the with the DELL sales (technical) person. , so he also explained that

As for the networking

We have got two networks on the VI C

• 1. One for data (which is our LAN)outward

• 2. One for VMware (which is out VMware internal) where all are VM's reside

We have 3 Virtual(VMware) switches

Vswitch 0 - 2 physical network cards - 2 port groups

• (one for service console)

• One for virtual machines (VMware network)

Vswicth1 - 3 port groups - 2 physical network cards

• VM kernel (Iscsi)

• Storage (SAN)

• Data network (our LAN) outward to VMware

Vswitch2 - one port group - one physical netwok card

• Vmotion

[aleph0]

good segregation: you can do it better separating the /tmp and the /var/log

based on my experience this can be a good partitioning (with 144 Gbyte disk)

MOUNT POINT	FILE SYSTEM	FIXED SIZE	SIZE IN MB	PRIMARY
/boot	Ext3	X	250	X
n/a	Swap	X	1600	X
/	Ext3	X	5120	X
/var	Ext3	X	4096	-
/var/log	Ext3	X	4096	-
/tmp	Ext3	X	4096	-
/opt	Ext3	X	2048	-
/home	Ext3	X	2048	-
/vmimages	Ext3	X	10240
n/a	VMKcore	X	110	-
n/a	VMFS3		rest of the disk	-

however you can need more /vmimages and less local VMFS, but it's up to you

\aleph0

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(in italian)

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