vSphere Single Host Management -

VMware Host Client

ESXi 6.5

This document supports the version of each product listed and

supports all subsequent versions until the document is
replaced by a new edition. To check for more recent editions of
this document, see http://www.vmware.com/support/pubs.

EN-002314-00
vSphere Single Host Management - VMware Host Client

You can find the most up-to-date technical documentation on the VMware Web site at:
http://www.vmware.com/support/
The VMware Web site also provides the latest product updates.
If you have comments about this documentation, submit your feedback to:
[email protected]

Copyright © 2016 VMware, Inc. All rights reserved. Copyright and trademark information.

VMware, Inc.
3401 Hillview Ave.
Palo Alto, CA 94304
www.vmware.com

2 VMware, Inc.
Contents

About vSphere Single Host Management - VMware Host Client 5

1 VMware Host Client Overview 7

VMware Host Client System Requirements 7
Using the VMware Host Client 8

2 Host Management with the VMware Host Client 11

Managing System Settings in the VMware Host Client 12
Managing Hardware for an ESXi Host by Using the VMware Host Client 13
Licensing for ESXi Hosts 14
Manage Services in the VMware Host Client 16
Managing Security and Users for an ESXi Host by Using the VMware Host Client 17
Managing Hosts in vCenter Server 22
Reboot or Shut Down an ESXi Host in the VMware Host Client 23
Using the ESXi Shell 24
Place a Host in Maintenance Mode in the VMware Host Client 25
Managing Permissions in the VMware Host Client 25
Generate a Support Bundle in the VMware Host Client 27
Lockdown Mode 28
Administering CPU Resources by Using the VMware Host Client 29
Monitoring an ESXi Host in the VMware Host Client 30

3 Virtual Machine Management with the VMware Host Client 33

Creating a Virtual Machine in the VMware Host Client 33
Deploying a Virtual Machine from an OVF or OVA File in the VMware Host Client 37
Registering Existing Virtual Machines in the VMware Host Client 39
Using Consoles in the VMware Host Client 41
Managing a Guest Operating System in the VMware Host Client 42
Configuring a Virtual Machine in the VMware Host Client 45
Managing Virtual Machines in the VMware Host Client 70
Monitoring a Virtual Machine in the VMware Host Client 79

4 Managing Storage in the VMware Host Client 81

Working with Datastores in the VMware Host Client 81
Managing Storage Adapters in the VMware Host Client 92
Managing Storage Devices in the VMware Host Client 103
Monitoring Storage in the VMware Host Client 104
Performing Storage Refresh and Rescan Operations in the VMware Host Client 104

5 Networking in the VMware Host Client 107

Managing Port Groups in the VMware Host Client 107

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Managing Virtual Switches in the VMware Host Client 112

Managing Physical Network Adapters in the VMware Host Client 117
Managing VMkernel Network Adapters in the VMware Host Client 117
View TCP/IP Stack Configuration on a Host in the VMware Host Client 119
Change the Configuration of a TCP/IP Stack on a Host in the VMware Host Client 120
Configuring ESXi Firewall in the VMware Host Client 120
Monitoring Networking Events and Tasks in the VMware Host Client 122

Index 125

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About vSphere Single Host Management -
VMware Host Client

vSphere Single Host Management - VMware Host Client provides information about managing single hosts with
the VMware Host Client.

The VMware Host Client can be utilized to conduct emergency management when vCenter Server is
unavailable. You can use the VMware Host Client to perform administrative tasks and basic troubleshooting
tasks, as well as advanced administrative tasks.

Intended Audience
This information is intended for anyone who wants to use the VMware Host Client to manage single ESXi
hosts. The information is written for experienced Windows or Linux system administrators who are familiar
with virtual machine technology and datacenter operations.

VMware Technical Publications Glossary

VMware Technical Publications provides a glossary of terms that might be unfamiliar to you. For definitions
of terms as they are used in VMware technical documentation, go to
http://www.vmware.com/support/pubs.

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6 VMware, Inc.
VMware Host Client Overview 1
The VMware Host Client is an HTML5-based client that is used to connect to and manage single ESXi hosts.

You can use the VMware Host Client to perform administrative and basic troubleshooting tasks, as well as
advanced administrative tasks on your target ESXi host. You can also use the VMware Host Client to
conduct emergency management when vCenter Server is not available.

It is important to know that the VMware Host Client is different from the vSphere Web Client, regardless of
their similar user interfaces. You use the vSphere Web Client to connect to vCenter Server and manage
multiple ESXi hosts, whereas you use the VMware Host Client to manage a single ESXi host.

VMware Host Client functions include, but are not limited to the following operations:

n Basic virtualization operations, such as deploying and configuring virtual machines of various
complexity

n Creating and managing networking and datastores

n Advanced tuning of host level options to improve performance

This chapter includes the following topics:

n “VMware Host Client System Requirements,” on page 7

n “Using the VMware Host Client,” on page 8

VMware Host Client System Requirements

Make sure that your browser supports the VMware Host Client.

The following guest operating systems and Web browser versions are supported for the
VMware Host Client.

Table 1‑1. Supported Guest Operating Systems and Browser Versions for the VMware Host Client
Supported Browsers Mac OS Windows Linux

Google Chrome 25+ 25+ 25+

Mozilla Firefox 20+ 15+ 15+

Internet Explorer N/A 10+ N/A

Safari 5.1+ 5.1+ -

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Using the VMware Host Client

The embedded VMware Host Client is an HTML5-based client that has a similar interface to the
vSphere Web Client but is only used to manage single ESXi hosts. You use the VMware Host Client to
conduct emergency management when vCenter Server is temporarily unavailable.

Start the VMware Host Client and Log In

You can use the VMware Host Client to manage single ESXi hosts and perform various administrative and
troubleshooting tasks on your virtual machines.

Note The VMware Host Client only works for administrative users.

Procedure
1 In a Web browser enter the target host name or IP address using the form http://host-name/ui or
http://host-IP-address/ui.

A log in screen appears.

2 Enter your user name and your password.

3 Click Login to continue.

4 Review the VMware Customer Experience Improvement Program (CEIP) page and choose whether you
want to join the program.

To learn about the program and how to configure it at any time, see “Configuring Customer Experience
Improvement Program,” on page 9.

5 Click OK.

You are now logged in to your target ESXi host.

Log Out of the VMware Host Client

When you no longer need to view or manage your target ESXi host, log out of the VMware Host Client.

Note Closing a VMware Host Client session does not stop the host.

Procedure
u To log out of the ESXi host, click the user name at the top of the VMware Host Client window and select
Log out from the drop-down menu.

You are now logged out of the VMware Host Client. Your target ESXi host continues to run all its
normal activities.

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Configuring Customer Experience Improvement Program

When you choose to participate in the Customer Experience Improvement Program (CEIP), VMware
receives anonymous information to improve the quality, reliability, and functionality of VMware products
and services.

Categories of Information That VMware Receives

This product participates in VMware's Customer Experience Improvement Program ("CEIP").

Details regarding the data collected through CEIP and the purposes for which it is used by VMware are set
forth at the Trust & Assurance Center at http://www.vmware.com/trustvmware/ceip.html. To join or leave
the CEIP for this product, see “Leave and Rejoin the Customer Experience Improvement Program in the
VMware Host Client,” on page 9.

Leave and Rejoin the Customer Experience Improvement Program in the

VMware Host Client
You can choose to leave the Customer Experience Improvement Program (CEIP), or rejoin the CEIP at any
time.

Procedure
1 To leave and rejoin the CEIP, click the user name at the top of the VMware Host Client page.

2 Point to Client settings> Send usage statistics, to leave or rejoin the CEIP.

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Host Management with the
VMware Host Client 2
With the VMware Host Client, you can manage single ESXi hosts during vCenter Server upgrades or when
vCenter Server stops responding or becomes unavailable.

The VMware Host Client has a crucial set of troubleshooting functions, which allow you to perform tasks on
the ESXi host that you are logged in to if vCenter Server is unavailable. These functions include but are not
limited to configuring advanced host settings, licensing, managing certificates, using the ESXi Shell,
enabling Lockdown mode, and so on.

This chapter includes the following topics:

n “Managing System Settings in the VMware Host Client,” on page 12

n “Managing Hardware for an ESXi Host by Using the VMware Host Client,” on page 13

n “Licensing for ESXi Hosts,” on page 14

n “Manage Services in the VMware Host Client,” on page 16

n “Managing Security and Users for an ESXi Host by Using the VMware Host Client,” on page 17

n “Managing Hosts in vCenter Server,” on page 22

n “Reboot or Shut Down an ESXi Host in the VMware Host Client,” on page 23

n “Using the ESXi Shell,” on page 24

n “Place a Host in Maintenance Mode in the VMware Host Client,” on page 25

n “Managing Permissions in the VMware Host Client,” on page 25

n “Generate a Support Bundle in the VMware Host Client,” on page 27

n “Lockdown Mode,” on page 28

n “Administering CPU Resources by Using the VMware Host Client,” on page 29

n “Monitoring an ESXi Host in the VMware Host Client,” on page 30

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vSphere Single Host Management - VMware Host Client

Managing System Settings in the VMware Host Client

With the VMware Host Client, you can manage advanced host settings, assign or remove licenses to your
host, configure start and stop policies for host services, and manage time and date configuration for the host.

Manage Advanced Settings in the VMware Host Client

You can change the settings of a host by using the VMware Host Client.

Caution Changing advanced options is considered unsupported unless VMware technical support or a KB
article instruct you to do so. In all other cases, changing these options is considered unsupported. In most
cases, the default settings produce the optimum result.

Procedure
1 Click Manage in the VMware Host Client inventory and click System.
2 Click Advanced settings.

3 Right-click the appropriate item from the list and select Edit option from the drop-down menu.

The Edit option dialog box is displayed.

4 Edit the value and click Save to apply your changes.

5 (Optional) Right-click the appropriate item from the list and select Reset to default to go back to the
original settings of the item.

Change Autostart Configuration in the VMware Host Client

Configure autostart options for the ESXi host to set up when the host starts and stops.

Procedure
1 Click Manage in the VMware Host Client inventory and click System.

2 Click Autostart.

3 Click Edit settings.

4 Select Yes to enable changing the autostart configuration.

5 Change the settings as appropriate and click Save.

Edit Time Configuration of an ESXi Host in the VMware Host Client

You can configure the time settings on a host manually, or you can synchronize the time and date of the host
by using an NTP server.

Procedure
1 Click Manage in the VMware Host Client inventory and click System.

2 Click Time & date.

3 Click Edit settings.

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4 Select an option for setting the time and date of the host.

Option Description
Manually configure the date and Set the time and date for the host manually.
time on this host
Use Network Time Protocol (Enable Synchronize the time and date of the host with an NTP server. The NTP
NTP client) service on the host periodically takes the time and date from the NTP
server.
a In the NTP Servers text box, enter the IP addresses or host names of
the NTP servers that you want to use.
b From the NTP Service Startup Policy drop-down menu, select an
option for starting and stopping the NTP service on the host.
n Start and stop with port usage. Starts or stops the NTP service
when the NTP client port is enabled or disabled for access in the
security profile of the host.
n Start and stop with host. Starts and stops the NTP service when
the host powers on and shuts down.
n Start and stop manually. Enables manual starting and stopping of
the NTP service.
You can use the Start, Stop, or Restart buttons to control the status of the
NTP service on the host at any time regardless of the selected startup
policy for the NTP service. If you select the Start and stop manually policy,
the status of the NTP service only changes when you use the UI controls.

5 Click Save settings.

Managing Hardware for an ESXi Host by Using the

VMware Host Client
When you log in to an ESXi host by using the VMware Host Client, you can manage PCI devices and
configure power management settings.

Host Power Management Policies

You can apply several power management features in ESXi that the host hardware provides to adjust the
balance between performance and power. You can control how ESXi uses these features by selecting a power
management policy.

Selecting a high-performance policy provides more absolute performance, but at lower efficiency and
performance per watt. Low-power policies provide less absolute performance, but at higher efficiency.

You can select a policy for the host that you manage by using the VMware Host Client. If you do not select a
policy, ESXi uses Balanced by default.

Table 2‑1. CPU Power Management Policies

Power Management Policy Description

High Performance Do not use any power management features.

Balanced (Default) Reduce energy consumption with minimal performance

compromise

Low Power Reduce energy consumption at the risk of lower

performance

Custom User-defined power management policy. Advanced

configuration becomes available.

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vSphere Single Host Management - VMware Host Client

When a CPU runs at lower frequency, it can also run at lower voltage, which saves power. This type of
power management is typically called Dynamic Voltage and Frequency Scaling (DVFS). ESXi attempts to
adjust CPU frequencies so that virtual machine performance is not affected.

When a CPU is idle, ESXi can apply deep halt states, also known as C-states. The deeper the C-state, the less
power the CPU uses, but it also takes longer for the CPU to start running again. When a CPU becomes idle,
ESXi applies an algorithm to predict the idle state duration and chooses an appropriate C-state to enter. In
power management policies that do not use deep C-states, ESXi uses only the shallowest halt state for idle
CPUs, C1.

Change Power Management Policies in the VMware Host Client

Change the power management policies of the host that you are managing to control the energy
consumption of your host.

Procedure
1 Click Manage in the VMware Host Client inventory and click Hardware.

2 Click Power Management and click Change policy.

The available power management policies are displayed.

3 Select the radio button next to the policy that you want to apply.
4 Click OK.

Licensing for ESXi Hosts

ESXi hosts are licensed with vSphere licenses. Each vSphere license has a certain CPU capacity that you can
use to license multiple physical CPUs on ESXi hosts. When you assign a vSphere license to a host, the
amount of CPU capacity that is consumed is equal to the number of physical CPUs in the host. vSphere
Desktop that is intended for VDI environments is licensed on per virtual machine basis.

To license an ESXi host, you must assign it a vSphere license that meets the following prerequisites:

n The license must have sufficient CPU capacity to license all physical CPUs on the host. For example, to
license two ESXi hosts that have four CPUs each, you need to assign a vSphere license with a minimum
capacity of 8 CPUs to the hosts.

n The license must support all the features that the host uses. For example, if the host is associated with a
vSphere Distributed Switch, the license that you assign must support the vSphere Distributed Switch
feature.

If you attempt to assign a license that has insufficient capacity or does not support the features that the host
uses, the license assignment fails.

You can assign and reassign the CPU capacity of a vSphere license to any combination of ESXi hosts. . You
can assign a vSphere license for 10 CPUs to any of the following combinations of hosts:

n Five 2-CPU hosts

n Three 2-CPU hosts and one 4-CPU host

n Two 4-CPU hosts and one 2-CPU host

n One 8-CPU host and one 2-CPU host

Dual-core and quad-core CPUs, such as Intel CPUs that combine two or four independent CPUs on a single
chip, count as one CPU.

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Evaluation Mode
When you install ESXi, its default license is evaluation mode. Evaluation mode licenses expire after 60 days.
An evaluation mode license provides the set of features that equals the highest vSphere product edition.

If you assign a license to an ESXi host before its evaluation period expires, the time available in the
evaluation period is decreased by the time already used. To explore the entire set of features that are
available for the host, you can set it back to evaluation mode, and use it for the remaining evaluation period.

For example, if you use an ESXi host in evaluation mode for 20 days and then assign a vSphere Standard
license to the host and then set the host back to evaluation mode, you can explore the entire set of features
that are available for the host for the remaining evaluation period of 40 days.

License and Evaluation Period Expiry

For ESXi hosts, license or evaluation period expiry leads to disconnection from vCenter Server. All powered
on virtual machines continue to work, but you cannot power on virtual machines after they are powered off.
You cannot change the current configuration of the features that are in use. You cannot use the features that
remained unused while the host was in evaluation mode.

Licensing ESXi Hosts After Upgrade

If you upgrade an ESXi host to a version that starts with the same number, you do not need to replace the
existing license with a new one. For example, if you upgrade a host from ESXi 5.1 to 5.5, you can use the
same license for the host.

If you upgrade an ESXi host to a version that starts with a different number, you must apply a new license.
For example, if you upgrade an ESXi host from 5.x to 6.x, you need to license the host with a vSphere 6
license.

vSphere Desktop
vSphere Desktop is intended for VDI environments such as Horizon View. The license usage for vSphere
Desktop equals the total number of powered on desktop virtual machines running on the hosts that are
assigned a vSphere Desktop license.

View Licensing Information About the VMware Host Client Environment

You can view the available licenses in the VMware Host Client along with their expiration dates, license key,
and various features. You can also view the available products and assets.

Procedure
u Click Manage in the VMware Host Client inventory and click Licensing.

You can view the license key, the expiration date, and all the available features and assets.

Assign a License Key to an ESXi Host in the VMware Host Client

By using the VMware Host Client, you can assign an existing or new license key to an ESXi host.

Prerequisites
Verify that you have the Global.Licenses privilege.

Note If you use vCenter Server to manage your ESXi host, you can only change your licenses from the
vSphere Web Client.

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vSphere Single Host Management - VMware Host Client

Procedure
1 Click Manage in the VMware Host Client inventory and click Licensing.

2 Click Assign license, enter a license key in the form XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX, and click Check
license.
3 Click Assign license to save your changes.

Remove a License from an ESXi Host in the VMware Host Client

To remain in compliance with the licensing models of products that you use with vSphere, you must remove
all unassigned licenses from the inventory. If you have divided, combined, or upgraded licenses in My
VMware, you must remove the old licenses.

For example, suppose that you have upgraded a vSphere license from 5.5 to 6.0 in My VMware. You assign
the license to ESXi 6.0 hosts. After assigning the new vSphere 6.0 licenses, you must remove the old vSphere
5.5 license from the inventory.

Procedure
1 Click Manage in the VMware Host Client inventory and click Licensing.

2 Click Remove license, and click OK.

Manage Services in the VMware Host Client

In the VMware Host Client, you can start, stop, and restart services that are running on the host that you are
logged in to, and you can configure host service policy. You can restart services when you change host
configurations or in case of suspected functional or performance issues.

Procedure
1 Click Manage in the VMware Host Client inventory and click Services.

2 From the Services list, select a service.

3 From the Actions drop-down menu, select an operation.

n Restart

n Start

n Stop
4 (Optional) From the Actions drop-down menu, select Policy and select an option for the service from
the menu.

n Start and stop with firewall ports

n Start and stop with host

n Start and stop manually

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 Chapter 2 Host Management with the VMware Host Client

Managing Security and Users for an ESXi Host by Using the

VMware Host Client
The ESXi hypervisor architecture has many built-in security features that you can configure to enhance
security. By using the VMware Host Client, you can configure features, such as active directory, and you can
also manage certificates.

Managing Host Authentication by Using the VMware Host Client

When you log in to an ESXi host by using the VMware Host Client, you can check whether active directory
and smart card authentication are enabled, and you can also join the host to a directory service domain.

Join an ESXi Host to a Directory Service Domain by Using the VMware Host Client
To use a directory service for your host, you must join the host to the directory service domain.

You can enter the domain name in one of two ways:

n name.tld (for example, domain.com): The account is created under the default container.

n name.tld/container/path (for example, domain.com/OU1/OU2): The account is created under a particular

organizational unit (OU).

To use the vSphere Authentication Proxy service, see vSphere Security.

Procedure
1 Click Manage in the VMware Host Client inventory and click Security & Users.

2 Click Authentication and click Join domain.

3 Enter a domain name.

Use the form name.tld or name.tld/container/path.

4 Enter the user name and password of a directory service user account that has permissions to join the
host to the domain and click Join domain.

5 (Optional) If you intend to use an authentication proxy, enter the proxy server IP address and click Join
domain.

Using Active Directory to Manage ESXi Users

You can configure ESXi to use a directory service such as Active Directory to manage users.

Creating local user accounts on each host presents challenges with having to synchronize account names
and passwords across multiple hosts. Join ESXi hosts to an Active Directory domain to eliminate the need to
create and maintain local user accounts. Using Active Directory for user authentication simplifies the ESXi
host configuration and reduces the risk for configuration issues that could lead to unauthorized access.

When you use Active Directory, users supply their Active Directory credentials and the domain name of the
Active Directory server when adding a host to a domain.

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vSphere Single Host Management - VMware Host Client

Using vSphere Authentication Proxy

When you use the vSphere Authentication Proxy, you do not need to transmit Active Directory credentials
to the host . Users supply the domain name of the Active Directory server and the IP address of the
authentication proxy server when they add a host to a domain.

vSphere Authentication Proxy is especially useful when used with Auto Deploy. You can set up a reference
host that points to Authentication Proxy and set up a rule that applies the reference host's profile to any
ESXi host provisioned with Auto Deploy. Even if you use vSphere Authentication Proxy in an environment
that uses certificates that are provisioned by VMCA or third-party certificates, the process works seamlessly
as long as you follow the instructions for using custom certificates with Auto Deploy. See the vSphere
Security guide.

Note You cannot use vSphere Authentication Proxy in an environment that supports only IPv6.

Managing Host Certificates by Using the VMware Host Client

When you log in to an ESXi host by using the VMware Host Client, you can view the certificate details of
your host, such as the issuer and the validity period, and you can also import new certificates

View Certificate Details for an ESXi Host in the VMware Host Client
For ESXi 6.0 and later, hosts that are in VMCA mode or custom mode, you can view certificate details when
you are logged in to the host with the VMware Host Client. The certificate information can be useful for
debugging.

Procedure
1 Click Manage in the VMware Host Client inventory and click Security & Users.

2 Click Certificates.

You can view the following certificate details.

Field Description
Issuer The issuer of the certificate.
Not valid after Date on which the certificate expires.
Not valid before Date on which the certificate is generated.
Subject The subject used during certificate generation.

Import a New Certificate for an ESXi Host in the VMware Host Client
You can import a certificate from a trusted certificate authority when you are logged in to an ESXi host with
the VMware Host Client.

Procedure
1 Click Manage in the VMware Host Client inventory and click Security & Users.

2 Click Certificates and click Import new certificate.

3 Generate a certificate signing request, which is either an FQDN signing request or an IP signing request.

The certificate signing request is then passed to the certificate authority to generate the official
certificate.

An FQDN request has the fully qualified hostname of the host in the resulting common name field of
the certificate. The IP signing request has the current IP address of the host in the common name field.

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4 Paste a PEM formatted certificate in the certificate text box and click Import.

You do not have to import the certificate immediately but you cannot reboot the host between
generating the certificate signing request and importing the certificate.

Managing Users with the VMware Host Client

Manage users to control who is authorized to log in to ESXi.

Users and roles control who has access to the ESXi host components and what actions each user can
perform.

In vSphere 5.1 and later, ESXi user management has the following caveats .

n The users created when you connect directly to an ESXi host are not the same as the vCenter Server
users. When the host is managed by vCenter Server, vCenter Server ignores users created directly on
the host.

n You cannot create ESXi users by using the vSphere Web Client. You must log in to the host directly with
the VMware Host Client to create ESXi users .

n ESXi 5.1 and later does not support local groups. However, Active Directory groups are supported.

To prevent anonymous users, such as root, from accessing the host with the Direct Console User Interface
(DCUI) or ESXi Shell, remove the user's administrator privileges on the root folder of the host. This applies
to both local users and Active Directory users and groups.

Add an ESXi User in the VMware Host Client

Adding a user to the users table updates the internal user list that the host maintains.

Prerequisites
Review the password requirements in the vSphere Security documentation.

Procedure
1 Log in to ESXi with the VMware Host Client.

You cannot create ESXi users with the vSphere Web Client. You must directly log in to the host with the
VMware Host Client to create ESXi users.

2 Click Manage in the VMware Host Client inventory and click Security & Users.
3 Click Users.

4 ClickAdd user.

5 Enter a user name, and a password.

Note Do not create a user named ALL. Privileges associated with the name ALL might not be available
to all users in some situations. For example, if a user named ALL has Administrator privileges, a user
with the ReadOnly privileges might be able to log in to the host remotely. This is not the intended
behavior.

n Do not include any spaces in the user name.

n Do not include any non-ASCII characters in the user name.

n Create a password that meets the length and complexity requirements. The host checks for
password compliance using the default authentication plug-in, pam_passwdqc.so. If the password is
not compliant, an error message indicates password requirements.

6 Click Add.

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Update an ESXi User in the VMware Host Client

You can change the user name, description, and password for an ESXi user in the VMware Host Client.

Procedure
1 Click Manage in the VMware Host Client inventory and click Security & Users.

2 Click Users.

3 Select a user from the list and click Edit user.

4 Update the user details and click Save.

Remove a Local ESXi User from a Host in the VMware Host Client
You can remove a local ESXi user from the host.

Caution Do not remove the root user.

If you remove a user from the host, they lose permissions to all objects on the host and cannot log in again.

Note Users who are logged in and are removed from the domain keep their host permissions until you
restart the host.

Procedure
1 Click Manage in the VMware Host Client inventory and click Security & Users.

2 Click Users.

3 Select the user that you want to remove from the list, click Remove user, and click Yes.

Do not remove the root user for any reason.

Managing ESXi Roles in the VMware Host Client

ESXi grants access to objects only to users who are assigned permissions for the object. When you assign a
user permissions for the object, you do so by pairing the user with a role. A role is a predefined set of
privileges.

ESXi hosts provide three default roles, and you cannot change the privileges associated with these roles.
Each subsequent default role includes the privileges of the previous role. For example, the Administrator
role inherits the privileges of the Read Only role. Roles that you create do not inherit privileges from any of
the default roles.

You can create custom roles by using the role-editing dunctions in the VMware Host Client to create
privilege sets that match your user needs. Also, the roles you create directly on a host are not accessible in
vCenter Server. You can work with these roles only if you log in to the host directly from the
VMware Host Client.

Note When you add a custom role and do not assign any privileges to it, the role is created as a read-only
role with the System.Anonymous, System.View, and System.Read system-defined privilege.

If you manage an ESXi host through vCenter Server, maintaining custom roles in the host and
vCenter Server can result in confusion and misuse. In this type of configuration, maintain custom roles only
in vCenter Server.

You can create host roles and set permissions through a direct connection to the ESXi host with the
VMware Host Client.

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Add a Role in the VMware Host Client

You can create roles to suit the access control needs of your environment.

Prerequisites
Verify that you are logged in as a user with Administrator privileges, such as root or vpxuser.

Procedure
1 Click Manage in the VMware Host Client inventory and click Security & Users.

2 Click Roles.

3 Click Add role.

4 Enter a name for the new role.

5 Select privileges from the list to associate with the new role and click Add.

Update a Role in the VMware Host Client

When you edit a role, you can change the privileges selected for that role. When complete, these privileges
are applied to any user or group that is assigned the edited role.

Prerequisites
Verify that you are logged in as a user with Administrator privileges, such as root or vpxuser.

Procedure
1 Click Manage in the VMware Host Client inventory and click Security & Users.

2 Click Roles.

3 Select a role from the list and click Edit role.

4 Update the role details and click Save.

Remove a Role in the VMware Host Client

When you remove a role that is not assigned to any users or groups, the definition is removed from the list
of roles. When you remove a role that is assigned to a user or group, you can remove assignments or replace
them with an assignment to another role.

Caution You must understand how users will be affected before removing all assignments or replacing
them. Users who have no permissions granted to them cannot log in.

Prerequisites
Verify that you are logged in as a user with Administrator privileges, such as root or vpxuser.

Procedure
1 Click Manage in the VMware Host Client inventory and click Security & Users.

2 Click Roles.

3 Select the name of the role that you want to remove from the list.

4 Click Remove role, select Remove only if unused, and click Yes.

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Managing Hosts in vCenter Server

To access the full capabilities of the host that you are managing, connect the host to a vCenter Server system.

For information about configuration management of ESXi hosts, see the vSphere Networking documentation,
the vSphere Storage documentation, and the vSphere Security documentation.

Update Your VMware Host Client Environment to the Latest Version

To evaluate whether you are using the latest version of the VMware Host Client, check what VIBs are
installed to your environment and examine the VIBs version information. You can update your
VMware Host Client environment by entering a URL to a VIB or an ESX update metadata.zip file.

If you provide a VIB, an existing VIB that is installed to your VMware Host Client environment is updated
to the new VIB.

If a link to a metadata.zip file is provided, the entire ESXi system is updated to the version described by the
metadata.zip file.

Caution If the host is managed by vSphere Update Manager, updating the host via this message might
cause Update Manager to report the host as non-compliant.

Procedure
1 Click Manage in the VMware Host Client and click Packages.

2 Click Install update and enter the URL of the VIB or a metadata.zip file.

3 Click Update.

4 Click Refresh to make sure that the update is successful.

Unable to Connect from the VMware Host Client to an ESXi Host after
Upgrading to ESXi 6.0 or Later
After you upgrade your host from ESXi 5.5 to ESXi 6.0 or later, your browser console might display an error
message when you attempt to access your ESXi host by using the VMware Host Client, and your connection
might fail.

Problem
After you upgrade your ESXi host from 5.5 to 6.0 or later, attempting to navigate to http://host-name/ui or
http://host-IP-address/ui might result in the following error:

503 Service Unavailable (Failed to connect to endpoint: [N7Vmacore4Http16LocalServiceSpecE:

0xffa014e8] _serverNamespace = /ui _isRedirect = false _port = 8308)

Cause
A change to /etc/vmware/rhttpproxy/endpoints.conf remains after an upgrade and causes the /ui endpoint
to override the VMware Host Client.

When the /ticket is missing from the endpoint.conf file on your 6.0 or later ESXi host, your in-browser
virtual machine console displays a Failed to connect error message but the VMware Remote Console
continues to work.

Solution
1 Log in to your ESXi host either by using SSH or ESXi Shell.

If you use SSH, you might need to enable SSH first. You can enable SSH by using DCUI.

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2 Back up the endpoints.conf file.

cp
/etc/vmware/rhttpproxy/endpoints.conf /tmp

3 Open the /etc/vmware/rhttpproxy/endpoints.conf file in an editor and add the following line.

/ui local 8308 redirect

allow

4 Restart the reverse Web proxy .

/etc/init.d/rhttpproxy restart

5 Try to access the VMware Host Client at http://host-name/ui or http://host-IP-address/ui.

Switch to the vSphere Web Client

To access the full set of capabilities, and advanced administrative and troubleshooting functions of the ESXi
host, connect the ESXi host to vCenter Server.

