.. _vmware-esxi-8: VMWare Esxi 8 -------------- Requirements ............ * :ref:`automate-system-hardware-specification` Download the OVA file ...................... Download the ``OVA`` file for your release from the **New Installation** folder on the client portal. .. note:: If an OVA file is not available for your current release, you need to obtain the most recent release OVA for which there is an upgrade path to your release. Refer to :ref:`steps-if-ova-not-available` The downloaded OVA file is imported into VMware vCenter Server (when creating the VM). Only one OVA file is used to deploy all the functional roles. Each time you run the install wizard on the VM, you will select the relevant role for the node type you're installing on. To create the VM .................. To set up the disk requirements, the disk should be set up on the VMware GUI Resources tab where a disk can be created. This task should be done after the OVA import but prior to the boot of the system. 1. Log in to vSphere to access the ESXi Host. #. Choose **File > Deploy OVF Template**. #. Choose Source, browse to the location of the **.ova** file, and click **Next**. #. On the Name and Location page, fill out a name for this server. #. On the **Deployment Configuration** page, select the appropriate node type. .. note:: Refer to the description for **role** in the install wizard step, below. #. Choose the resource pool in which to locate the VM. #. Choose the data store you want to use to deploy the new VM. #. Choose the disk format to use when deploying the new VM. * For non-SSD-based drives in production environments, "thick provisioning" is mandatory. Thick Provision Eager Zeroed is recommended. * For SSD-based drives, "thin provisioning" is supported. #. On the **Network Mapping** page, choose your network on which this VM will reside. #. Do not select Power on after deployment. #. On the **Ready to Complete** page, click **Finish** to start the deployment. #. After the VM is created, select the CD ROM configuration and verify the **Connect at Power On** checkbox is enabled. Also, verify the memory, CPU, and disk settings against the requirements shown in either the Single-node cluster (cluster-of-one) System Hardware Specification or Multi-node Cluster Hardware Specification section in the Install Guide. Next steps: :ref:`run-install-wizard-on-vm`. .. _steps-if-ova-not-available: What to do if the OVA file is not available for your current version .......................................................................... If the OVA file is not available for your current release, you will need to obtain and install the most recent release OVA for which there is an upgrade path to your current release. In this case however, you will be performing an upgrade of your system. The table describes the steps for obtaining the relevant OVA file and applying the upgrade: .. tabularcolumns:: |p{5cm}|p{10cm}| +------------------------------+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Scenario | If the OVA file is not available for your current release ... | +==============================+==============================================================================+ | Standalone installation | 1. Obtain and install the most recent release OVA for which there is an | | | upgrade path to your release. | | | 2. Apply the Delta Bundle Upgrade steps for the current release to the OVA | | | to upgrade it. | +------------------------------+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | A node install during | 1. Obtain and install the most recent release OVA for which there is an | | multi-node installation | upgrade path to your release. | | | 2. Apply the Delta Bundle Upgrade steps for the current release *to the | | | cluster* to upgrade it. Refer to the *Upgrade Guide with Delta Bundle*. | +------------------------------+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Failover recovery | 1. Obtain and install the most recent release OVA for which there is an | | | upgrade path to your release. | | | 2. Add it to your cluster. Use the same configure options in the table | | | below as were applied to the lost node. | | | | | | .. note:: | | | | | | The node version mismatch in the cluster can be ignored, since the | | | next upgrade step aligns the versions. | | | | | | 3. Apply the Delta Bundle Upgrade steps for the current release *to the | | | cluster* to upgrade it. | | | | | | For details, refer to the *Upgrade Guide with Delta Bundle* and to the | | | specific scenario Disaster Recovery steps in the *Platform Guide*. | +------------------------------+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+