Overview

In todays morden age we have a lot of demand to provision software or application rapidly, this puts a lot of pressure on developers and VI admins, often we find that there is a constant demand from Developers which keeps growing each day and unfortunately IT becomes the bottleneck due to number of factors.

Key challenges for Morden application:

Developers need a more agile way of provisioning IT, they need to wait for IT to provision. This slows down development cycle.

VI admin are consistently busy in provisioning and supporting silos of different technology. They need to make sure environment is having Performance, Security, Availability and they have to keep a track of the over all cost.

Another challenge is to making sure we have resource and security Isolation, Performance and Availability

The Morden application is build with containers and orchestration tools. VMware has also seen these pinch points over the years and has been working to resolve this issue using the Next Gen hypervisor vSphere7. This hypervisor is re-designed keeping not just VI Admins but Developers in mind too.

VMware has fundamentally given developer access to the infrastructure, Empower the developer using the well know kubarnaties API’s and at the same time assure the admin that they have control over the estate.

To give some perspective originally applications was simple, we have an App server and a Database server.

However, today modern application is builds as a distributed systems, it’s mixture of VM’s like app and DB along with containers and server-less construct too.

The solution vSphere 7 with Kubernetes is part of VMware Cloud Foundation version 4

It has Essential services for the modern Hybrid Cloud, The developers will have inside to plug in with Kubernetes API’s in the new version of vSphere specifically VCF version 4. (VMware Cloud Foundation 4) which will support the full SDDC stack with NSX-T and access to infrastructure through same API’s known to developers from Kubernetes.

Streamline Development

Real-time infrastructure access through Kubernetes APIs

Integration with Tanzu Kubernaties Grid

Container service delivers high performance and enhanced security.

Logical construct ‘Name space’

Reference: https://images.app.goo.gl/sSg397CmdNmq1SAW6

Agile Operations

Application focused management

Simple lifecycle management and intrinsic security.

Unified platform and consistent Ops across all cloud, data center and edge deployments.

Accelerate Innovation

Cost-effective hardware pools

Performance and resilience for DB and business-critical apps.

Predictable quality of service for time-critical apps.

You can check out my Session on Whats new on vSphere 7 here:

Some of the new features with vSphere 7 and vCenter 7 are given below:

VMware Cloud Foundation 4

vCenter Server Profiles

Content Library with version control

New and improved DRS

vSphere 7 and vSGX Intel Software Guard Extension

vCenter Server Upgrade Planner

Improved vMotion

I have been asked this question time and time again on how to setup a lab for vSphere to start learning VMware.

In this post today I am going to walk you through how I have created an amazing lab just using simple commodity hardware, which is easy to find and cheap to run with the electricity bills. Especially if you are planning to run it 24/7 as I do.

Hardware – Dell Optiplex 7010

I have purposely used Dell Optiplex 7010 as it is easy and cheap to buy.

Configuring / Billing of Material (BOM)

CPU Intel i7

Memory – 32GB

2TB HDD

CD/DVD

So as you can see this is a simple Dell desktop which you can buy, I have bought this from eBay for £350, The most important thing to remember is the memory, so the more the merrier. In my case, I have messaged the eBay seller and found out the maximum memory that is supported for this desktop which is 32GB and I have got 8 GB X 4 Memory Modules.

Although this looks like a good option sadly, there is no more room for an upgrade of memory as this is the maximum the motherboard supports.

I bought this kit back in Feb 2019, it fit the requirement I had for my basic home lab with vSphere 6.7

Installing ESXi

Once you get the server ready, Install ESX 6.7 you will need to register on https://www.vmware.com and download the ESX 6.7 Update 3 ISO first.

1. register with my VMware portal httpss://my.vmware.com/web/vmware/registration
2. once register login with the credentials

• Once you log-in you will find the downloads

4. click on Trial and Free products.

you will then find vSphere for Download free Trial

You can also have a go at the VMware Hands-on Lab ( HOL) they are very good too.

so once we click on the download link we will get 60 days evaluation for vSpehre 6.7 or any VMware products for that matter. as you can see my Evaluation edition time is compleated

This should let you download your software if you have registered a new MyVMware account.

You can also check out the old products that y you can click on View My Evaluation

Then you will need to burn the ISO to CD or DVD disk to install the ESX hypervisor on the server.

Please follow the blog given below to complete the ESX installation process. although this was done for ESX 6.7 Update 2 the process is the same for Update 3 too.

https://agileops.co.uk/2019/05/02/installing-vsphere-6-7-update-2/

Finally, at the end of the installation, you will find your brand new Hypervisor ready for action. you might need to check if the VT is enabled in the Bios to start nested esx host if that’s what you are planning to do like I have done in my lab.

You can find the full process of Installing the ESX on my YouTube channel where I teach VMware to beginners VMware Tutorial for Beginners | Session 3: installing vSphere 6.7

Then you can start installing the vCetner Server, you can go back to the MyVMware website and download the ISO.

Sometimes you see the error message given below:

You either are not entitled or do not have permissions to download this product.
Check with your My VMware Super User, Procurement Contact or Administrator.

If you recently purchased this product through VMware Store or through a third-party, try downloading later.

just click on Trail Download and you should be able to download the ISO

httpss://my.vmware.com/web/vmware/details?downloadGroup=ESXI670&productId=742&rPId=24857

You can follow my blog Installing VMware vCenter Server 6.7 Update 2

How does my lab look like, well that’s a good subject? please check the screenshot below:

I have the Physical dell Optiplex server which I have highlighted in red. as as you can see I am chewing almost all the memory on the server currently.

I have two VM running nested esx which are highlighted in the demo cluster running around 7 VM’s

I have the vCetner server and vROPS instance running directory on the dell server.

How can I forget I have used FreeNAS for shared storage which is provisioned using ISCSI software initiators. you will find a full process of how to provide shared storage on the YouTube chanal in two parts.

Part1:

Part2:

Hi All,

In this post i am going to take you through the steps in installing and configuring the ESX host once the installation is completed I will show you how to add it to the vCenter Server.

for the purpose of the post i have done a nested ESX installation ( which is ESX running on a VM) below you will see a quick YouTube video on the installation. dont for get to subscribe to my YouTube channel as stay tuned for new videos.

I have also taken screenshots on for the installation process. I know sometime its quick to follow the screenshots as appose to going through the video.

At this point the installation starts and you will the progress of the installation.

Thats all you can now press F2 to login to the esx using the password you have set.

You will need to setup the Network configuration to static then add it to the vCenter. If you dont have a vCenter you can deploy one on this ESX server as this is the first one.

I will be posting about how to installing vCetner server in the coming days. however if you have got a vCetner installed this is how you can quickly add the new build host to the vCenter Server.

Login to the vCenter and right click on the Cluster or the datacenter then click on Add Host

After a few seconds you will see the vSphere ESX host appering in the cluster. you can put it on Maintenance Mode if you want to do further configuration on the Host.

Hope you enjoyed by post feel free to command and let me know if you have any questions. I will love to hear back from my users.

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