Virtualization with VMware vSphere ESXi
Virtualization with VMware vSphere ESXi
presence of any such description of a standard or reference to a standard is not a representation that all of the ABB products referenced in this document support all of the features of the described or ref-erenced standard. In order to determine the specific features supported by a particular ABB product, the reader should consult the product specifications for the particular ABB product.
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The information in this document is subject to change without notice and should not be construed as a commitment by ABB. ABB assumes no responsibility for any errors that may appear in this document. Products described or referenced in this document are designed to be connected, and to communicate information and data via a secure network. It is the sole responsibility of the system/product owner to provide and continuously ensure a secure connection between the product and the system network and/or any other networks that may be connected.
The system/product owners must establish and maintain appropriate measures, including, but not lim-ited to, the installation of firewalls, application of authentication measures, encryption of data, installa-tion of antivirus programs, and so on, to protect the system, its products and networks, against security breaches, unauthorized access, interference, intrusion, leakage, and/or theft of data or information. ABB verifies the function of released products and updates. However system/product owners are ulti-mately responsible to ensure that any system update (including but not limited to code changes, con-figuration file changes, third-party software updates or patches, hardware change out, and so on) is compatible with the security measures implemented. The system/product owners must verify that the system and associated products function as expected in the environment they are deployed.
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TRADEMARKS
About this User Manual
Version Described in this User Manual ...12
User Manual Conventions ...12
Warning, Caution, Information, and Tip Icons ...12
Terminology...13
Released User Manuals and Release Notes...13
Section 1 - Introduction
Prerequisites ...15Overview of Virtualization ...16
Changes in ESXi 5.5 ...18
Section 2 - 800xA Server and Client Node Consolidation
Non-virtualized 800xA System ...19Consolidated 800xA System ...20
Section 3 - System Planning
Software Versions ...23System Overview...23
System Planner ...23
Server Provisioning ...24
Client Virtualization ...24
Determine Required VMware ESXi Server Hardware...25
Local or SAN Storage ...25
Server and System Dimensioning...26
800xA Licensing Dongle ... 31
Using the ABB USB Dongle Over the Network ... 32
800xA for Advant Master and 800xA for MOD 300 ... 33
Dimensioning Rules - Virtual 800xA Nodes... 33
Virtual 800xA Application Servers Example ... 35
Dimensioning Rules - Virtual 800xA Clients ... 37
Virtual 800xA Client Example ... 40
Section 4 - ESXi Installation
Install ESXi 5.5 Server... 43Section 5 - ESXi Configuration Console
ESXi Login... 49Configure Management Network... 50
Section 6 - VMware vSphere Client
Installation... 57Log into an ESXi Server ... 59
Log into VMware vCenter Server ... 62
Section 7 - Basic Configuration
Adding Disks... 65Configure Networks ... 70
Set the Time Server ... 76
ESXi USB/SD Install: System Logs Location ... 82
Section 8 - Create Virtual Machines
Create a Virtual Machine... 87Install the Guest Operating System... 99
Upgrade to ESXi 5.5...109
Section 10 - vSphere Command Line Interface
Overview...121Download...121
Install VMware vSphere CLI ...121
Section 11 - USB Licensing Dongle
Section 12 - Backup and Restore
Backup and Restore of an ESXi Server...127Backup and Restore of Virtual Machines ...128
Section 13 - Security
Roles ...129 Users ...130 Permissions...131Section 14 - Optimization
Virtual CPUs...133Allocate Virtual CPUs to Physical Cores ...134
Section 15 - Monitor ESXi servers using SNMP Traps
800xA Components Required ...135Set ESXi Host Name ...136
SNMP Traps ...136 Communication Topology ...136 Server Hardware ...138 ESXi Configuration ...142 SNMP Receiving Port ...143 Trap Target ...143 Check Configuration ...144 Firewall ...145
Test Trap Communication ... 146
SNMP Traps Service Provider ... 153
Add PNSM Objects ... 155
Create a Device Object ... 156
Filter Trap Messages... 165
SNMP Traps - Generic ... 167
800xA Components Required... 168
Install PNSM Base Object ... 169
Install PNSM Workstation Object ... 169
Download Asset MIB Files... 169
Create an Object Type... 172
Create an Asset Object... 185
Section 16 - VMware Command Line Interface, Drivers, Updates
and Upgrades
VMware Command Line Interface ... 191Prepare the ESXi Server... 192
Drivers ... 192
Apply Patches/Updates ... 193
Section 17 - Storage Area Network
Hardware ... 196Configuration ... 197
Networking... 198
ESX Server Network Configuration... 203
Add Datastores... 203
Performance ... 206
Section 18 - VMware vCenter
Licensing ... 211Section 19 - VMware vCenter Installation
vCenter 5.5 Supported Operating Systems...213
Hardware ...213
Pre-configuration ...214
Install vCenter ...217
Basic Configuration through the vSphere Web Client ...229
Section 20 - VMware High Availability
Configure VMware High Availability ...245Add a Cluster Object ...246
Add ESXi Servers to the Cluster...247
Specify Failover Host...247
Section 21 - VMware vMotion
Section 22 - VMware Storage vMotion
Section 23 - VMware Fault Tolerance
Section 24 - 800xA in the IT Infrastructure
Section 25 - 800xA Virtual Client
Virtual Clients...257Benefits of Virtual 800xA Workplaces...259
Operating Area Planning ...259
Graphical Presentation and Physical Server Speed ...260
Thin Clients ...261
Multiple Screen ...261
Section 26 - Timesync ESXi with Windows
Communication Topology ...263Configure Windows ...264
Firewall Configuration ...265
Service ... 266 Configure ESXi ... 267 SSH ... 267 Putty ... 271 ESXi Configurations ... 274 Timesync Confirmation... 278
Appendix A - ESXi Host Setup Check List
Appendix B - ESXi Guest Setup Check List
Appendix C - Further Technical Information on VMware ESXi
Revision History
This User Manual provides an overview of virtualization and how it is to be used with 800xA through the following topics:
• Overview of virtualization.
• 800xA server node consolidation based on VMware ESXi. • Consolidating 800xA server nodes on VMware ESXi servers.
• System planning, installation, and configuration using VMware ESXi. • Creating Virtual Machines.
• Backup and Restore of a virtualized system. • Security.
• Optimizations.
• Monitoring VMware vSphere ESXi.
• Upgrading from ESX 4.0U1/ESXi 4.x/ESXi 5.x to ESXi 5.5. • SAN Storage Server.
• vCenter Server.
• VMware High Availability.
