Presentation given for ILTA in 12/2010 detailing the key preparations and migration strategies, as well as demonstrated several techniques to migrate your infrastrcuture to ESXi 4.1

1. ILTA Webinar Session
Migrating to ESXi: How To
Strategies, Procedures
& Precautions
Server Operations and Security Technology
Speaker: Christopher Janoch
December 29, 2010

2. Migrating to ESXi: How To
Strategies, Procedures
& Precautions
Christopher Janoch

3. Speaker Bio
Christopher Janoch
Sr. Virtualization Engineer at iVision
Contact Info:
Christopher.Janoch@ivison.com
#cjanoch
iVision, Inc. Page 3

4. Why Migrate to ESXi?
iVision, Inc. Page 4

5. VMware’s Big Announcement
VMware vSphere 4.1 and its subsequent update and
patch releases are the last releases to include both ESX
and ESXi hypervisor architectures.
Future major releases of VMware vSphere will include
only the VMware ESXi architecture.
VMware vSphere 4.1 Release Notes – ESX Edition, July 13th, 2010
VMware recommends that customers start
transitioning to the ESXi architecture when deploying
VMware vSphere 4.1
VMware will continue to provide technical support for
VMware ESX according to the VMware vSphere support
policy
iVision, Inc. Page 5

6. ESXi Advantages and Improvements
Better Reliability and Security
- ESXi has fewer security vulnerabilities
Faster to Deploy
- The installation is easier to script and automate
Tighter Control over the VMkernal
- No arbitrary code or 3rd party agents in core operating system
Lower Development Costs
- Only one version of the platform simplifies development and testing
iVision, Inc. Page 6

7. vSphere ESXi Licensing Options
iVision, Inc. Page 7

8. The ESXi Upgrade Path

9. Preparation for Migration
iVision, Inc. Page 9

10. ESXi 4.1 Requirements
Verify Hardware Compatibility Guide www.vmware.com/go/hcl
VMware ESXi 4.1 will only install on servers with 64-bit
x86 CPUs
- All AMD Opterons CPUs support 64-bit
- All Intel Nehalem CPUs support 64-bit
- Most Intel Xeon CPUs support 64-bit
3000/3200, 3100/3300, 5100/5300, 5200/5400, 7100/7300, 7200/7400
2GB RAM minimum / 3GB if vCenter Managed
5GB of Storage Space (1GB Core Components + 4GB Swap)
- DAS, Flash Drive, Boot From SAN
One or More Gigabit Ethernet Controllers
iVision, Inc. Page 10

11. Management Requirements
There is no Service Console
- Management tools and processes have changed
RemoteCLI, PowerShell, VMA
- Learn new systems and procedures *before* migrating systems.
The ESXi Firewall/Security Profile is configured differently
- Only minimal allowances remain
vCenter Management, VUM, NTP Services
- 3rd Party Applications should use vShield Zones
3rd Party Tools must use remote APIs
Backup Agents, Hardware Monitoring Agents (DELL, HP), Reporting Tools
Upgrade Management Servers and Services First
- vCenter, vAppliances, Monitoring and Backup Tools
Convert any 3.x VMware licenses to 4.1
iVision, Inc. Page 11

12. Migration Considerations
An ESXi migration is NOT an “upgrade” or “conversion” –
It really is a rebuild:
- Local VMFS drives are erased and re-formatted
- Networking settings need to be re-created
- Security settings reset to default
All host-specific settings are lost during
an ESXi installation!
iVision, Inc. Page 12

13. Migration Preparations
All VMs must be moved off Local Storage
- In a clustered environment use Storage vMotion
- In a managed environment use cold migrations
- In a stand-alone environment use SSH copy or VMware Converter
Backup or Document all Critical Settings
- vSwitch and vmnic Configurations
- Security Settings and Local Accounts
- DNS and Routing Settings
- Time Settings
- Power Management Settings
iVision, Inc. Page 13

14. Tools for Backing up ESX/ESXi Settings
Tools for Backing up & Restoring Host Configurations
- vCenter 4.1 – Host Profiles (vSphere 4.0 and higher)
- vCenter 4.1 – Distributed Switches (vSphere 4.0 and higher)
- Veeam Reporter by Veeam Software
http://www.veeam.com/
- vProfile Configuration Management by Reflex Systems
http://www.reflexsystems.com/
vMA /vCLI / PowerShell Scripts
- vicfg-cfgbackup.pl (vMA or vSphere CLI)
- ghettoHostBackupManagement.pl by William Lam
http://communities.vmware.com/docs/DOC-11767
http://www.virtuallyghetto.com/
iVision, Inc. Page 14

15. Installing ESXi
iVision, Inc. Page 15

16. Installation Strategies
Manual Installation Methods
- Use the Interactive Mode from the ESXi 4.1 CD/DVD to install the OS
onto local SAS, SATA, or SCSI drive
- Run a Scripted or KickStart Installation from either a local Boot CD or
a PXE environment
Automatic Installation Methods
- Use VMware Update Manager (Preserves Settings!)
- Boot from SAN (FC, iSCSI, and FCoIP)
- Use stand-alone VMware tools for a non-managed environment
1. VMware Infrastructure Update Utility (Upgrades ESXi 3.x to 3.5)
2. VMware Host Update Utility (Upgrades ESXi 3.x to ESXi 4.0)
3. rCLI command: vihostupdate (Upgrades ESXi 4.0 to ESXi 4.1)
iVision, Inc. Page 16