Procedure
1 Right-click Host in the VMware Host Client inventory and select Manage with vCenter Server from the
drop-down menu.
The vCenter Server login page opens in a new window.

2 Enter your credentials and click Login.

Disconnect an ESXi Host from vCenter Server by Using the VMware Host Client
If you no longer want to use the advanced set of capabilities available throughvCenter Server for host
management, or if vCenter Server has failed and you must perform emergency operations on the host, you
can disconnect your ESXi host from vCenter Server.

Disconnecting an ESXi host might take up to several minutes.

Procedure
1 Right-click Host in the VMware Host Client inventory and select Disconnect from vCenter Server from
the pop-up menu.

Note Disconnecting a host signals vCenter Server that this host is not responding.

2 Click Disconnect from vCenter Server.

Reboot or Shut Down an ESXi Host in the VMware Host Client

You can power off or restart any ESXi host by using the VMware Host Client. Powering off a managed host
disconnects it from vCenter Server, but does not remove it from the inventory.

Prerequisites
To be able to reboot or shut down a host, you need these privileges.

n Host.Configuration.Maintenance

n Global.Log event

Always perform the following tasks before you reboot or shut down a host:

n Power off all virtual machines on the host.

n Place the host in maintenance mode.

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Procedure
1 Right-click the host, select Shut down host or Reboot host.

Note If the host is not in maintenance mode, shutting down or rebooting it does not stop the virtual
machines that are running on this host safely and unsaved data may be lost. If the host is part of a
Virtual SAN cluster, you might lose access to the Virtual SAN data on the host.

2 Click Shut down or Reboot to complete the procedure.

Using the ESXi Shell

The ESXi Shell is disabled by default on ESXi hosts. You can enable local and remote access to the shell if
necessary.

Enable the ESXi Shell for troubleshooting only. The ESXi Shell is independent of in lockdown mode. The
host running in lockdown mode does not prevent you from enabling or disabling the ESXi Shell.

See vSphere Security.

ESXi Shell Enable this service to access the ESXi Shell locally.

SSH Enable this service to access the ESXi Shell remotely by using SSH.
See vSphere Security.

The root user and users with the Administrator role can access the ESXi Shell. Users who are in the Active
Directory group ESX Admins are automatically assigned the Administrator role. By default, only the root
user can run system commands (such as vmware -v) by using the ESXi Shell.

Note Do not enable the ESXi Shell unless you actually need access.

Enable the Secure Shell (SSH) in the VMware Host Client

Enable the Secure Shell (SSH) to access the ESXi Shell remotely by using SSH.

Procedure
1 To enable or disable the Secure Shell (SSH), right-click Host in the VMware Host Client inventory.

2 Select Services from the drop-down menu and select Secure Shell (SSH).
3 Select a task to perform.

n If SSH is enabled, click Disable to disable it.

n If SSH is disabled, click Enable to enable it.

Enable the ESXi Console Shell in the VMware Host Client

When you enable this service while running in lockdown mode, you can log in locally to the direct console
user interface as the root user and disable lockdown mode. You can then access the host using a direct
connection to the VMware Host Client or by enabling the ESXi Shell.

Procedure
1 To enable or disable the Console Shell, right-click Host in the VMware Host Client inventory.

2 Select Services from the drop-down menu and select Console Shell.

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3 Select a task to perform.

n If the Console Shell is enabled, click Disable to disable it.

n If the Console Shell is disabled, click Enable to enable it.

Place a Host in Maintenance Mode in the VMware Host Client

You place a host in maintenance mode when you need to service it, for example, to install more memory. A
host enters or leaves maintenance mode only as the result of a user request.

The host is in a state of Entering Maintenance Mode until all running virtual machines are powered off or
migrated to different hosts. You cannot power off virtual machines or migrate virtual machines to a host that
is entering or in maintenance mode.

To place a host in maintenance mode, all virtual machines that are running on the host must be powered off
or migrated to different hosts. If you attempt to place a host that has running virtual machines on it in
maintenance mode, DRS must power off or migrate the running virtual machines for the task to complete. If
a time out occurs before the virtual machines are powered off or migrated, an error message appears.

When all virtual machines on the host are inactive, the host's icon displays under maintenance and the
host's Summary panel indicates the new state. While in maintenance mode, the host does not allow you to
deploy or power on a virtual machine.

Prerequisites
Before you place a host in maintenance mode, power off all virtual machines that are running on that host or
migrate them to another host either manually or automatically by DRS.

Procedure
u Right-click the host and select Enter maintenance mode.

The host is in maintenance mode until you select Exit maintenance mode.

Managing Permissions in the VMware Host Client

For ESXi, permissions are defined as access roles that consist of the roles assigned to a user for different
objects such as a virtual machine or ESXi host. Permissions grant users the right to perform the activities
specified by the role on the object to which the role is assigned.

For example, to configure memory for the host, a user must be granted a role that includes the
Host.Configuration.Memory Configuration privilege. By assigning different roles to users for different
objects, you can control the tasks that users can perform by using the VMware Host Client.

When connecting directly to a host with the VMware Host Client, the root and vpxuser user accounts have
the same access rights as any user assigned the Administrator role on all objects.

All other users initially have no permissions on any object, which means the users cannot view or perform
tasks on these objects. A user with Administrator privileges must assign permissions to these users to allow
them to perform tasks.

Many tasks require permissions on more than one object. The following rules can help you determine which
roles to assign to users to allow particular tasks:

n Any task that consumes hard disk space, such as creating a virtual disk or taking a snapshot, requires
the Datastore.Allocate Space privilege on the target datastore and the privilege to perform the
operation itself.

n Each host and cluster has its own implicit resource pool that contains all the resources of that host or
cluster. Deploying a virtual machine directly to a host or cluster requires the Resource.Assign Virtual
Machine to Resource Pool privilege.

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The list of privileges is the same for both ESXi and vCenter Server.

You can create roles and set permissions through a direct connection to the ESXi host.

Permission Validation
vCenter Server and ESXi hosts that use Active Directory regularly validate users and groups against the
Windows Active Directory domain. Validation occurs whenever the host system starts and at regular
intervals specified in the vCenter Server settings.

For example, if user Smith was assigned permissions and in the domain the user’s name was changed to
Smith2, the host concludes that Smith no longer exists and removes permissions for that user when the next
validation occurs.

Similarly, if user Smith is removed from the domain, all permissions are removed when the next validation
occurs. If a new user Smith is added to the domain before the next validation occurs, the new user Smith
receives all the permissions the old user Smith was assigned.

Assign Permissions to a User for an ESXi Host in the VMware Host Client
In order to perform particular activities on an ESXi host, a user must have permissions that are associated
with a particular role. In the VMware Host Client you can assign roles to users and give the users the
permissions necessary to perform various tasks on the host.

Procedure
1 Right-click Host in the VMware Host Client inventory and click Permissions.

2 Click Add user.

3 Click the arrow next to the Select a user text box and select the user that you would like to assign a role
to.

4 Click the arrow next to the Select a role text box and select a role from the list.

5 (Optional) Select Propagate to all children.

If you set a permission at a vCenter Server level and propagate it to the children objects, the permission
applies to data centers, folders, clusters, hosts, virtual machines, and other objects in the vCenter Server
instance.

6 Click Add and click Close.

Remove Permissions for a User in the VMware Host Client

Removing a permission for a user does not remove the user from the list of users available. It also does not
remove the role from the list of available items. It removes the user and role pair from the selected inventory
object.

Procedure
1 Right-click Host in the VMware Host Client inventory and click Permissions.

2 Select a user from the list and click Remove user.

3 Click Close.

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Assign a User Permissions for a Virtual Machine in the VMware Host Client
Assign a role to a particular user to give that user permissions to perform specific tasks on a virtual machine.

Procedure
1 Click Virtual Machines in the VMware Host Client inventory.

2 Right-click a virtual machine from the list and select Permissions.

3 Click Add user.

4 Click the arrow next to the Select a user text box and select the user that you want to assign a role for.

5 Click the arrow next to the Select a role text box and select a role from the list.

6 (Optional) Select Propagate to all children.

If you set a permission at a vCenter Server level and propagate it to the children objects, the permission
applies to data centers, folders, clusters, hosts, virtual machines, and similar objects in the
vCenter Server instance.

7 Click Add and click Close.

Remove Permissions for a Virtual Machine in the VMware Host Client

To make a user unable to perform tasks on a particular virtual machine, remove the permissions of the user
for that virtual machine.

Removing a permission for a user does not remove the user from the list of users available. It also does not
remove the role from the list of available items. It removes the user and role pair from the selected inventory
object.

Procedure
1 Click Virtual Machines in the VMware Host Client inventory.

2 Right-click a virtual machine from the list and select Permissions.

3 Select a user from the list and click Remove user.

4 Click Close.

Generate a Support Bundle in the VMware Host Client

You can generate a support bundle for the ESXi host that you are logged in on. The support bundle contains
the log files and system information that you can use to diagnose and resolve problems.

Procedure
1 Right-click Host in the VMware Host Client inventory and select Generate support bundle from the
drop-down menu.

A dialog that contains a link to download the bundle pops up when the support bundle is created.

2 (Optional) Click Monitor in the VMware Host Client inventory, click Tasks and click a log bundle from
the list.

You can view the link to the log bundle under the table.

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Lockdown Mode
To increase the security of your ESXi hosts, you can put them in lockdown mode. In lockdown mode,
operations must be performed through vCenter Server by default.

Normal Lockdown Mode and Strict Lockdown Mode

With vSphere 6.0 and later, you can select normal lockdown mode or strict lockdown mode.

Normal Lockdown Mode In normal lockdown mode, the DCUI service remains active. If the
connection to the vCenter Server system is lost, and access through the
vSphere Web Client is unavailable, privileged accounts can log in to the ESXi
host's Direct Console Interface and exit lockdown mode. Only the following
accounts can access the Direct Console User Interface:

n Accounts in the Exception User list for lockdown mode who have
administrative privileges on the host. The Exception Users list is meant
for service accounts that perform specific tasks. Adding ESXi
administrators to this list defeats the purpose of lockdown mode.

n Users defined in the DCUI.Access advanced option for the host. This
option is for emergency access to the Direct Console Interface in case the
connection to vCenter Server is lost. These users do not require
administrative privileges on the host.

Strict Lockdown Mode In strict lockdown mode, the DCUI service is stopped. If the connection to
vCenter Server is lost and the vSphere Web Client is no longer available, the
ESXi host becomes unavailable, unless the ESXi Shell and SSH services are
enabled and Exception Users are defined. If you cannot restore the
connection to the vCenter Server system, you must reinstall the host.

Lockdown Mode and the ESXi Shell and SSH Services

Strict lockdown mode stops the DCUI service. However, the ESXi Shell and SSH services are independent of
lockdown mode. For lockdown mode to be an effective security measure, ensure that ESXi Shell and SSH
services are also disabled. These services are disabled by default.

When a host is in lockdown mode, users on the Exception Users list can access the host from the ESXi Shell
and through SSH if they have the Administrator role on the host. This access is possible even in strict
lockdown mode. Leaving the ESXi Shell service and the SSH service disabled is the most secure option.

Note The Exception Users list is meant for service accounts that perform specific tasks such as host
backups, and not for administrators. Adding administrator users to the Exception Users list defeats the
purpose of lockdown mode.

Put an ESXi Host in Normal Lockdown Mode by Using the VMware Host Client
You can use the VMware Host Client to enter normal lockdown mode.

Procedure
1 Right-click Host in the VMware Host Client inventory, select Lockdown mode from the drop-down
menu, and select Enter normal lockdown.

A warning message appears.

2 Click Enter normal lockdown.

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Put an ESXi Host in Strict Lockdown Mode by Using the VMware Host Client
You can use the VMware Host Client to enter strict lockdown mode.

Procedure
1 Right-click Host in the VMware Host Client inventory, select Lockdown mode from the drop-down
menu, and select Enter strict lockdown.

The warning message appears.

2 Click Enter strict lockdown.

Exit Lockdown Mode by Using the VMware Host Client

If you have entered normal or strict lockdown mode on an ESXi host, you can exit lockdown by using the
VMware Host Client.

Procedure
u Right-click Host in theVMware Host Client inventory, select Lockdown mode from the drop-down
menu, and select Exit lockdown.

Specify Lockdown Mode Exception Users in the VMware Host Client

With vSphere 6.0 and later, you can add users to the exception users list by using the VMware Host Client.
These users do not lose their permissions when the host enters lockdown mode. You can add service
accounts, such as a backup agent to the exception users list.

Exception users are host local users or Active Directory users with privileges defined locally for the ESXi
host. They are not members of an Active Directory group and are not vCenter Server users. These users are
allowed to perform operations on the host based on their privileges. That means, for example, that a read-
only user cannot disable lockdown mode on a host.

Note The exception users list is useful for service accounts that perform specific tasks, such as host
backups, and not for administrators. Adding administrator users to the exception users list defeats the
purpose of lockdown mode.

Procedure
1 Click Manage in the VMware Host Client inventory and click Security & Users.

2 Click Lockdown mode.

3 Click Add user exception, enter the name of the user, and click Add exception.

4 (Optional) Select a name from the exception users list, click Remove user exception, and click Confirm.

Administering CPU Resources by Using the VMware Host Client

When you connect to an ESXi host with the VMware Host Client, you have access to a limited number of
resource management settings.

View Processor Information by Using the VMware Host Client

In the VMware Host Client, you can access information about the current CPU configuration of the ESXi
host that you are logged in to.

Procedure
1 Click Host in the VMware Host Client inventory.

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vSphere Single Host Management - VMware Host Client

2 Expand Hardware and expand CPU.

You can view the information about the number and type of physical processors, and the number of
logical processors.

Assign a Virtual Machine to a Specific Processor in the VMware Host Client

By using CPU affinity, you can assign a virtual machine to a specific processor. This way, you can assign a
virtual machine only to a particular available processor in multiprocessor systems.

Prerequisites
Power off the virtual machine.

Procedure
1 Right-click the virtual machine in the VMware Host Client inventory and select Edit settings.

2 Under Virtual Hardware, expand CPU.

3 Under Scheduling Affinity, select physical processor affinity for the virtual machine.

Use a hyphen to indicate ranges and a comma to separate values.

For example, 0, 2, 4-7 would indicate processors 0, 2, 4, 5, 6, and 7.

4 Click Save to apply your changes.

Monitoring an ESXi Host in the VMware Host Client

When you connect to a host using the VMware Host Client, you can monitor the host health status, and
view performance charts, events, tasks, system logs, and notifications.

View Charts in the VMware Host Client

When you are logged in to the VMware Host Client, you can view information about resource usage of the
ESXi host that you are managing in line chart form.

To reduce memory consumption, the VMware Host Client only contains statistics for the last hour.

Procedure
1 Click Monitor in the VMware Host Client and click Performance.
2 (Optional) To view the host usage for the last hour, select an option from the drop-down menu.

n To view the percentage of CPU that the host used during the last hour, select CPU.

n To view the percentage of memory that the host consumed during the last hour, select Memory.
u To view the memory and CPU composite that the host consumed during the last hour, select CPU +
memory composite.
u To view the percentage of network that the host consumed during the last hour, select Network.
u To view the disk usage that the host consumed during the last hour, select Disk.

Monitor Hardware Health Status in the VMware Host Client

When you are logged in to the VMware Host Client, you can monitor the health status of the ESXi host
hardware.

Note Hardware health status is only available when the underlying hardware supports it.

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Procedure
1 Click Monitor in the VMware Host Client inventory and click Hardware.

2 Select the type of information to view.

3 (Optional) Use the filter controls above the list to filter the list.
4 (Optional) Click a column heading to sort the list.

View Events in the VMware Host Client

Events are records of user actions or system actions that occur on an ESXi host. When you are logged in the
VMware Host Client, you can view all events associated with the host that you are managing.

Prerequisites
Required privilege: Read-only.

Procedure
u Click Monitor in the VMware Host Client inventory and click Events.

a (Optional) Select an event to see event details.

b (Optional) Use the filter controls above the list to filter the list.
c (Optional) Click a column heading to sort the list.

View Tasks in the VMware Host Client

When you are logged in to the VMware Host Client, you can view tasks that are related to the ESXi host.
You can view information about task initiator, task state, task result, task description, and so on.

Procedure
u Click Monitor in the VMware Host Client inventory and click Tasks.

a (Optional) Select a task to see task details.

b (Optional) Use the filter controls above the list to filter the list.

c (Optional) Click a column heading to sort the list.

View System Logs in the VMware Host Client

When you are logged in to an ESXi host with the VMware Host Client, you can view log entries to get
information such as who generated an event, when the event was created, and the type of event.

Procedure
1 Click Monitor in the VMware Host Client inventory and click Logs.
The list of logs is displayed.

2 (Optional) Click on a log to view log details.

3 (Optional) Right-click a log and select one of the following options:

n Open in new window

n Generate support bundle

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View Notifications in the VMware Host Client

When you are logged in the VMware Host Client, you can view host notifications and recommendations for
related tasks that you should perform.

Procedure
1 Click Monitor in the VMware Host Client inventory and click Notifications.

2 Select a notification from the list to view the recommended action.

A message with a recommended action and a description is displayed under the notifications list.

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VMware Host Client 3
Virtual machines can be configured like physical computers and can perform the same tasks as physical
computers. Virtual machines also support special features that physical computers do not support.

You can use the VMware Host Client to create, register, and manage virtual machines, and to conduct daily
administrative and troubleshooting tasks.

This chapter includes the following topics:

n “Creating a Virtual Machine in the VMware Host Client,” on page 33

n “Deploying a Virtual Machine from an OVF or OVA File in the VMware Host Client,” on page 37

n “Registering Existing Virtual Machines in the VMware Host Client,” on page 39

n “Using Consoles in the VMware Host Client,” on page 41

n “Managing a Guest Operating System in the VMware Host Client,” on page 42

n “Configuring a Virtual Machine in the VMware Host Client,” on page 45

n “Managing Virtual Machines in the VMware Host Client,” on page 70

n “Monitoring a Virtual Machine in the VMware Host Client,” on page 79

Creating a Virtual Machine in the VMware Host Client

Virtual machines are the key component in a virtual infrastructure. You can create virtual machines to add
to the host inventory.

When you create a virtual machine, you associate it with a particular datastore and select an operating
system and virtual hardware options . After you power on the virtual machine, it consumes resources
dynamically as the workload increases, or returns resources dynamically as the workload decreases.

Every virtual machine has virtual devices that provide the same function as physical hardware. A virtual
machine gets CPU and memory, access to storage, and network connectivity from the host it runs on.

1 Start the Virtual Machine Creation Process in the VMware Host Client on page 34
You use the New Virtual Machine wizard to create a virtual machine to place in the
VMware Host Client inventory.

2 Select a Method for Adding a New Virtual Machine on the Host with the VMware Host Client on
page 35
You use the Select creation type page of the New Virtual Machine wizard to create a new virtual
machine, deploy a virtual machine from an OVF or OVA file, or register an existing virtual machine.

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3 Select a Name and a Guest Operating System for the Virtual Machine in the VMware Host Client on
page 35
When you create a new virtual machine, provide a unique name for the virtual machine to distinguish
it from existing virtual machines on the host you are managing. After you select a guest operating
system, the wizard provides the appropriate defaults for the operating system installation.
4 Select a Storage for Your Virtual Machine in the VMware Host Client on page 35
Select the datastore or datastore cluster to store the virtual machine configuration files and all of the
virtual disks in. You can select the datastore that has the most suitable properties, such as size, speed,
and availability, for your virtual machine storage.

5 Customize the Virtual Machine Settings in the VMware Host Client on page 36
Before you deploy a new virtual machine, you have the option to configure the virtual machine
hardware and the virtual machine options.

6 Complete Virtual Machine Creation in the VMware Host Client on page 37

In the Ready to complete page, you review the configuration selections that you made for the virtual
machine.

Start the Virtual Machine Creation Process in the VMware Host Client
You use the New Virtual Machine wizard to create a virtual machine to place in the VMware Host Client
inventory.

The selections you make in the New Virtual Machine wizard are not saved until you click Finish on the
Ready to Complete page. If you close the wizard without completing all tasks, you cannot resume the
wizard where you left off. You must start a new creation task.

Prerequisites
Verify that you have the VirtualMachine.Inventory.Create privileges.

Depending on the properties of the virtual machine you want to create, you might need the following
additional privileges:

n VirtualMachine.Config.AddExistingDisk if including a virtual disk device that refers to an existing

virtual disk file (not RDM).

n VirtualMachine.Config.AddNewDisk if including a virtual disk device that creates a new virtual disk
file (not RDM).

n VirtualMachine.Config.RawDevice if including a raw device mapping (RDM) or SCSI passthrough

device.

n VirtualMachine.Config.HostUSBDevice if including a VirtualUSB device backed by a host USB device.

n VirtualMachine.Config.AdvancedConfig if setting values in ConfigSpec.extraConfig.

n VirtualMachine.Config.SwapPlacement if setting swapPlacement.

n VirtualMachine.Config.ChangeTracking if setting changed block tracking for the virtual machine

disks.

n Datastore.AllocateSpace required on all datastores where the virtual machine and its virtual disks are
created.

n Network.Assign required on the network which is assigned to the new virtual machine that is being
created.

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Procedure
u Right-click Host in the VMware Host Client inventory and select Create/Register VM.

The New Virtual Machine wizard opens.

Select a Method for Adding a New Virtual Machine on the Host with the
VMware Host Client
You use the Select creation type page of the New Virtual Machine wizard to create a new virtual machine,
deploy a virtual machine from an OVF or OVA file, or register an existing virtual machine.

Procedure
u Select a creation type and click Next.

Option Description
Create a new virtual machine Creates a new virtual machine. You can customize processors, memory,
network connections, and storage. You will need to install a guest
operating system after you create the VM.
Deploy a virtual machine from an Deploys a virtual machine from an OVF and VMDK files.
OVF or OVA file OVA deployment is currently limited to files under 1 gigabyte in size due
to Web browser limitations.
If you want to deploy an OVA greater than 1 gigabyte, extract the OVA
using tar and provide the OVF and VMDK files separately.
Register an existing virtual machine Registers a virtual machine that already exists on a datastore.

Select a Name and a Guest Operating System for the Virtual Machine in the
VMware Host Client
When you create a new virtual machine, provide a unique name for the virtual machine to distinguish it
from existing virtual machines on the host you are managing. After you select a guest operating system, the
wizard provides the appropriate defaults for the operating system installation.

The following procedure applies if you want to create a new virtual machine.

Procedure
1 Enter a name for your virtual machine.
2 Select the virtual machine compatibility from the Compatibility drop-down menu.

3 Select the guest operating system family from the Guest OS family drop-down menu.

4 Select a guest operating system version from the Guest OS version drop-down menu.

5 Click Next.

Select a Storage for Your Virtual Machine in the VMware Host Client
Select the datastore or datastore cluster to store the virtual machine configuration files and all of the virtual
disks in. You can select the datastore that has the most suitable properties, such as size, speed, and
availability, for your virtual machine storage.

Procedure
1 In the list of accessible datastores, on the Select storage page of the New Virtual Machine wizard, click
the destination datastore that you want to store the virtual machine configuration files and all of the
virtual disks in.

2 Click Next.

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Customize the Virtual Machine Settings in the VMware Host Client

Before you deploy a new virtual machine, you have the option to configure the virtual machine hardware
and the virtual machine options.

For information about virtual machine options and virtual disk configuration, including instructions for
adding different types of devices, see vSphere Virtual Machine Administration.

Procedure
1 Configure the virtual machine hardware settings on the Virtual Hardware tab of the Customize settings
page in the New Virtual Machine wizard.

2 (Optional) To add a new virtual hardware device, select the device from the Add other device drop-
down menu on the Customize settings page of the New Virtual Machine wizard.

3 (Optional) Expand any device to view and configure device settings.

Option Description
CPU The CPU or processor is the portion of a computer system that carries out
the instructions of a computer program and is the primary element
carrying out the computer's functions. CPUs contain cores. The number of
virtual CPUs that are available to a virtual machine depends on the
number of licensed CPUs on the host, and the number of CPUs supported
by the guest operating system. To use the VMware multicore virtual CPUs
feature, you must comply with the requirements of the guest operating
system EULA.
Memory You can add, change, or configure virtual machine memory resources or
options to enhance virtual machine performance. You can set most of the
memory parameters during virtual machine creation or after the guest
operating system is installed. The memory resource settings for a virtual
machine determine how much of the host's memory is allocated to the
virtual machine. The virtual hardware memory size determines how much
memory is available to applications that run in the virtual machine.
Hard disk You can add large-capacity virtual disks to virtual machines and add more
space to existing disks, even when the virtual machine is running. You can
set most of the virtual disk parameters during virtual machine creation or
after you install the guest operating system.
SCSI controller Storage controllers appear to a virtual machine as different types of SCSI
controllers, including BusLogic Parallel, LSI Logic Parallel, LSI Logic SAS,
and VMware Paravirtual SCSI. You can set the type of SCSI bus sharing for
a virtual machine and indicate whether the SCSI bus is shared. Depending
on the type of sharing, virtual machines can access the same virtual disk
simultaneously on the same server or on any server. You can change the
SCSI controller configuration for a virtual machine on an ESXi host only.
SATA controller If a virtual machine has multiple hard disks or CD/DVD-ROM devices,
you can add up to three additional SATA controllers to assign the devices
to. When you spread the devices among several controllers, you can
improve performance and avoid data traffic congestion. You can also add
additional controllers if you exceed the thirty-device limit for a single
controller. You can boot virtual machines from SATA controllers and use
them for large-capacity virtual hard disks.

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Option Description
Network adapter When you configure a virtual machine, you can add network adapters
(NICs) and specify the adapter type. The type of network adapters that are
available depend on the following factors:
n The virtual machine compatibility, which depends on the host that
created or most recently updated it.
n Whether the virtual machine compatibility has been updated to the
latest version for the current host.
n The guest operating system.

CD/DVD drive You can configure DVD or CD devices to connect to client devices, host
devices, or Datastore ISO files.

4 To remove a device, click the delete button next to the device.

This option appears only for virtual hardware that you can remove safely.

5 Configure the virtual machine options on the VM Options tab of the Customize settings page in the
New Virtual Machine wizard.

6 Click Next.

Complete Virtual Machine Creation in the VMware Host Client

In the Ready to complete page, you review the configuration selections that you made for the virtual
machine.

Procedure
1 On the Ready to complete page of the New Virtual Machine wizard, review the configuration settings
for the virtual machine.

2 (Optional) Click Back to go back and review the wizard settings.

3 (Optional) Click Cancel to discard the creation task and close the wizard.

4 Click Finish to complete the creation task and close the wizard.

The virtual machine appears in the VMware Host Client inventory under Virtual Machines.

What to do next
Before you can use the new virtual machine, you must partition and format the virtual drive, install a guest
operating system, and install VMware Tools. Typically, the operating system's installation program handles
partitioning and formatting the virtual drive.

You can map the virtual machine's CDROM/DVD to an ISO file and start the virtual machine. This triggers
the operating system install.

Deploying a Virtual Machine from an OVF or OVA File in the

VMware Host Client
When you connect to an ESXi host by using the VMware Host Client, you can deploy virtual machines from
OVF and VMDK files, and from OVA files.

1 OVF and OVA Limitations for the VMware Host Client on page 38
You can create a virtual machine in the VMware Host Client by using OVF and VMDK files, or OVA
files. However, several limitations are applicable to this deployment method .

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2 Deploy a Virtual Machine from an OVF or OVA File in the VMware Host Client on page 38
Use the New Virtual Machine wizard to deploy virtual machines from OVF and VMDK files, or from
OVA files.

3 Select OVF and VMDK, or OVA Files to Deploy in the VMware Host Client on page 39
Select the OVF and VMDK files, or OVA file for the virtual machine that you would like to deploy.

4 Select Storage in the VMware Host Client on page 39

Select the datastore in which to store the virtual machine configuration files and all of the virtual disks.
Each datastore might have a different size, speed, availability, and other properties.

5 Complete the Deployment of a Virtual Machine from an OVF or OVA File in the VMware Host Client
on page 39
In the Ready to complete page, review the configuration selections that you made for the virtual
machine.

OVF and OVA Limitations for the VMware Host Client

You can create a virtual machine in the VMware Host Client by using OVF and VMDK files, or OVA files.
However, several limitations are applicable to this deployment method .

OVA Limitations
You can upload OVA files by using either a Web browser or a client. The memory requirements are
significant and might cause the Web browser to stop responding or make the system unstable. The size of
the OVA file that can be uploaded depends on how much memory is available on your system. VMware
tests show that Google Chrome can upload OVA files of about 1 gigabyte. Mozilla Firefox can extract larger
OVA files, but might become unresponsive.

To deploy a large OVA file, VMware recommends to first extract the OVA on your system by running the
command tar -xvf <file.ova>. Then you can provide the deployment wizard with the OVF and VMDKs as
separate files.

OVF Limitations
The size of OVF files that a Web browser can upload are also limited. Different Web browsers have different
file size limits. Recent versions of Internet Explorer can upload OVF files up to 4 gigabytes in size. Mozilla
Firefox also has a 4 gigabyte limit. Google Chrome can handle larger files and there is no documented limit.

Deploy a Virtual Machine from an OVF or OVA File in the VMware Host Client
Use the New Virtual Machine wizard to deploy virtual machines from OVF and VMDK files, or from OVA
files.

OVA deployment is limited to files under 1 gigabyte in size due to Web browser limitations. If you want to
deploy an OVA file greater than 1 gigabyte, extract the OVA file using tar and provide the OVF and VMDK
files separately.

Procedure
1 Right-click Host in the VMware Host Client inventory and select Create/Register VM .

The New Virtual Machine wizard opens.

2 On the Select creation type page of the wizard, select Deploy a virtual machine from an OVF or OVA
file and click Next.

