How to Create New Virtual Machine in VMware ESXi 5.1

Are you new to VMware ESXi 5.1 and eager to learn how to create a new virtual machine?

Whether you’re seeking a test environment or planning on deploying production workloads, mastering this task is essential for any system administrator.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through step-by-step instructions to successfully create a brand-new VM in VMware ESXi 5.1, no matter your level of expertise. Get ready to unleash the full potential of your virtual infrastructure!

Introduction to VMware ESXi 5.1

VMware ESXi is a powerful, robust, and secure server virtualization platform that enables businesses to consolidate multiple physical servers into a single virtual server environment.

VMware ESXi 5.1 is the latest release of the VMware vSphere 5.x product line and introduces many new features and enhancements, such as:

• A new web client for managing VMware vCenter Server and ESXi hosts
• New CPU and memory optimization techniques
• Improved High Availability (HA) and Fault Tolerance (FT) capabilities
• Support for Microsoft Windows Server 2012 guest operating systems
• And much more!

If you want to start with VMware ESXi 5.1, this guide will show you how to create a new virtual machine in ESXi 5.1 using the vSphere Web Client.

Prerequisite Steps for Installing a New Virtual Machine

A few prerequisite steps must be completed before installing a new virtual machine in VMware ESXi.

Firstly, ensure that your system has enough RAM and CPU resources to support the creation of a new virtual machine.

Secondly, check that you have enough free space on your hard drive. Thirdly, make sure you have the latest version of VMware ESXi installed.

Finally, ensure you have all the drivers and software required for the new virtual machine.

Setting Up the Virtual Machine’s Operating System (OS)

The first step in creating a new virtual machine in VMware ESXi is to install the operating system (OS) onto the virtual machine.

This can be done in several ways, but the most common method is using an ISO image of the OS you wish to install.

Once you have obtained an ISO image of the OS you wish to install, you must upload it to your VMware ESXi server.

This can be done using several methods, but the most common method is to use SCP or FTP. Once the ISO image is uploaded, you will need to create a new virtual machine in VMware ESXi and specify the location of the ISO image as the source for the installation media.

The next step is to install the OS onto the virtual machine. This can be done through the VMware ESXi web interface or the vSphere client. The process is relatively straightforward and should not take a few minutes.

Once the installation is complete, you must reboot your virtual machine and proceed to step 2.

Configure OS and Install the Applications

Once the OS is installed onto your virtual machine, you must configure it to meet your needs.

This can involve modifying screen resolution, memory size, processor type, and other parameters.

Additionally, you may also want to install any applications or drivers that are necessary for your situation.

Once this is complete, reboot the virtual machine and proceed to the next step.

Setting Up Network Connectivity

The final step in setting up a new virtual machine is to set up the network connectivity to communicate with other systems on the network.

The first step in this process will be to define a network adapter for the virtual machine in VMware ESXi.

This can be a Virtual Network Adapter (VNA) or a Physical Network Adapter (PNA). Depending on which type of adapter you choose, there are different ways to configure it, such as assigning an IP address or setting up DHCP.

Once this is complete, you can access the internet from your virtual machine.

These are the basics of setting up a virtual machine in VMware ESXi. Once complete, you can use the virtual machine to run various applications or servers that meet your needs.

Configuring the Guest Machine

Now that you have successfully installed VMware ESXi, creating a new virtual machine is time.

This can be done either through the vSphere Client or directly on the ESXi server. This section will show you how to configure the guest machine through the vSphere Client.

Begin by opening the vSphere Client and connecting to your ESXi server. Under the “Hosts and Clusters” view, select your server from the list of available options. Right-click on your server and select “New Virtual Machine…” from the drop-down menu.

The “New Virtual Machine Wizard” will now open. Click “Next” to continue.

On the next page, select whether you want to create a custom virtual machine or use one of the existing templates. For this guide, we will select “Create a new virtual machine”. Click “Next” to continue.

Enter a name and description for your new virtual machine on the next page. Also, specify which folder you would like to store the VM in. For this guide, we will leave everything at its default values and click “Next” to continue.

