Creating an Ubuntu Server 16.04 remotely via vSphere Client

[BobAgi]

I need to create and configure an Ubuntu Server 16.04-3LTS virtual machine on our ESX system.

I have read this tutorial and it seems rather straightforward except for one thing:

At the step where the operating system shall be installed (about 35% down) it says that the ISO file shall be:

"Connect to an ISO on local disk"

But this is very impractical because it will guarantee an installation lasting for many hours since I am located off-site with an OpenVPN channel into the network and this is a rather slow connection. Max about 10 Mbit/s... The external speed to the Internet from servers on the network is 100+ MBit/s via fiber, my VPN speed is slowed down by the distance between our locations (about 6000 km).

OTOH I can RDP onto a Windows Server 2016 machine on the same ESX server and download the Ubuntu image as an ISO to that machine through the local high-speed connection and put it on for example a Windows shared folder on that server.

So my question is:

How can I tell VMWare (through the vSphere Client) to use an ISO file that is located on an internal Windows share at a known IP address?

Or is there some other way to connect the ISO to the ESX server so it can be used during installation of Ubuntu Server?

I have limited experience with vSphere Client usage but I have used VMWare Workstation at least for 10 years by now.

[daphnissov]

You will have to upload the installer ISO to a datastore which is mounted by the ESXi host. ESXi cannot mount an ISO file to a VM that is stored on a SMB share, but it can if it's an NFS share so long as the host has the mount.

[BobAgi]

I checked and it seems like Windows Server 2016 can be set up as an NFS server...

Our last installed server in the VMWare system is Windows Server 2016 so...

Would it be possible if I install NFS on the Win 2016 server that is already a virtual machine in ESX?

Can the vSphere system access this NFS share or must it be a physically separate box from VMWare infrastructure?

Finally, is there some resource describing how to actually connect to an NFS share on some virtual computer for this purpose?

[daphnissov]

Would it be possible if I install NFS on the Win 2016 server that is already a virtual machine in ESX?

Yes, this is possible.

Can the vSphere system access this NFS share or must it be a physically separate box from VMWare infrastructure?

As long as the ESXi host has a route to the IP of the Windows VM it should make no difference. There is no requirement from VMware that a NFS share must be hosted on a physical server/device.

Finally, is there some resource describing how to actually connect to an NFS share on some virtual computer for this purpose?

See above. The process is the same as any NFS mount.

[BobAgi]

Thanks,

I have now installed the NFS role on a Windows Server 2016 Standard on our ESX system (it is a virtual machine).

Then I have shared a folder (r/w) on Win2016, which contains two Ubuntu 16.04-3LTS ISO images. One is i386 and the other x64.
So I hope I can set the ISO location when installing Ubuntu on a new vm to use this NFS server.

I have found this web tutorial for the install and I hope it will work out.

Since we have two ESX hosts I am waiting for info from IT regarding which one to put the Ubuntu server on.

vSphere Client or vSphere Web Client?

When I read the VMWare docs I am advised over and over to use the vSphere Web Client, so now I wonder where I can configure this with proper logins?

The login I use in the vSphere Client does not work on the Web Client AFAICT...

Are the logins separate and if so how are the web client logins configured? Can it be done via vSphere Client?

Or can I use the vSphere Client to complete the initial creation and setup of an Ubuntu Server vm until the point where the OpenSSL server is enabled so I can connect using PuTTY and continue software configuration via that interface?

[daphnissov]

I'll also point out that you must mount this NFS export to the ESXi host. If the host cannot see the NFS export, you cannot mount the ISO to a VM for its creation.

When I read the VMWare docs I am advised over and over to use the vSphere Web Client, so now I wonder where I can configure this with proper logins?

If you're on vSphere 6.5, you should be using the vSphere Web Client. In fact, after Update 1 (U1), you will be barred from using the traditional/legacy vSphere Client at all.

The login I use in the vSphere Client does not work on the Web Client AFAICT...

Are the logins separate and if so how are the web client logins configured? Can it be done via vSphere Client?

You're probably just specifying credentials incorrectly. In the web client, you may have to specify credentials in DLL format (DOMAIN\User) or UPN format (user@domain). Post specifics if you're still having troubles.

[BobAgi]

Thanks for your suggestions!

If you're on vSphere 6.5, you should be using the vSphere Web Client. In fact, after Update 1 (U1), you will be barred from using the traditional/legacy vSphere Client at all.

My vSphere Client is version 6.0.0.5505

Or are you referring to the ESXi version?

You're probably just specifying credentials incorrectly. In the web client, you may have to specify credentials in DLL format (DOMAIN\User) or UPN format (user@domain). Post specifics if you're still having troubles.

If I open the https://10.xxx.xxx.224/  site I get to a page titled "Welcome to VMWare vSphere" and it looks as follows:

When I use the top right link to get to the web client then an almost blank page with this is shown:

To view this page ensure that Adobe Flash Player version 11.5.0 or greater is installed.

But that is not possible, both my Chrome and Firefox browsers are disabling Flash so I have uninstalled Flash completely from my system.