With the progressive support for the latest releases of VMware ESXi, this User Manual has been updated to remove content that was only applicable to ESX 4.0.
Any security measures described in this User Manual, for example, for user access, password security, network security, firewalls, virus protection, and so on, represent possible steps that a user of an 800xA System may want to consider based on a risk assessment for a particular application and installation. This risk assessment, as well as the proper implementation, configuration, installation, operation, administration, and maintenance of all relevant security related equipment, software, and procedures, are the responsibility of the user of the 800xA System.
Version Described in this User Manual
Unless otherwise noted, the versions of all 800xA Base System and Functional Area software described in this user manual are the latest release of 800xA 6.0.
User Manual Conventions
Microsoft Windows conventions as defined in the Microsoft Manual of Style are normally used for the standard presentation of material when entering text, key sequences, prompts, messages, menu items, screen elements, and so on.
Warning, Caution, Information, and Tip Icons
This user manual includes Warning, Caution, and Information where appropriate to point out safety related or other important information. It also includes Tip to point out useful hints to the reader. The corresponding symbols should be interpreted as follows:
Although Warning hazards are related to personal injury, and Caution hazards are associated with equipment or property damage, it should be understood that
Electrical warning icon indicates the presence of a hazard that could result in
electrical shock.
Warning icon indicates the presence of a hazard that could result in personal
injury.
Caution icon indicates important information or warning related to the concept discussed in the text. It might indicate the presence of a hazard that could result in corruption of software or damage to equipment/property.
Information icon alerts the reader to pertinent facts and conditions.
Tip icon indicates advice on, for example, how to design your project or how to use a certain function
Terminology
A complete and comprehensive list of terms is included in System 800xA System
Guide Functional Description (3BSE038018*). The listing includes terms and
definitions that apply to the 800xA System where the usage is different from commonly accepted industry standard definitions and definitions given in standard dictionaries such as Webster’s Dictionary of Computer Terms.
Released User Manuals and Release Notes
A complete list of all User Manuals and Release Notes applicable to System 800xA is provided in System 800xA Released User Documents (3BUA000263*).
System 800xA Released User Documents (3BUA000263*) is updated each time a
document is updated or a new document is released. It is in pdf format and is provided in the following ways:
• Included on the documentation media provided with the system and published to ABB SolutionsBank when released as part of a major or minor release, Service Pack, Feature Pack, or System Revision.
• Published to ABB SolutionsBank when a User Manual or Release Note is updated in between any of the release cycles listed in the first bullet. A product bulletin is published each time System 800xA Released User
As the use of virtualization has expanded dramatically in the business and financial sector amongst others, ABB is now providing the ability to take advantage of virtualization in the process industries. Virtualization can be used in 800xA systems to combine multiple 800xA server nodes onto a single computer. The total number of physical computers required in an installation is reduced significantly. This also reduces the required space for the computers, hardware acquisition cost for computers and cabinets, and the operating costs (such as energy costs).
Prerequisites
The following are the prerequisites to be considered for virtualization:
• For the Windows 2012R2 Guest and E1000 Network consider the following: – The ESXi Server must be running ESXi 5.5 Update 2 or later.
– Prior to ESXi 5.5 Update 2, when using Windows Server 2012R2 and E1000 Virtual Network Adapters, even minimal network traffic between Windows 2012R2 Guests on the same host will cause the ESXi to crash causing the Purple Screen Of Death (PSOD). ESXi 5.5 Update 2 fixes this issue.
– Prior to upgrading an 800xA system to 800xA 6.0, the ESXi must be upgraded to ESXi 5.5 Update 2, which prevents the E1000 PSOD. – In case if the PSOD still occurs, replace the E1000 virtual network
adapters with VMXNET 3 virtual network adapters for Windows 2012 R2 or Windows 8.1 virtual machines.
• ESXi 5.5 Guest hardware version
– If you are not using vCenter Server, DO NOT UPGRADE the guest hardware to version 10 or above. You will no longer be able to edit the
through the vCenter Server. This will require the addition of a new node which has vCenter Server installed (a license for this is needed) and the ESXi must have non-free license.
• Licensing
– It is essential for the end customer to purchase the ESXi license. This ensures that the end customer has direct access to VMware Support. It also provides access to patches and updates through the VMware website.
• Node Functions
– To simplify and consolidate system dimensioning the Node Functions are introduced into System 800xA 6.0. Refer to the System 800xA System
Guide Technical Data and Configuration (3BSE041434*) for more
information.
Overview of Virtualization
VMware ESX is a virtualization technology that enables running multiple virtual machines (VM) on the same physical computer. Each VM represents a computer and its hardware components (CPU, RAM, disk drives, network adapters, etc.). Each VM requires an operating system and applications to be installed in the same manner as a physical computer. The VM appears to the operating system as a physical computer.
While ESXi can provide the environment that represents a computer, there are limitations for the types of resources made available. When planning a virtual environment, only server nodes that communicate over the network should be included.
Interaction with the virtual machines is normally performed through a dedicated client to create, modify, start and stop the virtual machines. It also enables the opening of a console to takeover the virtual machine.
VMware vSphere encompasses the VMware ESXi server with the advanced functionality of VMotion, High Availability, Fault Tolerance and Storage Motion. vCenter Server provides central administration of the ESXi servers. VMware vSphere Client is a Windows application used to log on to the ESXi server, or the vCenter Server, for administration purposes.
Changes in ESXi 5.5
There are many enhancements in ESXi 5.5 that are relevant to larger enterprise installations. Those that are most relevant to ABB 800xA installations are: • Free version is no longer restricted to 32GB RAM.
• Removal of the VMDK maximum size limit of 2TB to 512 bytes. The limit is now 62TB.
Consolidation
This topic describes the details of 800xA Server Node Consolidation.
Non-virtualized 800xA System
The difference between a non-virtualized 800xA system and a VMware ESXi system is that some, or all, of the 800xA server nodes, run inside VMs. For example, a non-virtualized 800xA system is shown in Figure 2.
The components of the non-virtualized 800xA system are as follows: • One redundant pair of Domain Controllers.
• One redundant pair of Aspect Servers.
• Three redundant pairs of Connectivity Servers for AC800M, including two Asset Optimization Servers.
• One redundant pair of Foundation Fieldbus Connectivity Servers, including one Asset Optimization Server.
• Two Information Management Servers. • Client nodes.
Consolidated 800xA System
Using VMware ESXi, the same system can be set up (consolidated) as follows: • One primary VMware ESXi server containing all primary 800xA server nodes
as VMs.
• One secondary VMware ESXi server containing all secondary 800xA server nodes as VMs.
