VmWare Virtual Server Setup – Host Config

VmWare Virtual Server Setup

In our previous article on Virtual Server Installation(VMware vSphere Virtualization – Server Virtualization), we introduced the virtualization process on VmWare. We have completed the installation of VmWare vSphere Esxi v5.5 version on the physical server and prepared this article to explain the Host Configuration, Pool Defination and OS Installation sections.

On Esxi v5.5 virtual server, the default settings are valid immediately after installation. Many system components such as Network cards, Storage and Power Unit need to be configured.

If there is already a farm, it can be included in this virtual farm with Vcenter and the existing configuration templates can be applied automatically. However, in this article, we will not consider a farm structure but a single structure and we will set up a virtual server accordingly. We will configure the Virtual Host respectively.

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Let’s open the vSphere-vClient application and after entering the username and password, click on the ip address of our Esxi v5.5 server from the tree-list on the left side on the screen that appears. A page like this will open.

To mention the tabs on this page in order;

Beginning

Summary:

You will see the General section, which contains the physical components and license information of your Esxi server, and the Resources section, which lists CPU load, Memory, HDD and Network Components (Eth and Vlans).

Virtual Machines:

In this section, you will see the list of virtual servers running on Esxi. You can also see the summary resource utilization rates of each virtual server in this tab.

Resource Allocation:

Under this tab you can see the total and server-wise utilization of CPU-Memory-Storage resources.

Performance:

Provides statistical and graphical information about all system resources, both instantaneous and historical.

Configuration:

This tab is perhaps the most used tab. Because almost all Host related settings will be made under this tab. I am not writing much because we will talk about it in detail in a little while.

Local Users & Groups:

This is the tab where access and authorizations to the Esxi v5.5 server are made. All users and groups can be managed through this tab.

Events:

This is the section where local logging and event logs are kept.

Permissions:

This is the section where authorization and access (policy) parameters are defined. In other words, the content of the authorization to be assigned to the user is prepared here. These parameters determine whether the user is a viewer, standard user or administrator.

After briefly giving information about the tabs, we can start theVmWare Host Configuration process .

Host Configuration:

 1.Health Status:

When you click on the Health Status title, parametric values and comments of the physical components of the physically running server are listed. Pressing the plus buttons in the list will open the information about the component. Processors, Memory, Power Supply, Fan status and software information can be monitored on this screen. No settings or parameters can be entered on this screen.

2.Processors:

When you click on this heading, the real and logical CPU amounts and capacities of the physical server are listed. It is also possible to find information such as server brand-model-serial number. When you click on Properties at the top right, the logical or in other words virtual CPU feature(Hyperthreading Enable/Disable) can be turned on or off.

3.Memory:

You can see the amount of Ram memory used by virtual servers and our Esxi server. No adjustments or parametric operations can be made.

4.Storage:

It is one of the most important operations that must be done before creating virtual servers on our VmWare Esxi Server. Local Hard Disks and Storage units are introduced to the Host under this heading. Although local disks can be added automatically, this screen is used to add storage units.

In the View section there are two buttons called Datastores and Devices. Clicking Datastores displays logical disk partitions. The Devices button displays physical disks or raid structure. Physical Cd-Dvd Rom is also displayed under the Devices button.

In both Datastores or Devices views, the content about the item you selected in the first list is displayed in the box at the bottom. If you wish, you can open the settings window by clicking the Properties link on the bottom box.

Esxi v5.5 uses its own standard VMFS5 file system as file type. Disk management and authorization operations can be easily done on this screen. It is also possible to see disk usage rates.

5.Networking:

Let’s talk a little bit about the most important and detailed networking configuration on Esxi Host, but it will be necessary to explain it in detail in a separate article in the future.

Esxi provides both physical and virtual support on the networking side, just like cpu and storage. If we want to briefly explain the virtual network, Vmware provides network communication with Virtual Cisco switches called vSwitch.

The Ethernet interfaces of the physical server also become the uplink connections of the virtual server. Each virtual switch has 120 ports/interfaces except uplink. You can configure VLAN on these ports. I have shown it by drawing on the bottom vSwitch2 on the figure.

Once you understand how virtual vSwitches work, it will not be difficult to create a new network or subnetwork and define Vlan interfaces within this network. This is enough information for networking for virtual server setup for now.

6.Storage Adapters:

It lists the physical server’s I/O devices such as Internal/External SCSI adapters, CD/Dvd-ROM, Sata/IDE Controller and Array Card and manages the actions you want to perform on them. You can integrate a newly added I/O device into the Esxi system using this interface.

7.Network Adapters:

In this section you can view the physical network ethernet ports of your physical server. You are not allowed to make any settings or changes.

8.Advanced Settings:

In this section, advanced extra settings can be made while setting up the virtual server. Advanced means the use of services running on the physical server. For example, HP-ILO or HP-Smart Array application/service can be integrated into the Esxi system in this section to enable management.

9.Power Management:

This section contains information about the physical Energy Supply. Also, when you click on the Properties link at the top right, you will see a screen where you can select the operating performance. Usually the“High Performance” option is selected.

These were the most important configuration steps. Since the settings mentioned above are for Esxi System, it is not recommended to install any virtual server without these settings. Otherwise, a change you will make later may affect all virtual Operation Systems.

The topics in the Software section are related to the application side of the Esxi System. Time setting, IP routing setting, DNS and AD membership, automatic timed on/off of virtual servers, Firewall and Remote Access, Settings such as changing service ports or restricting access on ip basis, running or stopping Esxi services, Host Cache and SSD support, advanced management of System Resources can be made.

VmWare vSphere v5.5 Esxi Host is ready for the installation of virtual servers after all settings are made as described above. In our next article, we will talk about Pool creation and OS installation on VmWare vSphere v5.5.