Part 1: Nested Virtualization

Adding DNS Records for nested1-3 to DC1

View the A records in PowerShell with Get-DnsServerResourceRecord -ZoneName yourname.local -RRType A

ESXi Auto-Start

Under Virtual Machines (left sidebar) enable Autostart on each VM

Using the same menu, make sure they autostart in this order:

1. pf
2. mgmt1
3. ad
4. vCenter

ESXi Virtual Appliances

Go on mgmt1 and download Nested_ESXi8_0u3_Appliance_Template_v1_ova-dl.zip to the datastore from the class fileserver (http://192.168.3.132)

and unzip it

Now deploy the OVF template to vcenter

Under storage: make sure you select thin provision

Select 350-internal network and assign network settings

and repeat for nested2&3 !

350-internal adjustment on ESXi

Back on ESXi: Go to networking->350-internal->Edit Settings, turn Promiscuous mode and Fordged transmits to Accept

Back on vSphere...

Power on nested1-3

Add to datacenter

Rclick sys-350->Add Host

Enter hostname set earlier

creds entered earlier

eval license is fine for now

No need to turn lockdown on

Repeat for nested2&3

Part 2: Templates

Configure DHCP on 350-Internal

Can use AD or pfsense but I will use pfsense because I do not like working with AD.

New VM for Templating

We will use lubuntu, another lightened version of Ubuntu

Downloading...

Upload to datastore

Creating VM

4GB ram, 60GB storage, connect to 350-internal and use lubuntu ISO as optical drive

Power on, standard installation, make deployer user

Once set up and logged in, see if you have DHCP address

Install VMware Tools

Install Perl

and shut it down.

Conversion of VM to a template

Rclick Ubuntu->Template->Convert to Template

Customization Specification

Go to left bar->Policies and Profiles->VM Customization Specifications and click "New"

Now we will create a VM from this template.

Create a new VM, from template (select Ubuntu) and check "Customize the operating system"

Find the task in the task console by clicking "More Tasks" at the bottom of the screen.

Repeating the process with Rocky Linux

(mostly the same steps)

Download ISO

Upload ISO

Create VM

Startup and go through installation, making "deployer use", installing vmware tools (don't forget to start + enable) and perl, testing DNS, then shut down.

Convert to Template

Create specification "Rocky8Specification", turn on prompt user for IPV4

Make new Rocky VM Rock-01-jake from Template and Specification

Custom hostname + IPV4 address

Clone successful

Deliverables

Deliverable 1: Provide a screenshot showing the A records for nested 1-3

Deliverable 2: Provide a screenshot that shows your 4 hypervisors

Deliverable 3: Find the Cloning Task in the vCenter Task Console and provide a screenshot.

Deliverable 4: Create another VM and Custom specification for Rocky 8. Deploy the template with a custom IP address. Provide a screenshot of both the cloning task as seen in Deliverable 3. As well as a screenshot of the VMs powered on IP address that should match the one entered during New VM Creation.

Reflection

This lab was actually pretty painless. The stable foundation I built over the last two labs made this pretty simple and straightforward. The instructions were detailed and very easy to follow with minimal troubleshooting and outside research. I had to look up just a few things, like finding out how to access certain functions of vSphere. I ran into some minor issues with DHCP on pfSense but it was simply because I forgot to save my configuration. I also ran into some unexpected trouble with the very last step. My Rocky VM was not deploying properly from the template. It took me a while to figure out that I didn't start and enable vmware tools before making the template. So I just remade the template from scratch with a fresh Rocky VM. I feel confident going into the next lab.