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Select OVF and VMDK, or OVA Files to Deploy in the VMware Host Client
Select the OVF and VMDK files, or OVA file for the virtual machine that you would like to deploy.

Procedure
1 Enter a name for your virtual machine.

Virtual machine names can contain up to 80 characters and must be unique within each ESXi instance.

2 Click the blue pane to select an OVF and a VMDK, or an OVA file to deploy.

Your local system storage opens.

3 Select the file that you want to deploy your virtual machine from and click Open.

The file you selected is displayed in the blue pane.

4 Click Next.

Select Storage in the VMware Host Client

Select the datastore in which to store the virtual machine configuration files and all of the virtual disks. Each
datastore might have a different size, speed, availability, and other properties.

Procedure
1 Click a datastore from the list of accessible datastores on the Select storage page of the New Virtual
Machine wizard.

2 Click Next.

Complete the Deployment of a Virtual Machine from an OVF or OVA File in the
VMware Host Client
In the Ready to complete page, review the configuration selections that you made for the virtual machine.

Procedure
1 On the Ready to complete page of the New Virtual Machine wizard, review the configuration settings
for the virtual machine.

2 (Optional) Click Back to go back and review the wizard settings.

3 (Optional) Click Cancel to discard the creation task and close the wizard.

4 Click Finish to complete the creation task and close the wizard.

The virtual machine appears in the VMware Host Client inventory under Virtual Machines.

Registering Existing Virtual Machines in the VMware Host Client

If you unregister a virtual machine from a host but you do not delete the virtual machine from the datastore,
you can re-register the virtual machine by using the VMware Host Client. Re-registering a virtual machine
makes it appear in the inventory once again.

1 Register an Existing Virtual Machine in the VMware Host Client on page 40

The New virtual machine wizard allows you to select one or more virtual machines that you would
like to register.

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2 Select a Virtual Machine to Register in the VMware Host Client on page 40

If you remove a virtual machine from a datastore but you do not delete the virtual machine from the
host that you are managing, you can register the virtual machine on the datastore.

3 Complete Virtual Machine Registration in the VMware Host Client on page 40

Review your selections for virtual machine registration and complete the registration.

Register an Existing Virtual Machine in the VMware Host Client

The New virtual machine wizard allows you to select one or more virtual machines that you would like to
register.

Use the datastore browser to select either a datastore, a directory, or a .vmx file to add to the list of virtual
machines that you register. Selecting a datastore or directory searches for all .vmx files in that location. You
can browse more than once to append virtual machines to the list.

Procedure
1 Right-click Host in the VMware Host Client inventory and select Create/Register VM.

The New virtual machine wizard opens.

2 Select Register an existing virtual machine and click Next.

Select a Virtual Machine to Register in the VMware Host Client

If you remove a virtual machine from a datastore but you do not delete the virtual machine from the host
that you are managing, you can register the virtual machine on the datastore.

The New virtual machine wizard allows you to select one or more virtual machines that you would like to
register. By selecting a datastore or a directory, you choose to register all virtual machines on that datastore
or in that directory.

Procedure
1 Click Select one or more virtual machines, a datastore, or a directory, locate the virtual machine or
virtual machines that you would like to register, and click Select.

2 (Optional) To remove a virtual machine from the list, select the name of the file and click Remove
selected.

3 (Optional) To clear your selection and start again, click Remove all.
4 Click Next.

Complete Virtual Machine Registration in the VMware Host Client

Review your selections for virtual machine registration and complete the registration.

Procedure
u Review your selections in the Ready to complete page of the New Virtual Machine wizard and click
Finish to register your virtual machine.

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Using Consoles in the VMware Host Client

You can access a virtual machine through a browser console or through VMware Remote Console (VMRC)
in the VMware Host Client and perform different tasks on the virtual machine.

Using Browser Console

Note The browser console is not supported for any version of ESXi prior to 6.0. You must use VMRC in
order to access the browser console.

You can use a browser console to gain access to the guest operating system without installing additional
software. For additional console functionalities, such as attaching local hardware, install VMware Remote
Console.

Note Currently browser consoles support only US, Japanese and German keyboard layouts. You must
select the desired keyboard layout before opening the console.

Using VMware Remote Console

For a full set of console features, you can download and install VMRC. You can perform a variety of tasks on
the virtual machine, such as restarting and shutting down the virtual machine guest operating system,
resuming and suspending the virtual machine, configuring VMware Tools updates, configuring and
managing the virtual machine and different devices, and so on. VMware Workstation™, VMware Fusion™
or VMware Player™ work as VMRC clients so you do not need to download and install VMRC if you have
any of the three installed on your system.

Open a Virtual Machine Console in the VMware Host Client

With the VMware Host Client, you can access the desktop of a virtual machine by launching a console to the
virtual machine. From the console, you can perform tasks in the virtual machine, such as configuring
operating system settings, running applications, monitoring performance, and so on.

Procedure
1 Click Virtual Machines in the VMware Host Client inventory.

2 Select a powered-on virtual machine from the list.

3 Click Console and select an option from the drop-down menu.

n Select Open browser console to view the virtual machine console in a pop-up window.

n Select Open console in new window to view the virtual machine console in a separate window.

About VMware Remote Console

VMware Remote Console, also referred to as VMRC, provides access to virtual machines on remote hosts
and performs console and device operations, such as configuring operating system settings and monitoring
the virtual machine console for VMware vSphere. VMware Remote Console can also modify virtual machine
settings such as RAM, CPU cores, and disks.

For a complete set of console features, download VMware Remote Console.

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Install the VMware Remote Console Application in the VMware Host Client
The VMware Remote Console (VMRC) is a stand-alone console application for Windows that enables you to
connect to client devices and launch virtual machine consoles on remote hosts.

Procedure
1 Click on Virtual Machines in the VMware Host Client inventory.

The list of virtual machines available on the host is displayed.

2 Select a virtual machine from the list.

3 Click Actions, select Console from the drop-down menu, and click Download VMRC.

Launch Remote Console for a Virtual Machine in the VMware Host Client
You can access virtual machines in the VMware Host Client by using VMware Remote Console. You can
launch one or more consoles to access several remote virtual machines at the same time.

Prerequisites
Verify that VMware Remote Console is installed on your local system.

Procedure
1 Click Virtual Machines in the VMware Host Client inventory and select a virtual machine from the list.

2 Click Console and select Launch remote console from the drop-down menu.

The VMware Remote Console opens as a stand-alone application for the selected virtual machine.

Managing a Guest Operating System in the VMware Host Client

With the VMware Host Client, you can manage the guest operating system of the virtual machine. You can
install and upgrade VMware Tools, and you can also shut down, reboot, and change the configured guest
operating system.

Shut Down and Restart a Guest Operating System by Using the

VMware Host Client
Install VMware Tools on a virtual machine to be able to shut down and restart the guest operating system on
that virtual machine.

Procedure
1 Click Virtual Machines in the VMware Host Client inventory and click a virtual machine in the list.

The virtual machine is displayed in the VMware Host Client inventory.

2 To shut down a virtual machine, right click the virtual machine in the VMware Host Client inventory,
select Guest OS from the pop-up menu, and select Shut down.

3 To restart a virtual machine, right-click the virtual machine in the VMware Host Client inventory, select
Guest OS from the drop-down menu, and select Restart.

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Change the Guest Operating System in the VMware Host Client

When you change the guest operating system type in the virtual machine settings, you change the setting for
the guest operating system in the configuration file of the virtual machine. To change the guest operating
system itself, you must install the new operating system in the virtual machine.

When you set the guest operating system type for a new virtual machine, vCenter Server applies
configuration defaults based on the type of guest operating system. Changing the guest operating system
type setting affects the available ranges and recommendations of the virtual machine settings.

Prerequisites
Power off the virtual machine.

Procedure
1 In the VMware Host Client inventory, right-click the virtual machine and select Edit Settings.

2 Click the VM Options tab and expand General Options.

3 Select a guest operating system type and version.

4 Click Save to apply your changes.

The virtual machine configuration parameters for the guest operating system are changed. You can now
install the guest operating system.

Introduction to VMware Tools

VMware Tools is a suite of utilities that you install in the operating system of a virtual machine.

VMware Tools enhances the performance of a virtual machine and makes possible many of the ease-of-use
features in VMware products. For example, the following features are just some of the features that are
available only if VMware Tools is installed:

VMware highly recomments that you always run the latest version of VMware Tools. You can configure
your virtual machine to automatically check for and apply VMware Tools upgrades each time you power on
your virtual machines. For information about enabling automatic upgrade of VMware Tools on your virtual
machines, see vSphere Virtual Machine Administration.

Installing VMware Tools

Although you can use guest operating systems without VMware Tools, many VMware features are not
available unless you install VMware Tools. VMware Tools enhances the performance of the guest operating
system of your virtual machines.

Installing VMware Tools is part of the process of creating new virtual machines. It is important to upgrade
VMware Tools as updates become available. For information about creating virtual machines, see the Virtual
Machine Administration Guide.

The installers for VMware Tools are ISO image files. An ISO image file looks like a CD-ROM to your guest
operating system. Each type of guest operating system, including Windows, Linux, Solaris, FreeBSD, and
NetWare, has an ISO image file. When you install or upgrade VMware Tools, the first virtual CD-ROM disk
drive of the virtual machine temporarily connects to the VMware Tools ISO file of your guest operating
system.

For information about installing or upgrading VMware Tools in Windows virtual machines, Linux virtual
machines, Mac OS X virtual machines, Solaris virtual machines, NetWare virtual machines, or FreeBSD
virtual machines, see Virtual Machine Administration Guide.

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Install VMware Tools from the VMware Host Client

VMware Tools is a suite of utilities that you install in the operating system of a virtual machine. VMware
Tools enhances the performance and management of the virtual machine.

You can install VMware Tools in one or more virtual machines by using the VMware Host Client.

Procedure
1 Click Virtual Machines in the VMware Host Client inventory.

2 Select a virtual machine from the list.

The virtual machine must be powered on to install VMware Tools.

3 Click Actions, select Guest OS from the drop-down menu, and select Install VMware Tools.

Upgrading VMware Tools

You can upgrade VMware Tools manually, or you can configure virtual machines to check for and install
newer versions of VMware Tools.

The guest operating system checks the version of VMware Tools when you power on a virtual machine. The
status bar of your virtual machine displays a message when a new version is available.

In Windows virtual machines, you can set VMware Tools to notify you when an upgrade is available. If this
notification option is enabled, the VMware Tools icon in the Windows taskbar includes a yellow caution icon
when a VMware Tools upgrade is available.

To install a VMware Tools upgrade, you can use the same procedure that you used for installing VMware
Tools the first time. Upgrading VMware Tools means installing a new version.

For Windows and Linux guest operating systems, you can configure the virtual machine to automatically
upgrade VMware Tools. Although the version check is performed when you power on the virtual machine,
on Windows guest operating systems, the automatic upgrade occurs when you power off or restart the
virtual machine. The status bar displays the message Installing VMware Tools ... when an upgrade is in
progress.

Important After you upgrade VMware Tools on Linux guest operating systems, new network modules
are available but are not used until you either restart the guest operating system or stop networking, unload
and reload the VMware networking kernel modules, and restart networking. This behavior means that even
if VMware Tools is set to automatically upgrade, you must restart or reload network modules to make new
features available.

This strategy avoids network interruptions and allows you to install VMware Tools over SSH.

Upgrading VMware Tools on Windows guest operation systems automatically installs the WDDM graphics
drivers. The WDDM graphics driver makes the sleep mode available in guest OS power settings to adjust
the sleep options. For example, you can use the sleep mode setting Change when the computer sleeps to
configure your guest OS to automatically go to sleep mode after a certain time or prevent your guest OS
from automatically switching to sleep mode after being idle for some time.

Upgrade VMware Tools in the VMware Host Client

You can upgrade VMware Tools on a virtual machine by using the VMware Host Client.

Prerequisites
Power on the virtual machine.

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Procedure
1 Click Virtual Machines in the VMware Host Client inventory.

2 Select a virtual machine from the list.

3 Click Actions, select Guest OS from the drop-down menu, and select Upgrade VMware Tools.

Configuring a Virtual Machine in the VMware Host Client

You can add or configure most virtual machine properties during the virtual machine creation process or
after you create the virtual machine and install the guest operating system.

You can configure three types of virtual machine properties.

Hardware View existing hardware configuration and add or remove hardware.

Options View and configure a number of virtual machine properties such as power
management interaction between the guest operating system and the virtual
machine, and VMware Tools settings.

Resources Configure CPUs, CPU hyperthreading sources, memory, and disks.

Check the Hardware Version of a Virtual Machine in the VMware Host Client
You can check the hardware version of a virtual machine by looking at the virtual machine summary page.

Procedure
1 Click Virtual Machines in the VMware Host Client inventory.

2 Click a virtual machine from the list.

The hardware version appears under the virtual machine name.

Change the Name of a Virtual Machine in the VMware Host Client

You can change the name of a virtual machine after you finish the creation process. Changing the name does
not change the name of any virtual machine files or the name of the directory that the files are located in.

Prerequisites
Power off the virtual machine.

Procedure
1 Click Virtual Machines in the VMware Host Client inventory.

2 Right-click a virtual machine in the list and select Edit settings from the pop-up menu.

3 Click VM Options.

4 In the VM Name text box, enter a new name for the virtual machine.

5 Click Save.

View the Location of the Virtual Machine Configuration File in the

VMware Host Client
You can view the location of the configuration files and the working files of a virtual machine by using the
VMware Host Client.

This information is useful when you configure backup systems.

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Prerequisites
Power off the virtual machine.

Procedure
1 Click Virtual Machines in the VMware Host Client inventory.

2 Right-click the virtual machine and click Edit Settings.

3 Click the VM Options tab and expand General Options.

4 Record the location of the configuration files and the working files.

5 Click Cancel to exit the screen.

Configure the Virtual Machine Power States in the VMware Host Client
Changing virtual machine power states is useful when you do maintenance on the host. You can use the
system default settings for the virtual machine power controls, or you can configure the controls to interact
with the guest operating system. For example, you can configure the Power off control to power off the
virtual machine or shut down the guest operating system.

You can modify many virtual machine configurations while the virtual machine is running, but you might
need to change the virtual machine power state for some configurations.

You cannot configure a Power on ( ) action. This action powers on a virtual machine that is stopped, or
starts a virtual machine and runs a script if the virtual machine is suspended and VMware Tools is installed
and available. If VMware Tools is not installed, it starts the suspended virtual machine and does not run a
script.

Prerequisites
n Verify that you have privileges to perform the intended power operation on the virtual machine.

n To set optional power functions, install VMware Tools on the virtual machine.

n Power off the virtual machine before editing the VMware Tools options.

Procedure
1 Click Virtual Machines in the VMware Host Client inventory.

2 Right-click a virtual machine from the list and select Edit settings from the drop-down menu.

3 On the VM Options tab, expand VMware Tools.

4
Select an option for the virtual machine Power off ( ) control from the drop-down menu.

Option Description
Power Off Immediately stops the virtual machine. A Power Off action shuts down the
guest operating system or powers off the virtual machine. A message
indicates that the guest operating system might not shut down properly.
Use this power off option only when necessary.
Shut Down Guest Uses VMware Tools to initiate an orderly system shut down of the virtual
machine. Soft power operations are possible only if the tools are installed
in the guest operating system.
Default Follows system settings. The current value of the system settings appears
in parentheses.

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5
Select an option for the Suspend ( ) control from the drop-down menu.

Option Description
Suspend Pauses all virtual machine activity. When VMware Tools is installed and
available, a suspend action runs a script and suspends the virtual machine.
If VMware Tools is not installed, a Suspend action suspends the virtual
machine without running a script.
Default Follows system settings. The current value of the system settings appears
in parentheses.

6
Select an option for the Reset ( ) control from the drop-down menu.

Option Description
Reset Shuts down and restarts the guest operating system without powering off
the virtual machine. If VMware Tools is not installed, a Reset action resets
the virtual machine.
Restart Guest Uses VMware Tools to initiate an orderly restart. Soft power operations are
possible only if the tools are installed in the guest operating system.
Default Follows system settings. The current value of the system settings appears
in parentheses.

7 Click Save.

Edit the Configuration File Parameters in the VMware Host Client

To fix certain problems with your system, VMware documentation or a VMware Technical Support
representative might instruct you to change or add virtual machine configuration parameters.

Important Changing or adding parameters when a system does not have problems might lead to
decreased system performance and instability.

The following conditions apply:

n To change a parameter, you must change the existing value for the keyword/value pair. For example, if
the existing pair is keyword/value, and you change it to keyword/value2, the new keyword is value2.

n You cannot delete a configuration parameter entry.

Caution You must assign a value to configuration parameter keywords. If you do not assign a value, the
keyword might receive a value of 0, false, or disable, which might result in a virtual machine that cannot
power on.

Prerequisites
Power off the virtual machine.

Procedure
1 Click Virtual Machines in the VMware Host Client inventory.

2 Right-click a virtual machine in the list and select Edit settings from the pop-up menu.

3 On the VM Options tab, expand Advanced.

4 Click Edit Configuration.

5 (Optional) To add a parameter, click Add Parameter and enter a name and value for the parameter.

6 (Optional) To change a parameter, type a new value in the Value text box for that parameter.

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7 Click Save.

Configure Autostart for a Virtual Machine in the VMware Host Client

Configure auto start options for a virtual machine to set up the virtual machine to start before or after the
other virtual machines on the host.

Procedure
1 Click Virtual Machines in the VMware Host Client inventory.

2 Right-click a virtual machine from the list.

3 Select Autostart from the pop-up menu and click an option to configure the auto start options for this
virtual machine.

Option Description
Increase priority Increase the start priority of this virtual machine so it starts before other
virtual machines.
Decrease priority Decrease the start priority of this virtual machine so it starts after other
virtual machines.

Upgrade Virtual Machine Compatibility by Using the VMware Host Client

The virtual machine compatibility determines the virtual hardware available to the virtual machine, which
corresponds to the physical hardware available on the host machine. You can upgrade the compatibility
level to make a virtual machine compatible with the latest version of ESXi running on the host.

For information about virtual machine hardware versions and compatibility, see vSphere Virtual Machine
Administration.

Prerequisites
n Create a backup or snapshot of the virtual machines. See “Using Snapshots To Manage Virtual
Machines,” on page 71.

n Upgrade VMware Tools. On virtual machines that run Microsoft Windows, if you upgrade the
compatibility before you upgrade VMware Tools, the virtual machine might lose its network settings.

n Verify that all .vmdk files are available to the ESXi host on a VMFS3, VMFS5, or NFS datastore.

n Verify that the virtual machine is stored on VMFS3, VMFS5 or NFS datastores.

n Verify that the compatibility settings for the virtual machines are not set to the latest supported version.

n Determine the ESXi versions that you want the virtual machines to be compatible with. See vSphere
Virtual Machine Administration.

Procedure
1 Click Virtual Machines in the VMware Host Client inventory.

2 Right-click a virtual machine from the list and select Upgrade VM Compatibility from the pop-up
menu.

3 Select the latest supported version and click Upgrade.

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Virtual CPU Configuration

You can add, change, or configure CPU resources to improve virtual machine performance. You can set most
of the CPU parameters when you create virtual machines or after the guest operating system is installed.
Some actions require that you power off the virtual machine before you change the settings.

VMware uses the following terminology. Understanding these terms can help you plan your strategy for
CPU resource allocation.

CPU The CPU or processor is the component of a computer system that performs
the tasks required for computer programs to run, and is the primary element
that performs the computer functions. CPUs contain cores.

CPU Socket A CPU socket is a physical connector on a computer motherboard that

connects to a single physical CPU. Some motherboards have multiple sockets
and can connect multiple multicore processors (CPUs).

Core A core contains a unit containing an L1 cache and functional units needed to
run programs. Cores can independently run programs or threads. One or
more cores can exist on a single CPU.

Corelet An AMD processor corelet is architecturally equivalent to a logical processor.

Certain future AMD processors contain a number of compute units, each of
which has a number of corelets. Unlike a traditional processor core, a corelet
lacks a complete set of private, dedicated execution resources and shares
some execution resources with other corelets such as an L1 instruction cache
or a floating-point execution unit. AMD refers to corelets as cores, but
because these are unlike traditional cores, are referred to as corelets in
VMware documentation to make resource sharing more apparent.

Thread Some cores can run independent streams of instructions simultaneously. In

existing implementations, cores can run one or two software threads at one
time by multiplexing the functional units of the core between the software
threads, as necessary. Such cores are called dual or multithreaded.

Resource sharing Shares specify the relative priority or importance of a virtual machine or
resource pool. If a virtual machine has twice as many shares of a resource as
another virtual machine, it is entitled to consume twice as much of that
resource when the two virtual machines are competing for resources.

Resource allocation You can change CPU resource allocation settings, such as shares, reservation,
and limit, when available resource capacity does not meet demands. For
example, if at year end, the workload on accounting increases, you can
increase the accounting resource pool reserve.

vSphere Virtual Virtual SMP or vSphere Virtual Symmetric Multiprocessingis a feature that
Symmetric enables a single virtual machine to have multiple processors.
Multiprocessing (Virtual
SMP)

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Virtual CPU Limitations

The maximum number of virtual CPUs that you can assign to a virtual machine is 128. The number of
virtual CPUs depends on the number of logical CPUs on the host, and the type of guest operating system
that is installed on the virtual machine.

Be aware of the following limitations:

n A virtual machine cannot have more virtual CPUs than the number of logical cores on the host. The
number of logical cores is equal to the number of physical cores if hyperthreading is disabled or two
times that number if hyperthreading is enabled.

n Not every guest operating system supports Virtual SMP, and guest operating systems that support this
functionality might support fewer processors than are available on the host. For information about
Virtual SMP support, see the VMware Compatibility Guide at
http://www.vmware.com/resources/compatibility.

n Hyperthreaded hosts might affect virtual machine performance, depending on the workload. The best
practice is to test your workload to determine whether to enable or disable hyperthreading on your
hosts.

Configuring Multicore Virtual CPUs

VMware multicore virtual CPU support lets you control the number of cores per virtual socket in a virtual
machine. This capability lets operating systems with socket restrictions use more of the host CPU's cores,
which increases overall performance.

Important When you configure your virtual machine for multicore virtual CPU settings, you must ensure
that your configuration complies with the requirements of the guest operating system EULA.

Using multicore virtual CPUs can be useful when you run operating systems or applications that can take
advantage of only a limited number of CPU sockets.

You can configure a virtual machine that runs on an ESXi host 6.0 and later to have up to 128 virtual CPUs.
A virtual machine cannot have more virtual CPUs than the actual number of logical CPUs on the host. The
number of logical CPUs means the number of physical processor cores or two times that number if
hyperthreading is enabled. For example, if a host has 128 logical CPUs, you can configure the virtual
machine for 128 virtual CPUs.

You configure how the virtual CPUs are assigned in terms of cores and cores per socket. Determine how
many CPU cores you want in the virtual machine, then select the number of cores you want in each socket,
depending on whether you want a single core CPU, dual-core CPU, tri-core CPU, and so on. Your selection
determines the number of sockets that the virtual machine has.

For more information about multicore CPUs, see the vSphere Resource Management documentation.

Change the Number of Virtual CPUs in the VMware Host Client

You can configure a virtual machine that runs on an ESXi host 6.5 and later to have up to 128 CPUs. You can
change the number of virtual CPUs while your virtual machine is powered off. If virtual CPU hotplug is
enabled, you can increase the number of virtual CPUs while the virtual machine is running.

Virtual CPU hot add is supported for virtual machines with multicore CPU support and ESXi 5.0 and later
compatibility. When the virtual machine is turned on and CPU hot add is enabled, you can hot add virtual
CPUs to running virtual machines. The number of CPUs that you add must be a multiple of the number of
cores that exist on each socket.

Important When you configure your virtual machine for multicore virtual CPU settings, you must ensure
that your configuration complies with the requirements of the guest operating system EULA.

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Prerequisites
n If virtual CPU hot add is not enabled, turn off the virtual machine before adding virtual CPUs.

n To hot add multicore CPUs, verify that the virtual machine is compatible with ESXi 5.0 and later.

n Verify that you have the Virtual Machine.Configuration.Change CPU Count privilege.

Procedure
1 Click Virtual Machines in the VMware Host Client inventory.

2 Right-click a virtual machine in the list and select Edit settings from the pop-up menu.

3 On the Virtual Hardware tab, expand CPU, and select the number of cores from the CPU drop-down
menu.

4 Select the number of cores per socket from the Cores Per Socket drop-down menu.

5 Click Save.

Allocate CPU Resources in the VMware Host Client

To manage workload demands, you can change the amount of CPU resources allocated to a virtual machine
by using the shares, reservations, and limits settings.
A virtual machine has the following user-defined settings that affect its CPU resource allocation.

Limit Places a limit on the consumption of CPU time for a virtual machine. This
value is expressed in MHz or GHz.

Reservation Specifies the guaranteed minimum allocation for a virtual machine. The
reservation is expressed in MHz or GHz.

Shares Each virtual machine is granted CPU shares. The more shares a virtual
machine has, the more often it receives a time slice of a CPU when there is no
CPU idle time. Shares represent a relative metric for allocating CPU capacity.

Prerequisites
Power off the virtual machine.

Procedure
1 Click Virtual Machines in the VMware Host Client inventory.

2 Right-click a virtual machine in the list and select Edit settings from the pop-up menu.

3 On the Virtual Hardware tab, expand CPU, and allocate CPU capacity for the virtual machine.

Option Description
Reservation Guaranteed CPU allocation for this virtual machine.
Limit Upper limit for this virtual machine’s CPU allocation. Select Unlimited to
specify no upper limit.
Shares CPU shares for this virtual machine in relation to the parent’s total. Sibling
virtual machines share resources according to their relative share values
bounded by the reservation and limit. Select Low, Normal, or High, which
specify share values respectively in a 1:2:4 ratio. Select Custom to give each
virtual machine a specific number of shares, which express a proportional
weight.

4 Click Save.

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Virtual Memory Configuration

You can add, change, or configure virtual machine memory resources or options to enhance virtual machine
performance. You can set most of the memory parameters during virtual machine creation or after the guest
operating system is installed. Some actions require that you power off the virtual machine before changing
the settings.

The memory resource settings for a virtual machine determine how much of the host's memory is allocated
to the virtual machine. The virtual hardware memory size determines how much memory is available to
applications that run in the virtual machine. A virtual machine cannot benefit from more memory resources
than its configured virtual hardware memory size. ESXi hosts limit the memory resource use to the
maximum amount useful for the virtual machine, so that you can accept the default of Unlimited memory
resources.

Change the Memory Configuration of a Virtual Machine in the VMware Host Client
You can reconfigure the amount of memory allocated to a virtual machine to enhance performance.

Minimum memory size is 4MB for virtual machines that use BIOS firmware. Virtual machines that use EFI
firmware require at least 96MB of RAM or they cannot power on.

Maximum memory size for a virtual machine depends on the host's physical memory and the virtual
machine's compatibility setting.

If the virtual machine memory is greater than the host memory size, swapping occurs, which can have a
severe effect on virtual machine performance. The maximum for best performance represents the threshold
above which the host’s physical memory is insufficient to run the virtual machine at full speed. This value
fluctuates as conditions on the host change, for example, as virtual machines are powered on or off.

The memory size must be a multiple of 4MB.

Table 3‑1. Maximum Virtual Machine Memory

Introduced in Host Version Virtual Machine Compatibility Maximum Memory Size

ESXi 6.5 ESXi 6.5 and later 6128GB

ESXi 6.0 ESXi 6.0 and later 4080GB

ESXi 5.5 ESXi 5.5 and later 1011GB

ESXi 5.1 ESXi 5.1 and later 1011GB

ESXi 5.0 ESXi 5.0 and later 1011GB

ESX/ESXi 4.x ESX/ESXi 4.0 and later 255GB

ESX/ESXi 3.x ESX/ESXi 3.5 and later 65532MB

The ESXi host version indicates when support began for the increased memory size. For example, the
memory size of a virtual machine with ESX/ESXi 3.5 and later compatibility running on ESXi 5.0 is restricted
to 65,532MB.

Prerequisites
Power off the virtual machine.

Verify that you have the Virtual machine.Configuration.Memory privilege on the virtual machine.

Procedure
1 Click Virtual Machines in the VMware Host Client inventory.

2 Right-click a virtual machine in the list and select Edit settings from the pop-up menu.

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3 On the Virtual Hardware tab, expand Memory.

4 In the RAM text box, type the amount of RAM to assign to the virtual machine or select one of the
suggested values from the drop-down menu.

5 Select whether the memory is specified in MB or GB.

6 Click Save.

Allocate Memory Resources to a Virtual Machine in the VMware Host Client

You can change the amount of memory resources allocated to a virtual machine by using the shares,
reservations, and limits settings. The host determines the appropriate amount of physical RAM to allocate to
virtual machines based on these settings. You can assign a high or low shares value to a virtual machine,
depending on its load and status.

The following user-defined settings affect the memory resource allocation of a virtual machine.

Limit Places a limit on the consumption of memory for a virtual machine. This
value is expressed in megabytes.

Reservation Specifies the guaranteed minimum allocation for a virtual machine. The
reservation is expressed in megabytes. If the reservation cannot be met, the
virtual machine will not turn on.

Shares Each virtual machine is granted a number of memory shares. The more
shares a virtual machine has, the greater share of host memory it receives.
Shares represent a relative metric for allocating memory capacity. For more
information about share values, see the vSphere Resource Management
documentation.

You cannot assign a reservation to a virtual machine that is larger than the virtual machine's configured
memory. If you give a virtual machine a large reservation and reduce the virtual machine's configured
memory size, the reservation is reduced to match the new configured memory size.

Prerequisites
Power off the virtual machine.

Procedure
1 Click Virtual Machines in the VMware Host Client inventory.

