How to Install VMware ESXi on a Dedicated Server

Introduction:Why Install ESXi on a Dedicated Server?

So, you have your new bare metal dedicated server from ServerMO. What's next? Instead of running a single operating system, you can turn your server into a powerful virtualization powerhouse. This is where VMware ESXi comes in. ESXi is a Type-1 (or bare-metal) hypervisor. This means it installs directly onto your server's hardware, not on top of another OS like Windows or Linux. This direct access makes it extremely fast, stable, and efficient.

• Run multiple, isolated Virtual Machines (VMs) on a single dedicated server.
• Allocate specific resources (CPU, RAM, storage) to each VM.
• Easily manage, snapshot, and migrate your workloads.
• Create complex networks, firewalls (like pfSense), and test environments.

While some providers offer automated installations, the ServerMO expert method involves a manual installation. This gives you full control over your setup, a deeper understanding of your environment, and ensures you have the latest, cleanest version installed. This guide will walk you through the complete step-by-step process of installing VMware vSphere ESXi 8 (or the latest version) on your raw dedicated server using the remote management console.

Phase 1 :Pre-Installation & Requirements

Before we begin, let's get our three main components ready:

1. Hardware Requirements(Your Server)
2. ESXi ISO File(The Installer)
3. Remote Access(Your Connection)

1. Check Your Hardware Requirements

To run VMware ESXi (version 8.0 and later), your dedicated server must meet these minimum requirements. (All modern ServerMO servers easily exceed these.)

• CPU:A host with at least two CPU cores.
• Memory (RAM):A minimum of 8 GB of RAM. (We recommend 32GB or more for running actual VMs).
• Virtualization Support:Intel VT-x or AMD RVI must be enabled in the BIOS. This is almost always enabled by default on server-grade hardware.
• Storage:A boot disk of at least 32 GB (HDD, SSD, or NVMe).
• Network:One or more Gigabit (or faster) network controllers.

2. Download the VMware ESXi ISO

You need the official installer image (ISO file) from VMware.

• Go to the Broadcom Support Portal (formerly VMware).
• You will need a free (or paid) Broadcom/VMware account.
• Download the "ESXi Installer ISO image"(not the "offline bundle").
• Even the free version of ESXi is very powerful, but it has some limitations (like no vCenter Server management or vMotion). For this installation guide, the free license is perfectly fine.

3. Access Your Server's Remote Console (IPMI/iDRAC/iLO)

This is the most critical step for a bare-metal installation. Your ServerMO dedicated server comes with a remote management interface. This is a "mini-computer" on your server's motherboard that lets you control it even if it's off or has no OS.

Log in to your ServerMO client area to find your server's IPMI/iDRAC IP address, username, and password.

• Open a web browser and type in the IPMI IP address.
• Log in with the credentials provided.
• You will now see your server's hardware status. Look for a button or link that says "Launch Remote Console", "Virtual KVM", or "KVM/VM".

This will open a new window showing your server's "screen" directly.

4. Mount the ESXi ISO Image

Inside the remote console window, we need to "insert" our downloaded ESXi ISO file as a virtual CD/DVD.

• In the remote console menu, find an option for "Virtual Media" or "Virtual Storage".
• Select "CD/DVD" or "ISO".
• Choose "Local ISO File" (or similar) and browse your computer to select the ESXi ISO file you downloaded.
• Click "Mount" or "Plug In".

The ESXi installer is now virtually connected to your server.

Phase 2 :The Step-by-Step ESXi Installation Wizard

In Phase 1, we prepared our server. The ISO is mounted via the IPMI/KVM console. Now, let's boot the server and begin the actual installation.

Step 1: Boot Your Server from the Virtual ISO

Now that the ISO is mounted, we must instruct the server to boot from it.

1. From your IPMI/KVM console, "Power On" or "Reboot" the server.
2. As the server turns on, watch the POST screen for keys like F11(Boot Menu), F2(Setup), or DEL(Setup).
3. Press F11(or the equivalent key for "Boot Menu").
4. From the boot list, select the " Virtual CD/DVD" or " UEFI Virtual Optical Drive" that we mounted and press (Enter).

