VMware vSphere 6.5 - How to create professional LAB

Name: VMware vSphere 6.5 - How to create professional LAB
Rating: 4.5 (45 reviews)

Learn how to setup your advanced, comprehensive VMware vSphere LAB environment

Created byMartin Gavanda | AWS Cloud Architect

Last updated 1/2018

English

What you'll learn

Design and setup own advanced vSphere LAB
Have a comprehensive environment for advanced testing of vSphere products
Basic Microsoft skills related to active directory, iSCSI storage solutions and management

Course content

6 sections • 43 lectures • 4h 35m total length

Course overview1:29
About author1:35
The author brings over ten years of IT experience in service providers designing cloud solutions and on-premises projects, including a public cloud based on VMware vSphere, managing large ESXi environments.
Should I take this course?1:12
Choose this course to build a reproducible vSphere lab for testing and learning, extendable with NSX or VSAN, on any hardware or a home PC using a dedicated server.
Lab overview6:26
Explore the VMware vSphere 6.5 lab setup, including virtual machines, ESX networking, virtual switches and port groups, and the IP address plan for shared storage and management networks.

Introduction1:42
Prepare a lab with dedicated servers in a data center and plan resources. Set up a virtual router with NAT for internet access, supporting VMware and Microsoft products.
Overview4:22
Dedicated servers9:58
Microsoft trial software4:05
Download and evaluate Microsoft trial software from TechNet, obtain Windows Server 2012 ISO images, and prepare lab-ready virtual machines using VM and Hyper-V.
VMware trial software6:39
Virtual routers6:25

Introduction1:01
Overview3:12
Default installation5:42
Install the ESXi hypervisor on a dedicated server, use the management portal and remote console, and mount media to troubleshoot hardware compatibility and driver issues.
Hardware Compatibility List5:37
Understand the hardware compatibility list and why vendor support matters for ESX deployments. Navigate the HCO database to verify hardware, drivers, and custom installation images.
Custom image creation8:22
Create a custom ESX installation image by integrating specific drivers for network and storage adapters. Build a golden image and export a final ESX 6.5 ISO with a PowerShell script.
Custom installation4:02

Introduction1:28
Learn basic configuration of VMware vSphere 6.5 ESX server, including storage setup with data stores, uploading software, network configuration, time synchronization, and deploying a management VM for remote access.
Overview3:58
ESXi IP configuration7:10
ESXi initial setup6:31
Storage overview and configuration7:21
Storage performance workaround4:12
Learn to fix storage performance in VMware vSphere 6.5 by reverting to the older HCI driver, disabling the new driver via SSH, and rebooting, then verify in storage adapter tab.
Network overview and configuration10:33
ISO installation files upload3:31
Upload ISO installation files to a dedicated data store folder to centralize access, then upload four images and prepare a virtual router for internet access.
Virtual router installation11:02
Virtual router configuration15:48
Management station installation12:09

Introduction1:41
Overview5:05
Domain controller installation13:57
Management station AD integration3:30
Join the management station to the active directory domain by updating dns and changing from a workgroup to a domain, then enable centralized management and storage for ESX servers.
iSCSI storage server installation14:23
iSCSI storage server configuration9:12
Virtualized ESXi virtual machine7:15
Create a new virtual machine for the ESXi hypervisor, configuring ESXi 6.5, hardware virtualization, increased vcpus and memory, SSD storage, and multiple network adapters for management and production traffic.
Virtualized ESXi installation7:02
Virtualized ESXi configuration16:17
Virtual router advance configuration11:42
Configure a virtual router to manage traffic for virtual machines by adding a NIC, standard vSwitch with a port group, DHCP, firewall rules, and NAT.
vCenter server installation12:14
vCenter server initial configuration10:14

Requirements

Basic IT knowledge
Desire to build advanced vSphere LAB

Description

Overview

VMware vSphere is the most popular platform for deploying virtualized workloads. In this course you will learn how to setup your own advanced vSphere LAB that you can utilize for learning about VMware vSphere, testing advanced products like VMware vSAN or NSX or you can use this lab for preparation to your VCP exam.

Is this a right course for me? (Please click blue Full details link below)

Have you ever wondered how to set-up your own VMware vSphere infrastructure? What components are necessary for building advanced vSphere LAB? I have designed this course to cover all aspects of your LAB deployment from the scratch.

What is covered?

We will start with basic information regarding hardware for your LAB. I will use dedicated server from third-party service provider to support our LAB. We will deploy virtual router that will be used for connecting your LAB to outside, public network and provide several networking features for our LBA. You will also learn how to setup your supporting Microsoft environment for your LAB where you will learn how to setup your Active Directory and iSCSI storage server that will host our shared storage. Then we will work on the configuration of our master ESXi server in terms of advanced networking and storage. And finally, we will setup several virtualized ESXi servers that will together with VMware vCenter server forms your advanced LAB.

Am I going to be bored?

I have tried to be as practical as possible. I will show you everything in real world. No PowerPoint how-to but real hands-on experience with the configuration itself.

Who this course is for:

VMware administrators who needs to improve their existing VMware vSphere skills
Anyone who is interested taking VCP exam and need comprehensive LAB
IT administrators who want to setup their own VMware vSphere LAB

VMware vSphere 6.5 - How to create professional LAB

What you'll learn

Explore related topics

Course content

Course introduction4 lectures • 11min

Prerequisites6 lectures • 33min

Installation6 lectures • 28min

Master ESXi configuration11 lectures • 1hr 24min

Preparing virtual LAB environment12 lectures • 1hr 53min

Bonus section4 lectures • 7min

Requirements

Description

Who this course is for: