Deploying VMware ESXi to SAN storage

Use this procedure as an example flow to illustrate the process for deploying the ESXi operating system to SAN storage that is connected to a server.

Before you begin

Before you begin this procedure, ensure that Lenovo XClarity Administrator is managing the chassis in which the Flex System x220 Compute Node is installed.

Procedure

Complete the following steps to deploy the ESXi operating system to an Flex System x222 Compute Node.

  1. Ensure that the image to be deployed is already loaded into the OS images repository by clicking All actions > Manage OS images.

    Illustrates the Manage OS Images page with a list of operating-system images that have been imported to the OS images repository.
  2. From the Lenovo XClarity Administrator menu bar, click Provisioning > Deploy OS images
  3. Set global settings that are to be used as a default for all image deployments by clicking All actions > Global Settings to display the Global Settings: Deploy Operating Systems dialog.

    Illustrates the Global Settings page with a list of settings that can be configured for all image deployments.
    1. On the Credentials tab, enter the password that is to be used by the administrator account to log in to the operating system.
    2. On the IP Assignment tab, specify how the IP address for the operating system is to be assigned to the server.

      If you choose Use Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) to assign IP addresses, the IP address information will not be displayed on the Edit Network Settings dialog (see step 9). If you choose Assign static IP address (IPv4), you can specify an IP address, subnet, and gateway for each deployment.

    3. On the License Keys tab, enter a mass-activation license key, if desired.
    4. Click OK to close the dialog.
  4. Ensure that the server is ready for operating-system deployment by selecting server to which the operating system is to be deployed. Initially, the deployment status might be shown as Not Ready. The deployment status must be Ready before you can deploy an operating system to a server.
    Tip: You can choose multiple servers from multiple Flex System chassis if you intend to deploy the same operating system to all servers. You can choose up to 28 servers.

    Illustrates the fields on the Deploy OS Images page.
  5. Click in the Image to Deploy column, and select VMware ESXi 5.5 (esxi5.5_2.33|esxi5.5_2.33-x86_64-install-Virtualization).
  6. In that same column, click the License Key icon (License key icon) to enter the license key for this deployment.
    Tip: You can also choose to use a mass-activation key that you entered in the Global Settings: Deploy Operating Systems dialog.
  7. In the Storage column, select the SAN storage to which the operating system is to be deployed.
    The storage is listed as:
    LUN: <LUN VALUE>   WWPN: <WWPN_VALUE>
  8. Click Edit in the Network Settings column of the server row to configure the network settings that is to be used for this deployment. The Edit Network Settings page is displayed.
    Fill in the following fields:
    • Hostname
    • MAC address of the port on the host where the operating system will be installed
    • Domain name system (DNS) serveres, if required
    • Maximum transmission unit (MTU) speed
    Note: If you chose Assign static IP address (IPv4) from the Global Settings: Deploy Operating Systems dialog (step 4), also enter the following information:
    • IPv4 address
    • Subnet mask
    • Gateway

    Illustrates the Edit Network Settings dialog for the selected servers.
  9. Click OK to close the dialog.

    From the Deploy OS images page, the server now shows a deployment status of Ready.

  10. Deploy the operating system by clicking All actions > Deploy images.
  11. From the confirmation page, click Deploy to deploy the image.

    If the server currently has an operating system installed, you are warned about the fact that deploying the image will overwrite the current operating system.

    Tip: You can set up a remote-control session to watch the installation as it progresses. Click All actions > Remote Control to start a remote-control session with the server.
    When you deploy the operating system, Lenovo XClarity Administrator starts a job to track the deployment. To view the status of the deployment job, click Jobs from the Lenovo XClarity Administrator menu bar. Then, click the Running tab.
    Illustrates the Events status summary.

    Hover over the running job to see the details, such as the percentage of the job that is complete.

Results

After the operating-system deployment has completed, log in to the IP address that you specified on the Edit Network Settings page to continue with the configuration process.
Note: The license provided with the image is a 60-day free trial. You are responsible for meeting all VMware licensing requirements.

Graphic showing initial setup screen for VMware ESXi
Parent topic: Deploying ESXi to SAN storage