How to setup VMware ESXi 5.1 environment on VMware workstation

VMware ESXi and clouds are trending topics in infrastructure industry now. So most of the windows or Unix administrator would like to learn VMware ESXi .Your current organization will not give any Vmware training unless there is a business requirements for them. You can go for an external vmware training but it too costly and difficult to attend training after completing your shift.So what is the solution ? If you are experienced Windows or Unix administrator ,you can setup your own vmware ESXi 5.1 environment on VMware workstation.This is how i have learned being a Unix administrator.Why can’t you ?

The below diagram help you to understand vmware ESX 5.1 and VMware vCenter Server setup on VMware workstation.

Let see how we can setup the vmware ESXi environment on Vmware workstation.

Desktop/Laptop configuration Requirements:

1. Intel Core 2 duo or higher version of CPU. (It must support Intel-VT)

2. 4GB Memory

3. 50GB Hard-drive Free space.

4. VMware workstation 9.0

1.Download Vmware workstation and install it in windows Laptop/Desktop

2.Create a virtual machine for ESXi 5.1 host on vmware workstation with below configurations.
Note:Creating the virtual machine is similar to Solaris virtual machine on Vmware workstation.But select Operating systems as ESXi 5.1 instead of Solaris.

3.Install ESXi 5.1 on the created virtual machine.Here is the installation steps of VMware ESXi 5.1.

4.Create a one more virtual machine with below configuration for VMware vCenter server.(Operating system: Windows 2008 Server)

5.Install windows 2008 server operating system on that newly create virtual machine.

6. Login to the windows 2008 server and perform the VMware vCenter SSO installation.

7.After completing the Vmware vCenter SSO installation,perform the VMware vCenter Inventory service installation.

8.One you have installed the vCenter SSO server and vCenter Inventory service,you can start installing VMware vCenter server.

9.Install VMware vSphere client on any windows host to connect VMware vCenter Server.

10. Login to VMware vSphere Client and add the ESXi 5.1 host to the VMware vCenter server.

11.Now you can start creating the virtual machines on ESXi 5.1 host by using vSphere Client.

I am sure this setup will definitively will hep you to learn Vmware ESXi 5.1 and vCenter server 5.1.Please let me know if you have any difficulties to setup this environment on Vmware workstation 9.0.

Please share this article on social networks to reach many Unix and windows administrators.So that they can start learning the vmware ESXi 5.1

Thank you for reading this article.

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