Archives 2022

1. Prepare for Installation:

• Download the VMware ESXi 8.0 ISO from the VMware website.
• Create a bootable USB drive using software like Rufus (for Windows) or Etcher (for macOS and Linux).
• Insert the USB drive into the server where you want to install ESXi.

2. Boot from the Installation Media:

• Power on the server and access the BIOS or UEFI firmware settings.
• Configure the boot order to boot from the USB drive first.
• Save the changes and exit the BIOS/UEFI settings.

3. Install VMware ESXi:

• The ESXi installer should load. Press Enter to begin the installation process.
• Read and accept the End User License Agreement (EULA) by pressing F11.
• Select the disk or storage device where you want to install ESXi and press Enter.
• Select the keyboard layout and press Enter.
• Enter a root password for the ESXi host and press Enter.
• Press F11 to confirm the installation.
• Wait for the installation to complete. Once done, remove the installation media and reboot the server.

4. Configure Networking:

• After rebooting, the ESXi host will boot up, and you’ll be prompted to configure networking.
• Use the arrow keys to navigate to “Configure Management Network” and press Enter.
• Set the IP address, subnet mask, default gateway, and DNS servers for the ESXi host.

5. Access ESXi Host via Web Client:

• Open a web browser on a computer connected to the same network as the ESXi host.
• Enter the IP address of the ESXi host in the address bar.
• Log in using the username “root” and the password you set during installation.

6. (Optional) Configure Additional Settings:

• In the vSphere Client, you can configure additional settings such as adding a license key, configuring storage, creating virtual machines, and managing networking.

7. Install VMware Tools (Optional):

• In the vSphere Client, right-click on the virtual machine and select “Guest OS” > “Install VMware Tools” to install the VMware Tools package on the virtual machine for better performance and management.

By following these steps, you can install and configure VMware ESXi 8.0 on a server and start using it to host virtual machines.

1. Access the vSphere Authentication Proxy:

• Log in to the vCenter Server using the vSphere Client with an account that has administrative privileges.
• Navigate to the “Administration” section in the vSphere Client.
• Under “Single Sign-On,” click on “Configuration.”

2. Reset the Password:

• In the “Configuration” tab, click on “System Configuration.”
• Click on the “Nodes” tab and select the vCenter Server node.
• Click on the “Manage” tab and select “Settings.”
• Under “Settings,” click on “Reset Password” next to “Single Sign-On Administrator Password.”
• Enter and confirm the new password for the administrator@vsphere.local account.
• Click “OK” to reset the password.

3. Verify the Password Reset:

• Log out of the vSphere Client and log back in using the administrator@vsphere.local account and the new password to verify that the password reset was successful.

4. (Optional) Change the Password Using the CLI:

• If you have SSH access to the vCenter Server, you can also use the vdcadmintool command-line utility to reset the password.
• SSH into the vCenter Server and run the following command to access the utility:

/usr/lib/vmware-vmdir/bin/vdcadmintool

• Select option 3 for “Reset account password” and follow the prompts to reset the password for the administrator@vsphere.local account.

By following these steps, you can reset the VMware vCenter Single Sign-On (SSO) administrator@vsphere.local password using the vSphere Client or the vdcadmintool command-line utility.

1. Unlock the root Account:

• Open a web browser and navigate to the VAMI interface of your vCenter Server Appliance. The URL is usually https://<vCenter_IP>:5480.
• Log in with your root credentials.
• Go to the “Access” tab and click on “Edit” next to “User Accounts.”
• Select the “root” account and click on “Unlock Account.”

2. Reset the root Password:

• In the same “User Accounts” section of the “Access” tab, click on “Edit.”
• Select the “root” account and enter a new password in the “New Password” and “Confirm Password” fields.
• Click on “Save Settings” to apply the new password.

3. Verify the Changes:

• Log out of the VAMI interface and log back in with the new root password to ensure it’s working correctly.
• You can also log in to the vSphere Client using the root account to verify access.

4. (Optional) Reset Password Using vSphere Client:

• If you have access to the vSphere Client and vCenter Server is connected, you can reset the root password from the vSphere Client.
• Log in to the vSphere Client with administrator credentials.
• Navigate to the vCenter Server in the inventory.
• Go to the “Configure” tab and select “Settings” under “Access.”
• Click on “Edit” next to “Authentication” and then “Edit” next to “Password.”
• Enter the new root password and click “OK” to save the changes.

5. Restart vCenter Services (if needed):

• If you encounter any issues after changing the root password, you may need to restart the vCenter services.
• You can do this from the VAMI interface by going to the “Services” tab and clicking on “Restart.”

