How to build a Lab Manager Server using ESX or ESXi

 

1) Firmware Upgrades, make sure VT & DEP are enabled.

2) If Blade Chassis

a. Make sure networking is ready, i.e. virtual connect

b. Rename blade in chassis/iLo

3) If using shared storage (and you better be)

a. Fiber Channel

    i. setup VSAN’d and Zoned.

b. iSCSI

    ii. Properly setup

c. Present LUN(s) to Server

4) Install ESX or ESXi

5) ESXi only

a. Change Root Password

b. Change IP to static

c. Change hostname

6) Allow SSH (if you want)

7) Install Hardwareproviders/ agents, i.e. HP ESX Agent

8) Add to vCenter

9) Apply vCenter templates (this should do the following automatically)

a. Setup Networking vNics, vMotion & Management

b. NTP

c. NFS storage

10) Patch with VUM

11) Setup Monitoring, SiteScope, vCM, etc..

12) Add to Lab Manager