Step-by-Step Guide: Installing Ubuntu in VMware ESXi for Beginner

Introduction:

Ubuntu is a popular operating system based on Linux. It is known for its user-friendly interface and has strong security features than windows OS. VMware ESXi, is a virtualization platform that allows you to create and manage multiple virtual machines on a server simultaneously.

Installing Ubuntu in VMware ESXi offers several advantages.

Firstly, VMware ESXi allows you to create multiple virtual machines and to helps to scale hardware resources, reduce costs, and increase flexibility.
Secondly, By installing Ubuntu in VMware ESXi, you can easily set up environments for learning and testing to deploy applications without affecting your main operating system.

This step-by-step guide is specifically designed for beginners who are interested in learning about Ubuntu and VMware ESXi. The content is structured to be beginner-friendly, using simple language and providing detailed guidance at each step. By following this guide, beginners will gain hands-on experience in setting up a virtual machine environment and become familiar with the fundamentals of Ubuntu and VMware ESXi.

2. Prerequisites

VMware ESXI is already installed on physical server DELL Power Edge 710. Here, we will discuss how to install Ubuntu OS in VMware ESXi as virtual machine.

Acquiring Ubuntu ISO image:

To install Ubuntu in VMware ESXi, you’ll need to obtain the Ubuntu ISO image file. Select the appropriate architecture (32-bit or 64-bit) based on your system’s compatibility.

3. Uploading Ubuntu ISO image

Once you have downloaded the Ubuntu ISO image, you can proceed to upload ISO image to VMware ESXI Storage repository.

Here are the steps to upload Ubuntu Image:

Navigate to the “Home” tab or the “Hosts and Clusters” view, depending on your interface.
Select the VMware host or cluster where you want to upload the ISO image.

Click on the “Storage” option from right side menu to access the storage settings.
Click on “Database Browse” Option to upload Ubuntu ISO image.

A new window will open, displaying the contents of the selected datastore. Look for the “Upload Files” or “Upload” button, and click on it.
In the file upload dialog box, navigate to the location where the Ubuntu ISO image is stored on your local machine.
Select the Ubuntu ISO image file and click on the “Upload” or “OK” button to begin the upload process.

Wait for the upload to complete. The duration will depend on the size of the ISO file and the speed of your network connection.

Once the upload is finished, you will see the Ubuntu ISO image listed in the datastore browser window.

You can now use this ISO image to create new virtual machines or attach it to existing virtual machines for installation or other purposes.

Creating a Virtual Machine:

1- Creating a new virtual machine in VMware ESXi:

To create a new virtual machine in VMware ESXi, follow these steps:

Log in to the VMware vSphere Client or vCenter Server.
Navigate to the “Home” tab or the “Hosts and Clusters” view, depending on your interface.
Select the VMware host or cluster where you want to create the virtual machine.
click on the host or cluster and choose the “Create/Register VM” button.

The new virtual machine wizard will open. Select “Create a New Virtual Machine “Next.”

Specify a name and location for the virtual machine.
Choose the compatibility mode based on your requirements and click “Next.”
Select the guest operating system as Ubuntu and the version you are installing.

on Next screen, Configure the virtual machine hardware settings, such as CPU, RAM, and storage (disk size, disk type, and controller type).
Adjust the network settings as per your network configuration.
select “Database ISO File” option to attache which already uploaded in VMware ESXi repository.

Review the summary and click “Finish” to create the virtual machine.

Installing Ubuntu in VMware ESXi:

1- Powering on the virtual machine:

To power on a virtual machine in VMware ESXi, follow these steps:

Locate the virtual machine you want to power on in the VMware vSphere Client or vCenter Server.
click on the virtual machine and select “Power On” button.

The virtual machine will start, and you can monitor its progress in the console window.

Once the virtual machine is powered on, it will begin the boot process, similar to a physical computer.

Ubuntu in VMwear ESXi Installation_Start

2-Running the Ubuntu installation process:

After powering on the virtual machine and booting from the attached Ubuntu ISO image, the Ubuntu installation process will begin. Here’s what you can expect:

Select the desired language from the options provided and click “Continue” to proceed.

Ubuntu in VMwear ESXi Installation_ Select Language

On the keyboard layout screen, select the appropriate keyboard layout that matches your physical keyboard.

Next, select “Install Ubuntu Server” to begin the installation.

Ubuntu in VMwear ESXi Installation_ Install

The installer will then detect your network connection. OS auto select network configuration , such as a static IP address or DHCP, you can make the necessary adjustments.

Ubuntu in VMwear ESXi Installation_Network Config

Next, screen will require to enter proxy server link, if you need to access server remotly from anywhere in the world.

Ubuntu in VMwear ESXi Installation_Proxy

On Next, screen you will see the screen to configure Ubuntu Archive Mirror.

Ubuntu in VMwear ESXi Installation_Archive

The installer will now prompt you to set up disk partitioning. You can choose automatic partitioning or manual partitioning, depending on your needs and preferences.

Ubuntu in VMwear ESXi Installation_Partition

Next, screen will show the file system summary selected by Ubuntu installer automatically.

Ubuntu in VMwear ESXi Installation_Partition file system

System will prompt a confirmation messaage to loss data on selected driver partition. select continue to proceed installation process.

Ubuntu in VMwear ESXi Installation_ Prompt

Choose a username and password to configure administrative account that will have full access to the system.

Ubuntu Installer will ask to enable Ubunto Pro features activation. here i have selected to skip to setup Pro installation.

Ubuntu in VMwear ESXi Installation_Ubunto Pro

Confirm to enable OpenSSH server Package to enable secure remote access to your server.

Ubuntu in VMwear ESXi Installation_OpenSSH

Next, The installer will copy the necessary files and install the Ubuntu Server system onto the selected disk.

Completing the installation:

After configuring the necessary settings, the Ubuntu installation will continue until completion. Here’s what you should expect:

Once the installation process finishes, you will be prompted to restart the virtual machine.
Remove the Ubuntu ISO image from the virtual machine to prevent it from booting from the ISO image again.
Restart the virtual machine, and Ubuntu will boot from the installed operating system on the virtual hard drive.
You will be greeted with the Ubuntu login screen, where you can enter your username and password to access the system.

Concern:

By following these steps, beginners can power on the virtual machine, run the Ubuntu installation process, configure installation settings, and complete the installation. This allows for a smooth and successful installation of Ubuntu within the VMware ESXi environment.