vmware home lab up and running

After fidlling with various hardware, I fiunally managed to get my esxi server up and running.

I installed my additional 4GB RAM into my HP ML115 box. My total memory is now 5GB.

NOTE: that you have to install identical dimms in alternating slots, eg. slot1 -> 2GBtypeA; then slot2 -> other-typeB, slot3 -> 2GBtypeA; and slot4 -> other-typeB.

Esxi CD installed like a dream. It detected everything including hard drives and network card and I didnt have to do anything. within seconds, Esxi was installed and I was configuring it.

I had not bothered to check how I was gonna manage my configs. I had hoped the VI client wioll be cool. However, connecting to my esx host from my vista laptop using vi, client, the connection was slow due to two things, firts my vista laptop has always had perfomance problems and it sucks! I dont have time fiddling with vista and I had always contemplated throwing it away (dell vosto 1400, vista business, 160GB, 3GB RAM, Intel Core 2 Duo T56) Only that my loved ones sometimes want to play windows games, movies and music on it. Also it has been loaded with proprietary softwares for managing my TV, etc. etc. Secondly, I am connecting via my home wireless network, and my wireless hup is a modest 100MB huawe unmanaged wireless router. I know this sucks and I intend to be serious very soon, but for now thats it, and its "painfully" working.

I discovered the magic juju to enable that limited ssh service console. Now I connect to my esx host using ssh client and I can edit my config files easily. If I had time in this world, Oh boy, I tell you I would hack this "unsupported" console and build my own custom management plugins. I suspect that its also possible to "Upgrade" this minimalistic console although a great deal of work and prior vm kerneling is needed.

The 60 day evealuation licence has more features than the free licensed version, so if you want to play around with esxi, its a good idea to delay licensing it until towards the expiration (if you dont want to re-install again)

I grabbed a cheap 19" widescreen HP monitor (sub £100) but I am not using it yet. Will probably keep it as my cluster will grow beyond this solo type of thing.

I also bought a wireless desktop Logitech Cordless Desktop S520 and it worked out of the box with my esx, was jut Plug and Play thing.