• Main operator clients are not virtualized and remain on physical computers. Ancillary and engineering clients can be virtualized.
A separate client application (VMware vSphere Client) is used for configuring the VMware ESXi server (for creating VMs or changing their virtual hardware). The vSphere Client is required to be installed on at least one physical computer running Microsoft Windows. This can be an 800xA Client node, preferably an Engineering Client node.
The resulting 800xA system configuration based on VMware ESXi is shown in
Figure 3.
Compared to the non-virtualized system shown in Figure 2, which requires 14 physical servers, the virtualized system requires only two physical servers. 800xA server nodes are installed and configured into the VMs the same way physical computers are by using the 800xA System Installer tool. However, setting up virtualized 800xA server nodes requires added steps to initially set up the VMware
ESXi servers. This procedure is outlined in Figure 4.
The steps of this procedure are discussed in detail in the following topics:
• System Planning.
• ESXi Installation.
This topic describes how to plan the features, size, and configuration of the VMware ESXi-based 800xA system. The objective is to determine the hardware and software requirements for VMware ESXi servers to make the right purchases.
Software Versions
The first stage of planning the system is to confirm that the required server node types are supported for virtualization. This is documented in the System 800xA 6.0,
5.1, 5.0, 4.1, 3.1 Third Party Software (3BUA000500*). For 800xA 5.1 Rev B,
PNSM SNMP Trap support can be used to monitor ESXi servers.
System Overview
Essentially, the configuration and dimensioning rules for 800xA server nodes stated in the System 800xA, System Guide Technical Data and Configuration
(3BSE041434*) instruction should be kept the same when the node is installed
inside virtual machines. Given that these rules are followed, with additions and limitations given in this document, the performance data stated in the system guide will be fulfilled. Refer Virtual 800xA Application Servers Example.
System Planner
Use the 800xA System Planner tool to determine the types and number of 800xA nodes for a system.
Server Provisioning
Servers are provisioned based on the summation of the resources required for the virtual machines. For high system reliability, it is required to use two VMware ESXi servers - one primary and one secondary (see Figure 3). Place all primary 800xA server nodes on the primary VMware ESXi server and place the secondary 800xA server nodes on the secondary VMware ESXi server. If one VMware ESXi server fails, all redundant 800xA server nodes on the other VMware ESXi server are available.
Client Virtualization
Virtual clients are System 800xA nodes that run as virtual machines. Connection to the virtual clients is through standard Microsoft Remote Desktop. Typically, a thin client which is a small PC with embedded Windows is used at the operator desk. To decide how many virtual clients you should restrict to, refer System 800xA
System Guide Technical Data and Configuration (3BSE041434*). More graphical
content produces higher loading on the virtual client CPU, which may cause graphic response (call up time) issues.
It is recommended to use separate ESXi servers for the virtual clients. That is, ESXi servers that do not have System 800xA Server virtual machines running. This minimizes the risk of resource interference of the virtual clients due to their higher CPU usage.
Do not place primary and secondary 800xA server nodes on the same VMware ESXi server (single point of failure).
Determine Required VMware ESXi Server Hardware
Refer ABB certified hardware listings for supported hardware.
The 800xA system configuration rules state that some server nodes may not be combined, such as, Information Management with Foundation Fieldbus. However, it is possible to combine these nodes as separate VMs on the same physical VMware ESXi server, because they still run as separate nodes (separate VMs). Combined server node types with heavy resource usage should be split into separate VMs to prevent resource starvation. Refer the System 800xA System Guide Technical Data
and Configuration (3BSE041434*) instruction for more information.
Local or SAN Storage
Virtual machines can be located in local storage (disks mounted in the ESXi servers), or in SAN Storage (connected on a separate network). SAN storage is essential for VMware High Availability.
There are many different possible configurations for SAN storage such as redundant SAN storage. These are not supported for System 800xA. It is critical to ensure that any SAN solution can be correctly maintained. Typical concepts for redundant storage are:
• Is there a master SAN.
• How to move/add master status to a slave. • What is the procedure for replacing a SAN. • Was the failed SAN a master.
• What is the procedure for replacing a disk.
Where there is a requirement for using non ABB listed server hardware, the following issues must be understood clearly:
• Technical support from ABB will be limited. • The hardware chipset must be Intel based.
• The hardware must be in VMware's approved compatibility listings. • There will be no support for monitoring the ESXi server using 800xA
Server and System Dimensioning
Dimensioning of ABB 800xA Virtual Hosts follows the node function based guidelines that apply to the ABB 800xA Physical Servers. For example, the same maximum number of node functions apply to virtual servers as it does for physical servers.
ABB 800xA virtualization guidelines has maintained that for every virtual CPU, there should be a physical logical processor (hyperthreaded core). This is reinforced in the node function based dimensioning where each node function must have at least one virtual CPU. That is, for each node function, the virtual machine should have one virtual CPU, and for each virtual CPU, there should be a physical logical processor.
Terminology
Each CPU of a physical computer has number of cores which execute programs. Intel also has hyperthreaded cores, there are 2 locations to run programs
simultaneously, these are called Logical Processors. Refer Figure 5.
Guideline for CPU
When a virtual machine executes, all the virtual CPUs must have access to CPU resources at the same time. To ensure that every virtual CPU can execute with minimal delay, there should be an physical Logical Processor available. Hence, the sum of virtual CPUs in the virtual machines should be less than or equal to the sum of the physical Logical Processors. The formula is represented as follows:
Recommended Maximum of 2 Quad Core CPU per ESXi Server (16 Logical Processors => 16 vCPU)
Recommended Maximum of 4 vCPU Per VM. 1 vCPU per Physical Logical Processor.
For the virtual clients, the virtual CPU (hence the server CPU) produces the graphics. Hence, a faster CPU is recommended (a 2.4GHz or 3.0 GHz CPU is preferable over a 2.0 GHz CPU).
The CPU usage of ESXi is negligible and hence does not need to be calculated in as one of the logical core users.
Guideline for RAM
The RAM required for an ESXi server is based on RAM for the ESXi server (approximately 2GB), and the sum of the RAM required for the virtual machines. There is also overhead RAM (approximately 0.5 GB) for running each virtual machine. In general the following formula should be considered for minimum RAM requirements, for an ESXi server:
Whilst the hyper-threaded cores share core resources and may result in the few percent performance impact, the critical advantage is to increase the number of execution locations for the virtual machines. This minimizes latency in virtual machine execution (being allocated a physical location to execute) and improves performance reliability. Increasing the number of virtual CPUs in a virtual machine also increases the number of available execution locations (physical CPU logical cores) required to run the virtual machine. Since the ABB guideline is not to have more virtual CPUs than physical logical processors, this issue is minimized.
