Introduction

The Configure VMware ESXi module provides you with the instruction and server hardware to develop your hands on skills in the defined topics. This module includes the following exercises: 1) Configuring NTP 2) Configuring DNS and Routing 3) Configuring Memory Compression Cache 4) Configure Licensing

Lab Diagram
During your session you will have access to the following lab configuration.

Connecting to your lab

In this module you will be working on the following equipment to carry out the steps defined in each exercise.

PLABDC01 (Domain Controller) PLABVC01 (VMWare Management Server) PLABESX01 (VMWare Host 1) PLABSTORAGE (iSCSI Shared Storage)

Each exercise will detail which console you are required to work on to carry out the steps. To start simply click on the named Server from the device list (located on the left hand side of the screen) and click the Power on from the in tools bar. In some cases the devices may power on automatically. During the boot up process an activity indicator will be displayed in the name tab: Black - Powered Off Orange - Working on your request Green - Ready to access

If the remote console is not displayed automatically in the main window (or popup) click the Connect icon located in the tools bar to start your session. If the remote console does not appear please try the following option: Switch between the HTML 5 and Java client versions in the tools bar.

In the event this does not resolve your connectivity problems please visit our Help / Support pages for additional resolution options.

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Exercise 1 Configuring NTP

In this exercise, you will perform the tasks required to configure features within VMWare ESXi. Please refer to your course material or http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&external Id=1003063 to gain an understanding configuring these functions.

Configure NTP on ESXi Hosts

In order to track and manage system events effectively each VMWare host should be configured with the correct system time. For example if you are investigating an error in the system logs and the time is incorrect it will be more difficult to tie the problem to an event that may have happened on a different system that had the correct time configured. In the virtual environment, virtual machines as well as the ESXi hosts must be able to access the accurate system time. The virtual guests use VMtools to sync their time with the hosts and ESXi hosts can be configured to use NTP in the standalone or clustered environment. In a clustered solution ESXi hosts can also use the internal or external time servers the clustered environment must have their clocks synchronized to the same time source. One key reason for this is that if you use vMotion the system time should be accurate. Note: The NTP configuration can be performed directly on the ESXi server or you can configure this from the vCenter server. Step 1 Ensure you have powered the required devices and Connect to PLABVC01. Open the vSphere Client located on the desktop. Insert Plabesx01 in the IP address /Name field and select the following credentials then select Login.
User name: root Password: Passw0rd

Step 2 Once you have logged in click Ok to the message regarding the host management.

Then select the Inventory icon.

Click on the Configuration tab and select on Security Profile located in the Software section.

In the Firewall section choose Properties and enable the NTP Client check box.

Then click OK. You will now notice the NTP Client listed in the Outgoing Connections.

Select the Time Configuration option for the Software menu and then Properties. As you have allowed NTP in the Firewall configuration the client is already enabled. Select the Options tab.

Click NTP Settings and Add Insert pool.ntp.org

Click Ok. Check the Restart NTP service to apply changes option.

Click back on the General option and select the Start and stop with host option.

Click Ok to start the service. Once you return to the Time Configuration screen you will notice the NTP client is now running.

Configuring NTP can also be done via the command line through remote console access.

Step 3 Minimise the vShpere Client console and open the Putty application located on the desktop.

In the Putty Configuration dialog box, type plabesx01 in the Host Name (or IP address) text box. Alternatively, double-click plabesx01 from the Saved Sessions text box in the Load, save or delete a stored session section and click Open.

When prompted for username and password, enter

root Passw0rd

Once the command window is open use the following to configure NTP:
esxcli network firewall ruleset set -r ntpClinet -e true

Then you need to edit the NTP configuration file using the vi editor:
vi /etc/ntp.conf

As you can see from the configuration file the server pool.ntp.org is present from when you configured NTP through the GUI console. If this setting was not in place you would add it to the file and save it. To quit the editor use the following sequence:
esc [keyboard] :q enter [keyboard]

Note: The hardware clock must be synchronized with the system clock. If it is not synchronized, then after the system reboot, the system clock will be reset as per the hardware clock time. Close all open windows. Leave the devices you have powered on in their current state and proceed to the next exercise.

Exercise 2 - Configuring DNS and Routing

You can use VMware vCenter to configure DNS and Routing on an ESXi host. You can configure a preferred and an alternate DNS server.

Configure the DNS and Routing on an ESXi host

Step 1 On PLABVC01 and open the vSphere Client located on the desktop. Insert Plabvc01 in the IP address /Name field and Select Use Windows session credentials, if already not selected, and click Login.

On the Home screen, select Hosts and Clusters in the Inventory section.

Select PLABESX01.practicelabs.com in the inventory tree and click the Configuration tab.

In the Software section, click DNS and Routing. Select Properties to display the DNS and Routing Configuration dialog box. Note: The host name should already be defined. However, if localhost is defined as the Name, then you can enter the correct name while configuring the DNS settings. Click Properties and enter the following information: Domain: practicelabs.com Preferred DNS server: 192.168.0.1

Click the Routing tab. The Default gateway is already defined. Note: If the gateway information is not defined, then you can ask your network administrator for the gateway IP address and enter it here. Click OK. Leave the devices you have powered on in their current state and proceed to the next exercise.

Exercise 3 Configuring Memory Compression Cache

Using vSphere Client, you can configure the size of the memory compression cache for virtual machines on a specific host that is added to VMware vCenter. You can directly define the percentage of the memory size of the virtual machine. The default is 10 percent of the memory assigned to the virtual machine.

Enabling memory compression cache

Step 1 From the VSphere management console select the Configuration tab and in the Software section, click Advanced Settings.

In the Advanced Settings dialog box, select Mem in the left pane, as shown in the following figure.

Step 2 You can make changes to the following fields: Mem.MemZipMaxAllocPct: Default value is 50 Mem.MemZipMaxCupPct: Default value is 90 Mem.MemZipMaxPct: Default value is 10 Mem.MemZipMaxRejectionPct: Default value is 10

Note: If you do not configure any of these field settings, then the ESXi host uses the default configuration settings. Click OK. Leave the devices you have powered on in their current state and proceed to the next exercise.

Exercise 4 - Configure Licensing

Using vSphere Client, you can license the ESXi host that is connected to the vCenter Server. Note that it is also possible to license an ESXi host that is not connected to the vCenter Server. By default, the ESXi host runs in the evaluation mode. You can enter the license key when the host is in the evaluation mode, or you run the host till its evaluation period expires and then enter the license key.

Configuring license on an ESXi host

Step 1 In the Software section, click Licensed Features.

Click Edit. In the Assign License: plabesx01.practicelabs.com dialog box, select Assign a new license key to this host.

xxxClick Enter Key. In the Add License Key dialog box, enter the license key in the New license key text box and, optionally, provide a label for the license key in the Optional label for the new license key text box.

This exercises defines the process of changing / upgrading license details. The labs are configured with the correct licensing so you can leave this as is. Click Cancel. Click OK. Shutdown all virtual machines used in this lab, by using the power functions located in the Tools bar before proceeding to the next module. Alternatively you can log out of the lab platform.

Summary
In this module, you carried out the steps to configure the following: NTP DNS and Routing Hyperthreading Memory compression cache Licensing