虚拟机的使用

Nowdays, many people are using virtual machine. Because it is very convenient to have a new operating system to test something without buying a new computer. In this article, I want to talk about the VMware.

VMware has two mainstream virtual machine product line, one is VMware Workstation running on Windows/Linux, and the other is ESX Server running on pure hardware. The format of virtual machine is different between ESX and VMware Workstation. VMware Converter can import Workstation VM format to ESX VM format.

 Vmware workstation

VMware Workstation is widely used now. And it's easy to use.  You can see new virtual machine on the home page.

You can click on it and follow the prompt to finish creating a virtual machine. The custom choice will provide you more setting, such as memmory, network connection. You can accept the default setting, or customise them.  But you must set the path which contains the install files of the operating system, then you can install your system just as on a real computer.

After installation, you can reset those settings by click the Edit virtual machine settings.

In the Options tab there is a setting called Shared Folders. Add folders as the prompt, then the system in the vitual machine can communicate with the outside system.

ESX and ESXi

They are both installed directly on the physical computer. And then they can carry multiple virtual machine on them. They have same function and same performance. But they have different infrastructure and are operated in different way. ESXi is the software produced by Vmware up to date.

ESXi Server is an important part of VMware vSphere, the VMware Enterprise Virtualization suite. Another two parts of vSphere are:

      vSphere vCenter Server: A regular Windows Server with a database to manage ESXi hosts and their users.

      vSphere Client: A regular Windows client to access virtual machine console. It can be used to login and manage both of ESXi host and vCenter Server.

 

The installation of ESXi server is very simple. The step is as follow:

1. Put the install CD into the CD-ROM. The install program will be loaded automatically.

2. After the graphic interface shows, press enter to start.

3. Press F11 to accept the license agreement.

4. Choose a disk to install ESXi.

5. Press F11 to start the process. After installation, press enter to restart the system.

 

After you install ESXi server successfully, the system will show you an interface with two choices at the bottom: F2 Customize System, F11 Shut down/ Restart. As you will use the Server through vSphere Client, you have to set the settings related with network.

1. Press F2.
2. Select the Configure Password to set the password. Use the keys prompted at the bottom (so does the following steps).
3. Select the Configure Management Network. Press Enter.
(1) Select IP Configuration. Choose the Set static IP address and network configuration, and input the related settings. Press Enter to confirm.
(2) Select DNS Configuration. Choose the Use the following DNS server addresses and hostname, and input the address. Press Enter to confirm.
4. You can test the above network settings by choosing Test Management Network, or press Esc to log out.

Now, you can use vShpere Client installed on anther computer to log on this ESXi server.

 

After logging onto the ESXi server, you may have to license the ESXi server as follow.

1. From the vSphere Client, click the Configuration tab.
2. Under Software, click Licensed Features.
3. Click Edit.
4. Select Assign a new license key to this host, click Enter Key, and enter a license key and an optional label for the license key.

 In order to use ISO files to install the software, you have to upload files to the server's datastore.

1. From the vSphere Client, click the Summary tab.
2. Under Datastore at the right side, right click the data store in it. Click the Browse DataStore… . It will show the Datastore Browser.

3. You can use the functions in the toolbox: Create a new folder, Upload files to this datastore, Download a file from this datastore to your local machine, and Delete selected items.

Note: You’d better upload iso files, as these files seem to be used by CD Drive in the virtual system.

 

With the ISO files uploaded, you can create new virtual machine and install OS on it.

1. Login your vCenter Server and locate to a ESX host that you have access right;
2. Right click the ESX host and select New Virtual Machine;

3.  Check Custom or Typical,  and click Next , then you may set some settings, such as memmory,disk. Click next and next, until you finish all these steps.

4. Right click the machine name which you just create, click Power, and then click Power on.
5. Right click the machine and click Edit Settings…, select CD/DVD Drive, and then select Datastore ISO File. Browse the file in the data store and select the iso file that you have uploaded to this datastore.

By default, a guest operating system’s virtual network adapter only receives frames that are meant for it. Placing the guest adapater in promiscuous mode causes it to detect all frames passed on the virtual switch that are allowed under the VLAN policy for the associated portgroup. This can be useful for intrusion detection monitoring or if a sniffer needs to be run to analyze all traffic on the wire.
1. Highlight the ESX Server host and click the Configuration tab, and then click Networking under Hardware.

2. Click Properties… next to the virtual switch or portgroup.
3. To allow promiscuous mode on the virtual switch or portgroup, highlight the name of the virtual switch or portgroup and click Edit(You’d better edit the portgroup’s property).

4. Click the Security tab.

5. From the dropdown for Promiscuous Mode, choose Accept.
Note: The setting on the portgroup overrides the virtual switch setting.