24PinTech Wiki - User contributions [en]

Midgard/TrueNAS

2024-04-26T18:04:07Z

KDurovka: Updated server system info

''This page is a work in progress. It is near completion. Hopefully...''
== System Information ==
====== '''Overview''' ======
- System information as stated in the TrueNAS dashboard (accessible at 10.21.25.10).
* '''CPU:''' 2x Intel® Xeon® CPU E5-2620 v4 @ 2.10GHz
* '''RAM:''' 128GiB DDR4 Multi-bit ECC (max. installable capacity 1536GiB)
* '''OS:''' FreeBSD 13.0-U3 x86-64
* '''Storage:''' 1.4TiB Server Storage and 9 1TiB HDDs
**1 | 931.51GiB Disk (boot-pool)
**7 | 931.51GiB Disks (PinTech-pool)
== What is Midgard? ==
====== Information ======
- Back in the good old days of UnRaid, Midgard served as the backup server for all 24PinTech related data. Today, with the recent installation of TrueNAS, Midgard will serve as the backup server for all 24PinTech related data. As of writing this page, we will have attempted to host a Minecraft server (with the approval of Chamberlain) on Midgard, alongside the backups.
====== '''Message To The Future''' ======
- If you're reading this guide, then either you're curious about how Midgard works, or Chamberlain has tasked you to reinstall Midgard with a software of his choosing. This page serves to showcase the following:
* Installation
* Network Configuration
* Active Directory
* Pools
* Backups
* Virtual Machines
* Minecraft
- Please refer to [[Midgard/UnRaid]] for steps on how to install UnRaid to the Midgard server.
== What is TrueNAS? ==
====== '''Information''' ======
- TrueNAS is essentially the free open-sourced version of UnRaid. It's functionality and purpose remains the same, however the dashboard in my opinion looks much better. For the purposes of this guide and the fact that we only have one server, we will be using TrueNAS CORE, formally known as FreeNAS.
== How to configure Shares ==
====== '''Steps''' (additional info at the bottom) ======
# From the '''Dashboard''' go to '''Storage>Pools''' then click '''ADD''' select '''"create new pool" >''' then '''name the pool''' and '''select the disks''' you want to use > after that you can press '''create>create pool'''
# Go to '''Sharing> Windows Shares (SMB)''' (or choose the type of share you would like to create) '''>''' Click '''ADD >''' select the path to your pool '''/mnt/POOLNAME/SHARENAME''' ex: /mnt/Backups/ Cisco Curriculum