ESXi RAM GB = 2GB + (VM RAM) + (0.5GB)x(No. VMs)
Guideline for Hard Disk
Physical hard disk configurations for ESXi servers must be a redundant RAID. For example, RAID1, RAID5, RAID6 and RAID10. It is preferable to have a hotspare allocated to return the RAID set to full redundancy as quickly as possible if a disk failure occurs.
If the ESXi server is installed on the local hard disks, it typically uses less than 4GB of the hard disk space and can be ignored in storage capacity calculations.
The actual capacity is dependent on the RAID type, and is mentioned in the Table 1. RAM typically comes in 4GB, 8GB, 16GB increments.
If there are two processors, then the memory areas for each processor should be loaded with the same amount of RAM.
Future expansion of the requirements of the ESXi should also be taken into consideration.
When a server has two CPUs, there are two areas for memory. One for each of the CPUs. Each of these areas should be populated with the same amount of memory. For example, if it is decided to have 20GB of memory, this would be 5 x 4GB modules. There would be 2 modules for one CPU and 3 modules for the other. The correct configuration is to have 24GB of memory, in two sets of 3 modules.
Table 1. RAID Storage Capacity
RAID Type Minimum No. of
Disks Capacity
RAID1 2 1 x Disk Size
RAID5 3 (No. of Disks - 1) x Disk Size
RAID 1 or RAID 6 are highly recommended. RAID 1 provides a simple configuration and maintains performance if a disk failure occurs. RAID6 provides a larger capacity and allows for 2 disks to fail. A hotswap spare is highly recommended to provide rapid recovery in the event of disk failure. Each running virtual machine has hard disk space allocated as swap space, which equals the amount of RAM allocated to the virtual machine. The amount of hard disk storage required for the ESXi server is the sum required for the virtual machines and the RAM allocated to the virtual machine.
Approximately 200GB should be available for anticipated requirements. This may be more based on future plans. In general the following formula provides a guideline for calculating the hard disks requirement:
ESXi Hard Disk GB = 200GB + (VM Hard Disk + VM RAM)
For Example,
10 VMs, each requiring 60GB of hard disk and allocated 6GB of RAM. If the storage is to be RAID6 with a hotspare,
Basic storage = 200GB + 10 x (60GB + 6GB) That is, the basic storage is 860GB
RAID6 => (4 x 300GB) + (2 x 300GB) + (1 x 300GB)
Each virtual machine should have a hard disk defined based on the virtual machines requirements. That is, a domain controller would not require as much as a history server. Also, there must be space in the virtual machine hard disk for typical usage (log files, data storage), and additional functionality (adding programs/hotfixes, etc). Hence, if a VM requires 20GB of disk space, 40GB is allocated, else if the VM requires 40GB, then 60GB to 80GB is allocated.
Based on RAID configurations, more hard disks will be required than the storage required to run the VMs.
=> 7 x 300GB Hard Disks
ESXi Hard disk requirement is 7 x 300GB. and
If the storage is to be RAID1 with a hotspare, Basic storage = 200GB + 10 x (60GB + 6GB) That is, the basic storage is 860GB
RAID1 => (2 x 300GB) + (2 x 300GB)+ (2 x 300GB) + (1 x 300GB) => 7 x 300GB Hard Disks
ESXi Hard disk requirement is 7 x 300GB.
Table 2. RAID6 with Hotspare Hard Disk Setup
RAID6
Base Storage Raid Overhead Hotespar
4 x 300GB = 1200GB
2 x 300GB 1 x 300GB
Table 3. RAID1 with Hotspare Hard Disk Setup
RAID1
Base Storage Raid Overhead Hotespar
3 x 300GB = 900GB
3 x 300GB 1 x 300GB
A formatted disk has approximately 6% smaller capacity than the stated disk capacity, hence, the storage is scaled up to help ensure adequate capacity after the disks are formatted in the ESXi server.
One separate gigabit Ethernet port is required for each physical network in which the VMware ESXi server should be connected to. Additionally, one more gigabit Ethernet port is required for the VMware ESXi Service Console.
The number of physical network ports is limited by the hardware, and by the number of ports on the network cards used. The actual verification case described in this document used 10 hardware ports. In some cases the configuration may require more physical ports.
The theoretical maximum given by the hardware limitation may be overridden by other resource limitations. From ESX 4.0 each virtual machine can have a
maximum of ten virtual ports, refer Appendix C, Further Technical Information on
VMware ESXi.
Refer to the VMware Compatibility Guide
(http://www.vmware.com/resources/compatibility/search.php) for any specific
VMware ESXi hardware configuration constraints that account for the VMware ESX server model.
Determine Additional Hardware
Apart form the requirements mentioned in the various subtopics previously, there are also additional hardware required. These are explained in the subtopics below.
800xA Licensing Dongle
From System 800xA 5.1 revision, VMware vSphere ESXi 4.1 is supported. This version of ESXi introduces support for physical USB devices being recognized in virtual machines. Previously, an AnywhereUSB device was required for this functionality.
VMware ESXi does not support a physical parallel port connection. The ABB Parallel Port License Dongle cannot be used for ESXi.
Note that where the virtual machine is to be moved to another server, the USB dongle must be moved and the configuration must be reviewed in the ESXi server and the virtual machine. In some circumstances, it still may be beneficial to have the USB dongle available over the network.
Using the ABB USB Dongle Over the Network
Where it may be likely to move the license server to another ESXi server, using the ABB dongle over the network is an advantage. With this configuration, it would not be necessary to move the dongle to the new ESXi server.
As shown in Figure 6, the AnywhereUSB is a device which has ports for USB dongles and an Ethernet port for network connectivity.
Figure 6. Connection of 800xA USB License Dongle to CLS Server Using AnywhereUSB
Tying the 800xA License to a network card MAC address is not supported when running in a virtual environment.
800xA for Advant Master and 800xA for MOD 300
In the case of physical Connectivity Server nodes for 800xA for Advant Master and 800xA for MOD 300, an RTA board or RTA unit is used to provide connectivity to respective networks.
Hardware requiring separate drivers is usually not supported in virtual
environments. This is solved by using the PU410 respectively PU412 RTA Units which is external to the ESXi server and communicates with it via an Ethernet link.
