ESXi 5.1 – Nesting Microsoft Hyper-V 2012 On ESXi Free
Introduction
This article provides the steps required to create a Microsoft Hyper-V Server 2012 server as a nested Hypervisor on ESXi 5.1 with Update 1 installed and without vCenter.
The procedure to create a nested Hyper-V 2012 server on ESXi 5.1 consists of the following steps :-
- Creating The Virtual Machine
- Upgrading The Virtual Machine Hardware To Version 9
- Modifying The VMX Configuration File
Creating The Virtual Machine
The first step to create in nesting Microsoft Hyper-V Server 2012 on ESXi 5.1 Update 1 is to create the Virtual Machine by performing the following steps :-
- Connect to the ESXi host using the vSphere Client
- Righ Click on the server name and select New Virtual Machine
- Select Custom for the Configuration type and then click on Next
- When prompted enter the Name you wish for the new Virtual Machine and then click on Next
- When prompted select the Datastore you wish the Virtual Machine to reside on and then click on Next
- Leave the Virtual Machine Version as 8 and then click on Next
- When prompted for the Guest Operating System click on Next as we will change it in the VMX Configuration File later
- When prompted select the amount of Virtual Sockets and Cores Per Socket you require and then click on Next
- When prompted select the amount of Memory you require and then click on Next
- When prompted configure the Network Cards you require and then click on Next
- When prompted configure the SCSI Controller as LSI Logic SAS and then click on Next
- When promtped configure the Disks you require and then click on Next
- When prompted change to change the Virtual Disk Node click on Next
- At the Ready To Complete screen click on Finish to create the new Virtual Machine
Upgrading the Virtual Machine Hardware To Version 9
Once the Virtual Machine has been created the next step is to upgrade the Virtual Machine Hardware to Version 9 by performing the following steps :-
- In the vSpere Client Right Click on the newly created Virtual Machine and select Upgrade Virtual_Hardware
Modifying The VMX Configuration File
Once the Virtual Machine Hardware has been upgraded to Version 9 the next step is to edit the VMX Configuration File by performing the following steps :-
- Connect to the ESXi Server through SSH and logon as the root user
- Navigate to the Virtual Machine folder on the ESXi Server :-
cd /vmfs/volumes/{Datastore Name}/{Virtual Machine Name}
E.G. cd /vmfs/volumes/DataStore1/Hyper-V-VM
- Edit the vmx file for the Virtual Machine using vi :-
vi {Virtual Machine Name}
E.G. vi Hyper-V-VM.vmx
- Search and locate the string guestOS
- Change the contents of the setting to winhyperv :-
guestOS = “winhyperv”
- Save and exit the file
Once the three steps above have been performed you should then be able to power on the VM and install Microsoft Hyper-V 2008 R2 or 2012 Server.