After completing these steps, the root password for your vCenter Server should be successfully reset, and you should be able to log in with the new password.

1. Install Red Hat Enterprise Linux:

• Obtain the RHEL installation ISO from the Red Hat Customer Portal.
• Create a bootable USB drive or DVD from the ISO.
• Boot the system from the USB drive or DVD.
• Follow the on-screen instructions to install RHEL, including configuring disk partitions, selecting software packages, and setting up user accounts.

2. Register and Enable Red Hat Subscription:

• After installing RHEL, you need to register your system with Red Hat to enable access to software updates and support.
• Open a terminal and run the following command to register your system:

subscription-manager register

• Enter your Red Hat account credentials when prompted.

3. Attach a Subscription:

• After registering, attach a subscription to your system. You can view available subscriptions with:

subscription-manager list –available

• Attach a subscription with:

subscription-manager attach –pool=POOL_ID

• Replace POOL_ID with the ID of the subscription you want to attach.

4. Enable Repositories:

• Enable the necessary repositories for software updates and packages:

subscription-manager repos –enable=rhel-8-for-x86_64-baseos-rpms –enable=rhel-8-for-x86_64-appstream-rpms

• Adjust the repository names according to your RHEL version and architecture.

5. Check Subscription Status:

• Verify the subscription status of your system:

subscription-manager status

• Ensure that the status is “Current” to indicate that the system is subscribed and can receive updates.

6. Update Your System:

• Update the system to install any available updates:

yum update

7. Configure Automatic Updates (Optional):

• You can configure Subscription Manager to automatically apply updates:

subscription-manager config –rhsm.auto_enable_yum_plugins=1

8. Verify Installation:

• Verify that your system is registered and receiving updates:

yum repolist

• This command will show the repositories enabled and the packages available for installation.

By following these steps, you can install Red Hat Enterprise Linux and configure Subscription Manager to manage software updates and subscriptions for your system.

1. Download and Install BgInfo:

• Download BgInfo from the official Microsoft Sysinternals website.
• Extract the downloaded ZIP file and copy the BgInfo.exe and BgInfo64.exe files to a network share that is accessible to all client machines.

2. Create a Configuration File:

• Launch BgInfo on a test machine and configure the desired settings, such as the information to display and the background color.
• Save the configuration as a .bgi file to the same network share where you copied the BgInfo executables.

3. Create a Group Policy Object (GPO):

• Open the Group Policy Management Console (GPMC) on a domain controller or a machine with the Remote Server Administration Tools (RSAT) installed.
• Right-click on the desired Organizational Unit (OU) or the domain name and select “Create a GPO in this domain, and Link it here.”
• Give the GPO a descriptive name, such as “Deploy BgInfo.”

4. Edit the Group Policy Object:

• Right-click on the newly created GPO and select “Edit.”
• Navigate to “Computer Configuration” > “Policies” > “Windows Settings” > “Scripts (Startup/Shutdown).”
• Double-click on “Startup” in the right pane.

5. Add a Startup Script to Run BgInfo:

• Click on the “Add” button in the “Startup Properties” window.
• In the “Script Name” field, enter the UNC path to the BgInfo executable (e.g., \\server\share\BgInfo.exe).
• In the “Script Parameters” field, enter the path to the configuration file (e.g., \\server\share\config.bgi).
• Click “OK” to save the script.

6. Copy BgInfo Files to Client Machines:

• Ensure that the BgInfo executable (BgInfo.exe or BgInfo64.exe) and the configuration file (config.bgi) are accessible from the network share specified in the startup script.

7. Apply the Group Policy:

• Close the Group Policy Management Editor and link the GPO to the desired OU or domain.
• Run gpupdate /force on client machines or wait for Group Policy to apply automatically.

8. Verify Deployment:

• Restart a client machine (or run gpupdate /force) to apply the Group Policy.
• The system information specified in the BgInfo configuration file should be displayed on the desktop background.

By following these steps, you can deploy BgInfo using Group Policy to automatically display system information on the desktop background of Windows machines in your domain.

bash
sysprep.exe /generalize /oobe /shutdown /unattend:unattend.xml

• /generalize: Prepares the Windows installation to be imaged.
• /oobe: Configures the computer to boot to Windows Welcome upon the next restart.
• /shutdown: Shuts down the computer after Sysprep completes.
• /unattend:unattend.xml: Specifies an unattend.xml file to automate the Sysprep process. This file is optional but recommended for consistency.

Step 3: Boot the Reference Computer into Windows PE

• Insert a bootable media (USB drive or DVD) containing Windows PE.
• Boot the reference computer from the bootable media.

