VMware: vSphere 5.1 VDI

Install VMware ESXi Hypervisor

• Install the VMware ESXi Hypervisor from ISO (or network deployment) to a bare metal system. Very little user interaction is required during the installation. Only basic info will be requested:
  • Disk to use for installation
  • Password

Manage with vSphere Client

• Download and install the vSphere Client for Windows (Mac and Linux versions not available at the time of writing)
• Open vSphere Client and enter:
  • IP Address of ESXi Server
  • Username of root
  • Password as defined during the install of ESXi server

Enable SSH

• Within vSphere Client select the ESXi server from the tree list on the left pane
• In the right pane, select Configuration tab
• Select Security Profile under the Software section
• Under Services, click Properties...
• From the list of services, select SSH and click the Options button
• Click Start
• Select Start and stop with host and click OK
• Click OK to save and close the Services Properties dialog box

Install nVidia GRID drivers

• Download the nVidia VIB driver package for VMware/vSphere from the nVidia website.
• Copy the driver to the ESXi system

Jons-MacBook-Air: Jon$ scp NVIDIA-VMware-304.76-1OEM.510.0.0.802205.x86_64.vib root@10.50.0.0:/tmp/

• Connect the ESXi Server using SSH and the root user:

Jons-MacBook-Air: Jon$ ssh root@10.50.0.0

• Enter Maintenance Mode:

/tmp # vim-cmd hostsvc/maintenance_mode_enter
'vim.Task:haTask-ha-host-vim.HostSystem.enterMaintenanceMode-369681837'

• Install the VIB driver:

/tmp # esxcli software vib install -v /tmp/NVIDIA-VMware-304.76-1OEM.510.0.0.802
205.x86_64.vib
Installation Result
   Message: Operation finished successfully.
   Reboot Required: false
   VIBs Installed: NVIDIA_bootbank_NVIDIA-VMware_ESXi_5.1_Host_Driver_304.76-1OEM.510.0.0.802205
   VIBs Removed:
   VIBs Skipped:

• Confirm the driver is installed:

/tmp # esxcli software vib list | grep NVIDIA
NVIDIA-VMware_ESXi_5.1_Host_Driver  304.76-1OEM.510.0.0.802205          NVIDIA  VMwareAccepted    2013-04-23