2 Right-click a virtual machine in the list and select Edit settings from the pop-up menu.

3 On the Virtual Hardware tab, expand Memory, and allocate the memory capacity for the virtual
machine.

Option Description
Reservation Guaranteed memory allocation for this virtual machine.
Limit Upper limit for this virtual machine’s memory allocation. Select Unlimited
to specify no upper limit.
Shares The values Low, Normal, High, and Custom are compared to the sum of
all shares of all virtual machines on the server.

4 Click Save.

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Change Memory Hot Add Settings in the VMware Host Client

With memory hot add, you can add memory resources for a virtual machine while that virtual machine is
turned on.

Enabling memory hot add produces extra memory overhead on the ESXi host for the virtual machine.

Prerequisites
n Power off the virtual machine.

n Verify that the virtual machine has a guest operating system that supports memory hot add capabilities.

n Verify that the virtual machine compatibility is ESXi 4.x and later.

n Verify that VMware Tools is installed.

Procedure
1 Click Virtual Machines in the VMware Host Client inventory.

2 Right-click a virtual machine in the list and select Edit settings from the pop-up menu.

3 On the Virtual Hardware tab, expand Memory, and select Enable to enable adding memory to the
virtual machine while it is turned on.

4 Click Save.

Network Virtual Machine Configuration

ESXi networking features enable communication between virtual machines on the same host, between
virtual machines on different hosts, and between other virtual and physical machines.

The networking features also allow management of ESXi hosts and enable communication between
VMkernel services, such as NFS, iSCSI, or vSphere vMotion, and the physical network. When you configure
networking for a virtual machine, you select or change an adapter type, a network connection, and whether
to connect the network when the virtual machine powers on.

Network Adapter Types

When you configure a virtual machine, you can add network adapters (NICs) and specify the adapter type.

The type of network adapters that are available depend on the following factors:

n The virtual machine compatibility, which depends on the host that created or most recently updated it.

n Whether the virtual machine compatibility has been updated to the latest version for the current host.

n The guest operating system.

The following NIC types are supported:

E1000E Emulated version of the Intel 82574 Gigabit Ethernet NIC. E1000E is the
default adapter for Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012.

E1000 Emulated version of the Intel 82545EM Gigabit Ethernet NIC, with drivers
available in most newer guest operating systems, including Windows XP and
later and Linux versions 2.4.19 and later.

Flexible Identifies itself as a Vlance adapter when a virtual machine boots, but
initializes itself and functions as either a Vlance or a VMXNET adapter,
depending on which driver initializes it. With VMware Tools installed, the
VMXNET driver changes the Vlance adapter to the higher performance
VMXNET adapter.

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Vlance Emulated version of the AMD 79C970 PCnet32 LANCE NIC, an older 10
Mbps NIC with drivers available in 32-bit legacy guest operating systems. A
virtual machine configured with this network adapter can use its network
immediately.

VMXNET Optimized for performance in a virtual machine and has no physical

counterpart. Because operating system vendors do not provide built-in
drivers for this card, you must install VMware Tools to have a driver for the
VMXNET network adapter available.

VMXNET 2 (Enhanced) Based on the VMXNET adapter but provides high-performance features
commonly used on modern networks, such as jumbo frames and hardware
offloads. VMXNET 2 (Enhanced) is available only for some guest operating
systems on ESX/ESXi 3.5 and later.

VMXNET 3 A paravirtualized NIC designed for performance. VMXNET 3 offers all the
features available in VMXNET 2 and adds several new features, such as
multiqueue support (also known as Receive Side Scaling in Windows), IPv6
offloads, and MSI/MSI-X interrupt delivery. VMXNET 3 is not related to
VMXNET or VMXNET 2.

PVRDMA A paravirtualized NIC that supports remote direct memory access (RDMA)
between virtual machines through the OFED verbs API. All virtual machines
must have a PVRDMA device and should be connected to a distributed
switch. PVRDMA supports VMware vSphere vMotion and snapshot
technology. It is available in virtual machines with hardware version 13 and
guest operating system Linux kernel 4.6 and later.

For information about assigning an PVRDMA network adapter to a virtual

machine, see the vSphere Networking documentation.

SR-IOV passthrough Representation of a virtual function (VF) on a physical NIC with SR-IOV
support. The virtual machine and the physical adapter exchange data
without using the VMkernel as an intermediary. This adapter type is suitable
for virtual machines where latency might cause failure or that require more
CPU resources.

SR-IOV passthrough is available in ESXi 5.5 and later for guest operating
systems Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 and later, and Windows Server 2008 R2
with SP2. An operating system release might contain a default VF driver for
certain NICs, while for others you must download and install it from a
location provided by the vendor of the NIC or of the host.

For information about assigning an SR-IOV passthrough network adapter to

a virtual machine, see the vSphere Networking documentation.

For network adapter compatibility considerations, see the VMware Compatibility Guide at
http://www.vmware.com/resources/compatibility.

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Network Adapters and Legacy Virtual Machines

Legacy virtual machines are virtual machines that are supported by the product in use, but are not current
for that product. The default network adapter types for all legacy virtual machines depend on the adapters
available and compatible to the guest operating system and the version of virtual hardware on which the
virtual machine was created.

If you do not upgrade a virtual machine to correspond with an upgrade to a newer version of an ESXi host,
your adapter settings remain unchanged. If you upgrade your virtual machine to take advantage of newer
virtual hardware, your default adapter settings will likely change to be compatible with the guest operating
system and upgraded host hardware.

To verify the network adapters that are available to your supported guest operating system for a particular
version of vSphere ESXi, see the VMware Compatibility Guide at
http://www.vmware.com/resources/compatibility.

Change the Configuration of the Virtual Network Adapter in the

VMware Host Client
You can configure the power-on connection setting, the MAC address, and the network connection of the
virtual network adapter of a virtual machine.

Prerequisites
Required privileges:

n Virtual Machine.Configuration.Modify device settings for editing the MAC address and network.

n Virtual Machine.Interaction.Device connection for changing Connect and Connect at power on.

n Network.Assign network

Procedure
1 Click Virtual Machines in the VMware Host Client inventory.

2 Right-click a virtual machine in the list and select Edit settings from the pop-up menu.

3 Click the Virtual Hardware tab and select the appropriate Network Adapter (NIC) from the hardware
list.

4 (Optional) To connect the virtual NIC when the virtual machine is powered on, select Connect at power
on.

5 Select an option for MAC address configuration.

Option Description
Automatic vSphere assigns a MAC address automatically.
Manual Enter the MAC address to use.

6 Click Save.

Add a Network Adapter to a Virtual Machine in the VMware Host Client

When you add a network adapter (NIC) to a virtual machine, you must select the adapter type, the network
connection, and whether the device connects when the virtual machine is powered on.

Procedure
1 Click Virtual Machines in the VMware Host Client inventory.

2 Right-click a virtual machine in the list and select Edit settings from the pop-up menu.

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3 Click the Virtual Hardware tab and click Add network adapter.

4 In the network connection panel, select either a network with a specific label or a legacy network.

5 (Optional) To configure the virtual NIC to connect when the virtual machine is powered on, select
Connect at power on.
6 Click Save.

Virtual Disk Configuration

You can add large-capacity virtual disks to virtual machines and add more space to existing disks, even
when the virtual machine is running. You can set most of the virtual disk parameters during virtual machine
creation or after you install the guest operating system.

You can store virtual machine data in a new virtual disk, an existing virtual disk, or a mapped SAN LUN. A
virtual disk, which appears as a single hard disk to the guest operating system, is composed of one or more
files on the host file system. You can copy or move virtual disks on the same hosts or between hosts.

For virtual machines running on an ESXi host, you can store the virtual machine data directly on a SAN
LUN instead of storing it in a virtual disk file. This ability is useful if you are running applications in your
virtual machines that must detect the physical characteristics of the storage device. Additionally, mapping a
SAN LUN allows you to use existing SAN commands to manage storage for the disk.
To accelerate virtual machine performance, you can configure virtual machines to use vSphere Flash Read
Cache™. For details about Flash Read Cache behavior, see the vSphere Storage documentation.

When you map a LUN to a VMFS volume, vCenter Server or the ESXi host creates a raw device mapping
(RDM) file that points to the raw LUN. Encapsulating disk information in a file allows vCenter Server or the
ESXi host to lock the LUN so that only one virtual machine can write to it. This file has a .vmdk extension,
but the file contains only disk information that describes the mapping to the LUN on the ESXi system. The
actual data is stored on the LUN. You cannot deploy a virtual machine from a template and store its data on
a LUN. You can store only its data in a virtual disk file.

The amount of free space in the datastore is always changing. Ensure that you leave sufficient space for
virtual machine creation and other virtual machine operations, such as growth of sparse files, snapshots,
and so on. To review space utilization for the datastore by file type, see the vSphere Monitoring and
Performance documentation.

Thin provisioning lets you create sparse files with blocks that are allocated upon first access, which allows
the datastore to be over-provisioned. The sparse files can continue growing and fill the datastore. If the
datastore runs out of disk space while the virtual machine is running, it can cause the virtual machine to
stop functioning.

About Virtual Disk Provisioning Policies

When you perform certain virtual machine management operations, you can specify a provisioning policy
for the virtual disk file. The operations include creating a virtual disk, cloning a virtual machine to a
template, or migrating a virtual machine.

NFS datastores with Hardware Acceleration and VMFS datastores support the following disk provisioning
policies. On NFS datastores that do not support Hardware Acceleration, only thin format is available.

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You can use Storage vMotion or cross-host Storage vMotion to transform virtual disks from one format to
another.

Thick Provision Lazy Creates a virtual disk in a default thick format. Space required for the virtual
Zeroed disk is allocated when the disk is created. Data remaining on the physical
device is not erased during creation, but is zeroed out on demand later on
first write from the virtual machine. Virtual machines do not read stale data
from the physical device.

Thick Provision Eager A type of thick virtual disk that supports clustering features such as Fault
Zeroed Tolerance. Space required for the virtual disk is allocated at creation time. In
contrast to the thick provision lazy zeroed format, the data remaining on the
physical device is zeroed out when the virtual disk is created. It might take
longer to create virtual disks in this format than to create other types of
disks.

Thin Provision Use this format to save storage space. For the thin disk, you provision as
much datastore space as the disk would require based on the value that you
enter for the virtual disk size. However, the thin disk starts small and at first,
uses only as much datastore space as the disk needs for its initial operations.
If the thin disk needs more space later, it can grow to its maximum capacity
and occupy the entire datastore space provisioned to it.
Thin provisioning is the fastest method to create a virtual disk because it
creates a disk with just the header information. It does not allocate or zero
out storage blocks. Storage blocks are allocated and zeroed out when they
are first accessed.

Note If a virtual disk supports clustering solutions such as Fault Tolerance,

do not make the disk thin.

Change the Virtual Disk Configuration in the VMware Host Client

If you run out of disk space, you can increase the size of the disk. You can change the virtual device node
and the persistence mode of virtual disk configuration of a virtual machine.

Prerequisites
Power off the virtual machine.

Verify that you have the following privileges:

n Virtual machine.Configuration.Modify device settings on the virtual machine.

n Virtual machine.Configuration.Extend virtual disk on the virtual machine.

n Datastore.Allocate space on the datastore.

Procedure
1 Click Virtual Machines in the VMware Host Client inventory.

2 Right-click a virtual machine in the list and select Edit settings from the pop-up menu.

3 On the Virtual Hardware tab, expand the hard disk to view all disk options.

4 (Optional) To change the size of the disk, enter a new value in the text box and select the units from the
drop-down menu.

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5 (Optional) To change the way that disks are affected by snapshots, select a disk mode from the Disk
Mode drop-down menu.

Option Description
Dependent Dependent disks are included in snapshots.
Independent-Persistent Disks in persistent mode behave like conventional disks on your physical
computer. All data written to a disk in persistent mode are written
permanently to the disk.
Independent-Nonpersistent Changes to disks in nonpersistent mode are discarded when you turn off
or reset the virtual machine. With nonpersistent mode, you can restart the
virtual machine with a virtual disk in the same state every time. Changes
to the disk are written to and read from a redo log file that is deleted when
you turn off or reset the virtual machine.

6 Click Save.

Add a New Hard Disk to a Virtual Machine in the VMware Host Client
You can add a virtual hard disk to an existing virtual machine, or you can add a hard disk when you
customize the virtual machine hardware during the virtual machine creation process. For example, you
might need to provide additional disk space for an existing virtual machine with a heavy work load. During
virtual machine creation, you might want to add a hard disk that is preconfigured as a boot disk.

Prerequisites
n Verify that you are familiar with configuration options and caveats for adding virtual hard disks. See
“Virtual Disk Configuration,” on page 57.

n Before you add disks larger than 2TB in size to a virtual machine, see vSphere Virtual Machine
Administration.

n Verify that you have the Virtual machine.Configuration.Add new disk privilege on the destination
folder or datastore.

Power off the virtual machine.

Procedure
1 Click Virtual Machines in the VMware Host Client inventory.

2 Right-click a virtual machine in the list and select Edit settings from the pop-up menu.

3 (Optional) To delete an existing hard disk, move your pointer over the disk and click the Remove icon
(X).

The disk is removed from the virtual machine. If other virtual machines share the disk, the disk files are
not deleted.

4 On the Virtual Hardware tab, select Add hard disk and select New hard disk from the drop-down
menu.

The hard disk appears in the Virtual Hardware devices list.

5 Expand New Hard disk.

6 (Optional) Enter a value for the hard disk size and select the units from the drop-down menu.

7 Select the datastore location where you want to store the virtual machine files.

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8 Select the format for the virtual machine disk.

Option Description
Thick Provision Lazy Zeroed Create a virtual disk in a default thick format. Space required for the
virtual disk is allocated during creation. Any data remaining on the
physical device is not erased during creation, but is zeroed out on demand
at a later time on first write from the virtual machine.
Thick Provision Eager Zeroed Create a thick disk that supports clustering features such as Fault
Tolerance. Space required for the virtual disk is allocated at creation time.
In contrast to the flat format, the data remaining on the physical device is
zeroed out during creation. It might take much longer to create disks in
this format than to create other types of disks.
Thin Provision Use the thin provisioned format. At first, a thin provisioned disk uses only
as much datastore space as the disk initially requires. If the thin disk needs
more space later, it can grow to the maximum capacity allocated to it.

9 In the Shares drop-down menu, select a value for the shares to allocate to the virtual disk.
Shares is a value that represents the relative metric for controlling disk bandwidth. The values Low,
Normal, High, and Custom are compared to the sum of all shares of all virtual machines on the host.

10 If you selected Custom, enter a number of shares in the text box.

11 In the Limit IOPs box, enter the upper limit of storage resources to allocate to the virtual machine, or
select Unlimited.

This value is the upper limit of I/O operations per second allocated to the virtual disk.

12 Accept the default or select a different virtual device node.

In most cases, you can accept the default device node. For a hard disk, using a nondefault device node
makes controlling the boot order or having different SCSI controller types easier. For example, you
might want to boot from an LSI Logic controller and share a data disk with another virtual machine that
is using a Buslogic controller with bus sharing turned on.

13 (Optional) Select a disk mode.

Option Description
Dependent Dependent disks are included in snapshots.
Independent-Persistent Disks in persistent mode behave like conventional physical computer
disks. All data written to a disk in persistent mode are written
permanently to the disk.
Independent-Nonpersistent Changes to disks in nonpersistent mode are discarded when you power off
or reset the virtual machine. The virtual disk returns to the same state
every time you restart the virtual machine. Changes to the disk are written
to and read from a redo log file that is deleted when you power off or reset.

14 Click Save.

Add an Existing Hard Disk to a Virtual Machine in the VMware Host Client
You can add an existing virtual hard disk to a virtual machine when you customize the virtual machine
hardware during the virtual machine creation process or after the virtual machine is created. For example,
you might want to add an existing hard disk that is preconfigured as a boot disk.

During virtual machine creation, a hard disk and a SCSI or SATA controller are added to the virtual machine
by default, based on the guest operating system that you select. If this disk does not meet your needs, you
can remove it and add an existing hard disk at the end of the creation process.

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Prerequisites
n Verify that you are familiar with controller and virtual device node behavior for different virtual hard
disk configurations.

n Verify that you have the Virtual machine.Configuration.Add existing disk privilege on the destination
folder or datastore.

Power off the virtual machine.

Procedure
1 Click Virtual Machines in the VMware Host Client inventory.

2 Right-click a virtual machine in the list and select Edit settings from the pop-up menu.

3 On the Virtual Hardware tab, select Add hard disk and select Existing hard disk from the drop-down
menu.

4 (Optional) To delete an existing hard disk, move your pointer over the disk and click the Remove icon
(X).

The disk is removed from the virtual machine. If other virtual machines share the disk, the disk files are
not deleted.

5 In the Datastore column, expand a datastore, select a virtual machine folder, and select the disk to add.
The disk file appears in the Contents column. The File type menu shows the compatibility file types for
this disk.

6 Click Select and click Save to add the existing hard disk.

Use Disk Shares to Prioritize Virtual Machines in the VMware Host Client
You can change the disk resources for a virtual machine. If multiple virtual machines access the same VMFS
datastore and the same logical unit number (LUN), use disk shares to prioritize the level of access that
virtual machines have to resources. Disk shares distinguish high-priority from low-priority virtual
machines.

You can allocate the I/O bandwidth of the host to the virtual hard disks of a virtual machine. You cannot
pool disk I/O across a cluster.

The shares value represents the relative metric for controlling disk bandwidth to all virtual machines.

Disk shares are relevant only within a given host. The shares assigned to virtual machines on one host have
no effect on virtual machines on other hosts.

You can select an IOP limit, which sets an upper limit for storage resources that are allocated to a virtual
machine. IOPs are the number of I/O operations per second.

Prerequisites
Power off the virtual machine.

Procedure
1 Click Virtual Machines in the VMware Host Client inventory.

2 Right-click a virtual machine in the list and select Edit settings from the pop-up menu.

3 On the Virtual Hardware tab, expand the hard disk to view the disk options.

4 In the Shares drop-down menu, select a value for the shares to allocate to the virtual machine.

5 If you selected Custom, enter a number of shares in the text box.

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6 In the Limit - IOPs text box, enter the upper limit of storage resources to allocate to the virtual machine,
or select Unlimited.

7 Click Save.

Virtual Machine Controller Configuration in the VMware Host Client

In the VMware Host Client, you can add various controllers to virtual machines, such as USB controllers,
SCSI controllers, Paravirtual SCSI controllers, and SATA controllers. You can also change the SCSI Bus
sharing configuration and the SCSI controller type.

Add a USB Controller to a Virtual Machine in the VMware Host Client

USB controllers can be added to virtual machines to support USB passthrough from an ESXi host or from a
client computer to a virtual machine.

You can add one virtual xHCI controller, one virtual EHCI controller, and one virtual UHCI controller per
virtual machine. With Hardware Version 11, the supported number of root hub ports per xHCI controller is
eight (four logical USB 3.0 ports and four logical USB 2.0 ports).

The conditions for adding a controller vary, depending on the device version, the type of passthrough (host
or client computer), and the guest operating system.

Table 3‑2. USB Controller Support

Supported USB Device Supported for Passthrough Supported for Passthrough from
Controller type Version from ESXi Host to VM Client Computer to VM

EHCI+UHCI 2.0 and 1.1 Yes Yes

xHCI 3.0, 2.0, and 1.1 Yes (USB 3.0, 2.0, and 1.1 Yes (Linux, Windows 8 and later, and
devices only) Windows Server 2012 and later
guests)

For Mac OS X systems, the EHCI+UHCI controller is enabled by default and is required for USB mouse and
keyboard access.

For virtual machines with Linux guests, you can add one or both controllers, but 3.0 superspeed devices are
not supported for passthrough from an ESXi host to a virtual machine. You cannot add two controllers of
the same type.

For USB passthrough from an ESXi host to a virtual machine, the USB arbitrator can monitor a maximum of
15 USB controllers. If your system includes controllers that exceed the 15 controller limit and you connect
USB devices to them, the devices are not available to the virtual machine.

Prerequisites
n ESXi hosts must have USB controller hardware and modules that support USB 3.0, 2.0, and 1.1 devices
present.

n Client computers must have USB controller hardware and modules that support USB 3.0, 2.0, and 1.1
devices present.

n To use the xHCI controller on a Linux guest, ensure that the Linux kernel version is 2.6.35 or later.

n Verify that the virtual machine is powered on.

n Required Privilege (ESXi host passthrough): Virtual Machine.Configuration.Add or Remove Device

Procedure
1 Click Virtual Machines in the VMware Host Client inventory.

2 Right-click a virtual machine in the list and select Edit settings from the pop-up menu.

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3 On the Virtual Hardware tab, click Add other device, and click USB Controller from the drop-down
menu.

The new USB controller appears at the bottom of the Virtual Hardware device list.

4 Expand New USB Controller to change the USB controller type.

If compatibility errors appear, fix them before you add the controller.

5 Click Save.

What to do next
Add one or more USB devices to the virtual machine.

Add SCSI Controllers in the VMware Host Client

You can add SCSI controllers to an existing virtual machine by adding hard disks on unused SCSI Bus
numbers.

Adding a new hard disk on an unused SCSI Bus number creates a new SCSI controller.

Prerequisites
Power off the virtual machine.

Procedure
1 Click Virtual Machines in the VMware Host Client inventory.

2 Right-click a virtual machine in the list and select Edit settings from the pop-up menu.

3 On the Virtual Hardware tab, select Add hard disk and select New hard disk from the drop-down
menu.

4 Expand the hard disk to view all options.

5 In the Virtual Device Node section, select an unused SCSI Bus number from the drop-down menu.

For example, bus and device numbers 0:0 - 0:15 are used by the initial SCSI controller. The second SCSI
controller uses bus and device numbers 1:0 - 1:15.

6 Click Save.

The new hard disk and new SCSI controller are simultaneously created.

Change the SCSI Bus Sharing Configuration in the VMware Host Client
You can set the type of SCSI bus sharing for a virtual machine and indicate whether to share the SCSI bus.
Depending on the type of sharing, virtual machines can access the same virtual disk simultaneously on the
same server or on any server.

You can change the SCSI controller configuration for a virtual machine only if the virtual machine is on an
ESXi host.

Prerequisites
Power off the virtual machine.

Procedure
1 Click Virtual Machines in the VMware Host Client inventory.

2 Right-click a virtual machine in the list and select Edit settings from the pop-up menu.

3 On the Virtual Hardware tab, expand the SCSI Controller that you want to edit.

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4 Select the type of sharing in the SCSI Bus Sharing list.

Option Description
None Virtual disks cannot be shared by other virtual machines.
Virtual Virtual disks can be shared by virtual machines on the same server.
Physical Virtual disks can be shared by virtual machines on any server.

5 Click Save.

Change the SCSI Controller Type in the VMware Host Client

You can attach virtual disks and RDMs to virtual machines by configuring virtual SCSI controller on the
virtual machines.

The choice of SCSI controller does not affect whether your virtual disk is an IDE or SCSI disk. The IDE
adapter is always ATAPI. The default for your guest operating system is already selected. Older guest
operating systems have BusLogic adapter as their default controller.

If you create an LSI Logic virtual machine and add a virtual disk that uses BusLogic adapters, the virtual
machine boots from the BusLogic adapters disk. LSI Logic SAS is available only for virtual machines with
hardware version 7 or later. Disks with snapshots might not experience performance gains when used on
LSI Logic SAS, VMware Paravirtual, and LSI Logic Parallel adapters.

Caution Changing the SCSI controller type might result in a virtual machine boot failure.

Prerequisites
Power off the virtual machine.

Procedure
1 Click Virtual Machines in the VMware Host Client inventory.

2 Right-click a virtual machine in the list and select Edit settings from the pop-up menu.

3 Click the Virtual Hardware tab and expand a SCSI controller.

4 Select a SCSI controller type from the drop-down menu.

5 Click Save.

About VMware Paravirtual SCSI Controllers

VMware Paravirtual SCSI controllers are high performance storage controllers that can result in greater
throughput and lower CPU use. These controllers are best suited for high performance storage
environments.

VMware Paravirtual SCSI controllers are available for virtual machines with ESXi 4.x and later compatibility.
Disks on such controllers might not experience optimal performance gains if they have snapshots or if
memory on the ESXi host is over committed. This behavior does not mitigate the overall performance gain
of using VMware Paravirtual SCSI controllers as compared to other SCSI controller options.
If you have virtual machines with VMware Paravirtual SCSI controllers, those virtual machines cannot be
part of an MSCS cluster.

For platform support for VMware Paravirtual SCSI controllers, see the VMware Compatibility Guide at
http://www.vmware.com/resources/compatibility.

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Add a Paravirtual SCSI Controller in the VMware Host Client

You can add a VMware Paravirtual SCSI high performance storage controller to provide greater throughput
and lower CPU utilization.

VMware Paravirtual SCSI controllers are best suited for environments, especially SAN environments, that
run I/O-intensive applications.

Prerequisites
n Verify that the virtual machine has a guest operating system with VMware Tools installed.

n Verify that the virtual machine has hardware version 7 or later.

n Familiarize yourself with VMware Paravirtual SCSI limitations. See vSphere Virtual Machine
Administration .

n To access boot disk devices attached to a VMware Paravirtual SCSI controller, verify that the virtual
machine has a Windows 2003 or Windows 2008 guest operating system.

n In some operating systems, before you change the controller type you must create a virtual machine
with an LSI Logic controller and install VMware Tools.

Power off the virtual machine.

Procedure
1 Click Virtual Machines in the VMware Host Client inventory.

2 Right-click a virtual machine in the list and select Edit settings from the pop-up menu.

3 On the Virtual Hardware tab, click Add other device and select SCSI Controller from the drop-down
menu.

The new SCSI Controllers appears in the Hardware list.

4 Click on the New SCSI Controller and select VMware Paravirtual from the drop-down menu.

5 Click Save.

Add a SATA Controller to a Virtual Machine in the VMware Host Client

If a virtual machine has multiple hard disks or CD/DVD-ROM devices, you can add up to three additional
SATA controllers to assign the devices to. When you assign the devices to different controllers, you can
improve performance and avoid data traffic congestion. You can also add controllers if you need to exceed
the thirty-device limit for a single controller.

You can boot virtual machines from SATA controllers and use them for large-capacity virtual hard disks.

Not all guest operating systems support AHCI SATA controllers. Typically, when you create virtual
machines with ESXi 5.5 and later compatibility and Mac OS X guest operating systems, a SATA controller is
added by default for the virtual hard disk and CD/DVD-ROM devices. Most guest operating systems,
including Windows Vista and later, have a default SATA controller for CD/DVD-ROM devices. For
verification, see the appropriate VMware Compatibility Guide at
http://www.vmware.com/resources/compatibility.

Prerequisites
n Verify that the virtual machine compatibility is ESXi 5.5 and later.

n Verify that you are familiar with storage controller behavior and limitations. See vSphere Virtual Machine
Administration.

n Verify that you have the Virtual machine.Configuration.Add or remove device privilege on the virtual
machine.

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n Power off the virtual machine.

Procedure
1 Click Virtual Machines in the VMware Host Client inventory.

2 Right-click a virtual machine in the list and select Edit settings from the pop-up menu.

3 On the Virtual Hardware tab, select Add other device, and select SATA Controller from the drop-
down menu.

The SATA controller appears in the hardware list.

4 Click Save.

Other Virtual Machine Device Configuration in the VMware Host Client

In addition to configuring virtual machine CPU and Memory, and adding hard disks and virtual network
adapters, you can also add and configure virtual hardware, such as DVD/CD-ROM drives, floppy drives,
and SCSI devices.

Add a CD or DVD Drive to a Virtual Machine in the VMware Host Client

You can use a physical drive on a client or host, or you can use an ISO image to add a CD/DVD drive to a
virtual machine.

If you want to add a CD/DVD drive that is backed up by USB CD/DVD drive on the host, you must add the
drive as a SCSI device. Hot adding or removing SCSI devices from an ESXi host is not supported.

Prerequisites
Power off the virtual machine.

Procedure
1 Click Virtual Machines in the VMware Host Client inventory.

2 Right-click a virtual machine in the list and select Edit settings from the pop-up menu.

3 On the Virtual Hardware tab, select Add other device and select CD/DVD Drive from the drop-down
menu.

4 Expand CD/DVD drive and select an option.

Option Description
Use physical drive a Select Client Device as the location.
b From the Device Mode drop-down menu, select Emulate CD-ROM or
Passthrough CD-ROM.
Use ISO Image a Select Datastore ISO File as the location.
b Enter the path and filename for the image file, or click Browse to
navigate to the file.

5 If you do not want the CD-ROM drive to connect when the virtual machine starts, deselect Connect at
power on.

6 Select the virtual device node that the drive uses in the virtual machine.

7 Click Save.

Add a Floppy Drive to a Virtual Machine in the VMware Host Client

Use a physical floppy drive or a floppy image to add a floppy drive to a virtual machine.

ESXi does not support floppy drives that are backed up by a physical floppy drive on the host.

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Prerequisites
n Power off the virtual machine.

n Verify that you have the Virtual machine.Configuration.Add or remove device privilege on the virtual
machine.

Procedure
1 Click Virtual Machines in the VMware Host Client inventory.

2 Right-click a virtual machine in the list and select Edit settings from the pop-up menu.

3 On the Virtual Hardware tab, select Add other device and select Floppy Drive from the drop-down
menu.

The Floppy drive appears in the hardware list.

4 Expand Floppy drive and select the type of device you want to use.

Option Description
Client Device Select this option to connect the floppy device to a physical floppy device
or a .flp floppy image on the system from which you access the
VMware Host Client .
Use existing floppy image a Select this option to connect the virtual device to an existing image of a
floppy drive on a datastore accessible to the host .
b Click Browse and select the floppy image.

5 (Optional) Select Connect at power on to configure the device to connect when the virtual machine
powers on.

6 Click Save.

Parallel and Serial Port Configuration in the VMware Host Client

Parallel and serial ports are interfaces for connecting peripherals to the virtual machine. The virtual serial
port can connect to a physical serial port or to a file on the host computer. You can also use it to establish a
direct connection between two virtual machines or a connection between a virtual machine and an
application on the host computer. You can add parallel and serial ports and change the serial port
configuration.

