I have been asked by my students how to setup the Lab Environment within VMware Workstation so many times. Although I have tried to explain as much as I can, I think it will be easier to understand if there is an instruction for how to setup. So finally I decided to write this instruction about it.
Tools you need
- Laptop/Desktop with minimum of 8GB RAM (10GB or more is preferable)
- VMware Workstation 9 ( Can be done with other editions but the instruction is based on 9)
- Windows 2003 x64 ISO
- Windows 2003 x32 ISO
- vCenter Server 5 Windows Edition ISO
- ESXi 5 ISO
- Openfiler ISO
My Environment
Network Diagram
Step 1 – Virtual Network Settings.
- Install VMware Workstation
- Take a note of Virtual Network Settings. The information you find in this will be used later on. To get Virtual Network Settings Edit > Virtual Network Editor … from Menu Bar.
- Select VMnet with Type “NAT”. then click NAT Settings.
- Take note of Gateway IP Address. This will be the Gateway Address for the management network. If you want to change this some other IP Address as it listed, you can change it here. Usually I use .254 IP Address as the gateway IP Address. Click OK to close Virtual Network Editor.
I have checked my details on my IP addressing and followed the same process. When i start DCPROMO, pop up warning me that ip adressing will need to be corrected.
I have cheked the I have set up my ip address as 192.168.10.128 , subnet mask :255.255.255.0, and my gateway ip address is 192.168.10.2. and DNS: 127.0.0.1, i have checked the DHCP addressing which are: start IP address – 192.168.10.128 and End IP address – 192.168.10.254. i have saved the settings but coming with an error when running dcpromo.
Hi
Have you configured IP address statically in DC? You need a static IP address for DC, not DHCP.
If it has a static IP Address and still having an issue please let me know the exact message you received.
Hi Dai, I have reinstalled the server 2003 sp2. i have managed to fix it and make it a dc. dcpromo worked and the IP addressing is set as static.i will check all the settings and if it is not working, i will let you know. thanks you for the reply. Moussa
hi Dai,
can i get a free copy of openfiler on the net. i need to change the ip addresses to match my Ip addressing on my range.
thanks
Moussa
You can download a copy from http://www.openfiler.com/
hi Dai,
in your instructions it is saying part 7. i am wondering if there is a part 7 in the documents you have uploaded.
You can read Part 7 from http://www.bluebox-web.com/2012/10/15/creating-virtual-lab-environment-part-7/
Hello. This is my scenario.
ESXi4.1 > VM W7 64bit with Workstation 9 > ESX 5.1
So when I try to power on the VM within a VM in a ESX 4.1i I get this error:
Running VMware Workstation in a virtual machine requires the outer virtual machine to be configured for running a VMware ESX guest operating system. You cannot power on a virtual machine until the outer virtual machine is reconfigured.
Not clear if this is possible only from 5.0 onwards or if I need to twek something in my ESX 4.1 or in my W7 VM…
Seems that this scenario is not possible on ESXi 4.1
Can be done in 5.1, I beleive
Are you running VMware Workstation inside VM under ESXI 5.1?
If so, you will need to edit VMX file to support Virtualization inVirtual environment.
Try this solution
http://bnpcs.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/qemukvm-nested-inside-esxi-50.html?m=1
But if you are running ESXi server, you might want to install ESXi server on ESXi without workstation. It will be faster and easier.
Let me know how this goes.
Hi Dai,
I hope all is well. I am trying to create a virtual machine on the ESXi server on my system. I dont see an option to install the operating system using cd or iso image or browse to install it. how do i transfer the iso image to ESXI server so that i can install the virtual machine. I have the lab set up with the same information you have given me. everything runs fine but i am stcuk how to add the image from cd or iso in order to install the new virtual machine on my ESXi server. it would be helful if you advise.
many thanks.
Moussa
Hi Moussa
Hope you are well,too.
You will need to use vSphere Client to transfer files, i.e ISO images to ESXi Server Datastore.
Go to Configuration > Storage, then select your local Datastore, then right click Browse Datastore.
You should be able to see the option to upload File/Folder from there.
Hope this helps.
Hi Dai,
hope all is well. I have emailed VMware to see if I can change my voucher to have the exam at at a later date. I have not been able to prepare as i have been working. do you think that I can change the date or not?
thanks.
Moussa