Step 2: The ESXi Installer Loads

The server will now boot from our ISO file. You will see a black screen with "Loading VMware ESXi" and a loading bar. Wait for a few moments as the installer files load into the server's RAM.

Step 3: Welcome Screen

The first screen is "Welcome to the VMware ESXi 8.0 Installation" (or your version). It will prompt you to continue.

• Action: Press (Enter)to continue.

Step 4: Accept the EULA

Next, the "End User License Agreement (EULA)" will appear.

• Action: Press (F11)to Accept and Continue.

Step 5: Select the Installation Disk (Critical Step)

The installer will now scan all storage drives (HDDs, SSDs, NVMe) in your server and display a list.

• Action: Use your arrow keys to select the drive you want to install the OS on. Press (Enter)to continue.

Step 6: Keyboard Layout

Select your keyboard layout.

• Action: (US Default)will be selected. This is the correct choice for most users. Press (Enter) to continue.

Step 7: Set the Root Password (Critical Step)

Here, you must set the password for the "root" user. This "root" user is the 'Super Administrator' for your ESXi server.

• Action: Type your new password in both boxes and press (Enter).

Step 8: Confirm Installation

The installer will now give a final warning. It will confirm that the drive you selected (in Step 5) is about to be completely erased (repartitioned).

• Action: Press (F11)to confirm and start the installation.

Step 9: Installation Complete & Reboot

The installation process is very fast (usually under 5 minutes).Once finished, the "Installation Complete" screen will appear. It will ask you to reboot the server.

Final Critical Action: Before you reboot, you must eject (unmount) the ISO file from your IPMI/KVM console.
• Go to your IPMI/KVM console menu.
• Find "Virtual Media" (or "Virtual Storage").
• Click "Unmount" or "Eject" for the ISO file.

If you don't eject the ISO, the server will just boot from the installer again in a loop.

• Action: After unmounting the ISO, press (Enter)on the ESXi screen to reboot your server.

Phase 2 :Post-Installation (Basic Network Configuration)

After your server reboots, you will be greeted with the VMware ESXi Direct Console User Interface (DCUI). It's a simple, text-based menu that allows you to perform critical configurations before you can access the main web interface.

Step 1: Log in to the DCUI

By default, the screen is locked.

1. Press (F2)to Customize System/View Logs.
2. A login prompt will appear.
3. Enter the rootusername.
4. Enter the strong passwordyou created during Phase 2.
5. Press (Enter).

You will now see the "System Customization" menu.

Step 2: Configure the Management Network (Static IP)

This is the most critical step. By default, your server will try to get an IP address from DHCP. For a server, this is unreliable. We must set a Static IP address.

1. Using the arrow keys, go down to "Configure Management Network" and press (Enter).
2. In this menu, select "IPv4 Configuration".
3. The default is "Use dynamic IPv4 address...".
4. Press the (spacebar) to select "Set static IPv4 address and network configuration".
5. Enter the following details provided by ServerMO:

   IPv4 Address	Your server's main static IP.
   Subnet Mask	(e.g., 255.255.255.0)
   Default Gateway	Your network's gateway IP.

6. Press (Enter) to accept.

Step 3: Configure DNS

Now, let's tell ESXi how to resolve domain names (like google.com).

1. From the "Configure Management Network" menu, select "DNS Configuration".
2. Select "Use the following DNS server addresses and hostname".
3. Enter the following:

   Primary DNS Server	1.1.1.1 (Cloudflare) or 8.8.8.8 (Google) are good public choices.
   Alternate DNS Server	1.0.0.1 or 8.8.4.4
   Hostname	Give your server a unique name (e.g., esxi-host-01).

4. Press (Enter) to accept.

Step 4: Restart the Management Network

The changes we made are not active yet. We need to apply them.

1. Press (Esc) to exit the "Configure Management Network" menu.
2. A confirmation box will appear: "Apply changes and restart management network?".
3. Press (Y) to confirm.

The network will restart (this takes a few seconds). You should now see your new Static IP address on the main DCUI screen.

Step 5: Test Your Configuration

Let's make sure your server can reach the internet.

