vSphere ESXi 8.0 Installation and Configuration

by SinaOnline Virtualization Training

Hello everyone, today I am going to show you how can install and configure ESXi 8 , as you know this version was released some days ago. you can watch the video or continue to read this document.

vSphere ESXi 8.0 Installation and Configuration

Installation:

  1. Prepare Installation Media:
    • Download the ESXi 8.0 ISO image from the VMware website.
    • Create a bootable installation media, typically a USB flash drive, using a tool like Rufus (Windows) or dd (Linux).
  2. Boot and Start Installation:
    • Insert the bootable USB drive into the server.
    • Power on the server and access the BIOS/UEFI settings to boot from the USB drive.
    • When prompted, select the boot device (usually your USB drive) to start the ESXi installation.
  3. Welcome and EULA:
    • You’ll see a welcome screen. Press “Enter” to continue.
    • Accept the End User License Agreement (EULA) by pressing “F11.”
  4. Select Installation Disk:
    • Choose the storage device where ESXi will be installed.
    • If the disk contains existing data, you can choose to overwrite it or select another disk.
  5. Keyboard Layout:
    • Select the keyboard layout that matches your preferences.
  6. Set Root Password:
    • Create a strong root password for the ESXi host and confirm it.
  7. Installation Options:
    • ESXi offers various installation options. The default option is recommended for most installations. Press “Enter” to proceed.
  8. Begin Installation:
    • Press “F11” to start the installation. ESXi will copy files to the selected storage device.
  9. Installation Complete:
    • Once the installation is finished, remove the installation media (USB drive) and press “Enter” to reboot the server.

Configuration:

  1. Initial Configuration:
    • After rebooting, you’ll see the ESXi welcome screen.
    • Press “F2” to customize system settings.
    • Log in using the root username and password you set during installation.
  2. Configure Management Network:
    • In the configuration menu, navigate to “Configure Management Network.”
    • Set the network configuration, including IP address, subnet mask, gateway, and DNS servers.
  3. Time and Date Settings:
    • Configure time and date settings under “Configure Time and Date.”
  4. Security Configuration:
    • Review and adjust security settings, such as the root password policy, under “Security Profile.”
  5. Access Management Interface:
    • Press “ESC” to exit the configuration menu.
    • Save your changes by pressing “F12,” which will also reboot the server.

Accessing vSphere Client:

  1. Open a web browser on a computer connected to the same network as the ESXi server.
  2. Enter the IP address or hostname of your ESXi server in the browser’s address bar.
  3. Download and install the vSphere Client (or use the web-based vSphere HTML5 client if available).
  4. Log in to the vSphere Client using the root username and password.

Additional Configuration:

  1. Within the vSphere Client, you can perform various tasks, including:
    • Creating virtual machines (VMs).
    • Managing storage resources.
    • Configuring networking settings.
    • Setting up virtual switches and port groups.
    • Installing and managing ESXi updates and patches.
  2. Consider configuring advanced features like High Availability (HA), Distributed Resource Scheduler (DRS), and vMotion for improved virtual infrastructure management.

Remember that this is a general guide, and specific steps may vary depending on your environment and the exact version of VMware vSphere ESXi 8.0. Always refer to the official VMware documentation and release notes for the most accurate and up-to-date instructions. Additionally, ensure your hardware is on the VMware Hardware Compatibility List (HCL) for ESXi 8.0.