Dimensioning Rules - Virtual 800xA Nodes
As a guideline there should be at least 1 vCPU (hence 1 Logical Processor) per 800xA Node Function. As given in the System 800xA System Guide Technical Data
and Configuration (3BSE041434*), the recommended maximum number of Node Figure 7. Example Connection of 800xA for Advant Master Connectivity Server to MasterBus
Functions per physical server is 8. Where the physical server has 2 CPUs, it is still recommended to have no more than 8 Node Functions.
RAM requirements is the sum of the RAM for each virtual machine and 0.5GB per virtual machine for ESXi execution and 2GB for ESXi. As a guideline, it is
recommended to have 2 to 4 vCPU per 800xA Virtual Machine. This supports 2 to 4 800xA Node Functions per Virtual Machine. So, 4 - 8 GB of RAM per node function should be allocated.
Hard disk requirements is the sum of the virtual machine allocation plus free storage to support ESXi execution of the virtual machines. This should be at least 300GB. The maximums recommended for virtualization are summarized in Table 4:
Table 4. Virtualization Parameters
Parameter Value
Physical CPU per server 2 Physical Cores Per CPU 4
Physical RAM per server 2GB + (8.5GB per VM) Physical HD (Sum RAM per VM) +
(Sum HD per VM) + 250GB Physical Network Adapter Ports (Sum networks to connect) Virtualized system node functions per
physical server
8
VM vCPU 4
VM RAM 8GB
VM HD Based on requirements of
the node function VM Maximum node functions 4
This also provides the ability to add additional resources to the 800xA Virtual Machines.
Virtual 800xA Application Servers Example
The Table 5 provides an example of a number of system node functions that are to
be run in a virtual environment. If there are more node functions, an additional quad core CPU can be added to the ESXi server.
It is recommended to have additional CPU resources available to allow additional vCPU allocation to virtual servers if required. 2 Quad core CPUs in physical servers is recommended.
Table 5. Virtual Machine Definition based on 800xA Node Functions
Node Functions Virtual Machines
Item Node Function VM Number
of vCPU RAM Hard Disk
1 Domain Controller 1 1 8GB 80GB 2 Batch Server 2 2 12GB 80GB 3 Aspect Server 3 2 8GB 80GB 4 CLS License Server 5 AC800 Connect 4 2 8GB 80GB 6 PLC Connect
7 PC, Network and Software Monitoring
5 1 8GB 80GB
The example of Table 5 can be visualized by the following table:
Server Dimension
Following table depicts dimensioning the CPU, RAM and storage capacity in a server:
Then the total number of hard disks for RAID6 is as follows:
Table 6. Dimensioning Virtual Machine with regard to Physical CPU
Virtual VM 1 2 3 4 5 VM vCPU 1 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 Physical LP 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Core 1 2 3 4 CPU 1
Virtual machine's CPU (vCPU) is not tied to physical CPU. It is important that there are more Physical Logical Processors than virtual CPUs in an ESXi server.
As indicated in Table 5, the Batch server is in its own virtual machine and is allocated 2 virtual CPUs and 12GB in accordance to the System 800xA System
Guide Technical Data and Configuration (3BSE041434*).
Table 7. Server Dimensioning
CPU 1 Quad Core
RAM 56GB (2GB + 44GB + 5 x 0.5GB = 48.5GB) Storage capacity 640GB (200GB + 5 x 80GB + 5 x 8GB) Raided
=6 x 300GB Hard Disks
Dimensioning Rules - Virtual 800xA Clients
Virtual clients must be run on ESXi hosts which are not running 800xA servers, that is, one or more separate ESXi servers.
To decide how many virtual clients you should restrict to, refer System 800xA
System Guide Technical Data and Configuration (3BSE041434*).
Observing the load can be performed by opening the task manager in the remote desktop session and checking the AfwWorkplaceApplication.exe CPU usage. Be aware that the number of vCPU must be taken into account. E.g. for a 3 vCPU virtual machine, a 33% CPU usage is the maximum for a single thread in the AfwWorkplace.exe that is rendering the graphics. (2vCPU would have a maximum of 50%, and 4 vCPU would have a maximum of 25%).
In the Remote desktop session of a virtual client, to see the percentage of CPU usage perform the following procedure:
1. Open the Task Manager. 2. Click the Performance tab.
Whilst 3 x 300GB disks would equal 900GB, approximately 6% is consumed by disk formatting.
Note that this is only for the one thread that renders the graphics. There are other activities handled by other threads handle that is included in the CPU usage.
3. Right-click on the CPU chart, point to Change graph to and then select
Logical processors.
4. Click Process tab and select AfwWorkplaceApplication process. Read the CPU percentage.
Figure 8. Viewing Number of CPU in a Remote RDP Session
In the Figure 8, 3 vCPU have been allocated to the virtual machine, hence, a single thread in a process can only take a maximum of 33.3% of the total CPU capacity of the virtual machine.
The number of remote users and virtual machine dimensioning for virtual clients can be summarized as follows:
Maximum number of virtual client users for a physical server can be summarized as
in Table 9:
The above example is a 3 vCPU virtual machine (hence maximum 33% of total virtual machine CPU is used for a single thread). Approximate loading
percentage of the graphics is:
%Max = 100% * (19.9%/33.3%) % Max = 59.8%
To reduce this percentage, either less content (graphics, faceplates, etc) or a faster server CPU is required.
An 800xA Virtual Client requires 1 virtual CPU, 4GB of RAM and an 80GB Hard Disk.
Table 8. Number of Remote Users and Virtual Machine Dimensioning
Type Number of users Number of vCPU RAM Storage capacity Virtual Client 1 1 4 80GB Virtual Client 1 1 4 80GB Virtual Client 1 1 4 80GB Virtual Client 1 1 4 80GB Virtual Client 1 1 4 80GB
Table 9. Virtual Client Parameters
Parameter Value
Physical CPU per server 2 Physical Cores Per CPU 4
Virtual 800xA Client Example
The Table 10 provides an example of a number of system that requires 8 client
users.
Physical HD (Sum RAM per VM) + (Sum HD per VM) + 200GB Physical Network Adapter Ports (Sum networks to connect) Number of virtual client users 8
Client VM vCPU 1
Client VM RAM 4GB
Client VM HD 80GB
Client VM Users 1
It is recommended to have additional CPU resources available to allow additional vCPU allocation to virtual clients if required. 2 Quad core CPUs in physical server is recommended.
Table 10. Example of 8 Virtual Client Resource Usage
Node Functions Virtual Machines
Item Node Function VM Number
of vCPU RAM Hard Disk
1 Virtual Client 1 1 4GB 80GB
2 Virtual Client 2 1 4GB 80GB
3 Virtual Client 3 1 4GB 80GB
Table 9. Virtual Client Parameters
The example of Table 10 can be visualized by the following table:
While it appears that one CPU is left unused, the virtual machines execution is spread across the CPUs which reduces the hyper-threading inefficiencies.