1. From the main "System Customization" menu, select "Test Management Network".
2. It will automatically try to ping your Default Gateway and DNS servers.
3. You should see "OK" next to all three tests.
4. If it fails, double-check the IP/Subnet/Gateway you entered in Step 2.
5. Press (Enter) to finish the test.

Step 6: Access the vSphere Host Client (Web Interface)

You are finished with the text-based DCUI! You can now close your IPMI/KVM console window.

1. Open a new tab in your web browser (like Chrome or Firefox).
2. Type https:// followed by the Static IP address you just set.
   • Example: https://192.168.1.10
3. Your browser will show a "Your connection is not private" warning. This is normal. The server is using a "self-signed" certificate.
4. Click "Advanced" and then "Proceed to [your IP address] (unsafe)".
5. You will now see the beautiful VMware ESXi login screen.
6. Log in with:
   • Username:root
   • Password:(the strong password you created during installation)

Phase 4 :Final Host Configuration (Datastores & SSH)

Welcome to the VMware vSphere Host Client! This is your main dashboard for managing your server. Before you can create your first Virtual Machine, we have two critical tasks:

1. Create a Datastore:This is the storage "drive" where your VMs will live.
2. Enable SSH:This gives you command-line access for advanced management.

Step 1: Create Your First VMFS Datastore

In Phase 2, we installed ESXi on a small drive. Now, we need to format your other large, high-speed drives (the NVMe or SSDs you bought your server for) so ESXi can use them to store VMs.

1. In the left-hand menu (called the "Navigator"), click on "Storage".
2. You will likely see one small datastore already (e.g., datastore1) which is on the same drive as your ESXi OS. We want to create a new one.
3. Click the "New datastore" button.
4. A 3-step wizard will appear. Select "Create new VMFS datastore" and click "Next".
5. Select device: You will now see a list of available drives. Select the large, fast drive you want to use for your VMs.
   • Partitioning: Choose "Use full disk". This will erase everything on that drive and format it for ESXi.
   • Click "Next".
6. Finish:
   • Give your datastore a clear, descriptive name (e.g., nvme-datastore-01 or ssd-storage-fast).
   • Click "Next".
   • A summary screen will appear. Click "Finish".

It will take a few moments. You will now see your new, large datastore in the list, ready to hold your VMs!

Step 2: Enable SSH (For Advanced Management)

Sometimes, you'll need command-line access to your host for advanced troubleshooting (like restarting agents or managing files). This is done via SSH (Secure Shell).

1. In the Navigator, click on "Host".
2. In the center pane, click "Manage".
3. Click the "Services" tab.
4. You will see a list of services. Scroll down and find "TSM-SSH" (which stands for Tech Support Mode - SSH). Its status will be "Stopped".
5. Click on "TSM-SSH" one time to highlight it.
6. Click the "Start" button on the toolbar. The service will start.

You can now use a client like PuTTY (on Windows) or the Terminal (on macOS/Linux) to connect to your server's IP address using your root user and password.

Phase 5 :Conclusion & Your Next Steps

Congratulations! You have successfully transformed a bare-metal ServerMO dedicated server into a fully functional virtualization host.

Let's quickly review what you've accomplished:

Your ESXi host is now a blank canvas, ready for you to build and run your virtual machines.

What to Do Next?

Your journey doesn't end here. Here are the most common next steps to take with your new ESXi server:

1. Create Your First Virtual Machine:This is the most exciting part. You can now install a guest operating system (like Windows Server, Ubuntu, or CentOS) as a VM.
   • How: Go to the "Virtual Machines" tab and click "Create / Register VM". The wizard will guide you through allocating CPU, RAM, and storage (from the datastore you just created).
2. Understand Virtual Networking (vSwitches):Your ESXi host uses virtual switches (vSwitches) to manage how your VMs connect to the physical network. The default vSwitch0 is great for getting started, but you'll soon want to create more.
3. Set Up Advanced Networking with pfSense:Want to run your VMs behind a secure, powerful firewall? You can install pfSense (a popular open-source firewall) as a VM. This allows you to create isolated networks for your VMs, set up VPNs, and have total control over your traffic.
4. Secure Your ESXi Host:We enabled SSH, but for long-term security, there's more you can do. This includes setting up the ESXi firewall, managing user permissions, and configuring network isolation.