diff --git a/source/vm-vmware-esxi.rst b/source/vm-vmware-esxi.rst new file mode 100644 index 00000000..0a42c84c --- /dev/null +++ b/source/vm-vmware-esxi.rst @@ -0,0 +1,88 @@ +.. _vm-vmware-esxi: + +Using Clear Linux* as VMware* ESXi guest +======================================== + +This documentation explains how to use Clear Linux as ESXi Guest. +This docuemnt is based on VMware vSphere 6. + + +**************** +Run Clear Linux* +**************** + +1. In order to boot Clear Linux* download the latest_ live disk image from + https://download.clearlinux.org/image/ + + +2. Create and configure a virtual machine with the following configuration: + + - Guest Operating system: **Linux, Distribution Other 3.x Linux (64-bits)** + + - **UEFI support**: Clear Linux uses as default bootloader systemd-boot a + UEFI boot manager for EFI images + + .. tip:: + In VMware vShere GUI go to the configuration settings of the + virtual machine->General Tab-> And select **EFI boot firmware** + + - **IDE disk**: Convert to vmdk and attach the Clear Linux image downloaded + above. To convert Clear Linux image to VMWare* disk (vmdk) you can use + qemu-img command:: + + $qemu-img convert -f raw -O vmdk -p clear-vmware.img clear-vmware.vmdk + +3. Start the Clear Linux* virtual machine + +********************************* +Using optimized kernel for VMware +********************************* + +Clear Linux provides a bundle called *kernel-vmware* that contains a specialized +kernel that uses an specific configuration for *VMware hypervisor* such as: + +- **vmw_balloon**: Use a technique for memory reclamation that works a "balloon". + The guest can be inflated to reclaim physical memory. The balloon can also be + deflated to allow the guest free memory pages +- **vmw_pvscsi**: A driver that allows to use a paravirtualized SCSI provided by + VMware* hypervisors +- **vmxnet3**: Allows to use VMware virtual ethernet NIC +- **vmwgfx**: Allows to use DRM driver for the VMware virtual hardware + +In order to use this features install the kernel-vmware bundle in you Clear +Linux using a virtual machine configured in the previos version:: + + # swupd bundle-add kernel-vmware + +Turn off virtual machine and change the virtual machine configuration as follow: + +- Guest Operating system: Linux, Distribution Other 3.x Linux (64-bits) +- UEFI support: Clear Linux use as default bootloader systemd-boot a UEFI boot + manager for EFI images. To add UEFI support go to: + + .. tip:: + Go to "Configuration settings of the virtual machine" -> "General Tab" -> + "And select EFI boot firmware" + +- SCSI Paravirtualized disk: Convert the Clear Linux image to a SCSI VMWare* + disk imagek and attach it again + To do this you can follow this steps: + + 1. Extract the image from the EXSi server to one Linux machine and use + qemu-img command:: + + $ qemu-img convert -f raw -O vmdk -o adapter_type=lsilogic -o compat6 -p + clear-vmware.img clear-vmware.vmdk + + 2. Transfer the Clear Linux* image to the VMware* ESXi server and use + :command:`vmkfstools` command (you need to access to ESXi command line ):: + + $ vmkfstools -i clear-vmware.vmdk -d zeroedthick clear-vmware-fix.vmdk + + 3. Add the converted image to the guest by using VMware* vSphere virtual + machine settings + +- Start the modificated virtual machine + +.. _latest: https://download.clearlinux.org/latest +