Backup Procedures

2024-04-25T17:40:53Z

KDurovka: spelling and server name

==How to back up Fenrir(10.21.25.3) and Friia (10.21.25.4) manually==
This is how we back up our two Windows servers to an external drive.
#Get the external drive labelled "server backups" from the middle drawer on the left of chamberlains desk.
#Take the drive into the back room and remove the guard on the server labelled Valhalla and plug the drive into the right USB port.
#On a computer in the classroom use chrome and type "10.21.25.2" into the address bar. The log in for ESXI is the same for your log in for class. (Server Admin accounts only)
#Go to virtual machines and click on "Odin" click on "Edit" and click on "Add other device" and then "USB device" select Western Digital My Passport 25E2. Press save and click on the window of the virtual machine to be taken to Odins desktop.
#Click on "Actions" and then "Guest OS" "Send Keys" and "ctrl-alt-del" and log in using your profile in class. (Server Admin accounts only)
#Use the start menu and type "Windows Server Backup" open it.
#The Snap-in on the left has the option to to perform "Local Backup" the snap in on the right has an option to backup select it and go through the menu that pops up and select the following options "Backup Once, Different options, Full server, local drive select "my passport" and hit backup.
#After backup is finished go back to 10.21.25.2 and click on Odin then "Edit" and press the small x next to the hard drive. Put the hard drive in chamberlains desk when you are finished.
#For Friia do the exact same process.
===Automated Backups===
The following command will create a Task Scheduler task named '''''WeeklySystemStateBackup''''' that runs every Saturday ( '''''SAT''''' ) at '''''19:00 (7 pm).''''' This task will run ''WEEKLY'' with the ''HIGHEST'' privileges. It will run the Windows Server Backup CLI to backup ''SYSTEMSTATEBACKUP'' to target volume "E" (Volume E is a physical hard drive in the back on the server called "my passport")
Schtasks /Create /SC weekly /D SAT /TN WeeklySystemsStateBackup /ST 19:00 /TR “wbadmin start systemstatebackup -backupTarget: E:”
This can also be ran manually via the task scheduler.
==Restore Windows Server Backup on ESXi==
The following process was used to restore a backup of our production server Odin which is a active directory server with DNS, DHCP, Print, and other services. In the process you will have to use DRSM (Directory Service Restore Mode) if you are trying to restore a server running Active Directory because if you try in normal Windows mode you'll encounter an error. The restored version of the VM may encounter some errors you may have to fix but it should sort itself out. This may be just because you are restoring an older machine so whatever it's running that's synced may get confused. The following steps guide you through this process:
#Grab a backup of the Windows Server you are trying to restore
#Go to one of our ESXi machines and create a new VM with the necessary requirements for the machine you want to restore. In our case we are trying to restore a Windows Server 2019 Domain Controller so we gave it 100 GB of storage, 4 CPUs, and 8 GB of memory.
#Do basic setup of the machine and once it is installed you want to add the Windows Server Backup Feature
#Once done you have to boot the Server back into Directory Service Restore Mode (A type of safe mode.) To do this run msconfig by either right clicking the start menu or doing Win+R.
#Go over to the Boot Tab and check the following two checks, Safe mode and DSRM (Directory Service Restore Mode.) Follow the prompt and restart the computer.
#Once the computer has booted into DRSM open Windows Server Backup and run the restore command.
#Follow the prompts depending on where your backup is stored and what server you are trying to restore.
#When asked what files you want to restore, do System State if you are trying to restore an entire machine or one of the other options if you are trying to restore certain files.
#Go ahead and check the Active Directory Replication check mark and continue on.
#The restoration process should start and once done the computer will have to restart, it will restart into DRSM. You’ll have to go back into msconfig and uncheck the safe mode option and restart the computer again.
#The computer should reboot into the restored version of the machine, there may be some errors or active directory issues but those should sort themselves out. This is just because you are restoring an older version of a machine and the active directory is confused.
==How to back up Logan_Web (10.21.25.11) Manually==
Step One; The first and most essential step to backing up Logan_Web onto the Fog server is to register it to the Fog server itself, in order to be able to perform the process. If not already completed, this can be performed by doing a full host registration. Begin this by logging into the Fog server (http://10.21.25.29/fog) and selecting the 'Images' tab. Create a new image, and name it accordingly to what is required. Once completed, you're going to find Logan and select it. Before booting into the device, make sure to head into the 'Actions' tab near the top and choose to Edit settings. On the first tab, the Virtual Hardware, make sure that the ability to connect with the NIC is available; as this is how we'll be PXI booting. Then, head into the VM settings and expand the 'Boot Options' category. Scroll for just a moment and select the option to force the device to boot into BIOS. Once accomplished, go into the boot settings of the BIOS and move 'Ethernet' to the top of the list. Continue the booting process, and do not forget to rearrange the Boot Order at a later date. Once you are prompted with a menu, select 'Full Host Registration'

Hostname: Dev_Logan

logging into the Fog server (http://10.21.25.29/fog) and selecting the 'Hosts' tab. Search this list of servers for 'dev_logan', as this is the server we're going to be backing up. Select the 'Capture' option on 'dev_logan', and once completed, the next time that Logan is PXI booted through ethernet it'll be automatically pulled and backed up.

Step Two; Once this request to pull the image from Logan has gone through, the next step is to boot into Logan to perform the backup. Head to https://10.21.25.8/ui/#/login and logon to the ESXi device. Once completed, you're going to find Logan again and select it. Before booting into the device, make sure to head into the 'Actions' tab near the top and choose to Edit settings. On the first tab, the Virtual Hardware, make sure that the ability to connect with the NIC is available; as this is how we'll be PXI booting. Then, head into the VM settings and expand the 'Boot Options' category. Scroll for just a moment and select the option to force the device to boot into BIOS.

Step Three; When ready

Step Two; Once the request has been sent over and has gone through, you'll need to pull the image from the Fog server onto Logan. This can be done by 'Pxi Booting', as in, taking it off of the network by booting from Ethernet. By doing this, you'll be initiating the booting process in such a way that the image will begin its installation. You can 'Pxi Boot' a system by going into the boot menu while the device is starting up, and selecting the Ethernet option. The actual process of this may be more complicated, and you can get more insight into it *here*. (Possibly hyperlink to another article if existing, if not then write a short section on it here.)

Step Three; Coming to the end now, the final step in your process will be to store the image you've just used in the UnRAID Server, for future usage and documentation. This can be done by first logging into the UnRAID server and then navigating your way to

Step Four; Verify full system functionality as any good technician in 24PinTech should, and then your task should be complete.
==How to back up Fog images (automatic)==
====Installing rsync====
Access fog and log into the console with the admin account. Open the terminal and run the following command to install rsync. We need to run this command as sudo to grant the user the same security privileges as the superuser.

