- Overview
- Product Documentation
- CML Release Notes
- CML 2.2 Installation Guide
- CML 2.2 User Guide
- CML User's Guide
- Overview of CML 2.x
- Using CML and the HTML5 UI
- Dashboard
- Workbench
- Adding Nodes to a Lab
- Starting, Stopping, and Wiping Nodes
- Deleting Nodes
- Creating Links
- Rules for Creating Links and Interface Overprovisioning
- Adding Interfaces and Overprovisioning
- Overprovisioning Interfaces with Link Creation
- Starting Simulations
- Connecting to a Node's Console
- Changing Global Console Settings
- Download the Console History
- Setting CPU limit on node
- Launch sequencing and CPU limiting
- Stopping Simulations
- External Connectivity for Simulations
- Link Packet Capture
- Lab Sharing
- Breakout Tool
- Custom VM Images
- Creating a New Node Definition
- CML 2.2 Admin Guide
- Resources
Deploying the OVA on ESXi Server¶
Follow these instructions to deploy a new CML VM on a VMware ESXi server. You should have already downloaded a copy of the CML controller OVA and refplat ISO files to your local machine.
These instructions assume that you are familiar with deploying and managing virtual machines in VMware ESXi. If not, we recommend that you select a different deployment option. Please refer to the VMware documentation for best practices and for detailed instructions. The details may vary, depending on the ESXi version, whether you’re using vCenter server, and other details of your ESXi deployment.
Procedure
Upload the refplat ISO file to a datastore or content library that is co-located with the ESXi host where the CML VM will run.
Deploy the controller OVA file to your ESXi host to create a new CML VM.
Attention
Do not start the virtual machine!
After you have imported the OVA to VMware, you must configure the CML VM’s settings before you start it.
Configuring the Virtual Machine
Upgrade the VM’s virutal hardware compatibility, selecting the highest / latest version that is compatible with the ESXi hosts where you plan to run the CML VM.
For backwards compatibiility purposes, the CML OVA’s virtual hardware compatibility may be set to an older or lower version number than the compatibility value supported by your ESXi server. If you do not upgrade the VM compatibility, some of the features supported by your ESXi version may not be available with the CML VM.
Edit or confirm the settings of the CML VM based on the following recommendations:
Category |
Property |
Setting |
|---|---|---|
CPU |
Allocated vCPU Cores |
Set the number of virtual cores allocated to the CML VM. The default value from the OVA file is an absolute minimum and is generally not appropriate for ESXi deployments. |
CPU |
Cores per Socket |
Choose a value so that the number of sockets matches the ESXi server’s underlying hardware. For example, if the ESXi server where the CML VM runs has 2 processors, ensure that Sockets shows a value of 2 after you choose the cores per socket value. |
CPU |
Shares |
Choose High from the dropdown. |
CPU |
Hardware Virtualization |
Check the checkbox to enable hardware-assisted virtualization. |
CPU |
Performance Counters |
Check the checkbox to enable virtualized CPU performance counters. |
Memory |
Allocated Memory |
Set the amount of memory allocated to the CML VM. |
Memory |
Reservation |
If you are not running the CML VM on a dedicated host, then reserve and lock the entire memory allocation for the CML VM. |
Memory |
Shares |
Choose High from the dropdown. |
Hard Disk 1 |
Disk size |
Increase the default disk size. The default hard disk capacity is set to 16GB to limit the size of the OVA file for easier downloads, but that value is not appropriate for an ESXi deployment. Each node in every lab for every user will consume some space even when the lab is not running. The disk usage for each node ranges from 1 MB to more than 1 GB, depending on the node type and use case. The best practice is to over-provision the disk space for the CML VM, and a value of 100 GB or more is common. The CML VM will automatically resize its filesystem to the initial hard disk size that you set before you start the CML VM the first time. Expanding the disk after you boot the CML VM the first time is also possible: see Adding or Editing Storage Volumes. |
CD/DVD Drive 1 |
Location |
Select the option from the dropdown that matches the location where you uploaded the refplat ISO file in Step 1 above. |
CD/DVD Drive 1 |
CD/DVD Media |
Click Browse and choose the refplat ISO file. |
CD/DVD Drive 1 |
Status |
Check the checkbox to connect the CD/ROM at power on. |
CD/DVD Drive 1 |
Virtual Device Node |
We recommend using the first (lowest number) IDE device. |
Network Adapter 1 |
Network Adapter |
Select a network adapter that will permit your users to access the web-based UI that runs on the CML VM. |
Network Adapter 1 |
Status |
Check the checkbox to connect the network adapter at power on. |
Network Adapter 1 |
DirectPath I/O |
Check the Enable checkbox. |
VM Options |
Advanced / Latency Sensitivity |
Choose High from the dropdown. |
Start the virtual machine.
You now have a CML virtual machine that is defined and configured in VMware ESXi.
Once you have configured the VM settings and started the VM, you are ready to complete the Initial Set-up within the running VM.