Step 4: Capture the Image

• In Windows PE, open a command prompt.
• Use the WDSUTIL command to capture the image. For example:

mathematica
WDSUTIL /Verbose /Progress /Capture-Image /Image:”CustomImage” /Name:”Custom Image” /Description:”Customized Windows Image” /CaptureDir:”D:\Captures”

• /Image:"CustomImage": Specifies the name for the captured image.
• /Name:"Custom Image": Specifies a friendly name for the captured image.
• /Description:"Customized Windows Image": Provides a description for the captured image.
• /CaptureDir:"D:\Captures": Specifies the directory to store the captured image.

Step 5: Upload the Captured Image to WDS Server

• After capturing the image, navigate to the WDS server.
• Use the WDS MMC snap-in or the WDSUTIL command to upload the captured image to the server.

Step 6: Create an Install Image

• In the WDS MMC snap-in, right-click on “Install Images” and select “Add Install Image.”
• Specify the location of the captured image file and follow the wizard to create the install image.

Step 7: Deploy the Image

• Boot a client computer from the network using PXE boot.
• Select the customized image from the WDS server for deployment.
• Follow the on-screen instructions to deploy the image to the client computer.

Make sure to test the deployment thoroughly before deploying to production environments.

1. Install Windows Deployment Services Role:

• Open Server Manager on a Windows Server machine.
• Click on “Add roles and features.”
• Select “Windows Deployment Services” as the role to install.
• Follow the wizard to complete the installation.

2. Configure Windows Deployment Services:

• After installing the role, open the Windows Deployment Services console from the Server Manager.
• Right-click on the server name and select “Configure Server.”
• Follow the wizard to configure the server.
• Choose the location to store the images (you can use the default location).
• Select “Integrated with Active Directory” if you want to use Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) to authorize clients and manage computer accounts.
• Specify the DHCP server settings. You can choose to configure DHCP options 60, 66, and 67, or you can manually configure DHCP options if you’re using a separate DHCP server.

3. Add Boot and Install Images:

• In the Windows Deployment Services console, expand the server name.
• Right-click on “Boot Images” and select “Add Boot Image.”
• Browse to the location of the Windows installation files and select the boot image (boot.wim) file.
• Repeat the process to add the install image (install.wim) file for the Windows version you want to deploy.

4. Configure DHCP Options (if not done in step 2):

• If you didn’t configure DHCP options during the WDS configuration, you’ll need to do it manually on your DHCP server.
• Configure option 60 to PXEClient.
• Configure option 66 to the IP address of the WDS server.
• Configure option 67 to boot\x64\pxeboot.n12 for BIOS-based systems or boot\x64\wdsmgfw.efi for UEFI-based systems.

5. PXE Boot and Install Windows:

• Boot the client computer from the network (PXE boot). This usually involves pressing a key (e.g., F12) during startup to access the boot menu and selecting the network boot option.
• The client will contact the WDS server and load the boot image.
• Follow the on-screen instructions to select the install image and complete the Windows installation.

6. Monitor Deployment:

• Use the Windows Deployment Services console to monitor the deployment process and view the status of client installations.

By following these steps, you can set up Windows Deployment Services to deploy Windows operating systems over the network, making it easier to manage and deploy Windows installations across multiple computers.

1. Preparing the Environment:

• Ensure that both servers meet the hardware and software requirements for Windows Server and DHCP.
• Assign static IP addresses to each server.
• Ensure that DNS is properly configured and that both servers can resolve each other’s names.

2. Installing the DHCP Server Role:

• Open Server Manager on both servers.
• Select “Add roles and features” and proceed with the installation wizard.
• Select “DHCP Server” as the role to install.
• Complete the DHCP Server installation wizard.

3. Configuring DHCP Failover:

• Open DHCP Manager on one of the servers.
• Right-click on the DHCP server name and select “Configure Failover.”
• Follow the wizard to configure DHCP failover.
• Choose the partner server, configure the shared secret, and set the mode (Load Balance or Hot Standby) and relationship (Primary or Secondary).

4. Installing the Failover Clustering Feature:

• Open Server Manager on both servers.
• Select “Add roles and features” and proceed with the installation wizard.
• Select “Failover Clustering” as the feature to install.

5. Creating the Cluster:

• Open Failover Cluster Manager on one of the servers.
• Click on “Create Cluster” and follow the wizard.
• Add both servers to the cluster.
• Configure cluster settings such as the cluster name and IP address.

6. Configuring DHCP Server Role in the Cluster:

• In Failover Cluster Manager, right-click on “Services and Applications” and select “Configure a Service or Application.”
• Select “DHCP Server” as the service to configure.
• Follow the wizard to add the DHCP server role to the cluster.