I believe Flash is considered a huge security problem, right?

If I use the lower right link to browse datastores, then I get to a logon dialogue where I have tested the following credentials:

1) My vSphere Client working login. This fails. So it is not the same on the two clients.

2) My domain login (I am a member of the domain admin group) as domain\user. This also fails.

3) The domain login but on the form user@domain. This also fails.

Notice that the two ESXi hosts are using IP addresses 10.xxx.xxx.221 and 10.xxx.xxx.223 and the vSphere Client works to access these and administrate the vm:s hosted by them.

But the above welcome page is on IP 10.xxx.xxx.224 and if I try the vSphere Client towards this I cannot connect....

How do I proceed?

[daphnissov]

What version is your ESXi host, let's start there.

[BobAgi]

Thanks for your continued support!

I have used the vSphere Client to connect to each of the two hosts. They are on IP 10.xxx.xxx.221 and 10.xxx.xxx.223 respectively.

On the top above the tabs I see the version displayed as follows (same for both):

So it seems to run version 5.5.0-2068190

But when I connect the client a warning pops up in my face (on both) looking like this:

The IP 10.xxx.xxx.224 points towards the vCebter Server page I showed in my previous post.

Regarding Flash I have temporarily reinstalled Flash so I can get past the message about missing Flash and then the web browser loads what I assume is the web client (quite slowly). But in reality it is a blue background login page with the fill-in form.

But the login is non-working using the credentials I have received and which work in the vSphere Client towards 221 and 223.

For information:

I am located across the Atlantic in Sweden about 8400 km distant from the network in Texas on which the EXSi hosts are installed.

I access the network by way of an OpenVPN VPN tunnel, which is not very high speed...

So I really need to be able to put the Ubuntu ISO file on a network resource local to the EXSi hosts.

So far I have downloaded the ISO on one of the Windows servers on the network (by logging on via RDP), but it is still not available for EXSi, I believe.

[daphnissov]

Ok. First, the credentials you supply for your ESXi hosts are not going to work (likely) for the vCenter Server. You need probably AD credentials to login to that. What are you using, exactly? Who administers your vCenter? They are who you must ask for proper credentials.

Second, those ESXi hosts are on a *very* old build (Update 2) and I strongly urge you or the administrator of that environment to bring them up to the latest patch level for a variety of important reasons.

Third, you are probably going to experience terrible Web Client performance due to your distance. I'd recommend you access the vSphere Web Client from a machine which is local (or closer, at least) to the site hosting vCenter and the infra related.

[BobAgi]

You need probably AD credentials to login to that. What are you using, exactly? Who administers your vCenter? They are who you must ask for proper credentials.

It does not seem like the Active Directory credentials work here, it might be that the ESXi system is not attached to our domain...

I did use my own AD login name/password without success and I am a Domain Admin.

The VMWare system was set up a rather long time ago by an IT person no longer working with us. When she left we ended up using an IT company to support our network.

So this company should be managing vCenter...

Second, those ESXi hosts are on a *very* old build (Update 2) and I strongly urge you or the administrator of that environment to bring them up to the latest patch level for a variety of important reasons.

I will bring that to the attention of the IT support company. Thanks.

It is unfortunate that I am so far away, but next month I will go there for some meetings.

I will have to arrange a meet with IT as well...

I'd recommend you access the vSphere Web Client from a machine which is local (or closer, at least) to the site hosting vCenter and the infra related.

If I install the vSphere Client I use from over here via VPN on a vm server I have access to via RDP and connect to ESXi from there could I then possibly create and configure the needed Ubuntu Server 16.04-3LTS I need on the system? I only need this interface until I have OpenSSH operational on the new machine, then I will switch over to use PuTTY instead.

[daphnissov]

You need to contact that company and ask them what credentials to use to access vCenter.

If I install the vSphere Client I use from over here via VPN on a vm server I have access to via RDP and connect to ESXi from there could I then possibly create and configure the needed Ubuntu Server 16.04-3LTS I need on the system?

Yes. Nothing will change as far as you needing to upload that ISO to a datastore accessible by the ESXi hosts, but your user experience will (or should) be much better.

[BobAgi]

I went with installing vSphere Client 6 on the Windows 2016 Server via RDP and then used the procedure described in the guide webpage I linked to.

It worked fine and I am now configuring the server via PuTTY after having included OpenSSH when installing Ubuntu Server.

And I have asked the manager in the office to arrange a meeting with the IT company when I visit next month to clear up the documentation mess.

In the end I will make sure that we can use the web client and that we upgrade the system to a reasonable level.

BTW: Is there any thoughts of making the web client non-dependent on Flash?

I am not comfortable having to use Flash as the only way to manage the vSphere system...

Thanks for all replies and advice, much appreciated!

[daphnissov]

BTW: Is there any thoughts of making the web client non-dependent on Flash?

I am not comfortable having to use Flash as the only way to manage the vSphere system...

In vSphere 6.5, vCenter now comes with an HTML5-based client. This is also available as a Fling which can be used with vCenter 6.0.