VMware ESXi 7.0 Tutorial: Creating Virtual Machines using the ESXi Host Client

1. Introduction to VMware ESXi 7.0

VMware ESXi is a bare-metal hypervisor that provides the foundation for building and managing virtualized environments. ESXi 7.0 includes a built-in web interface called the ESXi Host Client, allowing for direct management of virtual machines from a browser.

2. Create a Virtual Machine

a. Starting the New VM Wizard:

1. After logging into the ESXi Host Client, click on “Virtual Machines” in the left-hand pane.
2. Click the “Create/Register VM” button.

b. Configuring the VM:

1. Choose “Create a new virtual machine” and click “Next”.
2. Provide a name for your VM.
3. Set compatibility (typically, you can leave this as the default).
4. Choose the guest OS family and specific version (e.g., “Windows” and “Windows 10”).
5. Select the datastore, which is where all the operating system images are located.
6. When configuring the VM’s hardware settings, under disk storage, select “Raid” and not “datastore”. Remember, the datastore is specifically reserved for storing operating system images. Adjust other settings like the number of CPUs and memory amount as needed.
7. Optionally, you can add other devices or additional hardware features.

c. Completing the VM Creation:

1. Review your settings to ensure everything is correct.
2. Click “Finish” to create the VM.

3. Start, Stop, and Manage the VM

a. Start a VM:

1. In the Virtual Machines tab, click on your VM.
2. Click the “Power On” button (green triangle) at the top.

b. Stop a VM:

1. Click on your VM.
2. To gracefully shut it down, click the “Shutdown Guest OS” button. If you need to force a shutdown, click the “Power Off” button.

c. Delete a VM:

1. Ensure the VM is powered off.
2. Click on your VM.
3. Right-click and select “Delete from Disk” to remove the VM configuration and its associated files.

4. Conclusion

This tutorial guided you through creating and managing virtual machines using VMware ESXi 7.0’s ESXi Host Client. Emphasizing the distinction between “Raid” for VM storage and “datastore” for OS images ensures proper resource management. Always refer to VMware’s official documentation for detailed guidance and remember to backup any important data before making changes.