7. Testing Failover:

• Perform a failover test to ensure that the DHCP server cluster functions correctly.
• Use the Failover Cluster Manager to initiate a failover and verify that DHCP services remain available during the failover process.

8. Monitoring and Maintenance:

• Regularly monitor the DHCP server cluster using Failover Cluster Manager to ensure it remains healthy.
• Perform regular maintenance tasks, such as applying updates and patches, to keep the cluster secure and up-to-date.

Note: Ensure that you have sufficient IP address ranges and leases configured to handle the increased demand that comes with clustering. Additionally, testing failover in a controlled environment is crucial to ensure proper functioning in a production environment.

1. Preparing the Environment:

• Ensure that both servers meet the hardware and software requirements for Windows Server and Active Directory.
• Assign static IP addresses to each server.
• Ensure that DNS is properly configured and that both servers can resolve each other’s names.

2. Installing Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS):

• Open Server Manager on both servers.
• Select “Add roles and features” and proceed with the installation wizard.
• Select “Active Directory Domain Services” as the role to install.
• Complete the AD DS installation wizard, which will include promoting the server to a domain controller.

3. Configuring DNS:

• Ensure that DNS is installed on both servers.
• Configure DNS zones to replicate across all DNS servers in the domain.

4. Installing the Failover Clustering Feature:

• Open Server Manager on both servers.
• Select “Add roles and features” and proceed with the installation wizard.
• Select “Failover Clustering” as the feature to install.

5. Creating the Cluster:

• Open Failover Cluster Manager on one of the servers.
• Click on “Create Cluster” and follow the wizard.
• Add both servers to the cluster.
• Configure cluster settings such as the cluster name and IP address.

6. Configuring Active Directory as a Clustered Service:

• In Failover Cluster Manager, right-click on “Services and Applications” and select “Configure a Service or Application.”
• Select “Active Directory Domain Services” as the service to configure.
• Follow the wizard to configure AD DS as a clustered service.

7. Configuring Quorum:

• Configure a quorum witness to avoid split-brain scenarios. This can be done using a disk witness, file share witness, or cloud witness, depending on your environment and requirements.

8. Testing Failover:

• Perform a failover test to ensure that the cluster functions correctly.
• Use the Failover Cluster Manager to initiate a failover and verify that AD services remain available during the failover process.

9. Monitoring and Maintenance:

• Regularly monitor the cluster using Failover Cluster Manager to ensure it remains healthy.
• Perform regular maintenance tasks, such as applying updates and patches, to keep the cluster secure and up-to-date.

Following these steps will help you set up an Active Directory cluster for high availability and fault tolerance in your environment.

1. Prepare the Windows ISO: Obtain a Windows installation ISO file. You can download these from the Microsoft website or use an existing ISO file you have.
2. Upload the ISO to EVE-NG: Log in to the EVE-NG web interface. In the top menu, go to “Images” and then click on “Browse” to select the Windows ISO file from your local machine. Click on “Upload” to upload the ISO file to EVE-NG.
3. Create a QEMU VM: In the EVE-NG web interface, go to the “Node” section and click on “Add Node.” Select the type as “QEMU” and configure the settings for the VM. You can specify the number of CPUs, amount of RAM, and the size of the hard disk.
4. Map the Windows ISO: In the QEMU VM settings, go to the “Console” tab. Under the “CD/DVD” section, select the Windows ISO file you uploaded earlier as the CD/DVD image.
5. Start the VM: After configuring the VM settings, click on “Add Node” to create the QEMU VM. Start the VM by clicking on the play button in the EVE-NG interface.
6. Install Windows: Access the VM console by right-clicking on the VM in the EVE-NG interface and selecting “Console.” The VM will boot from the Windows ISO. Follow the on-screen instructions to install Windows. You may need to format the virtual hard disk and select the installation partition during the process.
7. Complete the Installation: After Windows is installed, the VM will restart. You can then log in to Windows and configure it as needed.
8. Optional: Install VirtIO Drivers: For better performance, you can install VirtIO drivers in Windows. These drivers are included in the EVE-NG installation and can be found in the /opt/unetlab/addons/qemu/virtio-win directory. To install the drivers, mount the VirtIO ISO in Windows and run the installer.
9. Access Windows from EVE-NG: Once Windows is installed and running, you can access it from EVE-NG by right-clicking on the VM in the EVE-NG interface and selecting “Console.”
10. Activate Windows: After installation, you’ll need to activate Windows using a valid product key. You can do this by going to “Settings” > “Update & Security” > “Activation” in Windows.

Remember to comply with Microsoft’s licensing terms and ensure that you have a valid license for Windows when using it on EVE-NG or any other virtualization platform.