6 Virtual Client 6 1 4GB 80GB
7 Virtual Client 7 1 4GB 80GB
8 Virtual Client 8 1 4GB 80GB
Total 8 32GB 640GB
Table 11. Dimensioning virtual machine CPU with regard to physical CPU
Virtual Node Function 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 VM 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 VM vCPU 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Physical LP 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Core 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 CPU 1 2
Table 10. Example of 8 Virtual Client Resource Usage
Node Functions Virtual Machines
Item Node Function VM Number
Server Dimension
The following table depicts dimensioning the CPU, RAM and storage capacity in a server:
Then the total number of hard disks for RAID6 is as follows: RAID6 = (storage capacity) + (RAID overhead) + (hotspare)
= (2 x 300GB) + (2 x 300GB) + (1 x 300GB) = 5 x 300GB Hard Disks
In the example, the storage capacity is rounded up to the typical disk size. It is also assumed that 2 virtual machines will share the same storage location
Table 12. Server Dimensioning
CPU 1 Quad Core
RAM 24GB (2GB + 16GB + 4 x 0.5GB = 20GB) Storage capacity 600GB (200GB +4 x 80GB + 4 x 4GB) Raided
This topic describes how to install the VMware ESXi server for virtual 800xA server nodes.When installing a new server, the vendors custom ESXi installation media should be used as this has the drivers required for the hardware.
Before using virtualization in any computer, the BIOS should be checked to ensure that virtualization support has been enabled. If not enabled, then enable the options
Execute Disable and Virtualization VT.
Install ESXi 5.5 Server
Many modern servers are designed with internal USB or SD slots. When extracted with a memory device, they can be used for the installation destination of ESXi. Perform the following to install VMware ESXi server software:
1. Boot the computer with the VMware ESXi server installation media to start the VMware ESXi Installer.
2. Select the Standard Installer from the ESXi Installer (Figure 10).
3. Press Enter to install (Figure 11) on the Welcome to the VMware ESXi 5.5.0
Installer dialog box.
4. Read the End User License Agreement and press F11 to accept and continue (Figure 12).
While servers can come pre-installed in the ESXi, the procedures outlined are for new installations.
If the ESXi boot menu does not appear, then the server BIOS settings should be set to boot from CD.
Figure 10. ESXi Installer
5. Select the Local Storage Device to install ESXi. This can be a USB disk. Use the arrow keys to select the device and press Enter (Figure 13).
Figure 12. End User License Agreement
If a warning message that the device contents will be deleted, think again if there is any data on the storage device that will be lost. If there is, cancel the
installation and move the data from the server.
6. Use the arrow keys to select the keyboard layout and press Enter
(Figure 14).
7. Type the Root password (administrator) and confirm. Press Enter to continue (Figure 15).
Figure 14. Keyboard Layout Selection
After installation, the console provides information of the current IP address and provides the ability to perform basic configurations, such as, change the IP address, network adapter, or change the ESXi sever host name (Figure 18).
After installation, the host name of the ESXi server should be configured. On many systems, a DHCP server will not be present to provide an initial IP address. A static IP address can also be configured through the ESXi console. Refer ESXi
Configuration Console for the examples of configuring the ESXi server through the
ESXi console.
Figure 16. Confirming the Installation
This topic describes how to configure the ESXi console. The ESXi console provides the ability to configure the network properties use for the management interface. The interface is cursor based, where selection and changing of properties is
performed using the keyboard. Once the network has been established, the VMware vSphere client is used to interact with the ESXi sever.
ESXi Login
Perform the following to log on to the ESXi server: 1. Press F2 for the ESXi server dialog box.
2. Type the root password and press Enter.
Configure Management Network
To configure the management network, perform the following:
1. Use the arrow keys to select Configure Management Network and press
Enter.
2. Use the arrow keys to select the Network Adapters option and press Enter.
Figure 21. Configure Management Network Option
The first stage to ensure that the management network is configured correctly is to ensure that the correct network adapter is used. When initially setting up the network, it can be easier to identify the management network if it is the only network connected.
3. Select the Network Adapters marked with X by pressing the Spacebar, and then press Enter.
Figure 22. Network Adapters Configuration
4. Use the arrow keys to select IP Configuration, and press Enter to change the IP address of the ESXi management interface.
5. Use the arrow keys to select Set static IP address and network configuration and then the Spacebar to enable the option.
Figure 24. Selecting the IP Configuration
6. Use the arrow keys to set the IP Address, Subnet Mask, and Default
Gateway (see Figure 25). 7. Press Enter to accept the values.
8. Use the arrow keys to select the DNS Configuration, and press the Enter. It is important to set the host name to a value other than local host to ensure that SNMP Traps sent from the ESXi server contains the IP address and not 127.0.0.1.
9. Select Use the following DNS server addresses and hostname by pressing the down arrow and then the Spacebar to enable the option.
10. Use the Down Arrow key to select the Hostname.
11. Type the Hostname (Figure 27), and press Enter to accept the values.
12. Press the Esc at the Configure Management Network dialog box to apply the changes. This will trigger a request to restart the management network.
13. Press Y to apply the changes.
This topic describes how to install VMware vSphere Client and how to log on to VMware vSphere Client. The VMware vSphere Client is the graphical interface used to interact with the ESXi server to configure the server itself and the virtual machines in the server.
Installation
Perform the following to install VMware vSphere Client software: 1. Download the VMware vSphere Client from www.vmware.com.
2. Run the.exe on the client to be used to configure the ESXi server.
3. Select the appropriate language from the drop-down list and click OK.
4. Click Next on the welcome screen dialog box.
Figure 31. Language Settings
6. Leave the destination folder to the default path and click Next.
7. Click Install at the Ready to Install the Program dialog box.
8. Click Finish to complete the installation.
Log into an ESXi Server
Perform the following to log on to the ESXi server:
Figure 33. Default Location for the Installation
1. Double-click the on the desktop to start the VMware vSphere Client.
2. In the VMware vSphere Client dialog box, type the IP address, User Name and Password of the ESXi server, and click Login.
From ESXi 5.5, the client informs that all new vSphere features are available only through the vSphere Web Client. This has little impact on basic virtual machine creation and operation where the ESXi server is not a member of a vCenter server.
3. Click Ignore on the Security Warning message. It is recommended to install a trusted certificate in the ESXi server.
vSphere Client displays the host with virtual machines in the left pane, and a set of tabs to provide more interaction with the host, or virtual machine.