Add a Serial Port to a Virtual Machine in the VMware Host Client

A virtual machine can use up to four virtual serial ports. You can connect the virtual serial port to a physical
serial port or to a file on the host computer. You can also use a host-side-named pipe to set up a direct
connection between two virtual machines or a connection between a virtual machine and an application on
the host computer. In addition, you can use a port or a Virtual Serial Port Concentrator (vSPC) URI to
connect a serial port over the network.

Prerequisites
n Familiarize yourself with the different media types that the port can access, vSPC connections, and any
conditions that might apply. See vSphere Virtual Machine Administration.

n To connect a serial port over a network, add a Firewall rule set. See vSphere Virtual Machine
Administration.

n Required privilege: Virtual Machine .Configuration.Add or Remove Device

Power off the virtual machine.

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Procedure
1 Click Virtual Machines in the VMware Host Client inventory.

2 Right-click a virtual machine in the list and select Edit settings from the pop-up menu.

3 On the Virtual Hardware tab, select Add other device and select Serial Port.
The Serial Port appears in the hardware list.

4 In the hardware list, expand the serial port and select the type of media port to access.

Option Description
Use output file Browse to the location of the file on the host to store the output of the
virtual serial port.
Use physical serial port Select the port from the drop-down menu.
Use named pipe a Type a name for the pipe in the Pipe name field
b Select the Near End and Far End of the pipe from the drop-down
menus.
Use network a From the Direction drop-down menu, select Server or Client.
b Type the port URI.

The URI is the remote end of the serial port to which the serial port of
the virtual machine should connect.
c If vSPC is used as an intermediate step to access all virtual machines
through a single IP address, select Use Virtual Serial Port
Concentrator and enter the vSPC URI location.

5 (Optional) Deselect Connect at power on if you do not want the parallel port device to connect when
the virtual machine powers on.

6 Click Save.

Example: Establishing Serial Port Network Connections to a Client or Server Without Authentication
Parameters
If you do not use vSPC and you configure your virtual machine with a serial port connected as a server with
a telnet://:12345 URI, you can connect to your virtual machine's serial port from your Linux or Windows
operating system.

telnet yourESXiServerIPAddress 12345

Similarly, if you run the Telnet Server on your Linux system on port 23 (telnet://yourLinuxBox:23), you
configure the virtual machine as a client URI.

telnet://yourLinuxBox:23

The virtual machine initiates the connection to your Linux system on port 23.

Add a Parallel Port to a Virtual Machine in the VMware Host Client

To connect peripheral devices to virtual machines, such as printers and scanners, you can use a parallel port.
You send the output of such devices to a file on the host computer.

Note To add a parallel port to a virtual machine that runs on an ESXi 4.1 or earlier host, you can also select
to send output to a physical parallel port on the host. This option is not available with ESXi 5.0 and later host
versions.

Prerequisites
n Power off the virtual machine.

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n Verify that you have the Virtual machine.Configuration.Add or remove device privilege on the virtual
machine.

Procedure
1 Click Virtual Machines in the VMware Host Client inventory.
2 Right-click a virtual machine in the list and select Edit settings from the pop-up menu.

3 On the Virtual Hardware tab, select Add other device and select Parallel Port.

The parallel port appears in the hardware list.

4 In the virtual hardware list, expand the parallel port and click Browse to locate a folder to create the file
in.

5 Choose a folder from the list and click Select.

The file path appears in the Connection text box.

6 (Optional) Select Connect at power on to configure the device to connect when the virtual machine
powers on.

7 Click Save.

Add a Sound Controller to a Virtual Machine in the VMware Host Client

With the VMware Host Client 1.4 and later you can add a sound controller to a virtual machine.

Procedure
1 Click Virtual Machines in the VMware Host Client inventory.

2 Right-click a virtual machine in the list and select Edit settings from the pop-up menu.

3 On the Virtual Hardware tab, select Add other device and select Sound controller from the drop-down
menu.

You can see the sound controller in the list of available devices for the virtual machine.

4 In the Sound card section, select an option for the sound controller from the drop-down menu.

5 Click Save.

Add a USB Device to a Virtual Machine in the VMware Host Client

With the VMware Host Client 1.4 and later, you can add a USB device to a virtual machine.

Prerequisites
Assign a USB device to the ESXi host where the virtual machine is located by plugging the USB device into
the host.

Procedure
1 Click Virtual Machines in the VMware Host Client inventory.

2 Right-click the virtual machine in the list and select Edit settings from the pop-up menu.

3 On the Virtual Hardware tab, select Add other device and select USB device from the drop-down
menu.

You can see the USB device in the list of available devices for the virtual machine.

4 Select the USB device that you want to add from the drop-down stack that appears in the list of
available devices for the virtual machine.

5 Click Save.

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Managing Virtual Machines in the VMware Host Client

After creating a virtual machine in the VMware Host Client, you can perform different management tasks
on the virtual machine, including deleting the virtual machine from the host, remove the virtual machine
from a datastore, registering it back on a datastore, and so on. You can also return the virtual machine to the
host.

Access a Virtual Machine in the VMware Host Client

You can access the virtual machines on the host that you are logged in to, to configure the virtual machine
hardware and options, to perform administrative tasks, and to perform basic troubleshooting tasks.

To display a virtual machine in the VMware Host Client inventory, power on the virtual machine.

Procedure
u To access the virtual machines that are available on the host that you are logged in to, click Virtual
Machines in the VMware Host Client inventory.

The list of available virtual machines is displayed under Virtual Machines.

You can now edit the virtual machine settings and perform different administrative and troubleshooting
tasks on the virtual machines in the list.

Use Virtual Machine Column Configuration in the VMware Host Client

When you view virtual machines in the VMware Host Client, you can configure what information is
displayed by including and excluding columns such as status, provisioned space, host name, host CPU, and
so on.

Procedure
1 Click Virtual Machines in the VMware Host Client inventory.

2 Click Columns and select the information that you want to display or hide in the virtual machine panel.

Remove Virtual Machines from a Host in the VMware Host Client

You can unregister a virtual machine if you want to keep it on the datastore, but you no longer want the
VMware Host Client inventory to display the virtual machine.

Prerequisites
Power off the virtual machine.

Procedure
1 Click Virtual Machines in the VMware Host Client inventory.

2 Right-click the virtual machine from the list and select Unregister.

3 To confirm that you want to remove the virtual machine from the inventory, click Yes.

The host removes the virtual machine from the inventory and no longer tracks its condition.

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Remove Virtual Machines from the Datastore in the VMware Host Client
Remove unnecessary virtual machines from the VMware Host Client inventory to free space on the
datastore. Removing a virtual machine from the host deletes all virtual machine files from the datastore,
including the configuration file and virtual disk files.

Prerequisites
n Power off the virtual machine.

n Verify that the virtual machine does not share the disk with another virtual machine. If two virtual
machines are sharing the same disk, the disk files are not deleted.

Procedure
1 Click Virtual Machines in the VMware Host Client inventory.

2 Right-click the virtual machine from the list and select Delete from the drop-down menu.

3 Click Delete.

Register a Virtual Machine in the VMware Host Client

If you remove a virtual machine or template from a host but do not remove it from the host datastore, you
can return it to the host's inventory.

Procedure
1 Click Storage in the VMware Host Client inventory.

2 Right-click a datastore from the list and click Register a VM.

3 Select the virtual machine you want to register from the list and click Register.

Using Snapshots To Manage Virtual Machines

Snapshots preserve the state and data of a virtual machine at the time you take the snapshot. When you take
a snapshot of a virtual machine, the virtual machine is not affected and only an image of the virtual machine
in a given state is copied and stored. Snapshots are useful when you must revert repeatedly to the same
virtual machine state, but you do not want to create multiple virtual machines.

You can take multiple snapshots of a virtual machine to create restoration positions in a linear process. With
multiple snapshots, you can save many positions to be able to perform many types of work processes.
Snapshots operate on individual virtual machines. Taking snapshots of multiple virtual machines, for
example, taking snapshots for all members of a team, requires that you take a separate snapshot of each
team member's virtual machine.

Snapshots are useful as a short term solution for testing software with unknown or potentially harmful
effects. For example, you can use a snapshot as a restoration point during a linear or iterative process, such
as installing update packages, or during a branching process, such as installing different versions of a
program. Using snapshots ensures that each installation begins from an identical baseline.

With snapshots, you can preserve a baseline before making changes to a virtual machine in the snapshot
tree.

Several operations for creating and managing virtual machine snapshots and snapshot trees are available in
the Snapshot Manager of the VMware Host Client. These operations enable you to create snapshots, restore
any snapshot in the snapshot hierarchy, delete snapshots, and more. You can create extensive snapshot trees
that you can use to save the state of a virtual machine at any specific time and restore the virtual machine
state later. Each branch in a snapshot tree can have up to 32 snapshots.

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A snapshot preserves the following information:

n Virtual machine settings. The virtual machine directory, which includes the disks added or changed
after you take the snapshot.

n Power state. The virtual machine can be powered on, powered off, or suspended.

n Disk state. State of all the virtual machine's virtual disks.

n (Optional) Memory state. The contents of the virtual machine's memory.

The Snapshot Hierarchy

The Snapshot Manager presents the snapshot hierarchy as a tree with one or more branches. Snapshots in
the hierarchy have parent to child relationships. In linear processes, each snapshot has one parent snapshot
and one child snapshot, except for the last snapshot, which has no child snapshot. Each parent snapshot can
have more than one child. You can revert to the current parent snapshot or restore any parent or child
snapshot in the snapshot tree and create more snapshots from that snapshot. Each time you restore a
snapshot and take another snapshot, a branch, or child snapshot, is created.

Parent Snapshots The first virtual machine snapshot that you create is the base parent
snapshot. The parent snapshot is the most recently saved version of the
current state of the virtual machine. Taking a snapshot creates a delta disk
file for each disk attached to the virtual machine and optionally, a memory
file. The delta disk files and memory file are stored with the base .vmdk file.
The parent snapshot is always the snapshot that appears immediately above
the You are here icon in the Snapshot Manager. If you revert or restore a
snapshot, that snapshot becomes the parent of the You are here current state.

Note The parent snapshot is not always the snapshot that you took most
recently.

Child Snapshots A snapshot of a virtual machine taken after the parent snapshot. Each child
snapshot contains delta files for each attached virtual disk, and optionally a
memory file that points from the present state of the virtual disk (You are
here). Each child snapshot's delta files merge with each previous child
snapshot until reaching the parent disks. A child disk can later be a parent
disk for future child disks.

The relationship of parent and child snapshots can change if you have multiple branches in the snapshot
tree. A parent snapshot can have more than one child. Many snapshots have no children.

Important Do not manually manipulate individual child disks or any of the snapshot configuration files
because doing so can compromise the snapshot tree and result in data loss. This restriction includes disk
resizing and making modifications to the base parent disk by using vmkfstools.

Snapshot Behavior
Taking a snapshot preserves the disk state at a specific time by creating a series of delta disks for each
attached virtual disk or virtual RDM and optionally preserves the memory and power state by creating a
memory file. Taking a snapshot creates a snapshot object in the Snapshot Manager that represents the virtual
machine state and settings.

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Each snapshot creates an additional delta .vmdk disk file. When you take a snapshot, the snapshot
mechanism prevents the guest operating system from writing to the base .vmdk file and instead directs all
writes to the delta disk file. The delta disk represents the difference between the current state of the virtual
disk and the state that existed at the time that you took the previous snapshot. If more than one snapshot
exists, delta disks can represent the difference between each snapshot. Delta disk files can expand quickly
and become as large as the entire virtual disk if the guest operating system writes to every block of the
virtual disk.

Snapshot Files
When you take a snapshot, you capture the state of the virtual machine settings and the virtual disk. If you
are taking a memory snapshot, you also capture the memory state of the virtual machine. These states are
saved to files that reside with the virtual machine's base files.

Snapshot Files
A snapshot consists of files that are stored on a supported storage device. A Take Snapshot operation
creates .vmdk, -delta.vmdk, .vmsd, and .vmsn files. By default, the first and all delta disks are stored with the
base .vmdk file. The .vmsd and .vmsn files are stored in the virtual machine directory.

Delta disk files A .vmdk file to which the guest operating system can write. The delta disk
represents the difference between the current state of the virtual disk and the
state that existed at the time that the previous snapshot was taken. When you
take a snapshot, the state of the virtual disk is preserved, which prevents the
guest operating system from writing to it, and a delta or child disk is created.

A delta disk has two files, including a descriptor file that is small and
contains information about the virtual disk, such as geometry and child-
parent relationship information, and a corresponding file that contains the
raw data.
The files that make up the delta disk are referred to as child disks or redo
logs.

Flat file A -flat.vmdk file that is one of two files that comprises the base disk. The flat
disk contains the raw data for the base disk. This file does not appear as a
separate file in the Datastore Browser.

Database file A .vmsd file that contains the virtual machine's snapshot information and is
the primary source of information for the Snapshot Manager. This file
contains line entries, which define the relationships between snapshots and
between child disks for each snapshot.

Memory file A .vmsn file that includes the active state of the virtual machine. Capturing
the memory state of the virtual machine lets you revert to a turned on virtual
machine state. With nonmemory snapshots, you can only revert to a turned
off virtual machine state. Memory snapshots take longer to create than
nonmemory snapshots. The time the ESXi host takes to write the memory
onto the disk is relative to the amount of memory the virtual machine is
configured to use.

A Take Snapshot operation creates .vmdk, -delta.vmdk, vmsd, and vmsn files.

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File Description

vmname-number.vmdk and vmname- Snapshot file that represents the difference between the current state of the virtual
number-delta.vmdk disk and the state that existed at the time the previous snapshot was taken.
The filename uses the following syntax, S1vm-000001.vmdk where S1vm is the
name of the virtual machine and the six-digit number, 000001, is based on the
files that already exist in the directory. The number does not consider the number
of disks that are attached to the virtual machine.

vmname.vmsd Database of the virtual machine's snapshot information and the primary source of
information for the Snapshot Manager.

vmname.Snapshotnumber.vmsn Memory state of the virtual machine at the time you take the snapshot. The file
name uses the following syntax, S1vm.snapshot1.vmsn, where S1vm is the
virtual machine name, and snapshot1 is the first snapshot.
Note A .vmsn file is created each time you take a snapshot, regardless of the
memory selection. A .vmsn file without memory is much smaller than one with
memory.

Snapshot Limitations
Snapshots can affect virtual machine performance and do not support some disk types or virtual machines
configured with bus sharing. Snapshots are useful as short-term solutions for capturing point-in-time virtual
machine states and are not appropriate for long-term virtual machine backups.

n VMware does not support snapshots of raw disks, RDM physical mode disks, or guest operating
systems that use an iSCSI initiator in the guest.

n Virtual machines with independent disks must be powered off before you take a snapshot. Snapshots of
powered-on or suspended virtual machines with independent disks are not supported.

n Snapshots are not supported with PCI vSphere Direct Path I/O devices.

n VMware does not support snapshots of virtual machines configured for bus sharing. If you require bus
sharing, consider running backup software in your guest operating system as an alternative solution. If
your virtual machine currently has snapshots that prevent you from configuring bus sharing, delete
(consolidate) the snapshots.

n Snapshots provide a point-in-time image of the disk that backup solutions can use, but Snapshots are
not meant to be a robust method of backup and recovery. If the files containing a virtual machine are
lost, its snapshot files are also lost. Also, large numbers of snapshots are difficult to manage, consume
large amounts of disk space, and are not protected in the case of hardware failure.

n Snapshots can negatively affect the performance of a virtual machine. Performance degradation is based
on how long the snapshot or snapshot tree is in place, the depth of the tree, and how much the virtual
machine and its guest operating system have changed from the time you took the snapshot. Also, you
might see a delay in the amount of time it takes the virtual machine to power-on. Do not run production
virtual machines from snapshots on a permanent basis.

n If a virtual machine has virtual hard disks larger than 2TBs, snapshot operations can take significantly
longer to finish.

Taking Snapshots of a Virtual Machine

You can take one or more snapshots of a virtual machine to capture the settings state, disk state, and
memory state at different specific times. When you take a snapshot, you can also quiesce the virtual machine
files and exclude the virtual machine disks from snapshots.

When you take a snapshot, other activity that is occurring in the virtual machine might affect the snapshot
process when you revert to that snapshot. The best time to take a snapshot from a storage perspective, is
when you are not incurring a large I/O load. The best time to take a snapshot from a service perspective is
when no applications in the virtual machine are communicating with other computers. The potential for

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problems is greatest if the virtual machine is communicating with another computer, especially in a
production environment. For example, if you take a snapshot while the virtual machine is downloading a
file from a server on the network, the virtual machine continues downloading the file and communicating its
progress to the server. If you revert to the snapshot, communications between the virtual machine and the
server are confused and the file transfer fails. Depending on the task that you are performing, you can create
a memory snapshot or you can quiesce the file system in the virtual machine.

Memory Snapshots The default selection for taking snapshots. When you capture the virtual
machine's memory state, the snapshot retains the live state of the virtual
machine. Memory snapshots create a snapshot at a precise time, for example,
to upgrade software that is still working. If you take a memory snapshot and
the upgrade does not complete as expected, or the software does not meet
your expectations, you can revert the virtual machine to its previous state.

When you capture the memory state, the virtual machine's files do not
require quiescing. If you do not capture the memory state, the snapshot does
not save the live state of the virtual machine and the disks are crash
consistent unless you quiesce them.

Quiesced Snapshots When you quiesce a virtual machine, VMware Tools quiesces the file system
of the virtual machine. A quiesce operation ensures that a snapshot disk
represents a consistent state of the guest file systems. Quiesced snapshots are
appropriate for automated or periodic backups. For example, if you are
unaware of the virtual machine's activity, but want several recent backups to
revert to, you can quiesce the files.

If the virtual machine is powered off or VMware Tools is not available, the
Quiesce parameter is not available. You cannot quiesce virtual machines that
have large capacity disks.

Important Do not use snapshots as your only backup solution or as a long-term backup solution.

Take a Snapshot in the VMware Host Client

Snapshots capture the entire state of the virtual machine at the time you take the snapshot. You can take a
snapshot when a virtual machine is powered on, powered off, or suspended. To take a snapshot of a
suspended virtual machine, wait until the suspend operation finishes before you take a snapshot.

When you create a memory snapshot, the snapshot captures the state of the virtual machine's memory and
the virtual machine power settings. When you capture the virtual machine's memory state, snapshots that
capture the memory state of a virtual machine take longer to complete. You might also see a momentary
lapse in response over the network.

When you quiesce a virtual machine, VMware Tools quiesces the file system in the virtual machine. The
quiesce operation pauses or alters the state of running processes on the virtual machine, especially processes
that might modify information stores on the disk during a restore operation.

Application-consistent quiescing is not supported for virtual machines with IDE or SATA disks.

Note Do not use VMware snapshots to backup dynamic disks on Windows. If you take a snapshot of a
dynamic disks on Windows you cannot revert to the snapshot. Snapshot technology does not have visibility
in dynamic disks and cannot preserve the quiesced state of the disk files.

Prerequisites
n If you are taking a memory snapshot of a virtual machine that has multiple disks in different disk
modes, verify that the virtual machine is powered off. For example, if you have a special purpose
configuration that requires you to use an independent disk, you must power off the virtual machine
before taking a snapshot.

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n To capture the memory state of the virtual machine, verify that the virtual machine is powered on.

n To quiesce the virtual machine files, verify that the virtual machine is powered on and that VMware
Tools is installed.

n Verify that you have the Virtual machine .Snapshot management. Create snapshot privilege on the
virtual machine.

Procedure
1 Click Virtual Machines in the VMware Host Client inventory.

2 Right-click a virtual machine from the list, select Snapshots, and select Take snapshot from the pop-up
menu.

3 Enter a name for the snapshot.

4 (Optional) Type a description for the snapshot.

5 (Optional) Select the Snapshot the virtual machine's memory check box to capture the memory of the
virtual machine.

6 (Optional) Deselect Snapshot the virtual machine's memory and select Quiesce guest file system
(needs VMware Tools installed) check box to pause running processes on the guest operating system
so that file system contents are in a known consistent state when you take the snapshot.

Quiesce the virtual machine files only when the virtual machine is powered on and you do not want to
capture the virtual machine's memory.

7 Click OK.

Restoring Snapshots
To return a virtual machine to its original state, or to return to another snapshot in the snapshot hierarchy,
you can restore a snapshot.

When you restore a snapshot, you return the virtual machine's memory, settings, and the state of the virtual
machine disks to the state they were in at the time you took the snapshot. If you want the virtual machine to
be suspended, powered on, or powered off when you start it, make sure that it is in the correct state when
you take the snapshot.

You can restore snapshots in the following ways:

Revert to Latest Restores the parent snapshot, one level up in the hierarchy from the You are
Snapshot Here position. Revert to Latest Snapshot activates the parent snapshot of the
current state of the virtual machine.

Revert To Lets you restore any snapshot in the snapshot tree and makes that snapshot
the parent snapshot of the current state of the virtual machine. Subsequent
snapshots from this point create a new branch of the snapshot tree.

Restoring snapshots has the following effects:

n The current disk and memory states are discarded, and the virtual machine reverts to the disk and
memory states of the parent snapshot.

n Existing snapshots are not removed. You can restore those snapshots at any time.

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n If the snapshot includes the memory state, the virtual machine will be in the same power state as when
you created the snapshot.

Table 3‑3. Virtual Machine Power State After Restoring a Snapshot

Virtual Machine State When Parent Snapshot Is
Taken Virtual Machine State After Restoration

Powered on (includes memory) Reverts to the parent snapshot, and the virtual machine is
powered on and running.

Powered on (does not include memory) Reverts to the parent snapshot and the virtual machine is
powered off.

Powered off (does not include memory) Reverts to the parent snapshot and the virtual machine is
powered off.

Virtual machines running certain kinds of workloads can take several minutes to resume responsiveness
after reverting from a snapshot.

Note vApp metadata for virtual machines in vApps does not follow the snapshot semantics for virtual
machine configuration. vApp properties that are deleted, modified, or defined after a snapshot is taken
remain intact (deleted, modified, or defined) after the virtual machine reverts to that snapshot or any
previous snapshots.

Revert to a Snapshot in the VMware Host Client

Revert to a snapshot to restore the virtual machine to the state of the snapshot.

Prerequisites
Verify that you have the Virtual machine.Snapshot management.Revert to snapshot privilege on the
virtual machine.

Procedure
1 Click Virtual Machines in the VMware Host Client inventory.

2 Right-click the virtual machine in the list, select Snapshots, and select Revert to snapshot from the pop-
up menu.

Note The current state of the virtual machine will be lost unless you save it in a snapshot.

3 Click Revert to revert the virtual machine to the most recent snapshot.

Deleting Snapshots
Deleting a snapshot removes the snapshot from the Snapshot Manager. The snapshot files are consolidated
and written to the parent snapshot disk and merge with the virtual machine base disk.
Deleting a snapshot does not change the virtual machine or other snapshots. Deleting a snapshot
consolidates the changes between snapshots and previous disk states and writes all the data from the delta
disk that contains the information about the deleted snapshot to the parent disk. When you delete the base
parent snapshot, all changes merge with the base virtual machine disk.

To delete a snapshot, a lot of information needs to be read and written to a disk. This can reduce virtual
machine performance until consolidation is complete. Consolidating snapshots removes redundant disks,
which improves virtual machine performance and saves storage space. The time it takes to delete snapshots
and consolidate the snapshot files depends on the amount of data that the guest operating system writes to
the virtual disks after you take the last snapshot. The required time is proportional to the amount of data the
virtual machine is writing during consolidation if the virtual machine is powered on.

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Failure of disk consolidation can reduce the performance of virtual machines. You can check whether any
virtual machines require separate consolidation operations by viewing a list. For information about locating
and viewing the consolidation state of multiple virtual machines and running a separate consolidation
operation, see vSphere Virtual Machine Administration.

Delete Use the Delete option to remove a single parent or child snapshot from the
snapshot tree. Delete writes disk changes that occur between the state of the
snapshot and the previous disk state to the parent snapshot.
You can also use the Delete option to remove a corrupt snapshot and its files
from an abandoned branch of the snapshot tree without merging them with
the parent snapshot.

Delete All Use the Delete All option to delete all snapshots from the Snapshot Manager.
Delete all consolidates and writes the changes that occur between snapshots
and the previous delta disk states to the base parent disk and merges them
with the base virtual machine disk.

To prevent snapshot files from merging with the parent snapshot if, for example, an update or installation
fails, first use the Restore command to restore to a previous snapshot. This action invalidates the snapshot
delta disks and deletes the memory file. You can then use the Delete option to remove the snapshot and any
associated files.

Delete a Snapshot in the VMware Host Client

You can use the Snapshot Manager to delete a single snapshot or all snapshots in a tree.

Be careful not to accidentally delete a snapshot that you need. You cannot restore a deleted snapshot. For
example, you might want to install several browsers, a, b, and c, and capture the virtual machine state after
you install each browser. The first, or base snapshot, captures the virtual machine with browser a and the
second snapshot captures browser b. If you restore the base snapshot that includes browser a and take a
third snapshot to capture browser c and delete the snapshot that contains browser b, you cannot return to
the virtual machine state that includes browser b.

Procedure
1 Click Virtual Machines in the VMware Host Client inventory.

2 Right-click the virtual machine in the list, select Snapshots from the pop-up menu and click Manage
Snapshots.

3 Click the snapshot that you want to delete and click Delete.
4 Click Remove.

5 Click Close to navigate out of the Snapshot Manager.

Managing Snapshots with the VMware Host Client

You can review all snapshots for your virtual machines and use the Snapshot Manager to manage the
snapshots.

After you take a snapshot, you can right-click a virtual machine and click Revert to snapshot to restore the
virtual machine to the state of the snapshot at any time.

If you have a series of snapshots, you can use the Snapshot Manager to restore any parent or child snapshot.
Subsequent child snapshots that you take from the restored snapshot create a branch in the snapshot tree.
Use the Snapshot Manager to delete a snapshot from the tree.

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Table 3‑4. Snapshot Manager

Option Description

Snapshot tree Displays all snapshots for the virtual machine.

You are here icon The You are here icon represents the current and active state of the virtual machine.
The Restore, Delete, and Edit actions are disabled for the You are here state.

Take, Restore, Delete, Snapshot options.

Edit

Details Shows the snapshot name and description, the date you created the snapshot. The Console
shows the power state of the virtual machine when a snapshot was taken. The Name,
Description, and Created text boxes are blank if you do not select a snapshot.

Monitoring a Virtual Machine in the VMware Host Client

You can monitor various performance aspects and keep track of the actions that take place on virtual
machines that you create in the VMware Host Client.

View Virtual Machine Performance Charts in the VMware Host Client

You can view line charts with information about the resource usage of virtual machines that you create in
the VMware Host Client.

Procedure
1 Click Virtual Machines in the VMware Host Client inventory.

2 Click a virtual machine from the list.

3 Expand the virtual machine in the VMware Host Client inventory and click Monitor.

4 Click Performance.

5 To view the virtual machine resource usage for the last hour, select an option from the drop-down
menu.

n To view the percentage of CPU that the virtual machine used during the last hour, select CPU
usage.

n To view the memory that the host consumed during the last hour, select Memory usage.

View Virtual Machine Events in the VMware Host Client

Events are records of the actions that a user performs on a virtual machine. When you create a virtual
machine in the VMware Host Client, you can view the events associated with the virtual machine.

Prerequisites
Required privilege: Read only.

Procedure
1 Click Virtual Machines in the VMware Host Client inventory.

2 Click a virtual machine from the list.

3 Expand the virtual machine in the VMware Host Client inventory and click Monitor.

4 Click Events.

A list of all virtual machine events is displayed.

5 (Optional) Click an event from the list to view event details.

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6 (Optional) Use the filter controls above the list to filter the list.

7 (Optional) Click a column heading to sort the list.

View Virtual Machine Tasks in the VMware Host Client

When you create a virtual machine in the VMware Host Client, you can view all virtual machine tasks and
information about the task target, initiator, queue time, start time, result, and time of completion.

Procedure
1 Click Virtual Machines in the VMware Host Client inventory.

2 Click a virtual machine from the list.

3 Expand the virtual machine in the VMware Host Client inventory and click Monitor.

4 Click Tasks.

5 (Optional) Click on a task from the list to view task details.

6 (Optional) Use the filter controls above the list to filter the list.

7 (Optional) Click a column heading to sort the list.

View Virtual Machine Log Browser in the VMware Host Client

Generate and monitor logs for the host that you are managing by using the VMware Host Client. Use the
logs to diagnose and troubleshoot various issues with your host environment.

Procedure
1 Click Virtual Machines in the VMware Host Client inventory.

2 Click a virtual machine from the list.

3 Expand the virtual machine in the VMware Host Client inventory and click Monitor.

4 Click Logs.

5 (Optional) Click Generate support bundle to consolidate all the logs for troubleshooting.

6 Right-click a log from the list and select Open in new window to view the log.

View Virtual Machine Notifications in the VMware Host Client

You can view virtual machine notifications and information about related tasks, which you can perform, for
virtual machines that you create in the VMware Host Client.

Procedure
1 Click Virtual Machines in the VMware Host Client inventory.

2 Click a virtual machine from the list.

3 Expand the virtual machine in the VMware Host Client inventory and click Monitor.

4 Click Notifications.

A list with all virtual machine notifications is displayed.

5 (Optional) Click on a notification to view details.

6 (Optional) Click on a notification and click Actions to view suggested tasks.

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VMware Host Client 4
When you connect to an ESXi host by using the VMware Host Client, you can perform different storage
management tasks on the ESXi host, including configuring adapters, creating datastores, and viewing
storage device information.