<code>sudo apt install rsync</code>
====Checking/creating ssh keys====
To automate these backups, we need to be able to login without a password by creating ssh keys. First, you should check if these already keys exist using the following command.

<code>ls -al ~/.ssh/id_*.pub</code>

If the keys don't exist, they should be created using the following command. When prompted for a password press enter to set it to no password.

<code>ssh -keygen -t rsa</code>

This key also needs to be on the destination so the key should be copied to Midgard using the following command.

<code>ssh-copy-id -i ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub [/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection <nowiki>[email protected]</nowiki>]</code>
====Automatic backups====
To automate backups, we need to use cron and create a cronjob.

<code>crontab -e</code>

We want it to run once a month so we will set beginning part of the command to run monthly. The first number represents the minute, second is hour, third is day, fourth is month, and fifth is day of the week. We also need to add the rsync command after to backup up the fog images to the backups folder on Midgard. This will now backup the fog images at the beginning of every month.

<code>0 0 1 * * rsync -e 'ssh -p 22' -avp /images/ 10.21.25.13:/mnt/user0/Backups/Fog_Images/</code>
==Old manual back up procedures==
===Server Backup Information===
This process will be followed every week we are in session to make sure that all of our backups are properly configured. With our current NAS setup, we have created a script that run every week that schedules weekly backups. Backups will start at 9pm on their set day of the week.
=== Schedule ===
Server Backups only happen once a week at 9:00PM

Monday - Loki

Tuesday - Logan

Wednesday - Surtr

Thursday - freyr
===Server Folder Names (NAS Server) ===*Loki - LOKI_Backup
*Logan - LOGAN_Backup
*surtr - SURTR_Backup
*freyr - freyr_Backup
=== Creating Backups ===
Remote desktop into the server you need to backup.*[http://wiki.24pin.tech/index.php?title=Loki Loki] - 10.21.25.3
*[http://wiki.24pin.tech/index.php?title=Logan Logan] - 10.21.25.10

*Surtr - 10.21.25.2
*freyr - 10.21.25.5
Backup steps:
# To use remote desktop click the windows button and search, or use windows + r and run mstsc.exe.
# On the server manager, click tools and search for Windows Server Backup. (if it's not there you may need to install the feature.)
# Once opened, click backup schedule and then make a new backup schedule, and click next.
# We back up the servers to the NAS Server so you need to set the backup location to \\10.21.25.16\(ServerShareFolderName).
# Continue through setup and complete backup.
# Check throughout the day to make sure the scheduled backup is working properly.
=== '''Restoration''' ===
This is the process to restore from a backup. Windows Server must be able to boot and access the backup program. You can reinstall Windows Server and then use the backup program on the new install to restore.
# Open Windows Server Backup and click "Recover..." on the right pane.
# Choose the option for "A backup stored on another location" and click next. Then choose shared folder.
# Type in the location of the backup, which is \\10.21.25.16\(ServerFolderNameHere) to find the folder name go to the NAS configuration web interface or use another computer to access the NAS in file explorer to view folders.
# Select the latest backup date where the server was working properly.
# Then choose what type of recovery you want, then click next. Then choose specific items to recover from within the recovery type, and click next again.
# Specify your final recovery options, which will depend on which type of recovery and what items you want to recover.
# Confirm, and ensure the recovery worked properly by ensuring full system functionality.
===Cannot find specified route===
If Windows Server Backup gives you an error about the backup not being able to reach the specified remote folder, it means the NAS has disconnected from the NAS server and needs to be reconnected to Active Directory.

'''Solution:'''
# Login to the NAS by going to 10.21.25.16 in a browser, and logging in as an admin.
# Navigate the options at the top until you find the settings button.
# Go to the network tab on the left, and then scroll down to Windows Services.
# Click the configure link next to the Active Directory on switch. The login is install, install and use [http://wiki.24pin.tech/index.php?title=CISCOACA.local CISCOACA.local] as the domain name. 10.21.25.3 is the DNS server. Make sure the Active Directory switch is on. Make sure it says connected to [http://wiki.24pin.tech/index.php?title=CISCOACA.local CISCOACA.local] underneath it.
# Try the backup again.

