Details
The configuration described in this article is very generic, outlining how you can boot the ESXi Server version 3.5 Update 4 Installable image using PXE. The description provided outlines how you can boot from the network by PXE booting ESXi Server version 3.5 Update 4 Installable. This installation is completely stateless (it does not rely on the presence of a local disk). Therefore, the installation and post-install configuration are not persistent across reboot. If you want to automate the sever configuration at boot time, use the VMware Infrastructure Toolkit (VMware Infrastructure SDK). See the following page for links to VMware documentation related to SDKs: http://www.vmware.com/support/pubs/sdk_pubs.html
VMware Experimental Feature Support
PXE booting VMware ESXi Server version 3.5 Update 4 Installable is an experimental feature and is supported as such. For more information about VMware's support for experimental features, see http://www.vmware.com/support/policies/experimental.html.
Overview of PXE Booting
The configuration described in this article is completely stateless with no local storage or operating system requirements. Furthermore any post-installation configuration is non persistent across reboot. This article is intended for experienced Windows or Linux system administrators who are familiar with virtual machine technology, data center operations, and PXE booting.
Benefits of PXE Booting
The main benefit of PXE booting ESXi Server version 3.5 Update 4 is that it allows you to run the deployment on systems with no disk or other local persistent storage. Furthermore, PXE booting greatly simplifies both the booting and upgrading processes. Therefore, scaling to many machines is greatly facilitated. No manual installation steps are necessary when the system is fully-realized.
Prerequisites
This article assumes that you are able to configure a DHCP environment with PXE.
To PXE boot an ESXi Server version 3.5 Update 4 installation you need the following:
- A PXE Server (with TFTP)
- A server with a hardware configuration that is supported with ESXi Server version 3.5 Update 4 (refer to the Hardware Compatibility Guide for supported hardware configurations)
- Network security policies to allow TFTP traffic (UDP port 69).
A description of the configuration of the network policies and of DHCP with PXE servers is outside the scope of this article.
Solution
The following are the steps for PXE booting an ESXi Server version 3.5 Update 4 installation:
- Download the ESXi Server version 3.5 Update 4 Installable image into your PXE boot environment.
- From the image, extract the files as listed in this step to a directory of your choice.
- mboot.c32
- binmod.tgz
- boot.cfg
- cim.tgz
- environ.tgz
- license.tgz
- oem.tgz
- vmkernel.tgz
You can extract the necessary files in many ways. An example of the extraction process is provided in Extracting ESXi Server Version 3.5 Update 4 Installable Image Files (1009034).
- Download and extract the latest version of the SYSLINUX files to the same directory as the ESXi Server version 3.5 Update 4 image files.
This step enables the remote ESXi Server version 3.5 Update 4 host to boot from these image files. Refer to the SYSLINUX/PXE Documentation for installation and configuration options.
- Modify the default file in the syslinux.cfg folder to create a boot menu for the remote ESXi Server version 3.5 Update 4 host that appears as follows:
default menu.c32
menu title PXE Boot VMware ESXi
timeout 100
label ESXi
menu label Boot VMware ESXi
kernel mboot.c32
append vmkernel.gz PBHOST=PXE-BOOT-IP-ADDRESS:3333 — binmod.tgz — environ.tgz — cim.tgz — oem.tgz ipappend 2
label Hard
menu label Boot from local drive
localboot 0
- Boot ESXi Server version 3.5 Update 4 using DHCP with PXE, passing it the address for the configuration server.
If everything proceeds properly, the ESX Server starting screen appears on the new ESXi Server version 3.5 Update 4.
本文地址：Stateless VMware ESXi Server Version 3.5 Update 4 Using PXE Booting
TAG :esxi, Knowledge Base, pxe
10 条留言我要留言 »
1 - n_yeah | 2009-12-04 at 9:24 上午
Dear Author http://www.realqi.cn !
In my opinion it is not logical
2 - bitie_i_ni4to | 2009-12-25 at 8:16 下午
I want to quote your post in my blog. It can?
And you et an account on Twitter?
3 - admin | 2009-12-25 at 9:42 下午
sure ,you can , but i should to tell you ,This article is not my original,i just quote it from http://www.vmware.com. And there are many mistakes in this article
4 - 开心凡人 | 2009-12-26 at 9:51 下午
圣诞过了，新年快来了,呵呵
5 - 医药包装 | 2010-02-10 at 11:22 上午
医药包装（www.china-pharmnet.com）博客越来越精彩了，欣赏过了，有时间指导一下小站啊。
6 - Silvia | 2010-02-19 at 12:51 上午
14AQFw I am always excited to visit this blog in the evenings.Please churning hold the contents. It is very entertaining.
7 - Silvia | 2010-02-19 at 9:31 下午
I am always excited to visit this blog in the evenings.Please churning hold the contents. It is very entertaining.,
8 - 半挂车 | 2010-02-20 at 1:45 上午
博客弄的不错啊 继续加油啊 2010年一定要努力奋斗O(∩_∩)O哈哈~回踩半挂车(www.cn-auto.org)
9 - arlekilop | 2010-02-21 at 2:13 上午
I have considered danged carefully what you tender, but does deliver some extremely attractive moments, some I disagree with you.
Note that in days of old described by other visitors.
to items and how you get in the issuance of google for this search" http://www.google.com/ie?as_q=tomb raider 3 cheats playstation. or is it a secret?
Your aferanas :)
10 - 安防监控 | 2010-02-22 at 9:42 上午
安防监控(www.china-sp.org)
过年回来了，心情也经历了好多，老喽！来顶顶博客，找找之前的感觉。