VMware and Microsoft virtualisation blog

Install Windows 8 Consumer Preview as VM in VMware vSphere 5

Published 29/02/2012 | By Ivo Beerens

Today the Windows 8 Consumer Preview is launched. To install the Windows 8 Consumer Preview as VM in VMware vSphere 5, use the following steps:

1. Install VMware ESXi 5.0 patch release ESXi500-201112001. If you didn’t install the patch the following screen appears when booting the Windows 8 ISO:

Your computer ran into a problem and needs to restart

2. When the patch is installed, create a new VM and choose the following settings:


1. Choose custom	2. Enter VM Name

3. Select datastore	4. Virtual Machine Version 8

5. Choose Microsoft Windows 7 64-bit	6. Select the amount of processor and cores needed

7. Enter memory	8. Select E1000 network adapter

9. Select default SCSI controller	10. Create New disk

11. Enter the desired disk size (default)	12 Select controller

13. Finish

3. Edit the VM configuration and change the following settings:


Enable 3D graphics	Choose the Windows 8 ISO to boot from

Select as guest OS “Microsoft Windows 8 Server (64-bit)”

4. Boot the VM and install Windows 8

Now you’re able to install Windows 8 as VM in VMware vSphere 5.

More information can be found here.

Updated: March 8 2012, Removed typos in blog.

Posted in vpshere 5, windows 8 | Tagged vpshere 5, windows 8 | 5 Comments

Kill a VM in (r)esxtop

Published 29/02/2012 | By Ivo Beerens

There are different ways to kill a VM by using the vCLI or the console. In VMware ESXi 4.1 and ESXi 5 it is possible to kill a running VM process by using the esxtop or resxtop. For VMware ESXi you need to enter Tech Support Mode (TSM) first to run esxtop.

The following procedure can be used to kill a VM (The bold text are the commands to enter):

- esxtop or resxtop

- Press c for the CPU resource screen

- Press shift + V to display VMs only

- Press f to change the display fields

- Press c to select the LWID (Leader World Id) and press enter

- Identify the VM by it’s LWID

- Press k

- Enter the LWID of the VM to kill and press enter

- Wait for 30 seconds and validate that the VM is no longer listed

Posted in ESXi, esxtop | Tagged esxi, esxtop | Leave a comment

VMware vExpert 2012 applications are open!

Published 16/02/2012 | By Ivo Beerens

The applications are now open for the vExpert 2012 title.

The annual VMware vExpert title is given to individuals who have significantly contributed to the community of VMware users over the past year. The title is awarded to individuals (not employers) for their commitment to sharing their knowledge and passion for VMware technology above and beyond their job requirements.

This year there are three different paths to becoming a vExpert. Here are the three paths:

Evangelist Path
The Evangelist Path includes book authors, bloggers, tool builders, public speakers, and other IT professionals who share their knowledge and passion with others with the leverage of a personal public platform to reach many people. Employees of VMware can also apply via the Evangelist path.

Customer Path
The Customer Path is for internal evangelists and community leaders from VMware customer organizations. They have contributed to success stories, customer references, or public interviews and talks, or were active community contributors, such as VMUG leaders.

VPN (VMware Partner Network) Path
The VPN Path is for employees of our partner companies who lead with passion and by example, who are committed to continuous learning and to making their technical knowledge and expertise available to many. This can take shape of event participation, video, IP generation, as well as public speaking engagements.

VMware vExpert Benefits:

Public recognition of the vExpert award with a certificate, gift, permission to display a logo, and inclusion in any public vExpert listing
Access to a private vExpert community of your peers
Free subscription to conference session materials on VMworld.com
Access to exclusive events, beta programs, software licenses, and other exclusive opportunities to participate in activities with VMware. vExperts do not represent VMware and are not required to participate in any activities

Applications are now open for the vExpert 2012 title. Use the vExpert 2012 form to submit your application.