#

Freyr

2024-04-18T17:48:01Z

KDurovka: title revert

==General Overview==
Freyr (10.21.25.5) is a backup server for Logan. It primarily functions as a backup for [[Logan]] which is our print server, BDC (backup domain controller), host our DHCP/DNS backups and is our LEMP (NGINX) server.
==System Information==
*Processor: Intel Xeon E5620 @2.40 GHz (16CPUs)
*Memory: 48.0 GB DDR3
*Storage: HP LOGICAL VOLUME SCSI Disk
*System Model: ProLiant DL 360G7
==Services==
* Hyper-V Manager
* NGINX
* DHCP (Backup)
* DNS(Backup)
== Programs ==

Freyr

2024-04-18T17:47:00Z

KDurovka: title

{{DISPLAYTITLE:Freyr (Retired)}}

==General Overview==
Freyr (10.21.25.5) is a backup server for Logan. It primarily functions as a backup for [[Logan]] which is our print server, BDC (backup domain controller), host our DHCP/DNS backups and is our LEMP (NGINX) server.
==System Information==
*Processor: Intel Xeon E5620 @2.40 GHz (16CPUs)
*Memory: 48.0 GB DDR3
*Storage: HP LOGICAL VOLUME SCSI Disk
*System Model: ProLiant DL 360G7
==Services==
* Hyper-V Manager
* NGINX
* DHCP (Backup)
* DNS(Backup)
== Programs ==

FOG

2024-02-29T17:36:45Z

KDurovka: Grammar edit

==Initial Setup==
Format and install Ubuntu 17.04 on the computer that will be hosting the FOG Server (or whatever version of Linux you prefer). You can download it [https://www.ubuntu.com/download here].
==Installing FOG==
Download FOG (it is recommended that you get the latest version from [https://fogproject.org/download here]).

Run these commands in the download directory ''(this requires an internet connection)'': <code>tar -xzvf FOG_FILENAME_HERE.tar.gz && cd FOG_FILENAME_HERE/bin && sudo ./install.sh</code>

''TIP: After starting the install command <code>(sudo ./install.sh)</code>, don’t cancel while the installation is in progress as some files will remain and may cause issues when trying to install later.''

''TIP: If you need some help with the early steps that are not mentioned here go to this video -'' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uleFAPmCo7Y
==Configuring Your FOG Installation==
The last command will initialize the install process, which is fairly straightforward. If you need help with the install process, or are using a different OS, visit the FOG wiki: [https://wiki.fogproject.org/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page]. Some of the settings require you know the basics of your network setup, so it will vary depending on the network.

More info on installation specifically can be found here: [https://wiki.fogproject.org/wiki/index.php?title=Installation FOG Official Install Guide]
===Setting up FOG to be Used on Another Network===
FOG when installing will automatically pull the network information from the network adapter you tell it that you would like to use. To configure FOG to be used on another network, during the start of the install your network adapter will need to be configured with the settings of the other network. It will seem wrong, as you will have no internet (or limited access) but it is the only way to trick FOG.

Then once you reach the point to where you have configured all of your settings, it will show all of the settings and ask if you'd like to continue the installation with those settings. '''Before typing y to continue''' you must have internet access. So you must set your network adapter to work with your current network, as the rest of the install will be pulling necessary files and programs from the internet. '''Even if the dependencies are already installed''' you must have internet and follow all the way through the install, as it does internet connectivity tests and does not create all of the necessary FOG, MySQL, and database files until the very end.

'''If you have installed before, and now want to move to a new network''' you need to remove the /opt/fog folder. Do so by running the command: <code>sudo rm -r /opt/fog</code> this will remove the old installation configuration information, but will keep all important things like your images, just follow the directions for setting up FOG for another network if you want to set it up for a different network you are not on, or do the normal installation on the new network.
==Access the FOG GUI==
This can be done by opening a browser tab on any computer on the same network by typing the IP of the FOG server and ending it with /fog.
There you can access the settings and manage images and accounts.

For example: 10.21.25.29/fog
==DHCP Setup==
In order for Fog to work correctly you will need to make some adjustments to the Scope Options in DHCP. You will need to do two settings for both BIOS and UEFI machines using scope options 66 and 67. I have included a picture of the scope settings on our server.
[[File:DHCP Scope Options Fog.png|left|thumb|520x520px]]
Here are some helpful links from the Fog Wiki to assist you.

