VxRail Deployment

VxRail is the hyperconverged system fully integrated with VMware Cloud Foundation SDDC Manager. Host and deploy traditional and modern applications on a single infrastructure.

Before deployment you should have your network sorted. Please refer to this network guide :

Configure your network:

  1. Management Network – Native VLAN = ID 0
  2. Private Management Network – VLAN ID = 3939
  3. Private VM Network – VLAN ID = 3939
  4. VM Network – Native VLAN = ID 0
  5. iDRAC Network – Native VLAN = ID 0

One on the nodes is a Master Node with VxRail Manager running on it:

  1. Run this command: esxcli vm process list 
  2. The output should be like this:

DEPLOYMENT:

On the Master node set up the IP address for GUI installation by running this command: 

vxrail-primary --setup --vxrail-address <IP-Address-for-vxrail-mgmt> --vxrail-netmask <subnet-mask> --vxrail-gateway <GW-IP> --no-roll-back --verbose

NOTE: verbose is not mandatory switch but will allow you to see the changes

NOTE: Few VMs (vCenter, PSC, vRNI) will be deployed automatically however if you are not going to use them they will be destroyed. Simply do not mind them and continue with deployment

Once VxRail manager starts:

  • Go to a web browser
  • Type in IP provided in the previous step
  • If privacy warning  shows, go to Advance and continue to the website 
  • The welcome page of VxRail will show up 
  • Click “Get Started”
  • Accept End-User Licence Agreement (of course after reading it)

CONFIGURATION:

After EULA we can start to configure VxRail.

Firstly we need to chose what type of cluster we are going to run. 

We are going for VxRail Cluster

The system will scan for VxRail nodes it may take a few minutes

In meantime, we need to prepare vCenter: vCenter preparation for VxRail deployment

Now once vCenter is ready and the scan completed we can continue.

  • Confirm that we want to configure listed VxRail nodes 
  • Click NEXT
  • Choose configuration method
  • We picked step-by-step
  • Click NEXT

SYSTEM:

  • Provide NTP server IP
  • NIC configuration
  • Click NEXT

NETWORKS:

  • Provide Domain → angrysysops.com
  • Provide Hostnames : 
    • provide prefix → for example angry-rail-n
    • provide iterator like Num 00X
  • Provide IP range for all nodes
  • Check the option to join the existing vCenter Server
  • Fill out the information required to join vCenter  

NOTE: username for vCenter MUST be administrator@vsphere.local and for vCenter Server management username → vxrailmgmt@vsphere.local

  • Fill out the information for VxRail Manager
  • Fill out Management network information: Subnet mask, gateway, DNS Server.

NOTE: Management Network VLAN ID is 0

  • Go NEXT

VSPHERE VMOTION:

  • Fill out the information for vSphere vMotion
  • Go NEXT

VSAN:

  • Fill out the information for vSAN
  • Go NEXT

VM NETWORKS:

  • Fill out the information
  • Go NEXT

SOLUTIONS:

  • Fill out the information for the Syslog server
  • Go NEXT

ACCOUNTS:

  • Fill out the information for the VxRail Manager account – new password
  • Fill out the information for the “mystic” account – new password
  • Fill out the information for ESXi accounts  
    • New password for the root account
    • New account “esximanager” with the new password
  • Go NEXT
  • Go VALIDATE

NOTE: Validation will take a few minutes. Please wait patiently, and do NOT move between pages in the user interface.

Once validation is done we are ready to build VxRail

  • Download JSON file as we will need it on the later stage
  • Click on the BUILD VXRAIL button 

The process may take about 45 minutes.

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