Log into VMware vCenter Server
When logging into a VMware vCenter Server, it is essential to use the SSO credentials. During the vCenter Server quick install, a default domain of
vSphere.local is created. This is not a Microsoft Active Directory domain.
To login, the correct user, domain, and password have to be used. The format for the user is: username@ssodomain.
Perform the following to log on to a VMware vCenter Server:
1. In the VMware Vsphere Client dialog box, type the IP Address, User name and Password, and then click Login.
By logging in to the vCenter Server, the vSphere Client shows the vCenter Object, Datacenter, Clusters, and hosts (see Figure 39).
This topic describes the basic configuration that needs to be done after installing ESXi in a server so as to add the virtual machines.
Adding Disks
Adding the additional storage is done using the vSphere Client. Perform the following to add additional storage:
1. Open the vSphere Client.
2. Click Configuration tab (Figure 40).
3. In the Hardware pane, select Storage and click ADD Storage (Figure 40).
4. Select Disk/LUN and click Next.
5. Select the available storage to add, and click Next.
6. Select the VMFS-5 and click Next.
7. Review the configuration change and click Next.
8. Enter a datastore name and click Next.
9. Select Maximum available space, and click Next.
10. Review the changes and click Finish. The Recent Tasks pane shows the status
Figure 45. Naming Data Storage
data stores (Figure 47).
Configure Networks
Prior to setting up VMs, it is good practice to setup the virtual network using virtual switches. A virtual switch is an emulation of a physical switch. In VMware ESXi, it is possible to create virtual switches and to connect VMs to these virtual switches to form a virtual network.
In the Figure 48 two virtual switches plant network 1 (PN1) and a control network 1 for area 20 (CN1 A20) are connected to various VMs.
A virtual switch can be bridged to a physical network adapter of the VMware ESXi server. This is shown in Figure 48 by the dotted lines. The VMware ESXi server itself is connected to the physical plant and control networks through these physical adapters. By doing so, virtual switches provide a means for connecting virtual 800xA server nodes to the physical system networks.
From VMware ESXi version 4.0, each VM can have a maximum of ten virtual network adapters. Therefore, a VM can be connected to a maximum of ten virtual switches. In the example shown in Figure 48, the virtual CS ID1001CS1A is connected to the plant network PN1 and to the control network CN1 A20. In the same manner, create a separate virtual switch for each physical plant or control network to which virtual 800xA server nodes require a connection.
It is suggested to name a virtual switch like the physical network it is bridged to (for example, PN1 for the virtual switch bridged to the Physical PN1 as shown in
Figure 48). For network redundancy, create a second virtual switch (for example,
named PN2).
It can be difficult to know how the physical network adapters are related to the VMware ESXi virtual network adapters. To make this easier, connect each
additional network adapter to a physical switch, then setup the virtual switch. This will result in an unused (in ESXi) adapter which is connected.
Perform the following to add a virtual switch to the ESXi server: 1. Open the vSphere Client.
2. Click Configuration tab.
3. In the Hardware pane, select Networking, and click ADD Networking... (see
Figure 49).
4. In Add Network Wizard dialog box, for the Connection type, select Virtual
Machine and click Next.
5. For Network Access, select vmnic1 check box under Create a vSphere
standard switch, and click Next.
Figure 50. New Virtual Switch for Virtual Machine Communication
As seen in Figure 51, one Ethernet adapter is 1000 Full, and other is Down. This clearly indicates which adapter is newly connected.
6. For Connection Settings, enter a name in the Network Label text box and click Next.
7. Click Finish.
The new network switch is seen in the network configuration tab of the ESXi server.
8. Repeat Step 2 through Step 7 to add more virtual switches.
Set the Time Server
When a virtual machine starts, it initially takes the time from the ESXi server. If there is a time synchronization inside the guest, the time will then be updated by its time source. If the ESXi server is not synchronized to a reliable time server, this creates a step change in the time in the guest node which could interfere with the applications running inside the guest. It is important that the VMware tools are not synchronizing time with the ESXi server. This is the default setting and should not be changed.
The ESXi server internal clock must be synchronized to a reliable NTP server. This
Perform the following to configure the NTP client in the ESXi server: 1. Open the vSphere Client.
2. Click Configuration tab.
3. In the Software pane, select Time Configuration, and click Properties... (see
Figure 54).
4. In Time Configuration dialog box, click Options… button to access the NTP servers configuration.
5. In NTP Daemon (ntpd) Options dialog box, to add an NTP server a. Select the NTP Settings and click Add….
b. Enter address in ADD NTP Server dialog box and click OK.
6. In NTP Daemon (ntpd) Options dialog box, a. Select General.
b. Click Start and select Start and Stop with host option. c. Click Ok.
Figure 56. Adding an NTP Server to the ESXi Time Configuration
7. In Time Configuration dialog box, select NTP Client Enabled and click OK.
The ESXi shows the NTP client running and NTP servers have been added along with the Data and Time.
ESXi USB/SD Install: System Logs Location
When ESXi is installed to a USB or SD memory card, the ESXi log files are setup to be stored on the USB or SD memory card. Since the storage capacity is limited, the size of the log files is also restricted by ESXi to prevent the file system from being filled up.
Figure 59. Running ESXi NTP Client
In case, where the NTP server is a Windows computer, additional configuration is necessary. Refer Section 26, Timesync ESXi with Windows.
ESXi warns that the log files are being stored on the USB or SD memory card by the following message:
Perform the following to address the warning about the storage of the log files: 1. In vSphere Client Data Browser, click the folder icon to create a folder on
one of the hard disk datastores to store the log files, see Figure 61.
2. Open the vSphere Client. 3. Click Configuration tab
Figure 60. ESXi Warning
4. In the Software pane, select Advanced Settings.
5. In the Advance Settings dialog box, select global under Syslog.
6. Enter a name in the Syslog.global.logDir text box and click OK.
Figure 63. Advanced Settings Syslog Destination
Follow a naming convention while giving a name to the log directory (see
7. Go to the folder in the vSphere Client Datastore browser to confirm the settings are correct. A number of log files are present, see Figure 64.
This topic describes how to create a virtual machine through the vSphere Client interface. A wizard assists the creation of the virtual machine, where the most important configuration items are specified, such as, the hard disk size. Whilst most of the virtual machine can be customized after it is created, the hard disk size is more troublesome to reconfigure, hence, the size should be planned based on typical usage of the node type. The data that the applications will create must be taken into account. Space should also be available for the operating system for log files, temporary files, etc.
