Create Virtual Machines2024/01/18

	Create Virtual Machines. Upload installation ISO image you like to install to Virtual Machine on ESXi Datasore in advance.
[1]	To create on shell access, configure like follows. The example below creates a Virtual Machine of Debian 12 under the datastore [VM-Data].

# create a VM
# vim-cmd vmsvc/createdummyvm [any VM name] [Path of Datastore for VM related files]

[root@ctrl:~]

vim-cmd vmsvc/createdummyvm "Debian_12" /vmfs/volumes/VM-Data

[root@ctrl:~]

vim-cmd vmsvc/getallvms

Vmid     Name                    File                   Guest OS    Version   Annotation
1      Debian_12   [VM-Data] Debian_12/Debian_12.vmx   otherGuest   vmx-21

[root@ctrl:~]

esxcli network vswitch standard portgroup list

Name                Virtual Switch  Active Clients  VLAN ID
------------------  --------------  --------------  -------
Management Network  vSwitch0                     1        0
VM Network          vSwitch0                     0        0

[root@ctrl:~]

ls /vmfs/volumes/ISO-Data/

Win2022_EN-US_20348.169.210806-2348.fe.iso  debian-12.0.0-amd64-DVD-1.iso

# extend virtual storage for VM
# * example below sets 30G

[root@ctrl:~]

vmkfstools -X 30g /vmfs/volumes/VM-Data/Debian_12/Debian_12.vmdk

Grow: 100% done.

# set parameters for VM
# numvcpus : number of virtual CPU
# memSize : memory size
# ethernet0.networkName : port group that VM connects
# sata0:0.fileName : path of installation ISO image
# guestOS : type of guest OS
# CentOS Stream9 = centos9-64
# RHEL 9 = rhel9-64
# Ubuntu (All ver) = ubuntu-64
# Debian 12 = debian12-64
# Windows 2022 = windows2019srvnext-64
# Windows 11 = windows11-64

[root@ctrl:~] sed -i -e '/^guestOS /d' /vmfs/volumes/VM-Data/Debian_12/Debian_12.vmx 
[root@ctrl:~] cat >> /vmfs/volumes/VM-Data/Debian_12/Debian_12.vmx <<'EOF' 
numvcpus = "2"
memSize = "4096"
guestOS = "debian12-64"
ethernet0.virtualDev = "vmxnet3"
ethernet0.networkName = "VM Network"
ethernet0.addressType = "generated"
ethernet0.wakeOnPcktRcv = "FALSE"
ethernet0.uptCompatibility = "TRUE"
ethernet0.present = "TRUE"
sata0.present = "TRUE"
sata0:0.present = "TRUE"
sata0:0.deviceType = "cdrom-image"
sata0:0.fileName = "/vmfs/volumes/ISO-Data/debian-12.0.0-amd64-DVD-1.iso"
EOF

# reload settings

[root@ctrl:~]

vim-cmd vmsvc/reload 1

# power on

[root@ctrl:~]

vim-cmd vmsvc/power.on 1

Powering on VM:

[root@ctrl:~]

vim-cmd vmsvc/power.getstate 1

Retrieved runtime info
Powered on

# * after booting VM, connect to it via VMware Host Client or VMware Remote Console
# * ESXi 7 and later, integrated VNC server has been removed

	To create on VMware Host Client, configure like follows.
[2]	Login to VMware Host Client with root user account and click [Virtual Machines] icon that is under [Navigator] menu.

[3]	Click [Create / Register VM] button.

[4]	Select [Create a new Virtual Machine] and proceed to next.

[5]	Input any Virtual Machine name and type of Guest OS.

[6]	Select a Datastore you like to locate files for this Virtual Machine.

[7]	Set parameters for Virtual Machine. For [Network Adapter] section, select [VMXNET 3] if you don't have specific requirements like that you like to install pretty old OS.

[8]	For [CD/DVD Drive] section, select [Datastore ISO file] and specify the path of ISO image on [CD/DVD Media] section.

[9]	Confirm settings and click [Finish] button if that's OK.

[10]	After creating Virtual Machine, it is listed, enter in details to click the name of it.

[11]	To power on, click the image of Virtual Machine or click [Power on] button.

[12]	To connect to Virtual Machine console, click the image of Virtual Machine or click [Console] button.

[13]	After connecting to Virtual Machine console, it's the same way to operate it with regular procedure.

[14]	To send [Ctrl + Alt + Delete] key and other specific keys, open [Actions] - [Guest OS] - [Send keys] like follows.

[15]	After installing GuestOS, login to it and verify networking and other basic features to complete creating a Virtual Machine.

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