This chapter includes the following topics:

n “Working with Datastores in the VMware Host Client,” on page 81

n “Managing Storage Adapters in the VMware Host Client,” on page 92

n “Managing Storage Devices in the VMware Host Client,” on page 103

n “Monitoring Storage in the VMware Host Client,” on page 104

n “Performing Storage Refresh and Rescan Operations in the VMware Host Client,” on page 104

Working with Datastores in the VMware Host Client

Datastores are logical containers, similar to file systems, that contain specific information of each storage
device and provide a uniform model for storing virtual machine files . You can also use datastores to store
ISO images, virtual machine templates, and floppy images.

Depending on the type of storage you use, datastores can be of the following types:

n Virtual Machine File System (VMFS)

n Network File System (NFS)

You can increase datastore capacity after you create a datastore but only if it is a VMFS datastore.

View Datastore Information in the VMware Host Client

Use the VMware Host Client to display the datastores available to the hosts and analyze their properties.

Procedure
1 Click Storage in the VMware Host Client inventory and click Datastores.

2 To view the details for a specific datastore, select the datastore from the list.

Creating a VMFS Datastore in the VMware Host Client

VMFS datastores serve as repositories for virtual machines. You can set up VMFS datastores on any SCSI-
based storage devices that your host detects, including Fibre Channel, iSCSI, and local storage devices.

1 Start the VMFS Datastore Creation Process in the VMware Host Client on page 82
You can use the New datastore wizard to create datastores in the VMware Host Client.

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2 Select a Method for Adding a New Datastore to the Host in the VMware Host Client on page 82
You can use the Select creation type page of the New datastore wizard to choose whether you want to
create a new VMFS datastore, extend an existing one, or mount an NFS datastore.

3 Select a Device on Which to Add a VMFS Datastore in the VMware Host Client on page 82
Select where to create a VMFS datastore in the VMware Host Client.

4 Select Partitioning Options in the VMware Host Client on page 83

Use the Select partitioning options page of the New datastore wizard to select how you would like to
partition the device.

5 Complete Datastore Creation Process in the VMware Host Client on page 83

In the Ready to complete page of the New datastore wizard, you can review your configuration
selections for the new datastore.

Start the VMFS Datastore Creation Process in the VMware Host Client
You can use the New datastore wizard to create datastores in the VMware Host Client.

Prerequisites
Install and configure any adapters that your storage requires. Rescan the adapters to discover newly added
storage devices.

Procedure
1 Click Storage in the VMware Host Client inventory and click Datastores.

2 Click New datastore.

The New datastore wizard opens.

Select a Method for Adding a New Datastore to the Host in the VMware Host Client
You can use the Select creation type page of the New datastore wizard to choose whether you want to create
a new VMFS datastore, extend an existing one, or mount an NFS datastore.

Procedure
u Select a creation type for the new datastore and click Next.

Option Description
Create new VMFS datastore Creates a new VMFS datastore on a local disk device.
Increase the size of an existing Increases the size of an existing datastore by adding a new extent on
datastore another disk.
Mount NFS datastore Creates a new datastore by mounting a remote NFS volume.

Select a Device on Which to Add a VMFS Datastore in the VMware Host Client
Select where to create a VMFS datastore in the VMware Host Client.

The following procedure applies if you want to create a new VMFS datastore.

Procedure
1 Enter a name for the new datastore.

2 Select a device to add the datastore to and click Next.

The list contains only devices that have enough available space.

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Select Partitioning Options in the VMware Host Client

Use the Select partitioning options page of the New datastore wizard to select how you would like to
partition the device.

Procedure
1 Click the Select partitioning scheme drop-down menu and select an option.

Option Description
Use Full Disk It shows you all the free space that is available on the device.
Custom Click the Free space bar and use the horizontal scroller to partition the
device.

2 Click Next.

Complete Datastore Creation Process in the VMware Host Client

In the Ready to complete page of the New datastore wizard, you can review your configuration selections
for the new datastore.

Procedure
u Review the configuration selections summary and click Finish.

Increasing VMFS Datastore Capacity

If your VMFS datastore requires more space, increase the datastore capacity. You can dynamically increase
the capacity by growing a datastore extent or by adding a new extent.

Use one of the following methods to increase a datastore capacity:

n Dynamically grow any expandable datastore extent, so that it fills the available adjacent capacity. The
extent is considered expandable when the underlying storage device has free space immediately after
the extent.

n Dynamically add a new extent. The datastore can span over up to 32 extents with the size of each extent
of more than 2TB, yet appear as a single volume. The spanned VMFS datastore can use any or all of its
extents at any time. It does not need to fill up a particular extent before using the next one.

Note Datastores that only support hardware assisted locking, also called atomic test and set (ATS)
mechanism cannot span over non-ATS devices. For more information, see vSphere Storage.

Increase an Existing VMFS Datastore in the VMware Host Client

When you need to add virtual machines to a datastore, or when the virtual machines running on a datastore
require more space, you can dynamically increase the capacity of a VMFS datastore.

If a shared datastore has powered on virtual machines and becomes 100% full, you can increase the
datastore's capacity only from the host that the powered on virtual machines are registered on.

Procedure
1 Click Storage in the VMware Host Client inventory and click Datastores.

2 Click New datastore.

3 Click Increase the size of an existing VMFS datastore and click Next.

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Select the Datastore You Want to Increase in the VMware Host Client
Review the capacity and the available space on your datastores and choose which datastore you want to
increase.

Procedure
u From the list of datastores, click the datastore that you want to increase and click Next.

Select a Device on Which to Create a New VMFS Partition in the

VMware Host Client
Before you can increase an existing datastore in the VMware Host Client, select a device to create the new
VMFS partition on.

Procedure
u Select a device from the list of unclaimed devices and click Next.

Select Partitioning Options in the VMware Host Client

Use the Select partitioning options page of the New datastore wizard to select how you would like to
partition the device.

Procedure
1 Click the Select partitioning scheme drop-down menu and select an option.

Option Description
Use Full Disk It shows you all the free space that is available on the device.
Custom Click the Free space bar and use the horizontal scroller to partition the
device.

2 Click Next.

Complete Datastore Increase Process in the VMware Host Client

In the Ready to complete page of the New datastore wizard, you can review your configuration selections
for the datastore that you want to increase.

Procedure
u Review the configuration selections summary and click Finish.

Mounting a Network File System Datastore in the VMware Host Client

With the VMware Host Client, you can create a Network File System (NFS) datastore to store virtual disks
and to use as a central repository for ISO images, virtual machines, and so on.

1 Understanding Network File System Datastores on page 85

An NFS client built into ESXi uses the Network File System (NFS) protocol over TCP/IP to access a
designated NFS volume that is located on a NAS server. The ESXi host can mount the volume and use
it for its storage needs. vSphere supports versions 3 and 4.1 of the NFS protocol.

2 NFS Storage Guidelines and Requirements on page 85

When you use NFS storage, follow specific guidelines related to NFS server configuration, networking,
NFS datastores, and so on.

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3 Mount an NFS Datastore in the VMware Host Client on page 85

Use the New datastore wizard to mount a Network File System (NFS) datastore in the
VMware Host Client.

4 Provide NFS Details on page 85

Before you mount an NFS datastore in the VMware Host Client, you must specify a name, a server,
and a share.

5 Complete the NFS Datastore Mounting Process in the VMware Host Client on page 86
In the Ready to complete page you can review your configuration selections for your NFS datastore.

Understanding Network File System Datastores

An NFS client built into ESXi uses the Network File System (NFS) protocol over TCP/IP to access a
designated NFS volume that is located on a NAS server. The ESXi host can mount the volume and use it for
its storage needs. vSphere supports versions 3 and 4.1 of the NFS protocol.

Typically, the NFS volume or directory is created by a storage administrator and is exported from the NFS
server. You do not need to format the NFS volume with a local file system, such as VMFS. Instead, you
mount the volume directly on the ESXi hosts and use it to store and boot virtual machines in the same way
that you use the VMFS datastores.

In addition to storing virtual disks on NFS datastores, you can use NFS as a central repository for ISO
images, virtual machine templates, and so on. If you use the datastore for the ISO images, you can connect
the CD-ROM device of the virtual machine to an ISO file on the datastore. You then can install a guest
operating system from the ISO file.

NFS Storage Guidelines and Requirements

When you use NFS storage, follow specific guidelines related to NFS server configuration, networking, NFS
datastores, and so on.

Mount an NFS Datastore in the VMware Host Client

Use the New datastore wizard to mount a Network File System (NFS) datastore in the VMware Host Client.

Prerequisites
Because NFS requires network connectivity to access data on remote servers, before configuring NFS, you
must first configure VMkernel networking.

Procedure
1 Click Storage in the VMware Host Client inventory and click Datastores.

2 Click New datastore.

The New datastore wizard opens.

3 Click Mount NFS datastore and click Next.

Provide NFS Details

Before you mount an NFS datastore in the VMware Host Client, you must specify a name, a server, and a
share.

Procedure
1 Enter a name for the NFS datastore.

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2 Enter the NFS server name.

For the server name, you can enter an IP address, a DNS name, or an NFS UUID.

Note When you mount the same NFS volume on different hosts, make sure that the server and folder
names are identical across the hosts. If the names do not match, the hosts detect the same NFS volume
as two different datastores. This might result in a failure of features such as vMotion. An example of
such discrepancy is if you enter filer as the server name on one host and filer.domain.com on the
other.

3 Specify the NFS share.

4 Click Next

Complete the NFS Datastore Mounting Process in the VMware Host Client
In the Ready to complete page you can review your configuration selections for your NFS datastore.

Procedure
u Review the settings for the NFS datastore and click Finish.

Unmount a Datastore in the VMware Host Client

When you unmount a datastore in the VMware Host Client, it remains intact, but you can no longer view it
in the inventory of the host that you manage. The datastore continues to appear on other hosts that it
remains mounted on.

Do not perform any configuration operations that might result in I/O to the datastore while the unmount is
in progress.

Prerequisites

Note Make sure that the datastore is not used by vSphere HA heartbeating. vSphere HA heartbeating does
not prevent you from unmouting the datastore. However, if the datastore is used for heartbeating,
unmounting it might cause the host to fail and restart all active virtual machines.

Before unmounting a datastore, also make sure that the following prerequisites are met:

n No virtual machines reside on the datastore.

n The datastore is not managed by Storage DRS.

n Storage I/O control is disabled for this datastore.

Procedure
1 Click Storage in the VMware Host Client inventory and click Datastores.

2 Right-click the datastore to unmount from the list and click Unmount.

3 Confirm that you want to unmount the datastore.

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Unmounting or Removing Datastore Fails

When you try to unmount or remove a datastore, the operation fails.

Problem
The operation to unmount or remove a datastore fails if the datastore has any opened files. For these user
operations, the vSphere HA agent closes all of the files that it has opened, for example, heartbeat files. If the
agent is not reachable by vCenter Server or the agent cannot flush out pending I/Os to close the files, a The
HA agent on host '{hostName}' failed to quiesce file activity on datastore '{dsName} fault is
triggered.

Cause
If the datastore to be unmounted or removed is used for heartbeating, vCenter Server excludes it from
heartbeating and chooses a new one. However, the agent does not receive the updated heartbeat datastores
if it is not reachable, that is, if the host is isolated or in a network partition. In such cases, heartbeat files are
not closed and the user operation fails. The operation can also fail if the datastore is not accessible because of
storage failures such as all paths down.

Note When you remove a VMFS datastore, the datastore is removed from all the hosts in inventory. So if
there are any hosts in a vSphere HA cluster that are unreachable or that cannot access the datastore, the
operation fails.

Solution

Ensure that the datastore is accessible and the affected hosts are reachable.

Using Datastore File Browser in the VMware Host Client

Use the datastore file browser to manage the contents of your datastore. You can perform a number of tasks
that include uploading files to the datastore, downloading datastore files to your system, moving and
copying datastore folders or files, and creating new datastore directories.

Upload Files to a Datastore in the VMware Host Client

Use the datastore file browser to upload files to datastores on your host.

Note Virtual Volumes do not support uploading files directly to the virtual datastores. You must first
create a folder on the virtual datastore, and then upload the files into the folder.

In addition to their traditional use as a storage for virtual machine files, datastores can serve to store data or
files related to virtual machines. For example, you can upload ISO images of operating systems from a local
computer to a datastore on the host. You then use these images to install guest operating systems on the new
virtual machines.

Prerequisites
Required privilege: Datastore.Browse Datastore

Procedure
1 Click Storage in the VMware Host Client inventory and click Datastores.

2 Click File browser.

3 Select the datastore that you want to store the file on.

4 (Optional) Create a new datastore directory to store the file.

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5 Select the target folder and click Upload

6 Locate the item that you want to upload from your local computer and click Open.

The file uploads to the datastore that you selected.

7 (Optional) Refresh the datastore file browser to see the uploaded file on the list.
8 Click Close to exit the file browser.

Download Files from a Datastore to Your System in the VMware Host Client
Use the datastore file browser to download files from the datastores available on the host that you are
managing to your local system.

Prerequisites
Required privilege: Datastore.Browse Datastore

Procedure
1 Click Storage in the VMware Host Client inventory and click Datastores.

2 Click File browser.

3 Select the target datastore.

4 Click the folder that contains the file that you want to download.

The available files in the folder are displayed.

5 Click the file that you want to download.

6 Click Download.

The file is downloaded to your system.

7 Click Close to exit the file browser.

Delete Files from a Datastore in the VMware Host Client

You can permanently remove files from any datastore if you no longer need them.

Prerequisites
Required privilege: Datastore.Browse Datastore

Procedure
1 Click Storage in the VMware Host Client inventory and click Datastores.

2 Click File browser.

3 Select the target datastore.

4 Select the folder that contains the file that you want to delete.

The available files in the folder are displayed.

5 Click the file that you want to remove from the datastore, click Delete, and click Delete again.

6 Click Close to exit the file browser.

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Move Datastore Folders or Files in the VMware Host Client

Use the datastore file browser to move files or folders to a new location, either on the same datastore or on a
different datastore.

Note Virtual disk files are moved and copied without format conversion. If you move a virtual disk to a
datastore on a type of host that is different from the type of the source host, you might need to convert the
virtual disks before you can use them.

Prerequisites
Required privilege: Datastore.Browse Datastore

Procedure
1 Click Storage in the VMware Host Client inventory and click Datastores.

2 Click File browser.

3 Select the target datastore.

4 Select the file or folder that you want to move to another location and click Move.

5 Select your target destination and click Move.

6 Click Close to exit the file browser.

Copy Datastore Folders or Files in the VMware Host Client

Use the datastore file browser to copy folders or files to a new location, either on the same datastore or on a
different datastore.

Note Virtual disk files are moved and copied without format conversion. If you move a virtual disk to a
datastore on a type of host that is different from the type of the source host, you might need to convert the
virtual disks.

Prerequisites
Required privilege: Datastore.Browse Datastore

Procedure
1 Click Storage in the VMware Host Client inventory and click Datastores.

2 Click File browser.

3 Select the target datastore.

4 Select the file or folder that you want to move to another location and click Copy.

5 Select your target destination and click Copy.

6 Click Close to exit the file browser.

Create a New Datastore Directory in the VMware Host Client

You can create new datastore directories if you want to store files in a particular location.

Prerequisites
Required privilege: Datastore.Browse Datastore

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Procedure
1 Click Storage in the VMware Host Client inventory and click Datastores.

2 Click File browser.

3 Click Create directory.

4 Select the target datastore.

5 (Optional) Enter a name for the new directory.

6 Click Create directory.

7 Click Close to exit the file browser.

Rename a Datastore in the VMware Host Client

You can change the display name of a datastore in the VMware Host Client.

Procedure
1 Click Storage in the VMware Host Client inventory and click Datastores.

2 Right-click a datastore in the list and select Rename from the drop-down menu.

3 Enter a new name for the datastore and click Save to apply your changes.
4 (Optional) Click Refresh to see the new name of the datastore in the list of available datastores.

Delete a VMFS Datastore in the VMware Host Client

You can delete any type of VMFS datastore, including copies that you have mounted without resignaturing.
When you delete a datastore, the datastore and all the files associated to the datastore are removed from the
host.

Note The datastore delete operation permanently deletes all files associated with virtual machines on the
datastore. Although you can delete the datastore without unmounting, it is preferable that you unmount the
datastore first

Prerequisites
Remove all virtual machines from the datastore.

Procedure
1 Click Storage in the VMware Host Client inventory and click Datastores.

2 Right-click the datastore from the list and select Delete from the drop-down menu.

3 Click Confirm to delete the datastore.

Storage Hardware Acceleration

The hardware acceleration functionality enables the ESXi host to integrate with compliant storage arrays
and offload specific virtual machine and storage management operations to storage hardware. With the
storage hardware assistance, your host performs these operations faster and consumes less CPU, memory,
and storage fabric bandwidth.

The hardware acceleration is supported by block storage devices, Fibre Channel and iSCSI, and NAS
devices.

For additional details, see the VMware knowledge base article at http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1021976.

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Disable Hardware Acceleration for Block Storage Devices in the

VMware Host Client
Host hardware acceleration for block storage devices is enabled by default on all hosts. You can use the
VMware Host Client advanced settings to disable hardware acceleration.

Changing advanced settings is considered unsupported unless VMware Technical Support instructs you to
do so.

Prerequisites
Power off the virtual machine.

Procedure
1 Click Virtual Machines in the VMware Host Client inventory.

2 Right-click the virtual machine in the list and select Edit Settings from the drop-down menu.

3 On the VM Options tab, expand Advanced.

4 Under Settings, select Disable acceleration.

5 Click Save.

Storage Thin Provisioning in the VMware Host Client

With ESXi, you can use two models of thin provisioning, array-level and virtual-disk level thin provisioning.

Thin provisioning is a method that optimizes storage utilization by allocating storage space in a flexible on-
demand manner. Thin provisioning contrasts with the traditional model, called thick provisioning. With
thick provisioning, a large amount of storage space is provided in advance in anticipation of future storage
needs. However, the space might remain unused causing underutilization of storage capacity.

The VMware thin provisioning features help you eliminate storage underutilization problems at the
datastore and storage array level.

Create Thin Provisioned Virtual Disks in the VMware Host Client

To save storage space, you can create thin provisioned virtual disks. The thin provisioned virtual disk starts
small and grows as more disk space is required. You can create thin disks only on the datastores that
support disk-level thin provisioning.

The following procedure assumes that you are creating a new virtual machine. For more information, see
“Creating a Virtual Machine in the VMware Host Client,” on page 33.

Procedure
1 Right-click Host in the VMware Host Client inventory and select Create/Register VM.

The New Virtual Machine wizard opens.

2 Select a method for adding a new virtual machine on the host and click Next.

3 Enter a name for your virtual machine.

4 Select the virtual machine compatibility from the Compatibility drop-down menu.

5 Select a guest operating system version from the Guest OS version drop-down menu and click Next.

6 From the list of accessible datastores on the Select storage page of the New Virtual Machine wizard,
select the destination datastore for the virtual machine configuration files and all of the virtual disks.

7 On the Virtual Hardware tab, expand Hard disk.

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8 Under Disk Provisioning, select the Thin provisioned radio button and click Next.

9 On the Ready to complete page of the New Virtual Machine wizard, review the configuration settings
for the virtual machine and click Finish to save your settings.

View Virtual Machine Storage Resources in the VMware Host Client

You can view how datastore storage space is allocated for your virtual machines in the VMware Host Client.

Resource Consumption shows how much datastore space is occupied by virtual machine files, including
configuration files, log files, snapshots, virtual disks, and so on. When the virtual machine is running, the
used storage space also includes swap files.

For virtual machines with thin disks, the actual storage usage value might be less than the size of the virtual
disk.

Procedure
1 Click the virtual machine in the VMware Host Client inventory.

2 Review the Resource Consumption information in the lower right area of the virtual machine summary
page.

Determine the Disk Format of a Virtual Machine in VMware Host Client

You can determine whether your virtual disk is provisioned in thick or thin format.

Procedure
1 Right-click the virtual machine in the VMware Host Client inventory and select Edit settings.

2 On the Virtual Hardware tab, expand Hard disk.

The Type text box shows the format of your virtual disk.

Managing Storage Adapters in the VMware Host Client

When you connect to a host or to vCenter Server by using the VMware Host Client, you can perform various
tasks on your storage adapters, such as configuring various iSCSI components .

When you enable iSCSI on the host that you are managing in your VMware Host Client environment, you
can configure and add new network port bindings, static and dynamic targets, you can manage CHAP
authentication, and configure various advanced settings on your host storage.

View Storage Adapters in the VMware Host Client

View the storage adapters that your host uses and related information.

Procedure
1 Click Storage in the VMware Host Client inventory and click Adapters.

All storage adapters available to the host are listed under Adapters.

2 To view details for a specific adapter, select the adapter from the list.

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Configuring Software iSCSI Adapters in the VMware Host Client

With the software-based iSCSI implementation, you can use standard NICs to connect your host to a remote
iSCSI target on the IP network. The software iSCSI adapter that is built into ESXi communicates with the
physical NICs through the network stack.

Note Before you can use the software iSCSI adapter, you must set up networking, activate the adapter, and
configure parameters such as CHAP.

The iSCSI adapter configuration workflow includes the following procedures:

n Enabling iSCSI on your host. See“Enable iSCSI for an ESXi Host in the VMware Host Client,” on
page 96

n Adding a port binding. See “Add Port Binding in the VMware Host Client,” on page 99

n Removing port binding. See“Remove Port Binding in the VMware Host Client,” on page 99

Setting Up iSCSI Network

Software and dependent hardware iSCSI adapters depend on the VMkernel networking. If you use the
software or dependent hardware iSCSI adapters, you must configure connections for the traffic between the
iSCSI component and the physical network adapters.

Configuring the network connection involves creating a virtual VMkernel adapter for each physical network
adapter. You then associate the VMkernel adapter with an appropriate iSCSI adapter. This process is called
port binding.

For specific considerations on when and how to use network connections with software iSCSI, see the
VMware knowledge base article at http://kb.vmware.com/kb/2038869.

Multiple Network Adapters in iSCSI Configuration

If your host has more than one physical network adapter for software and dependent hardware iSCSI, use
the adapters for multipathing.

You can connect the software iSCSI adapter with any physical NICs available on your host. The dependent
iSCSI adapters must be connected only to their own physical NICs.

Note Physical NICs must be on the same subnet as the iSCSI storage system they connect to.

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Figure 4‑1. Networking with iSCSI

Two physical NICs connected to Two physical NICs with iSCSI
the software iSCSI adapter offload capabilities

software iSCSI adapter dependent hardware iSCSI adapters

vmhba# vmhba33 vmhba34

virtual
vmk1 vmk2 vmk1 vmk2
adapters
vSwitch vSwitch

Host1 Host2 virtual

Host1 vmnic1 vmnic2 vmnic1 vmnic2 Host2 physical

physical NICs physical NICs

with iSCSI
offload
capabilities

IP network

iSCSI storage iSCSI storage

The iSCSI adapter and physical NIC connect through a virtual VMkernel adapter, also called the virtual
network adapter or the VMkernel port. You create a VMkernel adapter (vmk) on a vSphere switch (vSwitch)
using 1:1 mapping between each virtual and physical network adapter.

One way to achieve the 1:1 mapping when you have multiple NICs, is to designate a separate vSphere
switch for each virtual-to-physical adapter pair.

Note If you use separate vSphere switches, you must connect them to different IP subnets. Otherwise,
VMkernel adapters might experience connectivity problems and the host fails to discover the iSCSI LUNs.

The following examples show configurations that use vSphere standard switches, but you can use
distributed switches as well. For more information about vSphere distributed switches, see the vSphere
Networking documentation.

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Figure 4‑2. 1:1 Adapter Mapping on Separate vSphere Standard Switches

vSwitch1

VMkernel adapters Physical adapters

iSCSI1 vmnic1

vmk1

vSwitch2

VMkernel adapters Physical adapters

iSCSI2 vmnic2

vmk2

An alternative is to add all NICs and VMkernel adapters to a single vSphere standard switch. In this case,
you must override the default network setup and make sure that each VMkernel adapter maps to only one
corresponding active physical adapter.

Note If the VMkernel adapters are on the same subnet, use the single vSwitch configuration.

Figure 4‑3. 1:1 Adapter Mapping on a Single vSphere Standard Switch

vSwitch1

VMkernel adapters Physical adapters

iSCSI2 vmnic2

vmk2 vmnic1

iSCSI1

vmk1

The following table summarizes the iSCSI networking configuration discussed in this topic.

Table 4‑1. Networking Configuration for iSCSI

iSCSI Adapters VMkernel Adapters (Ports) Physical Adapters (NICs)

Software iSCSI

vmhbaX2 vmk1 vmnic1

vmk2 vmnic2

Dependent Hardware iSCSI

vmhbaX3 vmk1 vmnic1

vmhbaX4 vmk2 vmnic2

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Enable iSCSI for an ESXi Host in the VMware Host Client

Enable iSCSI for your host in your VMware Host Client environment to configure storage adapters
parameters, such as CHAP authentication, network port bindings, static and dynamic targets, and various
advanced settings.

Procedure
1 Click Storage in the VMware Host Client inventory, click Adapters, and click Configure iSCSI.

2 Select the Enabled radio button.

3 (Optional) Configure the parameters and components that you want to change.

4 Click Save configuration.

Best Practices for Configuring Networking with Software iSCSI

When you configure networking with software iSCSI, consider several best practices.

Software iSCSI Port Binding

You can bind the software iSCSI initiator on the ESXi host to a single or multiple VMkernel ports, so that
iSCSI traffic flows only through the bound ports. When port binding is configured, the iSCSI initiator creates
iSCSI sessions from all bound ports to all configured target portals.

See the following examples.

VMkernel Ports Target Portals iSCSI Sessions

2 bound VMkernel ports 2 target portals 4 sessions (2 x 2)

4 bound VMkernel ports 1 target portal 4 sessions (4 x 1)

2 bound VMkernel ports 4 target portals 8 sessions (2 x 4)

Note Make sure that all target portals are reachable from all VMkernel ports when port binding is used.
Otherwise, iSCSI sessions might fail to create. As a result, the rescan operation might take longer than
expected.

No Port Binding
If you do not use port binding, the ESXi networking layer selects the best VMkernel port based on its
routing table. The host uses the port to create an iSCSI session with the target portal. Without the port
binding, only one session per each target portal is created.

See the following examples.

VMkernel Ports Target Portals iSCSI Sessions

2 unbound VMkernel ports 2 target portals 2 sessions

4 unbound VMkernel ports 1 target portal 1 session

2 unbound VMkernel ports 4 target portals 4 sessions

Software iSCSI Multipathing

Example 1. Multiple paths for an iSCSI target with a single network portal

If your target has only one network portal, you can create multiple paths to the target by adding multiple
VMkernel ports on your ESXi host and binding them to the iSCSI initiator.

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vmk1
192.168.0.1/24
vmnic1
Same subnet
vmk2
192.168.0.2/24
vmnic2 Single Target:
IP 192.168.0.10/24
vmk3 Network
192.168.0.3/24
vmnic3

vmk2
192.168.0.4/24
vmnic4

In this example, all initiator ports and the target portal are configured in the same subnet. The target is
reachable through all bound ports. You have four VMkernel ports and one target portal, so total of four
paths are created.

Without the port binding, only one path is created.

Example 2. Multiple paths with VMkernel ports in different subnets

You can create multiple paths by configuring multiple ports and target portals on different IP subnets. By
keeping initiator and target ports in different subnets, you can force ESXi to create paths through specific
ports. In this configuration, you do not use port binding because port binding requires that all initiator and
target ports are on the same subnet.

vmk1 SP/Controller A:

192.168.1.1/24 Port 0: 192.168.1.10/24

vmnic1 Port 1: 192.168.2.10/24

IP
Network

vmk2 SP/Controller B:

192.168.2.1/24 Port 0: 192.168.1.11/24

vmnic2 Port 1: 192.168.2.11/24

ESXi selects vmk1 when connecting to Port 0 of Controller A and Controller B because all three ports are on
the same subnet. Similarly, vmk2 is selected when connecting to Port 1of Controller A and B. You can use
NIC teaming in this configuration.

Total of four paths are created.

Paths Description

Path 1 vmk1 and Port0 of Controller A

Path 2 vmk1 and Port0 of Controlled B

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Paths Description

Path 3 vmk2 and Port1 of Controller A

Path 4 vmk2 and Port2 of Controller B

Routing with Software iSCSI

You can use the esxcli command to add static routes for your iSCSI traffic. After you configure static routes,
initiator and target ports in different subnets can communicate with each other.

Example 1. Using static routes with port binding

In this example, you keep all bound vmkernel ports in one subnet (N1) and configure all target portals in
another subnet (N2). You can then add a static route for the target subnet (N2).

N1 N2
vmk1
SP/Controller A
192.168.1.1/24 Port 0
10.115.179.1/24
vmnic1

IP
Network

vmk2
SP/Controller B
192.168.1.2/24 Port 0
10.115.179.2/24
vmnic2

Use the following command:

# esxcli network ip route ipv4 add -gateway 192.168.1.253 -network 10.115.179.0/24

Example 2. Using static routes to create multiple paths

In this configuration, you use static routing when using different subnets. You cannot use the port binding
with this configuration.

vmk1
SP/Controller A
192.168.1.1/24 Port 0
0.115.155.1/24
vmnic1

IP
Network

vmk2
SP/Controller A
192.168.2.1/24 Port 0
0.115.179.1/24
vmnic2

You configure vmk1 and vmk2 in separate subnets, 192.168.1.0 and 192.168.2.0. Your target portals are also
in separate subnets, 10.115.155.0 and 10.155.179.0.

You can add the static route for 10.115.155.0 from vmk1. Make sure that the gateway is reachable from
vmk1.

# esxcli network ip route ipv4 add -gateway 192.168.1.253 -network 10.115.155.0/24

You then add static route for 10.115.179.0 from vmk2. Make sure that the gateway is reachable from vmk2.

# esxcli network ip route ipv4 add -gateway 192.168.2.253 -network 10.115.179.0/24

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When connecting with Port 0 of Controller A, vmk1 is used.

When connecting with Port 0 of Controller B, vmk2 is used.

