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For Lab Only, Not for Production
Running a nested ESXi server, on another ESXi server, is definitely not supported by VMware, but it is an excellent way to experiment, and explore setting up a VMware Environment.
Since the VCSA isn’t installed, log into the Host’s HTML5 client and select Create VM
Create a new virtual machine. Click Next
Assign a name, select compatibility, OS Family, OS Version, and click Next
Select the datastore to store the VM
Make any Guest resource changes as desired. Change CD/DVD To Datastore ISO
and navigate to the location where the ESXi Install ISO is stored
Click Next
Click Finish
Power on the VM, and click on the little remote window to open a remote console tab
ESXi should be seen booting
Press Enter to continue
Press F11 to Accept the EULA
The install should search and find the hard drive, select it, and press Enter to continue
Select keyboard layout, press Enter to continue
Create the Root password, and verify
This Error/Warning comes up if CPU virtualization options, or it VT features are not available on the CPU
Shut down the VM, edit VM settings, Expand out CPU and select, Hardware Virtualization, IOMMU, Performance Counters, and Save
Power on the VM perform the previous steps, press F11 to install
Press Enter to Reboot, Prior to rebooting edit the VM setting and change CD/DVD to Client
Once the ESX VM has booted, Press F2 to configure
Enter the Root password
Select Configure Management Network
Select IPv4 Configuration
Select Set Static IP address, and enter the IP information
Select DNS Configuration
Select Use the Following Addresses, enter DNS Server IP’s, and assign a hostname
Select Custom DNS Suffixes
Enter the lab domain
Press ESC, and Yes to restart management network
Press F12 to Reboot
Press F11 to Restart