For example, Operating System = 20GB, Application = 10GB, Expected Data = 20GB, Free space = 20GB, then the virtual hard disk should be around 70GB to 80GB.
Create a Virtual Machine
Perform the following to create a virtual machine: 1. Open the vSphere Client.
2. Right-click on VMware ESXi server and select New Virtual Machine….
3. In Create New Virtual Machine dialog box, select Custom and click Next.
Figure 65. Creating a New Virtual Machine
Custom option is selected to provide advanced selection of the virtual machine configuration.
4. Enter a name and click Next.
Figure 66. Specifying Custom Virtual Machine Creation
5. Select the location of storage for the virtual machine and click Next.
6. Select Virtual Machine Version 8 and click Next.
There should be enough free space for the size of the virtual machine disk and a swap file which will be the size of the RAM allocated to the virtual machine.
Figure 68. Storage Location for the Virtual Machine
7. Select Windows as Guest Operating System and Microsoft Windows Server
2012 (64-bit) from the drop-down list, and then click Next.
8. Select the Number of virtual sockets, and Number of cores per virtual
socket from the drop-down list, and click Next.
Figure 70. Specifying Guest Operating System and Version
The total number of cores indicates the number of vCPU allocated to the virtual machine. The software to be run in the virtual machine is licensed on sockets, it may be a cost advantage to specify only one socket and multiple cores.
9. Select or type the value for Memory Size and type from the drop-down list, and click Next.
Figure 71. Number of vCPU in the Virtual Machine
The sum of the RAM allocated to all of the running virtual machines should be less than the physical RAM of the ESXi server.
10. Under Create Network Connections select a suitable value for the following from the drop-down list and click Next:
– How many NICs do you want to connect? – Network
– Adapter
Figure 72. Specifying RAM
Up to 4 NICs can be added initially to the virtual machine. More can be added/removed/edited once the virtual machine has been created.
Figure 73. Initial Network Adapters
If ESXi 5.5 Update 2 is not installed then ensure the NIC adapter is not set to E1000 where Windows 2012 R2 Server is used. Network traffic between virtual machines running Windows 2012 R2 Server cause the ESXi server to crash and cause a PSOD (Purple Screen Of Death). A patch is expected to be released by VMware.
The virtual adapter to be used in 800xA 5.x and 800xA 4.x is E1000. The virtual adapter to be used in 800xA 6.0 is VMxNet3.
11. Select the LSI Logic SAS as SCSI Controller and click Next.
12. Select Create a new virtual disk and click Next.
13. Select the Disk Size from the drop-down list.
14. Select Thick Provision Lazy Zeroed under Disk Provisioning.
15. Select Store with the virtual machine under Location (Figure 75), and click
Next.
Figure 75. Disk Size
For 800xA production systems, it is recommended to not use thin provisioning and snapshots.
16. Leave the Virtual Device Node and Mode to default settings, and click Next.
17. Review the settings and click Finish to complete the setup. Creation of the virtual machine will take a few seconds and then appear in the ESXi inventory
(Figure 77).
Install the Guest Operating System
Whilst it is possible to connect the virtual machine to a CD/DVD which has the installation media, a more efficient method is to upload the ISO image of the media to one of the datastores and point the virtual machine CD/DVD to the ISO image. Perform the following to upload the ISO file to the datastore:
1. Browse one of the datastores. 2. Create a folder and name it ISO.
Figure 77. Virtual Machine is Setup
The new virtual machine will not have an operating system or applications installed in it. These will have to be installed in a similar manner to that of a physical computer.
3. Upload the ISO image into the folder.
Add ISO file to the Virtual Machine
After the ISO file has been uploaded to the datastore perform the following to upload the ISO file to the virtual machine:
1. Open vSphere client.
2. Right-click on the new virtual machine (here it is 800xA_AS1) and select Edit
Settings....
3. To edit the virtual machine settings,
a. Click Hardware tab and select CD/DVD drive 1 (edited). b. Select Connect power on under Device Status.
c. Under Device type, select Datastore ISO file and click Browse to upload the suitable ISO file, and then click OK.
Operating System Installation
Perform the following to start the operating system installation: 1. Open vSphere Client.
Figure 79. Adding the ISO File
It is recommended to set the Video card memory to at least 64MB. This provides the ability to resize the virtual machine console to larger sizes.
2. Right-click on the virtual machine and select Open Console.
3. Click the Start button to start the virtual machine.
4. Install the Windows operating system in the virtual machine in the same manner as that of a physical computer.
Figure 82. Installation of the Windows Operating System
VMware tools should be installed after the operating system is installed. Prior to this, it is required to press the Ctrl +Alt key at the same time to release the mouse and keyboard focus from the virtual machine. VMware tools will also assist in making the mouse cursor more responsive.
Install VMware Tools
VMware tools provides drivers and services to the guest operating system which also enhances the user interaction with the virtual machine. For example, without VMware Tools installed, to move the mouse and keyboard focus from the virtual machine console, it is required to press the Ctrl + Alt keys. With VMware Tools installed, the mouse moves freely between the computer running the vSphere Client and virtual machine console. Graphics drivers installed by VMware tools improve the responsiveness of the mouse in the virtual machine console.
Perform the following to install the VMware tools:
1. Perform Step 1and Step 2 of Operating System Installation to open the virtual machine console.
2. Click on VM and point to Guest and select Install/Upgrade VMware Tools.
3. Click Ok on the Install VMware Tools message.
4. In the virtual machine, open a Windows explorer, and double-click on the DVD
Drive(D:) VMware Tools to start the installation.
Figure 84. Installation Notification
8. Click Finish to complete the installation.
9. Click Yes on the VMware Tools Setup machine to restart the machine. Once restarted, it is now possible to resize the virtual machine desktop size. To resize perform the following:
1. Perform Step 1and Step 2 Operating System Installation to open the virtual machine console.
2. Click View and select Fit Guest Now.
Figure 86. Resizing the Guest Desktop to fit the Virtual Console Size
If it there are difficulties in resizing the desktop, check that the virtual machine video adapter has to be allocated at least 64MB.
The virtual machine desktop should fit the size of the virtual machine console.
After Windows and the VMware Tools are installed, install and configure 800xA software into the VM the same way as on physical computers by using the 800xA System Installer tool. For more information, refer to the System 800xA Installation
and Upgrade Getting Started (2PAA111708*).
Virus Scanning
Virus scanning of computers is a CPU and disk intensive activity. It is best practice to stage schedule hard disk scanning in virtual machines so that there is not more than one virtual machine scanning it’s hard disk in an ESXi server at a time.