Nested Virtualization in vCenter

For this milestone, we learn how to implement nested virtualization on our vCenter environment as well as how to import a VM/Templates using an OVA file.

Pre-Reqs:

• Before moving forward with the configuration, we must first prepare a couple of things vCenter before implementing our virtual nested environment.
• The following must first be completed to ensure that the

Configure DNS Entries for the new Nested ESXi Servers

• On the AD01 DNS Server, create new A and PTR records for nested1, nested2, and nested3
• The completed configuration should look similar to the screenshot below:

Configuring VM Autostart

This is useful as it can allow you to queue the boot up of necessary internal infrastructure VMs and services. Additionally, configuring Autostart VMs can help to ensure access to the local virtual environment in the event of a system shutdown or reboot.

• To configure Autostart VMs, log into your ESXi Server > Navigate to "Host" > Select "Manage" > "System" > "Autostart"
• From here, Select a VM to configure autostart and click "Enable"
  • **Make sure to note the order you boot up VMs as some Services may depend/require other services to be up and running to function correctly (ex. FW01)

^^ Screenshot of my ESXi Server displaying its VM Autostart Configuration

Downloading and Adding OVA Template File to vCenter

• For this milestone activity, we were provided an OVA Template that can be used to create our new Nested ESXi VMs
• To use the OVA Template, I downloaded the file from our class webserver onto my Mgmt01 VM and then made sure to unzip it

Creating New Nested ESXi Servers via OVF template

• From here, I navigated to vCenter > Right-Clicked on my "SYS350" Datacenter > Selected "Deploy OVF Template" > Specified the new OVA "local file" on the Mgmt01 system > Then proceeded to configure additional VM customization settings for each Nested ESXi VM similar to below

Also Note: Make sure to specify "Thin Provision" vDisk to ensure that the new VM doesn't use up too much storage on your server

Verifying Nested ESXi Network Config

• Next, I verified that the networking config was configured correctly on each of the Nested ESXi VMs
• For more information on testing and configuring the management network on an ESXi Server, please reference the guide --> Here

^^ Screenshot of me logging into "nested1" and successfully verifying that network configuration was applied correctly

Adding Nested ESXi Hosts to the vCenter Cluster

• After verifying the network config for each of the Nested ESXi Server VMs, we can now add each host to the local "SYS350" vCenter Datacenter Cluster
• To do this, I first navigated to vCenter > Right-clicked on my "SYS350" Datacenter > Selected "Add Host" and specified the hostname, license, and networking for each of the Nested ESXi Server VMs

• The completed configuration should look similar to below for each of the Nested ESXi Hosts

• From here, you should now see your newly added Nested ESXi Servers within your vCenter environment inventory as shown below