Posted in vexpert, VMware | Tagged vexpert, VMware | Leave a comment

Customize the VMware ESXi 5 installation media by adding the latest patches using Image Builder

Published 13/02/2012 | By Ivo Beerens

When you want to customize the VMware ESXi 5 installation media you need to use Image Builder. Image Builder CLI is a set of PowerCLI cmdlets that you can use to manage vSphere image profiles and VIB (VMware Installation Bundle) packages, such as driver VIBs and update VIBs. You can also use Image Builder cmdlets to export an image profile to an ISO or offline depot ZIP file that you can use to install ESXi with a customized set of updates, patches, and drivers

In this blog post are the steps outlined on how-to create a customized VMware ESXi5 ISO with the latest patches. Adding the latest patches can be useful because it contains for example the updated HP Emulex net-be2net driver needed for HP Flex-10 ESXi5 installations.

More drivers can be found on the VMware download site:

Prerequirements

1. Download and install PowerCLI 5.x. Open PowerCLI and set the remote signing to RemoteSigned by using the following command:

Set-ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned

2. Create a folder structure like this:

<drive letter>:\ImageBuil\ESXi

3. Download the VMware ESXi Offline bundle from the VMware download website and save the file in <driveletter>:\ImageBuil\ESXi

The ESXi offline bundle we use is named ESXi500-201111001.zip

Create a customized ESXi5 ISO

1. Add the ESXi offline bundle and latest patches to depots

Add the VMware ESXi offline bundle and the latest patches use the Add-EsxSoftwareDepot command. First add the offline ESXi depot by using the following command:

Add-EsxSoftwareDepot F:\ImageBuil\ESXi\ESXi500-201111001.zip

Return a list of all the VMware Installation Bundle (VIB) objects, use the Get-EsxSoftwarePackage command. This example list all the software package (VIB) objects sorted on release date:

Get-EsxSoftwarePackage | select Name,Version,ReleaseDate | sort ReleaseDate

Add the URL of the patch depot (we use the VMware Update Manager URL) using the following command:

Add-EsxSoftwareDepot -DepotUrl https://hostupdate.vmware.com/software/VUM/PRODUCTION/main/vmw-depot-index.xml

List the VMware Installation Bundle (VIB) objects again and see the new VIBs added:

Get-EsxSoftwarePackage | select Name,Version,ReleaseDate | sort ReleaseDate


output using: Add-EsxSoftwareDepot F:\ImageBuil\ESXi\ESXi500-201111001.zip	output using: Add-EsxSoftwareDepot -DepotUrl https://hostupdate.vmware.com/softw are/VUM/PRODUCTION/main/vmw-depot-index.xml

2. Clone the existing image profile

Run the Get-EsxImageProfile cmdlet to find the name of the profile that you want to clone.

Get-EsxImageProfile | Select Name,CreationTime,AcceptanceLevel | Sort CreationTime | FT -AutoSize

Clone the latest image profile using this command:

New-EsxImageProfile -CloneProfile "ESXi-5.0.0-20111204001-standard" -name "VMware ESXi5 custom" -Vendor "Beerens"

3. Export the image profile to ISO

Export an image profile to an ISO image or a ZIP file of component files and folders. The following command export the image profile to an ISO:

Export-EsxImageProfile -ImageProfile "VMware ESXi5 custom" –ExportToIso -FilePath F:\ImageBuil\esxi5custom.iso

And you are ready to boot from the new installation media named esxi5custom.iso. Check the following components to see if the customization has the desired result:

- VMware ESXi 5 Boot Menu

- VMware ESXi build

- Image Profile name

Posted in customization, ESXi, image builder, VMware | Tagged customization, esxi, image builder | 1 Comment

Display HP P4000 SAN/iQ version, installed patches and up-time

Published 01/02/2012 | By Ivo Beerens

During a health check I needed to know the SAN/iQ version, installed patches and the up-time of the HP P4000 storage nodes because of a nasty bug in SAN/iQ 9.0 or 9.0.01 that hang or reboot nodes after 208.5 days (More information about the bug can be found in the HP Customer Advisory found here)

To see the SAN/iQ version, installed patches and the up-time (thanks to Calvin Zito @HPStorageGuy for guiding me to the up-time counter in CMC)

Here are the steps:

1. Open the Centralized Management Console (CMC)

2. Login

3. Expand the cluster

4. Expand the Storage Systems

5. Select Diagnostics for the first node (1)

6. Select “Hardware information” (2)

7. Select “Click to refresh” (3)