Installing and Configuring VirtIO Drivers

1. Before using a VM with VirtIO drivers, you need to install and configure the drivers on the ESXi host.
2. You can find the VirtIO drivers for your ESXi version on the Fedora Project download page.
3. Choose the appropriate VirtIO driver for your OS type and version, and download it to your desktop.
4. Once you have downloaded the driver, open the VMware vSphere Client and connect to your ESXi server.
5. Select the host’s tab, and then click on the name of your ESXi host in the list.
6. In the summary tab, click “Configuration” in the left-hand menu.
7. In the configuration window that appears, select “Software” in the left-hand menu.
8. In the right-hand pane, click “Add…” under “VMware Installation Bundles.”
9. In the “Select Bundle” window that appears, browse to where you downloaded the VirtIO driver and select it. Then click “Open.”
10. The bundle will now be added to your list of software packages. Select it and click “Install/Upgrade.”
11. A popup window will appear asking if you want to keep or replace existing files – choose to keep them all by selecting “Keep existing files.”
12. The installation process will now begin – this may take a few minutes to complete depending on your internet connection speed and server load.”

Adding Additional Storage Resources

There are two types of storage resources on a VMware ESXi host: local and shared storage.

Local storage is any internal hard or solid-state drives installed directly into the server.

Shared storage is any external storage located on a SAN, NAS, or DAS accessible by the ESXi server.

Adding additional storage resources to an ESXi server can be accomplished in a few different ways depending on what type of storage you are adding.

You can add more internal drives to the server for local storage if there are available slots.

For shared storage, you must add an additional Fibre Channel (FC) HBA card or iSCSI adapter to connect the server to the SAN, NAS, or DAS.

Once you have added the necessary hardware, you must configure it in the vSphere Client.

To do this, select the host in the inventory and click on the “Configure” tab. Under “Storage Adapters,” click “Add.” Select either “Fibre Channel” or “iSCSI” from the drop-down menu and follow the prompts to complete the configuration.

After configuring the adapter, you must create one or more new data stores on the shared storage device using either the web client or CLI.

Once created, these data stores will be available for any VM on that particular host.

Finalizing Your new VM Configuration

Now that you have chosen your VM’s operating system and configured the settings, it is time to finalize the configuration and launch the virtual machine.

To finalize the configuration, open the “VMware vSphere Client” console and select the server on which you want to install the new VM.

Right-click on the server and choose “New Virtual Machine.” This will open up the New Virtual Machine Wizard.

On the first page of the wizard, select “Custom (advanced)” and click “Next.” On the second page, choose whether you want to install VMware Tools from a CD/DVD or a URL.

If you choose to install from a URL, enter the URL in the text box provided. Click “Next.”

On the third page of the wizard, give your new VM a name and choose where you would like to store it. You can also specify whether you want to store it on a local disk or SAN storage. Click “Next.”

On the fourth page of the wizard, select how much memory you would like to allocate to your new VM. Choose between 512 MB and 64 GB of RAM. Click “Next.”

On the fifth page of the wizard, select how many processors you would like to allocate to your new VM. You can allocate up to 8 processors per VM. Click “Next.”

The sixth page of the wizard will prompt you to select the type of virtual hardware your new VM supports. Select the appropriate hardware and click “Next.”

On the seventh page of the wizard, select whether you want to install an operating system on your new VM. If so, specify the OS type and version. Click “Next.”

The eighth page of the wizard will allow you to choose whether you would like to add extra storage or network adapters. Click “Next.”

Once all information has been entered, review all of your selections on the final page of the New Virtual Machine Wizard and click “Finish.” Your new virtual machine is now ready for launch.

Conclusion

Creating a new virtual machine in VMware ESXi 5.1 requires some technical knowledge, but it is far from rocket science.

With the steps outlined above and utilizing all of the features this platform offers, you should be able to create your own VM with relative ease.

If you still have trouble creating a new virtual machine or need help understanding how specific settings might affect performance, we recommend checking out additional resources online for more help and advice.