Example 3. Routing with a separate gateway per vmkernel port

Starting with vSphere 6.5, you can configure a separate gateway per VMkernel port. If you use DHCP to
obtain IP configuration for a VMkernel port, gateway information can also be obtained using DHCP.

To see gateway information per VMkernel port, use the following command:

# esxcli network ip interface ipv4 address list

Name IPv4 Address IPv4 Netmask IPv4 Broadcast Address Type Gateway DHCP DNS
---- -------------- ------------- -------------- ------------ -------------- --------
vmk0 10.115.155.122 255.255.252.0 10.115.155.255 DHCP 10.115.155.253 true
vmk1 10.115.179.209 255.255.252.0 10.115.179.255 DHCP 10.115.179.253 true
vmk2 10.115.179.146 255.255.252.0 10.115.179.255 DHCP 10.115.179.253 true

With separate gateways per VMkernel port, you use port binding to reach targets in different subnets.

Add Port Binding in the VMware Host Client

Use the VMware Host Client to bind an iSCSI adapter with a VMkernel adapter on your host.

Prerequisites
n Create a virtual VMkernel adapter for each physical network adapter on your host. If you use multiple
VMkernel adapters, set up the correct network policy.

n Required privilege:Host.Configuration.Storage Partition Configuration

Procedure
1 Click Storage in the VMware Host Client inventory, click Adapters, and click Configure iSCSI.

2 In the Network port bindings section, click Add port binding.

3 Select a VMkernel adapter to bind with the iSCSI adapter.

Note Make sure that the network policy for the VMkernel adapter is compliant with the binding
requirements.

You can bind the software iSCSI adapter to one or more VMkernel adapters. For a dependent hardware
iSCSI adapter, only one VMkernel adapter associated with the correct physical NIC is available.

4 Click Select.

5 Click Save configuration.

Remove Port Binding in the VMware Host Client

Edit the iSCSI configuration on your host to remove a port binding.

Procedure
1 Click Storage in the VMware Host Client inventory, click Adapters, and click Configure iSCSI.

2 In the Network port bindings section, select a VMkernel NIC from the list.

3 Click Remove port binding.

4 Click Save configuration.

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Configuring Discovery Addresses for iSCSI Adapters

You need to set up target discovery addresses, so that the iSCSI adapter can determine which storage
resource on the network is available for access.

The ESXi system supports these discovery methods:

Dynamic Discovery Also known as SendTargets discovery. Each time the initiator contacts a
specified iSCSI server, the initiator sends the SendTargets request to the
server. The server responds by supplying a list of available targets to the
initiator. The names and IP addresses of these targets appear on the Static
Discovery tab. If you remove a static target added by dynamic discovery, the
target might be returned to the list the next time a rescan happens, the iSCSI
adapter is reset, or the host is rebooted.

Note With software and dependent hardware iSCSI, ESXi filters target
addresses based on the IP family of the iSCSI server address specified. If the
address is IPv4, IPv6 addresses that might come in the SendTargets response
from the iSCSI server are filtered out. When DNS names are used to specify
an iSCSI server, or when the SendTargets response from the iSCSI server has
DNS names, ESXi relies on the IP family of the first resolved entry from DNS
lookup.

Static Discovery In addition to the dynamic discovery method, you can use static discovery
and manually enter information for the targets. The iSCSI adapter uses a list
of targets that you provide to contact and communicate with the iSCSI
servers.

Set Up a Static Target in the VMware Host Client

With iSCSI initiators, you can use static discovery to manually enter information for the targets.

When you set up Static Discovery, you can only add new iSCSI targets. You cannot change the IP address,
DNS name, iSCSI target name, or port number of an existing target. To make changes, remove the existing
target and add a new one.

Prerequisites
Required privileges: Host.Configuration.Storage Partition Configuration

Procedure
1 Click Storage in the VMware Host Client inventory, click Adapters, and click Configure iSCSI.

2 Click Add static target.

The new static target appears in the list.

3 To add a name for the new static target, click the target in the list and enter the name.

4 To add an address for the new static target, click the target in the list and type the address.

5 (Optional) To change the port number of the new static target, click the target Port text box and type the
new port number.

6 (Optional) To edit the static target settings, select the new target from the list of available targets, click
Edit settings, configure the parameters that you want to change, and click Save.

7 (Optional) To delete a specific target, select the target and click Remove static target.

The target no longer appears in the list of existing static targets.

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8 Click Save configuration.

Set up a Dynamic Target in the VMware Host Client

With Dynamic Discovery, each time the initiator contacts a particular iSCSI storage system, the initiator
sends the SendTargets request to the iSCSI system. The iSCSI system responds by supplying a list of
available targets to the initiator.

When you set up Dynamic Discovery, you can only add a new iSCSI system. You cannot change the IP
address, DNS name, or port number of an existing iSCSI system. To modify the parameters, delete the
existing system and add a new one.

Prerequisites
Required privilege: Host.Configuration.Storage Partition Configuration

Procedure
1 Click Storage in the VMware Host Client inventory, click Adapters, and click Configure iSCSI.

2 Click Add dynamic target.

The new dynamic target appears in the list.

3 To add an address for the new dynamic target, click the target in the list and enter the address .
4 (Optional) To change the port number of the new dynamic target, click the target Port text box and
enter the new port number.

5 (Optional) To edit the dynamic target settings, select the new target from the list of available targets,
click Edit settings, configure the parameters that you want to change, and click Save.

6 (Optional) To delete a specific target, select the target and click Remove dynamic target.

The target no longer appears in the list of existing dynamic targets.

7 Click Save configuration.

Edit Advanced Settings for iSCSI in the VMware Host Client

The advanced iSCSI settings control such parameters as header and data digest, ARP redirection, delayed
ACK, and so on. Generally, you do not need to change these settings because your host works with the
assigned predefined values.

Caution Do not change the advanced iSCSI settings unless you are working with the VMware support
team or otherwise have thorough information about the values to provide for the settings modification.

Prerequisites
Required privilege: Host.Configuration.Storage Partition Configuration

Procedure
1 Click Storage in the VMware Host Client inventory, click Adapters, and click Configure iSCSI.

2 Click Advanced settings to display the entire list of settings.

3 Edit the parameters that you want to change and click Save configuration.

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Set Up CHAP Authentication for an iSCSI Adapter in the VMware Host Client
You can set up all targets to receive the same CHAP name and secret from the iSCSI initiator at the initiator
level. By default, all discovery addresses or static targets inherit the CHAP parameters that you set up at the
initiator level.

The CHAP name must be fewer than 511 alphanumeric characters and the CHAP secret must be fewer than
255 alphanumeric characters. Some adapters, for example the QLogic adapter, might have lower limits, 255
for the CHAP name and 100 for the CHAP secret.

Prerequisites
n Before you set up CHAP parameters for software or dependent hardware iSCSI, determine whether to
configure one-way, also known as normal, or mutual CHAP. Independent hardware iSCSI adapters do
not support mutual CHAP.

n In one-way CHAP, the target authenticates the initiator.

n In mutual CHAP, both the target and the initiator authenticate each other. Use different secrets for
CHAP and mutual CHAP.

When you configure CHAP parameters, verify that they match the parameters on the storage side.

n Required privileges: Host.Configuration.Storage Partition Configuration

Procedure
1 Click Storage in the VMware Host Client inventory, click Adapters, and click Configure iSCSI.

2 To configure one-way CHAP, expand CHAP authentication to display all parameters.

a Select the CHAP security level.

b Enter the CHAP name.

Make sure that the name you enter matches the name configured on the storage side.

c Enter a one-way CHAP secret to use for authentication. Use the same secret that you enter on the
storage side.

3 To configure mutual CHAP, select Use CHAP as an option for one-way CHAP. Expand Mutual CHAP
authentication to display all parameters.

a Select Use CHAP.

b Enter the mutual CHAP name.

c Enter the mutual CHAP secret.

Use different secrets for the one-way CHAP and the mutual CHAP.

4 Click Save configuration.

If you change the authentication settings for an iSCSI adapter, you only use the updated credentials for new
iSCSI sessions. Existing sessions persist until either the connection is lost due to some outside factor, such as
force re-authentication, or you remove and add the adapter iSCSI targets.

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Managing Storage Devices in the VMware Host Client

You can use the VMware Host Client to manage local and networked storage devices that the ESXi host you
are managing has access to.

View Storage Devices in the VMware Host Client

View all storage devices available to a host. If you use third-party multipathing plug-ins, the storage devices
available through the plug-ins also appear on the list.

The Storage Devices view allows you to list the host storage devices, analyze their information, and modify
properties.

Procedure
1 Click Storage in the VMware Host Client inventory and click Devices.

All storage devices available to the host are listed under Devices.

2 To view details for a specific device, select the device from the list.

Clear a Device Partition Table in the VMware Host Client

When you are logged in to an ESXi host with the VMware Host Client, you can clear the partition table of a
disk device that is accessible from the host.

Prerequisites
Verify that the device is not in use by ESXi as boot disk, VMFS datastore, or Virtual SAN.

Procedure
1 Click Storage in the VMware Host Client and click Devices.

2 Right-click a device from the list, click Clear partition table and click Yes.

Clearing the partition table might cause data loss.

Edit Individual Device Partitions in the VMware Host Client

When you log in to an ESXi host with the VMware Host Client, you can remove individual partitions of a
device by using the partition editor

Prerequisites
Verify that the device is not in use by ESXi as boot disk, VMFS datastore, or Virtual SAN.

Procedure
1 Click Storage in the VMware Host Client and click Devices.

2 Right-click a device from the list and click Edit partitions.

3 Select a partition and click Delete partition.

4 (Optional) Click Reset to restore the original partitions.

5 Click Save partitions.

6 Confirm that you want to alter the partition.

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Monitoring Storage in the VMware Host Client

In the VMware Host Client, you can monitor the storage health of the ESXi host that you are managing. You
can also view events and tasks associated with the different datastores, storage adapters, and storage
devices on the host that you are managing.

Monitor Datastores in the VMware Host Client

In the VMware Host Client, you can monitor the health of a datastore, as well as events and tasks associated
with that datastore.

Procedure
1 Click Storage in the VMware Host Client inventory.

2 Click Datastores.

3 Click a datastore from the list.

The datastore expands in the VMware Host Client inventory.

4 Click Monitor under the name of the datastore in the VMware Host Client.

5 (Optional) Click Events to view events associated with the datastore.

6 (Optional) Click Tasks to view tasks associated with the datastore.

7 (Optional) Click Health to view the datastore health.

Performing Storage Refresh and Rescan Operations in the

VMware Host Client
The refresh operation for datastores, storage devices, and storage adapters updates the lists and storage
information that the VMware Host Client displays. It updates information such as the datastore capacity.
When you perform storage management tasks or make changes in the SAN configuration, you might need
to rescan your storage.

Perform Adapter Rescan in the VMware Host Client

When you make changes in your SAN configuration and these changes are isolated to storage accessed
through a specific adapter, perform rescan for only this adapter. When you rescan an adapter, you discover
any new LUNs that are available on that adapter.

Procedure
1 Click Storage in the VMware Host Client inventory and click Adapters.

2 Click Rescan.

Perform Device Rescan in the VMware Host Client

When you rescan a device, you discover any new VMFS volumes that are available on the device.

Procedure
1 Click Storage in the VMware Host Client inventory and click Devices.

2 Click Rescan.

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Change the Number of Scanned Storage Devices in the VMware Host Client
An ESXi host is limited to accessing 256 SCSI storage devices, but the range of LUN IDs can be from 0 to
1023. ESXi ignores LUN IDs that are 1024 or greater. This limit is controlled by Disk.MaxLUN, which has a
default value of 1024.

The value of Disk.MaxLUN also determines how many LUNs the SCSI scan code attempts to discover by using
individual INQUIRY commands if the SCSI target does not support direct discovery by using
REPORT_LUNS.

You can modify the Disk.MaxLUN parameter depending on your needs. For example, if your environment has
a smaller number of storage devices with LUN IDs from 0 to 100, you can set the value to 101 to improve
device discovery speed on targets that do not support REPORT_LUNS. Lowering the value can shorten the
rescan time and boot time. However, the time to rescan storage devices might depend on other factors,
including the type of storage system and the load on the storage system.

In other cases, you might need to increase the value if your environment uses LUN IDs that are greater than
1023.

Procedure
1 Click Manage in the VMware Host Client inventory and click Advanced Settings.
2 Scroll down to Disk.MaxLUN.

3 Right-click Disk.MaxLUN, and click Edit option.

4 Enter a new value and click Save.

The SCSI scan code does not scan the LUNs with IDs greater than or equal to the value you enter.

For example, to discover LUN IDs from 0 to 100, set Disk.MaxLUN to 101.

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Networking in the
VMware Host Client 5
When you connect to an ESXi host using the VMware Host Client, you can view and configure vSphere
standard switches, port groups, physical NICs, VMkernel NICs, and TCP/IP stacks.

This chapter includes the following topics:

n “Managing Port Groups in the VMware Host Client,” on page 107

n “Managing Virtual Switches in the VMware Host Client,” on page 112

n “Managing Physical Network Adapters in the VMware Host Client,” on page 117

n “Managing VMkernel Network Adapters in the VMware Host Client,” on page 117

n “View TCP/IP Stack Configuration on a Host in the VMware Host Client,” on page 119

n “Change the Configuration of a TCP/IP Stack on a Host in the VMware Host Client,” on page 120

n “Configuring ESXi Firewall in the VMware Host Client,” on page 120

n “Monitoring Networking Events and Tasks in the VMware Host Client,” on page 122

Managing Port Groups in the VMware Host Client

You can manage port group settings to configure traffic management, enhance networking security, and
enhance performance." By using the VMware Host Client, you can add and remove port groups, examine
port group information, and edit port group settings, such as NIC teaming and traffic shaping.

View Port Group Information in the VMware Host Client

In the VMware Host Client, you can view information about port group configuration, network details,
virtual switch topology, NIC teaming policy, offload policy, and security policy.

Procedure
1 Click Networking in the VMware Host Client inventory and click Port groups.

2 Click on an item from the list of available port groups.

Information about network details, virtual switch topology, NIC teaming policy, offload policy, and
security policy is displayed.

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Add a Virtual Machine Port Group in the VMware Host Client

You can add a port group to a virtual switch in the VMware Host Client. Port groups provide networking
for virtual machines.

Procedure
1 Right-click Networking in the VMware Host Client inventory and click Add port group from the pop-
up menu.

2 Enter a name for the new port group.

3 Set the VLAN ID to configure VLAN handling in the port group.

The VLAN ID also reflects the VLAN tagging mode in the port group.

VLAN Tagging Mode VLAN ID Description

External Switch Tagging (EST) 0 The virtual switch does not pass traffic associated with a VLAN.

Virtual Switch Tagging (VST) From 1 to 4094 The virtual switch tags traffic with the tag that you entered.

Virtual Guest Tagging (VGT) 4095 Virtual machines handle VLANs. The virtual switch permits
traffic from any VLAN.

4 Select a virtual switch from the drop-down menu.

5 Expand Security and select options that you want to enable for promiscuous mode, MAC address
changes, and forged transmits.

6 Click Add.

Your port group is created.

7 (Optional) Click Refresh to display the new port group in the list.

Editing Port Group Settings in the VMware Host Client

To enhance networking security and improve networking performance in the VMware Host Client, you can
edit various port group settings, such as the port group name, VLAN ID, and virtual switch. You can also
configure security, NIC teaming, and traffic shaping components.

Edit Port Group Settings in the VMware Host Client

When you are logged in to an ESXi host with the VMware Host Client, you can configure various
networking settings, such as the port group name, VLAN ID, and virtual switch.

Procedure
1 Click Networking in the VMware Host Client inventory and click Port groups.

2 Right-click the port group in the list that you want to edit and select Edit settings.

3 (Optional) Enter a new value for the VLAN ID.

The VLAN ID reflects the VLAN tagging mode in the port group.

VLAN Tagging Mode VLAN ID Description

External Switch Tagging (EST) 0 The virtual switch does not pass traffic associated with a VLAN.

Virtual Switch Tagging (VST) From 1 to 4094 The virtual switch tags traffic with the tag that you entered.

Virtual Guest Tagging (VGT) 4095 Virtual machines handle VLANs. The virtual switch permits
traffic from any VLAN.

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4 (Optional) Select a virtual switch from the drop-down menu.

5 (Optional) Expand Security and select whether to reject, accept, or inherit the Security policy exceptions
from vSwitch.

Option Description
Promiscuous Mode n Reject. Placing a guest adapter in promiscuous mode has no effect on
which frames are received by the adapter.
n Accept. Placing a guest adapter in promiscuous mode causes it to
detect all frames passed on the vSphere distributed switch that are
allowed under the VLAN policy for the port group that the adapter is
connected to.
n Inherit from vSwitch. Placing a guest adapter in promiscuous mode
causes it to inherit the configuration from the associated virtual switch.
MAC Address Changes n Reject. If you set the MAC Address Changes to Reject and the guest
operating system changes the MAC address of the adapter to anything
other than what is in the .vmx configuration file, all inbound frames
are dropped.

If the guest operating system changes back the MAC address to match
the MAC address in the .vmx configuration file, inbound frames are
passed again.
n Accept. Changing the MAC address from the guest operating system
has the intended effect: frames to the new MAC address are received.
n Inherit from vSwitch. If you set MAC Address Changes to Inherit
from vSwitch, the MAC address changes to one of the associated
virtual switches.
Forged Transmits n Reject. Any outbound frame with a source MAC address that is
different from the one set on the adapter are dropped.
n Accept. No filtering is performed and all outbound frames are passed.
n Inherit from vSwitch. The outbound frame configuration is inherited
from the associated virtual switch.

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6 (Optional) Expand NIC teaming and configure the following components.

Option Description
Load Balancing Specify how to choose an uplink.
n Inherit from vSwitch. Choose the uplink that is selected for the
associated virtual switch.
n Route based on IP hash. Choose an uplink based on a hash of the
source and destination IP addresses of each packet. For non-IP packets,
whatever is at those offsets is used to compute the hash.
n Route based on source MAC hash. Choose an uplink based on a hash
of the source Ethernet.
n Route based on originating port ID. Choose an uplink based on the
originating port ID.
n Use explicit failover order. Always use the highest order uplink from
the list of active adapters which passes failover detection criteria .
Note IP-based teaming requires the physical switch to be configured
with etherchannel. For all other options, etherchannel must be disabled.
Network Failover Detection Specify the method to use for failover detection.
n
n Inherit from vSwitch. Inherits the respective configuration of the
associated virtual switch.
n Link Status only. Relies only on the link status that the network
adapter provides. This option detects failures, such as cable pulls and
physical switch power failures, but not configuration errors, such as a
physical switch port being blocked by a spanning tree or that is
misconfigured to the wrong VLAN or cable pulls on the other side of a
physical switch.
n Beacon only. Sends out and listens for beacon probes on all NICs in
the team and uses this information, in addition to link status, to
determine link failure. This detects many of the failures that are not
detected by link status only.
Note Do not use beacon probing with IP-hash load balancing.
Notify Switches Select Yes, No, or Inherit from vSwitch to notify switches in the case of
failover.
If you select Yes, when a virtual NIC is connected to the distributed switch
or that virtual NIC’s traffic is routed over a different physical NIC in the
team because of a failover event, a notification is sent out over the network
to update the lookup tables on physical switches. In almost all cases, this
process is preferred for the lowest latency of failover occurrences and
migrations with vMotion.
Note Do not use this option when the virtual machines using the port
group are using Microsoft Network Load Balancing in unicast mode. No
such issue exists with NLB running in multicast mode.

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Option Description
Failback Select Yes, No, or Inherit from vSwitch to disable or enable failback.
This option determines how a physical adapter is returned to active duty
after recovering from a failure. If failback is set to the default setting of Yes,
the adapter returns to active duty immediately upon recovery, displacing
the standby adapter that took over its slot, if any. If failback is set to No, a
failed adapter is left inactive even after recovery until another currently
active adapter fails, requiring its replacement.
Failover Order Specify how to distribute the workload for uplinks. If you want to use
some uplinks but reserve others for emergencies in case the uplinks in use
fail, set this condition by moving them into different groups:
n Active Uplinks. Continue to use the uplink when the network adapter
connectivity is up and active.
n Standby Uplinks . Use this uplink if one of the active adapter’s
connectivity is down.
Note When using IP-hash load balancing, do not configure standby
uplinks. You cannot configure failover order if any of the port group
components are configured to inherit the configuration from the associated
virtual switch.

7 (Optional) To configure traffic shaping, expand Traffic shaping, click Enabled, and specify the
following parameters.

Option Description
Average Bandwidth Establishes the number of bits per second to limit across a port, averaged
over time—the allowed average load.
Peak Bandwidth The maximum number of bits per second to limit across a port when it is
sending/receiving a burst of traffic. This is the maximum bandwidth used
by a port whenever it is using its burst bonus.
Burst Size The maximum number of bytes to limit in a burst. If this parameter is set, a
port might gain a burst bonus when it does not use all its allocated
bandwidth. Whenever the port needs more bandwidth than specified by
Average Bandwidth, it might be allowed to temporarily transmit data at a
higher speed if a burst bonus is available. This parameter represents the
maximum number of bytes that might be accumulated in the burst bonus
and so transferred at a higher speed.

Traffic shaping policy is applied to the traffic of each virtual network adapter attached to the virtual
switch.
8 Click Save to apply your changes.

Remove a Virtual Machine Port Group in the VMware Host Client

You can remove port groups from virtual switches in case you no longer need the associated labeled
networks.

Prerequisites
Verify that there are no VMkernel NICs and no powered-on virtual machines connected to the port group
that you want to remove.

Procedure
1 Click Networking in the VMware Host Client inventory and click Port groups.

2 Right-click the port group that you want to remove and select Remove from the pop-up menu.

3 Click Remove to remove the port group.

4 (Optional) Click Refresh to verify that you have removed the port group.

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Managing Virtual Switches in the VMware Host Client

In the VMware Host Client, you can configure various virtual switch settings, such as link discovery, NIC
teaming, and traffic shaping.

View Virtual Switch Information in the VMware Host Client

In the VMware Host Client, you can view information about virtual switches, such as configuration,
network details, virtual switch topology, and so on.

Procedure
1 Click Networking in the VMware Host Client inventory and click Virtual switches.

2 Click on a switch from the list of available virtual switches.

Information about virtual switch configuration, network details, and virtual switch topology is
displayed.

Add a Standard Virtual Switch in the VMware Host Client

In the VMware Host Client, you can add a standard virtual switch to provide network connectivity for the
host that you are managing and for the virtual machines on that host, and to handle VMkernel traffic.
Depending on the type of connection that you want to create, you can create vSphere standard switch with a
VMkernel adapter, connect an existing physical network adapter to the new switch, or create the switch
with a virtual machine port group.

Procedure
1 Right-click Networking in the VMware Host Client inventory and click Add standard vSwitch in the
pop-up menu.

2 (Optional) Click Add uplink to add a new physical uplink to a virtual switch.

3 Enter a name for the virtual switch and click Create virtual switch.

4 Select an uplink for the virtual switch.

5 Expand Link discovery and select an option for the virtual switch mode.

Operation Description
Listen ESXi detects and displays information about the associated physical switch
port, but information about the vSphere Standard Switch is not available to
the switch administrator.
Advertise ESXi makes information about the vSphere Standard Switch available to
the switch administrator, but does not detect and display information
about the physical switch.
Both ESXi detects and displays information about the associated physical switch
and makes information about the vSphere Standard Switch available to the
switch administrator.
None ESXi does not detect or display information about the associated physical
switch port, and information about the vSphere Standard Switch is not
available to the switch administrator.

6 In the Protocol section, select Cisco Discovery Protocol from the drop-down menu.

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7 Expand Security and accept or reject promiscuous mode, MAC address changes, and forged transmits
of the virtual machines attached to the standard switch.

Option Description
Promiscuous mode n Reject. The VM network adapter receives only frames that are
addressed to the virtual machine.
n Accept.The virtual switch forwards all frames to the virtual machine in
compliance with the active VLAN policy for the port to which the VM
network adapter is connected.
Note Promiscuous mode is insecure mode of operation. Firewalls, port
scanners, intrusion detection systems, must run in promiscuous mode.
MAC address changes n Reject. If the guest OS changes the effective MAC address of the
virtual machine to a value that is different from the MAC address of
the VM network adapter (set in the .vmx configuration file), the switch
drops all inbound frames to the adapter.

If the guest OS changes the effective MAC address of the virtual

machine back to the MAC address of the VM network adapter, the
virtual machine receives frames again.
n Accept. If the guest OS changes the effective MAC address of the
virtual machine to a value that is different from the MAC address of
the VM network adapter, the switch allows frames to the new address
to pass.
Forged transmits n Reject. The switch drops any outbound frame from a virtual machine
adapter with a source MAC address that is different from the one in
the .vmx configuration file.
n Accept. The switch does not perform filtering, and permits all
outbound frames.

8 Click Add.

Remove a Standard Virtual Switch in the VMware Host Client

You can remove a virtual switch if you no longer need it.

Procedure
1 Click Networking in the VMware Host Client inventory and click Virtual switches.

2 Right-click the virtual switch that you want to remove from the list and click Remove.

3 Click Yes to remove the virtual standard switch.

Add a Physical Uplink to a Virtual Switch in the VMware Host Client

You can connect multiple adapters to a single vSphere standard switch to provide NIC teaming. The team
can share traffic and provide failover.

Procedure
1 Click Networking in the VMware Host Client inventory and click Virtual switches.

2 Click a virtual switch from the list and click Add uplink.

3 Select a physical NIC from the available options.

4 Click Save.

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Edit Virtual Switch Settings in the VMware Host Client

In the VMware Host Client, you can edit the virtual switch name and the virtual switch uplinks.

Procedure
1 Click Networking in the VMware Host Client inventory and click Virtual switches.

2 Right-click the virtual switch that you want to edit and click Edit Settings.

3 (Optional) Click Add uplink to add a new physical uplink to the virtual switch.

4 Change the maximum transmission unit (MTU).

The MTU improves the networking efficiency by increasing the amount of payload data transmitted
with a single packet, that is, enabling jumbo frames.

5 (Optional) Click the Remove icon ( ) to remove the old uplink from the virtual switch.
6 Expand Link discovery and select an option for the virtual switch mode.

Operation Description
Listen ESXi detects and displays information about the associated physical switch
port, but information about the vSphere Standard Switch is not available to
the switch administrator.
Advertise ESXi makes information about the vSphere Standard Switch available to
the switch administrator, but does not detect and display information
about the physical switch.
Both ESXi detects and displays information about the associated physical switch
and makes information about the vSphere Standard Switch available to the
switch administrator.
None ESXi does not detect or display information about the associated physical
switch port, and information about the vSphere Standard Switch is not
available to the switch administrator.

7 In the Protocol section, select Cisco Discovery Protocol from the drop-down menu.

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8 Expand Security and accept or reject promiscuous mode, MAC address changes, and forged transmits
of the virtual machines attached to the standard switch.

Option Description
Promiscuous mode n Reject. The VM network adapter receives only frames that are
addressed to the virtual machine.
n Accept.The virtual switch forwards all frames to the virtual machine in
compliance with the active VLAN policy for the port to which the VM
network adapter is connected.
Note Promiscuous mode is insecure mode of operation. Firewalls, port
scanners, intrusion detection systems, must run in promiscuous mode.
MAC address changes n Reject. If the guest OS changes the effective MAC address of the
virtual machine to a value that is different from the MAC address of
the VM network adapter (set in the .vmx configuration file), the switch
drops all inbound frames to the adapter.

If the guest OS changes the effective MAC address of the virtual

machine back to the MAC address of the VM network adapter, the
virtual machine receives frames again.
n Accept. If the guest OS changes the effective MAC address of the
virtual machine to a value that is different from the MAC address of
the VM network adapter, the switch allows frames to the new address
to pass.
Forged transmits n Reject. The switch drops any outbound frame from a virtual machine
adapter with a source MAC address that is different from the one in
the .vmx configuration file.
n Accept. The switch does not perform filtering, and permits all
outbound frames.

9 (Optional) Expand NIC teaming and configure the following components.

Option Description
Load Balancing Specify how to choose an uplink.
n Route based on IP hash. Choose an uplink based on a hash of the
source and destination IP addresses of each packet. For non-IP packets,
whatever is at those offsets is used to compute the hash.
n Route based on source MAC hash. Choose an uplink based on a hash
of the source Ethernet.
n Route based on originating port ID. Choose an uplink based on the
originating port ID.
n Use explicit failover order. Always use the highest order uplink from
the list of Active adapters which passes failover detection criteria.
Note IP-based teaming requires the physical switch to be configured
with etherchannel. For all other options, etherchannel must be disabled.
Network Failover Detection Specify the method to use for failover detection.
n Link Status only. Relies only on the link status that the network
adapter provides. This option detects failures, such as cable pulls and
physical switch power failures, but not configuration errors, such as a
physical switch port being blocked by spanning tree or that is
misconfigured to the wrong VLAN or cable pulls on the other side of a
physical switch.
n Beacon only. Sends out and listens for beacon probes on all NICs in
the team and uses this information, in addition to link status, to
determine link failure. This detects many of the failures previously
mentioned that are not detected by link status alone.
Note Do not use beacon probing with IP-hash load balancing.

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Option Description
Notify Switches Select Yes, No, or Inherit from vSwitch to notify switches in the case of
failover.
If you select Yes, whenever a virtual NIC is connected to the distributed
switch or whenever that virtual NIC’s traffic would be routed over a
different physical NIC in the team because of a failover event, a
notification is sent out over the network to update the lookup tables on
physical switches. In almost all cases, this process is desirable for the
lowest latency of failover occurrences and migrations with vMotion.
Note Do not use this option when the virtual machines using the port
group are using Microsoft Network Load Balancing in unicast mode. No
such issue exists with NLB running in multicast mode.
Failback Select Yes, No, or Inherit from vSwitch to disable or enable failback.
This option determines how a physical adapter is returned to active duty
after recovering from a failure. If failback is set to Yes (default), the adapter
is returned to active duty immediately upon recovery, displacing the
standby adapter that took over its slot, if any. If failback is set to No, a
failed adapter is left inactive even after recovery until another currently
active adapter fails, requiring its replacement.
Failover Order Specify how to distribute the work load for uplinks. If you want to use
some uplinks but reserve others for emergencies in case the uplinks in use
fail, set this condition by moving them into different groups:
n Active Uplinks. Continue to use the uplink when the network adapter
connectivity is up and active.
n Standby Uplinks . Use this uplink if one of the active adapter’s
connectivity is down.
Note When using IP-hash load balancing, do not configure standby
uplinks.