17. Manual Upgrade Procedures
iVision, Inc. Page 17

18. Manual Interactive Mode Procedure
Pre-Installation Steps
1. Remove host from vSphere managed cluster and datacenter
2. Disconnect FC-attached SAN to avoid accidental LUN re-formatting
3. Verify the Server Hardware Clock is set to UTC
4. Verify that keyboard and mouse are attached to host server
5. ESXi Embedded must be removed (if present).
Interactive Mode Installation
1. Insert ESXi 4.1 installable CD/DVD into the local CD/DVD-ROM drive
Alternate: Use iLo or DRAC to mount ISO to virtual bootable drive
2. Set BIOS to boot from CD/DVD-ROM
3. Restart Machine to boot from CD/DVD and begin installation wizard
iVision, Inc. Page 18

19. Manual Scripted Mode Procedure
Scripted Mode Advantages
- It allows you to rapidly deploy ESXi to multiple machines
- Configurations can be duplicated to multiple ESXi hosts with minimal
manual intervention
- Modifying an ESXi configuration is easier and faster because you
need to modify only the script file
- You can boot the scripted installation with a CD-ROM drive or over
the network using PXE booting
- It supports scripted installations of ESXi to local and remote disks
- All configuration directives initiated by the installation script are
logged in the /var/log/weasel.log file of the ESXi host, which
helps in troubleshooting deployment issues
iVision, Inc. Page 19

20. Manual Scripted Mode Procedure
Scripted Mode Installation
1. Create a script using the supported commands
2. Edit the installation script as needed to change settings unique for
each host to be installed
IP Address, Host Name, etc.
3. Run the scripted installation form one of the following locations:
Default installation script PXE
FTP, HTTP, or HTTPS server
NFS Share
USB Flash Drive, CD/DVD Rom
For detailed Script settings and examples refer to:
www.vmware.com/pdf/vsphere4/r41/vsp_41_esxi_i_vc_setup_guide.pdf
http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1022263
iVision, Inc. Page 20

21. Automatic Upgrade Procedures
iVision, Inc. Page 21

22. Automatic Installation Procedures
VMware Update Manager (vCenter 4.1)
1. Upgrade vCenter to version 4.1 before proceeding!
2. Install and configure VMware Update Manager
3. Download the ESXi 3.5 to ESXi 4.1 Update bundle (.ZIP), and
register it in the Update Manager administration view
4. Create a Host Upgrade Baseline
5. Attach the Host Upgrade Baseline to the managed host or cluster to
be upgraded
6. Place the host to be upgraded into Maintenance Mode to evacuate
any active VMs.
Shutdown or cold migrate any VMs that cannot vMotion off of the host
7. Scan the host for Upgrade baseline compliance, and then
Remediate to update the host.
iVision, Inc. Page 22

23. Stand-Alone Tools Upgrade Procedure
Upgrade ESXi 3.5 to ESXi 4.0
1. Download and install the VMware vSphere 4.0 client. Select the
option to install the vSphere Host Update Utility.
2. When you start the Utility, you will be prompted to download
patches from VMware. You can also manually check for update
patches selecting File Download Patches option.
3. If the ESXi 3.5 host is not listed, you can manually enter it by
selecting Host Add and entering the FQDN name of the host.
4. Stop all VMs on the host, and ensure that the host is in
Maintenance Mode.
5. Select your host and then click on upgrade. The upgrade wizard will
start and you may have to select an upgrade ZIP package.
6. After the package is Validated, user credentials entered, and the
host passes a Compatibility Check, the upgrade will begin.
iVision, Inc. Page 23

24. Stand-Alone Tools Upgrade Procedure
Upgrade ESXi 4.0 to ESXi 4.1
1. Download and install the vSphere CLI 4.1 package from the
VMware site to allow for remote management of the ESXi hypervisor
VMware vSphere Command -Line Interface Windows Installer
VMware vSphere Command -Line Interface Linux Installer
VMware Management Appliance (vMA)
2. Stop all VMs on the host, and ensure that the host is in
Maintenance Mode.
3. Open the CLI command prompt and use the vihostupdate.pl
command to begin the ESXi upgrade process
vihostupdate.pl --server 192.168.1.1 --install --bundle
c:pathUpgrade-from-ESXi~.zip
4. Verify that the upgrade has run successfully by using the
vihostupdate.pl command to run a query
vihostupdate.pl --server 192.168.1.1 --query
iVision, Inc. Page 24

25. Reconfiguring System Settings
iVision, Inc. Page 25

26. System Reconfiguration
Restore Host Settings
- If using one of the Manual Upgrade methods, or the Stand-Alone
tools method, you will need to restore the system settings that you
documented in the first step of the process.
- If you are upgrading a number of ESXi servers, you can use the
vCenter Server 4.1 Host Profiles option to save the settings from the
first, manually re-configured ESXi 4.1 host and apply them to every
additional upgraded ESXi 4.1 Server
iVision, Inc. Page 26

27. Virtual Machine Updates
Update VMware Tools on all of the Virtual Guest Servers
- Upgrades to the latest drivers for the virtual hardware
- Updates the memory control driver for better integration with the
ESXi 4.1 hypervisor
- Upgrades can be automated using VMware Update Manager
- Updates require a reboot of the guest server
Update Virtual Hardware version on Guest Servers
- Adds the latest functionality to the virtual servers
- Once updated, the VM will no longer operate on pre-4.1 hosts
- Upgrades can be automated using VMware Update Manager
- Updates require a reboot of the guest server
iVision, Inc. Page 27

28. Sample ESXi Installation Demonstrations
iVision, Inc. Page 28

29. Upcoming ILTA Webinar Sessions
Look Ahead for More Information:
Managing ESXi – The Missing Console Late January
Tools and Techniques for Managing and
Trouble-shooting ESXi
Contact Info:
Christopher.Janoch@ivison.com
#cjanoch