Basics of VMWare Virtual Machine Creation:

  1. VMWare Instances
  2. SSZ – Standard Security Zone (Public Cluster) - vcenter.eservices.virginia.edu
  3. Networks:
  4. Public 22128.143.20.0 (20/21/22)
  5. Public 2128.143.2.0
  6. MSN137.54.130.0
  7. ITS Firewall10.250.1.0
  8. Dept Firewall10.250.3.0
  9. Less commonly used networks
  10. CMS Storage172.24.2.0
  11. IMSS FW10.243.120.0
  12. ITS Central Services10.250.100.0
  13. ITS Messaging10.250.200.0
  14. LB-ITS10.250.11.0
  15. LB-Library10.244.120.0
  16. LB-Messaging10.250.205.0
  17. Library Storage192.168.200.0
  18. Load Balanced ITS CS10.250.100.0
  19. VMware-Mgmt10.248.1.0
  20. Disk Selection
  21. Only use volume: VMware_SSZ_BUILD_VMs_HERE
  22. Notify VMware team of creation and they will move to an appropriate volume after creation.
  23. HSZ – High Security Zone
  24. JointVPN – jvpn-vcenter-s.eservices.virginia.edu
  25. Networks:
  26. JointVPN Switch10.254.27.0
  27. SIS (HSZ) – hsz-vcenter.eservices.virginia.edu
  28. Networks:
  29. ISDS-Main10.1.22.0
  30. Disk Selection
  31. Attempt to select the disk with the most free space. Be certain to look at both free space and provisioned space to make a more accurate estimation of overall free space on the LUN
  32. Once the HSZ instance is connected to the Compellant storage, it will be the same as SSZ
  33. VMware_SSZ_BUILD_VMs_HERE
  34. Notify VMware team of creation and they will move to an appropriate volume after creation.
  35. Connecting to Instances
  36. SSZ
  37. Vcenter.eservices.virginia.edu
  38. Requires machine to either be on the MSN or using the MSN VPN profile prior to connection.
  39. HSZ
  40. Jvpn-vcenter-s.eservices.virginia.edu
  41. Requires JointVPN profile active with the JointVPN departmental servers filter applied to your LDAP profile using your iKey prior to connection.
  42. Hsz-vcenter.eservices.virginia.edu
  43. Requires JointVPN profile active with the Student System Admin filter applied to your LDAP profile using your iKey prior to connection.
  44. Building a VM
  45. Choose correct instance
  46. Depending on what network your VM needs to land on, select the appropriate instance.
  47. Perform any required VPN actions prior to connecting
  48. Startup vSphere client and enter required connection information
  49. Instance name (vcenter.eservices.virginia.edu)
  50. User (eservices\mst3k)
  51. Password (current eservices password)
  53. Select the correct Resource group.
  54. All are self-documenting
  55. SSS are linux machines. ITS for internal Contract for external
  56. Right click on the Resource group and choose New Virtual Machine
  1. Follow the on screen prompts, selecting your options as needed
  2. Typical

  1. Name for the VM

  1. Select the appropriate disk storage
  2. All SSZ VMs should be built on VMware_SSZ_BUILD_VMs_HERE

  1. Select the appropriate OS
  2. Linux radio button
  3. CentOS (or whatever flavor you need) from drop down box

  1. Select the appropriate network

  1. Select the size of the system disk
  1. Click on the Finish button after verifying your settings are correct in the summary window
  1. Once the shell is complete it will appear in the left pane under the resource group you originally selected, right click on the VM and select Edit Settings…
  1. Adjust VM settings as necessary
  2. Memory amount
  3. Number of CPUs
  4. Attach another HD if needed
  5. Using the Add button, select Hard Drive
  1. Click through the default settings until you reach the Create a Disk (3rd screen) and input the correct size
  1. Click through the remaining default settings until you reach the final and click Finish
  1. Attach the build ISO to the VM
  2. Highlight CD/DVD drive 1 within the Edit Settings window
  1. In the right pane select Datastore ISO File, this will allow you to click the Browse button as well as enable the Connect at power on radio button
  1. Click Browse and choose the VMware_SSZ_Templates datastore.
  1. Double click on the the appropriate folder for the required OS, highlight the ISO within the folder and click OK
  1. Click the Connect at power on radio button so it is checked.
  1. Click OK
  1. Once VMware has completed the action, highlight the VM and right click, choosing Open Console
  1. This will open a console window to the VM, now click the green Power On button that looks like a play button
  1. This will power on the VM using the ISO you attached as the boot device and will launch you into the specified OS build process.
  1. After you have completed the OS build and VMware Tools are installed, shut the VM down so that you can apply the newer SCSI controller and Network Adapters to the VM, these will provide the best possible performance of the VM
  1. Once the VM has completely shut down, right click and choose Edit Settings once again, highlight the SCSI controller and in the right pane, choose “Change”. Another dialogue box will open and select VMware Paravirtual
  2. The network adapter portion takes a little more work as a NIC cannot be changed once it has been applied. A new NIC will have to be added (see above for adding hardware resources), and when added, then change the type to VMXNET3. Set the correct VLAN and then remove the old E1000 adapter, transfer the IP within the OS to complete.

On a final note, please change the CD-ROM back to the Client Device and disconnect the device when you have completed your build. If it is connected to the client device or connected to the ISO, there are times it can hamper or totally block the VMs ability to migrate or be migrated.