10 (Optional) To configure traffic shaping, expand Traffic shaping, click Enabled, and specify the
following parameters.

Option Description
Average Bandwidth Establishes the number of bits per second to allow across a port, averaged
over time—the allowed average load.
Peak Bandwidth The maximum number of bits per second to allow across a port when it is
sending or receiving a burst of traffic. This tops the bandwidth used by a
port whenever it is using its burst bonus.
Burst Size The maximum number of bytes to allow in a burst. If this parameter is set,
a port may gain a burst bonus when it doesn’t use all its allocated
bandwidth. Whenever the port needs more bandwidth than specified by
Average Bandwidth, it may be allowed to temporarily transmit data at a
higher speed if a burst bonus is available. This parameter tops the number
of bytes that may be accumulated in the burst bonus and thus transferred
at a higher speed.

Traffic shaping policy is applied to the traffic of each virtual network adapter attached to the virtual
switch.

11 Click Save.

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Managing Physical Network Adapters in the VMware Host Client

Assign a physical adapter to a standard switch to provide connectivity to virtual machines and VMkernel
adapters on the host that you are managing.

View Physical Network Adapter Information in the VMware Host Client

In the VMware Host Client, you can view various information about physical network adapter (NIC)
configuration and settings.

Procedure
1 Click Networking in the VMware Host Client inventory and click Physical NICs.

2 Click on the network adapter that you want to view information about.

Edit Physical NICs in the VMware Host Client

You can edit physical NIC speed by using the VMware Host Client.

Procedure
1 Click Networking in the VMware Host Client inventory and click Physical NICs.

2 Select the NIC in the table that you want to edit.

3 Click Edit settings and select a speed from the drop-down menu.

4 Click Save.

Managing VMkernel Network Adapters in the VMware Host Client

In the VMware Host Client, you can add and remove VMkernel network adapters (NICs), as well as view
and modify the VMkernel NIC settings.

View VMkernel Network Adapter Information in the VMware Host Client

In the VMware Host Client, you can view information about VMkernel network adapters (NICs), such as
TCP/IP configuration, network details, virtual switch topology, and so on.

Procedure
1 Click Networking in the VMware Host Client inventory and click VMkernel NICs.

2 Click on a NIC in the list to display configuration and topology details.

Add a VMkernel Network Adapter in the VMware Host Client

You can add a VMkernel network adapter (NIC) on a vSphere standard switch to provide network
connectivity for hosts and to handle the system traffic for vSphere vMotion, IP storage, Fault Tolerance,
logging, Virtual SAN, and so on.

Procedure
1 Right-click Networking in the VMware Host Client inventory and click Add VMkernel NICs.

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2 On the Add new VMkernel interface page, configure the settings for the VMkernel adapter.

Option Description
Port Group Label Adding a new VMkernel NIC also adds a new port group. Specify a name
for that port group.
VLAN ID Enter a VLAN ID to determine the VLAN for the network traffic of the
VMkernel adapter to use.
IP Version Select IPv4, IPv6, or both.
Note The IPv6 option does not appear on hosts that do not have IPv6
enabled.

3 (Optional) Expand the IPv4 settings section to select an option for obtaining IP addresses.

Option Description
Use DHCP to obtain IP settings IP settings are obtained automatically. A DHCP server must be present on
the network.
Use static IP settings Enter the IPv4 address and subnet mask for the VMkernel adapter.
The VMkernel Default Gateway and DNS server addresses for IPv4 are
obtained from the selected TCP/IP stack.

4 (Optional) Expand the IPv6 settings section to select an option for obtaining IPv6 addresses.

Option Description
DHCPv6 Use DHCP to obtain IPv6 addresses. A DHCPv6 server must be present on
the network.
Auto Configuration Use router advertisement to obtain IPv6 addresses.
Static IPv6 Addresses a Click Add address to add a new IPv6 address.
b Enter the IPv6 address and subnet prefix length.

5 Select a virtual switch from the drop-down menu.

6 Select a TCP/IP stack from the drop-down menu.

After you set a TCP/IP stack for the VMkernel adapter, you cannot change it. If you select the vMotion
or the Provisioning TCP/IP stack, you can use only this stack to handle vMotion or for Provisioning
traffic on the host. All VMkernel adapters for vMotion on the default TCP/IP stack are disabled for
future vMotion sessions. If you use the Provisioning TCP/IP stack, VMkernel adapters on the default
TCP/IP stack are disabled, and you cannot perform some operations including traffic Provisioning, such
as virtual machine cold migration, cloning, and snapshot creation.

7 (Optional) Enable vMotion for the default TCP/IP stack on the host.

vMotion enables the VMkernel adapter to advertise itself to another host as the network connection
where vMotion traffic is sent. It is not possible to use vMotion to perform migrations to selected hosts if
the vMotion service is not enabled for any VMkernel adapter on the default TCP/IP stack, or if no
adapters use the vMotion TCP/IP stack.

8 Review your setting selections and click Create.

Edit VMkernel Network Adapter Settings in the VMware Host Client

You might have to change the supported traffic type for a VMkernel network adapter, or the way IPv4 or
IPv6 addresses are obtained.

Procedure
1 Click Networking in the VMware Host Client inventory and click VMkernel NICs.

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2 Select the VMkernel adapter that resides on the target standard switch, click Actions, and select Edit
settings from the drop-down menu.

3 (Optional) Edit the VLAN ID.

The VLAN ID determines the VLAN that the network traffic of the VMkernel adapter uses.
4 (Optional) To edit the IP version, select IPv4, IPv6, or both from the drop-down list.

Note The IPv6 option does not appear on hosts that do not have IPv6 enabled.

5 (Optional) Expand the IPv4 settings section to select an option for obtaining IP addresses.

Option Description
Use DHCP to obtain IP settings IP settings are obtained automatically. A DHCP server must be present on
the network.
Use static IP settings Enter the IPv4 address and subnet mask for the VMkernel adapter.
The VMkernel Default Gateway and DNS server addresses for IPv4 are
obtained from the selected TCP/IP stack.

6 (Optional) Expand the IPv6 settings section to select an option for obtaining IPv6 addresses.

Option Description
DHCPv6 Use DHCP to obtain IPv6 addresses. A DHCPv6 server must be present on
the network.
Auto Configuration Use router advertisement to obtain IPv6 addresses.
Static IPv6 Addresses a Click Add address to add a new IPv6 address.
b Enter the IPv6 address and subnet prefix length.

7 (Optional) Enable or disable vMotion for the default TCP/IP stack on the host.

vMotion enables the VMkernel adapter to advertise itself to another host as the network connection
where vMotion traffic is sent. It is not possible to use vMotion to perform migrations to selected hosts if
the vMotion service is not enabled for any VMkernel adapter on the default TCP/IP stack, or if no
adapters use the vMotion TCP/IP stack.

8 Review your setting modifications and click Save to apply your changes.

Remove a VMkernel Network Adapter in the VMware Host Client

In the VMware Host Client, you can remove a VMkernel network adapter if you no longer need it.

Procedure
1 Click Networking in the VMware Host Client inventory and click VMkernel NICs.

2 Right-click the VMkernel adapter that you want to remove and click Remove.

3 Click Confirm to remove the network adapter.

View TCP/IP Stack Configuration on a Host in the VMware Host Client

You can view the DNS and routing configuration of a TCP/IP stack on a host. You can also view the IPv4
and IPv6 routing tables, the congestion control algorithm, and the maximum number of allowed
connections.

Procedure
1 Click Networking in the host inventory and click TCP/IP stacks.

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2 Click a stack from the list.

The configuration settings of the stack you selected are displayed.

Change the Configuration of a TCP/IP Stack on a Host in the

VMware Host Client
You can change the DNS and default gateway configuration of a TCP/IP stack on a host. You can also change
the congestion control algorithm, the maximum number of connections, and the name of custom TCP/IP
stacks.

Procedure
1 Click Networking in the VMware Host Client inventory and click TCP/IP stacks.

2 Right-click a stack from the list and select Edit settings.

The Edit TCP/IP configuration - Provisioning stack dialog box opens.

3 Specify how the host obtains settings for this TCP/IP stack.

n Select the Use DHCP services from the following adapter radio button, and select an adapter from
which to receive the default settings configuration for the TCP/IP stack.

n Select the Manually configure the settings for this TCP/IP stack to change the settings
configuration.

Option Description
Basic configuration
Host name Edit the name of your local host.

Domain name Edit the domain name.

Primary DNS Enter a preferred DNS server IP address.

server

Secondary DNS Type an alternate DNS server IP address.

server

Search domains Specify DNS suffixes to use in DNS search when

resolving unqualified domain names.

Routing Edit the IPv4 and IPv6 gateway information.

Note Removing the default gateway might cause you to lose your
connection to the host.
Advanced Settings Edit the congestion control algorithm and the maximum number of
connections.

4 Click Save.

Configuring ESXi Firewall in the VMware Host Client

ESXi includes a firewall that is enabled by default. At installation time, the ESXi firewall is configured to
block incoming and outgoing traffic, except traffic for services that are enabled in the host security profile.

As you open ports on the firewall, consider that unrestricted access to services running on an ESXi host may
expose a host to outside attacks and unauthorized access. Reduce the risk by configuring the ESXi firewall to
allow access only from authorized networks.

Note The firewall also allows Internet Control Message Protocol, or ICMP, pings and communication with
DHCP and DNS (UDP only) clients.

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Manage ESXi Firewall Settings by Using the VMware Host Client

When you are logged in to an ESXi host with the VMware Host Client, you can configure incoming and
outgoing firewall connections for a service or a management agent.

Note If different services have overlapping port rules, enabling one service might implicitly enable other
services. You can specify which IP addresses are allowed to access each service on the host to avoid this
problem.

Procedure
1 Click Networking in the VMware Host Client inventory.

2 Click Firewall rules.

The VMware Host Client displays a list of active incoming and outgoing connections with the
corresponding firewall ports.

3 For some services you can manage service details. Right-click a service and select an option from the
pop-up menu.

n Use the Start, Stop, or Restart buttons to change the status of a service temporarily.

n Change the Startup Policy to configure the service to start and stop with the host, the firewall ports,
or manually.

Add Allowed IP Addresses for an ESXi Host by Using the VMware Host Client
By default, the firewall for each service allows access to all IP addresses. To restrict traffic, configure each
service to allow traffic only from your management subnet. You can also deselect some services if your
environment does not use them.

Procedure
1 Click Networking in the VMware Host Client inventory and click Firewall rules.

2 Click a service from the list and click Edit settings.

3 In the Allowed IP Addresses section, click Only allow connections from the following networks and
enter the IP addresses of networks that you want to connect to the host.

Separate IP addressees with commas. You can use the following address formats:

n 192.168.0.0/24

n 192.168.1.2, 2001::1/64

n fd3e:29a6:0a81:e478::/64

4 Click OK.

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Monitoring Networking Events and Tasks in the VMware Host Client

You can view details about the events and tasks associated with the port groups, virtual switches, physical
network adapters, VMkernel network adapters, and TCP/IP stacks on the ESXi host that you are managing.

Monitor Port Groups in the VMware Host Client

In the VMware Host Client, you can monitor port group performance by viewing the events and tasks of the
port groups on the host.

Procedure
1 Click Networking in the VMware Host Client inventory.

2 Click Port groups.

3 Click a port group from the list.

The port group expands in the VMware Host Client inventory.

4 Click Monitor under the port group name in the VMware Host Client inventory.

5 (Optional) Click Events to view the events associated with the port group.

Monitor Virtual Switches in the VMware Host Client

In the VMware Host Client, you can monitor virtual switch performance by viewing the events and tasks of
the virtual switches on the host.

Procedure
1 Click Networking in the VMware Host Client inventory.

2 Click Virtual switches.

3 Click a virtual switch from the list.

The virtual switch expands in the VMware Host Client inventory.

4 Click Monitor under the virtual switch name in the VMware Host Client inventory.

5 (Optional) Click Events to view the events associated with the virtual switch.

Monitor Physical Network Adapters in the VMware Host Client

In the VMware Host Client, you can monitor physical network adapter (NIC) performance by viewing the
events and tasks of the physical NICs on the host.

Procedure
1 Click Networking in the VMware Host Client inventory.

2 Click Physical NICs.

3 Click a physical network adapter from the list.

The physical network adapter expands in the VMware Host Client inventory.

4 Click Monitor under the physical network adapter name in the VMware Host Client inventory.

5 (Optional) Click Events to view the events associated with the physical network adapter.

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Monitor VMkernel Network Adapters in the VMware Host Client

In the VMware Host Client, you can monitor VMkernel network adapter performance by viewing the events
and tasks of the VMkernel network adapters on the host.

Procedure
1 Click Networking in the VMware Host Client inventory.

2 Click VMkernel NICs.

3 Click a VMkernel network adapter from the list.

The VMkernel network adapter expands in the VMware Host Client inventory.

4 Click Monitor under the VMkernel network adapter name in the VMware Host Client inventory.

5 (Optional) Click Events to view the events associated with the VMkernel network adapter.

Monitor TCP/IP Stacks in the VMware Host Client

In the VMware Host Client, you can monitor TCP/IP stacks performance by viewing the events and tasks of
the TCP/IP stacks on the host.

Procedure
1 Click Networking in the VMware Host Client inventory.

2 Click TCP/IP stacks.

3 Click a TCP/IP stack from the list.

The TCP/IP stack expands in the VMware Host Client inventory.

4 Click Monitor under the TCP/IP stack name in the VMware Host Client inventory.

5 (Optional) Click Events to view the events associated with the TCP/IP stack.

6 (Optional) Click Tasks to view the tasks associated with the TCP/IP stack.

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Index

A assigning roles 25, 26

accessing virtual machines 70 assigning license key 15
Active Directory 17 authentication 19
adapter rescan, performing 104 authentication management 17
add dynamic target 101 authentication proxy, using 17
add hard disks 36 Auto Deploy, vSphere Authentication Proxy 18
auto start options, configuring 48
add static target 100
autostart, configuring 12
adding
paravirtual SCSI controller 65
B
SCSI controllers 63
browser requirements 7
adding devices 36
browser console 41
adding NICs 117
browser versions 7
adding USB 62
adding dynamic target 101 C
adding hard disk 59 CD drive, adding 66
adding IP addresses certificate details, viewing 18
allowed 121 certificate expiration 18
allowing IP addresses 121 certificate information 18
adding parallel port 68 certificate management 18
adding physical uplink 113 certificate validity period, viewing 18
adding port groups 108 changing 120
adding SATA 65 changing DNS 120
adding SATA controller 62 changing privileges 20
adding SCSI 62 changing settings 20
adding serial ports 67 changing SCSI Bus sharing 62
adding standard virtual switch 112 changing SCSI bus sharing 63
adding static target 100 changing virtual machine name 45
adding uplink 113 changing VM name 45
adding uplinks 112 CHAP, for iSCSI initiators 102
adding USB controller 62 closing VMware Host Client 8
adding users 19 column configuration 70
adding VMFS datastore, selecting device 82 complete datastore creation 83
adding VMFS partition 84 complete VM creation task 37, 39
advanced functionalities 23 configuration parameters, editing 47
advanced host attributes 12 configuration file location, viewing 45
advanced settings configuration files, virtual machines 47
Disk.MaxLUN 105 configure VM hardware 36
editing 101 configure vm resources 39
manage 12 configure VM resources 37
advanced administrative tasks 23 configuring
advanced troubleshooting tasks 23 parallel ports 67
allowed connections, maximum number 119 serial ports 67
alternate DNS 119 time and date 12
assigning permissions 25 configuring adapters 81

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configuring columns 70 datastore creation

configuring controllers 62 completing 83
configuring iSCSI 93 starting process 82
configuring network 54 datastore directories, creating 87
datastore directory
configuring auto start 48
creating 89
configuring power states 46
creating datastore directory 89
configuring time settings 12
new datastore directory 89
configuring virtual machines 45 datastore events, monitoring 104
configuring virtual machine options 45 datastore files
configuring virtual machine settings 45 deleting 88
congestion control algorithm 119, 120 downloading 88
connection error 22 moving 89
connection failure 22 datastore folders, moving 89
datastore health, monitoring 104
console 41
datastore increase, completing 84
Console Shell 24 datastore information, reviewing 81
controllers, paravirtual SCSI 65 datastore selection 35, 39
CPU 29 datastore tasks, monitoring 104
CPU information 29 datastore uploads 87
CPU resources, administering 29 datastore directory creation 89
CPU configuration, virtual machines 50
datastore file browser, using 87
CPU power efficiency 13
delete snapshots 78
CPUs
deleting files 88
configuring 50
deleting snapshots 78
defined 49
deleting VM 71
limitations 50
deleting VMFS datastore 90
limits 51
dependent 58
parameters 49
dependent iSCSI, networking 93
performance with hyperthreaded hosts 50
device partition, editing 103
reservation 51 device partitions, editing 103
resources 51 device rescan, performing 104
shares 51 devices rescan, performing 104
create new standard switch 108 directory service 17
create new virtual machine 34 disabling CEIP 9
create virtual disk, thin provisioned 91 disabling Console Shell 24
creating, virtual machines 33 disconnecting host 23
creating datastores 81 discovery, address 100
creating roles 21 disk format, determining 92
creating datastore directories 87 disk formats
creating new virtual machine 35 thick provisioned 57
creating virtual machines 33 thin provisioned 57
creating VMFS datastore 82 Disk.MaxLUN 105
customer experience improvement program, disks
collected information 9 limits 61
shares 61
D displaying columns 70
datasore creation type, selecting 82 displaying host events 31
datastore displaying host tasks 31
copying files 89 displaying storage devices 103
copying folders 89 DNS 119
editing name 90 downloading files 87, 88
unmouting 86 DVD drive, adding 66
dynamic target 101

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dynamic targets, adding 101 hardware iSCSI initiators, setting up discovery

dynamic discovery addresses 100 addresses 100
Dynamic Voltage and Frequency Scaling hiding columns 70
(DVFS) 13 host
advanced attributes 12
E managing 8, 22
editing partition 103 host management 8, 11, 22
enable iSCSI 96 host services, managing 16
enabling SSH 24 host tasks 11
enabling CEIP 9 host CPU usage 30
enabling Console Shell 24 host licensing 15, 16
enabling lockdown mode 28 host memory usage 30
enabling Secure Shell 24 host monitoring 30
entering lockdown mode 28 hot add enablement 54
entering maintenance mode 25
entering strict lockdown mode 29 I
ESXi Shell importing certificate 18
configuring 24 importing certificates 17, 18
enabling 24 independent-nonpersistent 58
ESXi upgrade 22 independent-persistent 58
Exception User list 28 install, VMware Tools 43
exception users list, managing 29 installing VIBs 22
exiting lockdown mode 29 installing VMRC 42
extending VMFS datastore 82, 83 installing remote console application 42
installing VMware Tools 43, 44
F intended audience 5, 41
finish creation 37, 39 IPv4 119
firewall configuration 120 IPv6 119
firewall connections, configuring 121 iSCSI settings, editing 101
firewall settings iSCSI adapters 93
configuring 120
iSCSI initiators, configuring CHAP 102
managing 121
iSCSI networking 93
Flash Read Cache 57
floppy drive, adding 66 J
joining domain 17
G
generate support bundle 80 L
generating support bundle 27, 31 launching remove console 42
glossary 5 legacy virtual machines, NICs 56
guest operating system, managing 42 license key
guest operating systems, changing 43 assign 15
guest OS, shutting down 42 remove 16
guidelines, NFS storage 85 licenses, viewing 15
Licensing ESXi 14
H
locating VM hardware version 45
hard disks
adding 59 lockdown mode 28
adding existing 60 logging out 8
hardware configuration 36 LUNs, changing number scanned 105
hardware acceleration
about 90 M
MAC addresses, assigning 56
disabling 91
maintenance mode 25

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managing access 19 N
managing authentication 17 network adapter, configuring 56
managing certificates 18 network configuration, virtual machine 54
managing host 23 network details, viewing 107
managing permissions 26 Network Time Protocol 12
managing roles 25 network adapter settings, editing 118
network adapters
managing security 17
adding 56
managing snapshots 78
supported types 54
managing storage 81 network file system datastore, mounting 85
managing users 17, 19 network partition 87
managing advanced settings 12 networking configurations 107
managing ESXi host 11 new datastore 82
managing system settings 12 new hard disk 59
managing user list 19 new virtual machine, creating 35
managing virtual machines 33, 70 New Virtual Machine wizard 34, 35
maximum number of connections 120 new VM name 45
memory, hot adding 54 NFS datastore, mounting 84, 85
memory resources, allocating 53 NFS name, specifying 85
migration NFS server, specifying 85
cross-host Storage vMotion 57 NFS share, specifying 85
storage 57 NFS storage
modify vm settings 39 adding 85
modify VM settings 37 guidelines 85
modifying privileges 20 NFS datastore mounting, complete process 86
NFS datastores, maximum size 85
modifying NIC settings 117
NFS mount details, providing 85
modifying user settings 20
NIC, See network adapters
monitor performance 30
NIC teaming, configuring 108
monitor status 30 NIC teaming policy, viewing 107
monitor host health 30 nic teaming, configuring 108
monitoring datastores 104 NICs
monitoring health 30 adding 56
monitoring NICs 122 configuring 56
monitoring performance 30 legacy virtual machines 56
monitoring storage 104 normal lockdown mode 28
monitoring tasks 122 NTP 12
monitoring a virtual machine 79
monitoring events 122 O
offload policy, viewing 107
monitoring physical network adapters 122
open virtual appliance 37
monitoring physical NICs 122
open virtualization format 37
monitoring port groups 122
opening console 41
monitoring storage adapters 104
OVA 37
monitoring storage devices 104
OVA deployment 38
monitoring TCP/IP stacks 122, 123
OVA limitations 38
monitoring virtual switches 122
OVF 37
monitoring VMkenrel NICs 122
OVF deployment 38
monitoring VMkernel network adapters 123
OVF limitations 38
mounting NFS datastore 82, 84
OVF file 39
moving datastore files 87, 89
moving datastore folders 89
P
multicore CPUs 50 parallel port, adding 68
parallel port configuration 67

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paravirtual SCSI controller, adding 62 R

partition editor, using 103 raw device mappings 57
partition table, clearing 103
rebooting host 23
partitioning options
datastore 83, 84 remote console, accessing 42
selecting 83, 84 remote console application 42
PCI devices, managing 13 remove a port group 111
performance chartvirtual machine performance, remove datastore 87
viewing 79 removing NICs 117
permissions, validating 26
removing permissions 26, 27
physical NICs, configuring 107
physical network adapter tasks, viewing 122 removing user 20
physical network adapters removing virtual machines 71
managing 117 removing datastore files 88
monitor 122 removing license key 16
physical network adapter details 117 removing network adapter 119
physical network adapter events, viewing 122 removing port group 111
physical network adapter settings 117 removing virtual machines from inventory 70
physical NIC information, viewing 117 renaming datastores 90
physical NIC speed, editing 117 rescanning adapters 104
placing host in maintenance mode 25 restarting services 16
policies, CPU power management 13 restarting virtual machine 46
port binding returning virtual machine 71
adding 99
reverting to snapshot 77
removing 99
review vm settings 39
port groups
configuring 107 review VM settings 37
managing 107 roles
creating 21
monitor 122
default 20
virtual machine 108
port group editing 21
adding to virtual machine 108 managing 20
edit settings 108 removing 21
port group events, viewing 122 updating 21
port group information, viewing 107
port group name, editing 108 S
port group removal 111 SAN LUNs 57
port group settings, configuring 108 SATA controllers, adding 65
port group tasks, viewing 122 scanning, changing numbers 105
power management policies SCSI
changing 14 controller type 64
CPU 13 paravirtual controllers 65
power management settings 13 SCSI controllers, adding 63
power states, virtual machine 46 SCSI bus sharing, changing configuration 63
powering off 46 SCSI controller, changing type 64
SCSI controller type, changing 62
powering on 46
SCSI types 64
preferred DNS 119
Secure Shell access 24
privileges 25
security policy, viewing 107
processor information, viewing 29
processors, assigning 30 select name 35
PVSCSI, See also paravirtual SCSI controller selecting datastore 35, 39
selecting creation method 35
Q selecting datastore to extend 84
quiescing 75 selecting OVF file 39
selecting VM name 35

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selecting VMDK file 39 storage adapters

serial port, adding 67 managing 92
serial port configuration 67 viewing 92
services, VMware Tools 43 storage devices, managing 103
shutting down guest 46 storage management 81
shutting down host 23 storage rescan, performing 104
storage controllers
snapshot, delta disks 73
limitations for VMware Paravirtual SCSI 64
snapshots
about 71 VMware Paravirtual SCSI 64
storage device information, viewing 81
avoiding use as virtual machine backups 74
storage resources
behavior 71 viewing 92
bus-sharing limitation 74 virtual machine 92
child 71 storage thin provisioning 91
copy-on-write 73 strict lockdown mode 28, 29
Delete option 77 support bundle 27, 31
Delete all option 77 suspending 46
deleting 77 system requirements 7
delta disks 71 system settings, managing 12
files 73
for virtual machines with large capacity T
disks 74 taking snapshots 75
hierarchy 71 TCP/IP stack, viewing configuration 119
limitations 74 TCP/IP stack configuration, changing 120
manage 78 TCP/IP stacks
memory 74 configuring 107
memory files 73 monitor 123
parent 71 TCP/IP stack name 120
performance impact of 74 TCP/IP stacks events, viewing 123
TCP/IP stacks tasks, viewing 123
quiescing virtual machine files 74
thin disks, creating 91
restoring 76
thin provisioning 91
reverting to 76
thin provisioned virtual disk, creating 91
sparse disks 73
time and date 12
taking 74, 75
traffic shaping, configuring 108
unsupported disk types 74
troubleshooting 11
virtual machine activity 74
software iSCSI, networking 93
U
software iSCSI adapter 93
unmount datastore 87
software iSCSI initiators, setting up discovery
unmouting datastores 86
addresses 100
software iSCSI port binding, considerations 96 updating VIBs 22
sound controller, adding 69 upgrade, VMware Tools 43
SSH 24 upgrading, stage 4 43
standard switches, managing 112 upgrading host 22
starting host 8 upgrading VMware Tools, process overview 44
starting services 16 uploading files 87
static targets, adding 100 uploading files to datastore 87
static discovery addresses 100 USB devices, adding 69
USB controllers, adding to virtual machine 62
static target 100
user authorization 19
stopping services 16
user management 19
storage, monitor 104
user permissions, assigning 27
user role, removing 27

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users snapshots 71
removing 26 unregistering 70
removing from hosts 20 See also virtual hardware
using consoles 41 virtual switch
utilities, VMware Tools 43 adding 112
changing 108
V removing 113
view health status 30 virtual switches
viewing charts 30 configuring 107
viewing events 31 monitor 122
viewing licensing information 15 viewing details 112
virtual devices
viewing notifications 32
adding USB controller 62
viewing certificate details 18
CPU limitations 50
viewing host events 31 virtual disk configuration, changing 58
viewing logs 80 virtual disks
viewing system logs 31 configuring 57
viewing tasks 31 formats 57
viewing virtual machines 70 sparse 57
virtual disk thin provisioning 57
editing settings 58 virtual hard disks 59
increasing size 58 virtual hardware, multicore CPUs 50
virtual machine virtual machine compatibility, upgrading 48
assigning to a specific processor 30 virtual machine configuration 45
deleting from host 71 virtual machine console, opening 42
deploying from OVA 37 virtual machine creation 33, 34, 37, 39
deploying from OVF 37 virtual machine events, viewing 79
finish registration 40 virtual machine hardware, customize 36
monitoring 79 virtual machine management 33
opening console 41 virtual machine name 35, 45
power off 46 virtual machine notifications, viewing 79, 80
power on 46 virtual machine options 45
registering 39, 40, 71 virtual machine performance, viewing 79
registration 39, 40 virtual machine removal 71
removing from datastore 70 virtual machine settings 45
removing from host 70 virtual machine tasks, viewing 79, 80
restart 46 virtual machine disk format 92
returning to host 70 virtual machine hardware version 45
select to register 40 virtual memory
suspend 46 allocation 52
virtual machines configuring 52
adding hard disks 59 virtual switch events, viewing 122
adding hard disk 60 virtual switch settingsvirtual switch name
configuration parameters 47 changing 114
configuring devices 66 editing 114
virtual switch tasks, viewing 122
CPU configuration 50
virtual switch topology, viewing information 107
CPU resources 49 VLAN ID, modifying 108
creating 33 VM network, configuring 54
guest operating systems 43 VM creation type, selecting 35
hot add enablement 54 VM name 45
memory 52 VM options 36
memory resources 53 VMDK file 39
performance with hyperthreaded hosts 50 VMFS 87

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VMFS datastore
creating 81, 82
increasing capacity 83
VMFS datastores, increasing 83
VMFS partition, adding 84
VMFS volume 57
VMkernel network adapters
adding 117
monitor 123
VMkernel NICs
adding 117
configuring 107
viewing configuration information 117
VMkernel network adapter, removing 119
VMkernel network adapter tasks, viewing 123
VMkernel network adapter events, viewing 123
VMkernel NIC, modifying settings 118
VMware Host Client
functionalities 7
overview 7
VMware Paravirtual SCSI controllers 64
VMware Remote Console 41
VMware Tools, install and upgrade 43
VMware Tools installation 43, 44
VMware Tools upgrade, process 44
vSphere Authentication Proxy 17, 18
vSphere license 14

W
working with datastores 81

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