How to Create a New VMware Server Virtual Machine

Are you looking to create a new virtual machine using VMware but feeling overwhelmed by the process? Fear not!

In this post, we’ll guide you step-by-step on how to set up a VMware server virtual machine easily.

Whether it’s your first time or you need a refresher course, we’ve got you covered.

By the end of this article, you’ll be ready to create and configure your own virtual machines like a pro!

Introduction to VMWare Server

Before creating a new VMware Server virtual machine, you must have VMware Server installed and running on your system. If you do not have a VMware Server installed, follow the installation and configuration documentation instructions.

Once you have installed and started VMware Server, log in as an administrator to the VMware Server Console. Then, to create a new virtual machine:

1. Launch the VMware Server Console from the Start menu.
2. Select the Hosts tab in the left navigation pane, and then click New Virtual Machine in the toolbar at the top of the window.
3. Follow the Create New Virtual Machine wizard steps to select a configuration for your virtual machine, install an operating system, configure networking, and name your virtual machine.
4. To power on your new virtual machine immediately after creating it, select Power On After Creation on the Summary page of the wizard.
5. Otherwise, powering up your new virtual machine is similar to powering on a physical computer: select your virtual machine from the list of virtual machines and click Power On in its Summary tab.

We hope this has helped you better understand VMware Server and how to create a new virtual machine with it!

Setting up Your Virtual Machine

Assuming you have already installed and configured VMware Server, we will cover creating a new virtual machine in this section.

You can use the GUI or the command line to create a new VM; both methods are relatively straightforward.

Creating a New Virtual Machine Using the GUI:

1. Launch the VMware Server Console.
2. Click on the “Create a new virtual machine” icon.
3. A wizard will appear; click “Next” to continue.
4. Enter a name for your new VM and select which server pool it should be created in; click “Next” when finished.
5. Select the amount of RAM you want to allocate to your VM; again, click “Next” when done.
6. Choose whether you want to create a disk for your VM now or attach an existing one; if creating a new disk, select its size and format (Thick Provisioned or Thin Provisioned). If attaching an existing disk, browse to its location and select it. Click “Next” when finished.
7. The next screen allows you to configure networking for your VM; since we will be using NAT, leave the defaults in place and click “Next.”
8. The final screen displays a summary of your choices; review them and click “Finish” to create the VM. Your new VM should now appear in the left-hand pane of the VMware Server Console window.
9. Double-click on your new VM to launch it; you should be prompted to attach a guest operating system. Select the appropriate OS type and version, then click “Next.”
10. The wizard will prompt you to either install or upgrade the OS; select “Install” and proceed with the installation.
11. Once the installation is complete, your new virtual machine should be ready for use!

Pre-Installation Requirements

1. Before installing a new VMware server, you must have administrator privileges on the host machine. This will allow you to access and modify files necessary for installation.
2. You’ll also need to ensure your computer meets the minimum system requirements for installing a VMware server. These requirements include having a compatible CPU, at least 1 GB of RAM, and enough free disk space to accommodate the virtual machine you’ll be creating.
3. Additionally, installing the latest VMware Workstation or Player on your host machine is important before beginning the installation process for your new server. You can download these programs from the VMware website.

Creating Virtual Hard Disk and CPU Configuration Details

There are a few things you need to do to create the virtual hard disk and CPU configuration details for your new VMware server virtual machine.

First, you need to decide on the virtual hard disk size. This is normally determined by the amount of data you plan to store on the virtual machine.

Second, you need to choose a location for the virtual hard disk. This can be either on your local computer or on a remote server.

Finally, you need to set up the CPU configuration settings. These include choosing the number of CPUs, the amount of RAM, and the CPU type.

Configuring the Memory and Network Settings

A few key settings must be configured to ensure optimal performance when configuring a new VMware server virtual machine. These include the memory and network settings.

Memory Settings:

The first thing to configure is the memory allocation for the virtual machine. This can be done by selecting the “Configuration” tab and clicking “Memory.”

From here, you will see a slider that can be adjusted to increase or decrease the RAM allocated to the VM.

It is important to allocate enough RAM to support the operating system and any applications running on the VM. It is best to over-allocate RAM to avoid any potential performance issues.

Network Settings:

The next important setting to configure is the network connection for the virtual machine. This can be done by selecting the “Network Adapters” menu from the “Configuration” tab.

From here, you must select which virtual network adapter should be used for connectivity. If unsure, selecting the “VM Network” adapter is best.

Once selected, you must choose an IP address for the VM. This can be done by selecting “Obtain an IP Address Automatically” or manually configuring a static IP address.

Installing OS and Applications for Your Server VM

1. Choose an operating system for your server VM. We recommend CentOS 7.
2. Download the ISO file for your chosen operating system and burn it to a DVD or create a bootable USB drive.
3. Insert the DVD or USB drive into your server and boot from it.
4. Follow the prompts to install the operating system onto your server VM. Be sure to select the option to install only the basic packages, as you will manually install all the necessary software for your applications.
5. Once the installation is complete, reboot your server VM and log in with the username and password you set during setup.
6. Now that you have a basic OS installed, the software needed for your applications is time. For this example, we’ll assume you’re setting up a LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP) stack for web development. Start by updating all of the existing packages on your server:

yum update -y

7. Next, install Apache:

yum install httpd -y

8. Install MySQL: yum install mysql-server mysql -y

9. And finally, PHP: yum install php php-mysql -y

10. Now that all of the necessary software is installed, start each service by running these commands:

systemctl start httpd # starts Apache web server
systemctl start mysqld # starts MySQL database server
systemctl start php-fpm # starts PHP processor

11. Once all the services run, you can begin configuring your applications and developing your website.

Connecting to and Accessing Your Server VM

Creating a new server VM is a simple process assuming you have installed and configured VMware Server. To create a new server VM:

1. Select the “Create a New Virtual Machine” link in the VMware Server console.
2. Select the operating system you wish to install on the new VM.
3. Enter a name for the new VM and choose where you would like it to be stored.
4. Specify the amount of memory you would like to allocate to the new VM.
5. Select the “Create a New virtual disk” option and specify the size.
6. Choose whether you would like to use Bridged, NAT, or Host-only networking for the VM.
7. Review your choices and click “Finish” to create the new VM.

Once your new VM has been created, you can power it by selecting it in the console and clicking “Power On.”

Optimizing Performance for Your Server VM

You can do a few key things to ensure your VMware Server VM runs optimally.

First, ensure that your VM is configured for the optimal number of virtual CPUs and has adequate RAM.

If your VM is CPU-bound, you may see performance benefits by adding additional vCPUs. Similarly, if your VM is RAM-bound, adding more RAM may help.

Second, use the right storage type for your workload. If your workload is read-intensive, using an SSD as your primary storage will give you the best performance. For write-intensive workloads, an NVMe drive may be a better choice.

Third, make sure you have enough bandwidth available to support your workload. If you see network latency or slowdowns, increasing your bandwidth may help improve performance.

By following these simple tips, you can ensure that your VMware Server VM runs at peak performance.

Conclusion

Creating and configuring a VMware Server virtual machine is a great way to improve your server’s efficiency in hosting multiple resources and applications.

With the steps outlined in this article, you can easily set up and configure your VM. As long as you have all your components ready, you should be able to get your new VMware Server up and running without any trouble or delay. Good luck!