[https://wiki.fogproject.org/wiki/index.php?title=BIOS_and_UEFI_Co-Existence BIOS and UEFI Co-Existence]

[https://wiki.fogproject.org/wiki/index.php?title=Windows_DHCP_Server Windows DHCP Server]
==PXE Booting Your Computer==
You will need to access the BIOS and turn on network boot if not already enabled, and enable legacy network boot if available for better compatibility. You may need to turn off the secure boot setting depending on the device.
==Registering==
To register computers, you must PXE boot them into FOG, and it recommended that you use full host registration. Then follow the on screen steps to register your device. The registration process itself remains the same across all devices, but PXE booting will be different across devices.
==Updating a FOG Imaging Server==
This will be a quick rundown of how to update a FOG imaging server, and how to fix some common issues you may run into while doing so.
This was written for the Linux version of FOG (specifically Ubuntu) it may be different on other Linux distros and is very different. If you are running a Windows version of FOG, at the time of writing that is not officially supported by FOG Project, so you are pretty much on your own for now.
===The Initial Steps===
If you are updating to a newer FOG version, you need to download the appropriate fog_x.x.x.tar.gz file (if you are new to Linux tar.gz files are basically a .zip, .rar, or .7zip in Windows). You will the need to run this set of commands to unzip it and run the install script inside of it. If you have installed FOG before, this is the same process and doing an installation, just the install file uses your existing FOG server settings and only changes the files that it needs to (so don't worry it's not a total reinstall everything will still be there).

[https://fogproject.org/download FOG Download]

''(this requires an internet connection and must be run in the Downloads directory)'':

<code>tar -xzvf fog_x.x.x.tar.gz
cd fog_x.x.x/bin
sudo ./install.sh</code>

The install.sh file as you can see must be run as sudo or root to be able to properly install, so you will need the password for that level of access if necessary.

The script will run, and may ask you to confirm your current settings, and will update FOG and it's dependencies to the latest version accordingly. A restart of the host afterwards is recommended.

More info on an initial install can be found here: [https://wiki.fogproject.org/wiki/index.php?title=Installation FOG Official Install Guide]
===Kernel Updates===
After you update FOG you will need to update the kernel that fog uses for the bzimage and bzimage32. These files are what the computers and devices PXE booting from the server will use to boot, and the newer versions add compatibility for newer devices (such as ones with finicky UEFI BIOS'). To update the kernel you will need to open the FOG management console (either by localhost/fog on the host machine or by the IP address you set to it on another machine with /fog). You will then click on the wrench in the top right to get to the FOG Configuration page. On the right there is a kernel update link you need to click on. Then there will be a list of kernels available if your kernel is not up to date. You will need to install two kernels, both the latest version. The ones at the top will be the latest, so click download button (big green downward arrow) below the first kernel labeled x86_64. You can rename the kernel, but for most instances that is unnecessary so click next and it will update. Repeat this for a x64 kernel.

More info on kernel updates can be found here: [https://wiki.fogproject.org/wiki/index.php?title=Kernel_Update Official FOG Kernel Update Guide]
==Imaging Microsoft Surfaces (Surface Pro 2) with FOG==
Here are the details for making a FOG server work with Surface Pros and other devices that might be particular in the same way:
===PXE Booting Your Surface Pro 2===
To PXE boot a Microsoft surface you must first disable secure boot. This can be done by holding the volume up button and holding power, and releasing the power button when the Surface screen is displayed. Then click on the secure boot option and click disable then save and exit.

To PXE boot the Microsoft surface, you then hold down the volume down button and power at the same time. Once the Surface screen is displayed, release the power button. Then the PXE boot screen will come up. (make sure it is connected to a network via ethernet adapter before PXE booting)

When the FOG menu pops up, you can capture an image to use for the rest of the surfaces.
===More Information on Surfaces and Other Special Device Booting===
The IPXE protocol version used by Microsoft surfaces is only supported by the latest versions of FOG. Version 1.4.4 (September 2017) is what was used for this, along with the surface pro 2 tablets, and this used a windows 8 Pro installation (as windows 10 is not natively supported by the original surfaces). FOG was installed on a small computer inside of the Ubuntu 17.04 OS. If you are going to use computers such as these (ones with UEFI or very custom BIOS') then you must use the latest version possible of FOG.

If you have any errors with DHCP and UEFI, I recommend looking [https://wiki.fogproject.org/wiki/index.php?title=BIOS_and_UEFI_Co-Existence here].
==Troubleshooting==
Here are different solutions we have found to various FOG problems that you may encounter:
==="What if FOG is blocked?" (During Installation)===
If the download fails during the install process, check your proxy settings on your network or ask your network administrator if it is blocked. If so, have the admin allow access, use a VPN (with proper permission), or take it to another network.

(If installed on another network, once it is moved to another network all IP settings for the server will need to be reconfigured. If it is installed on the same network it is being used on, then skip the next step)

(only do this if installed on a different network than it will be used on, or if there are IP configuration errors.)
Look through all of the settings in the FOG server gui, and make sure all things that reference IP addresses are properly configured for your network. This varies by FOG version and type of install, so it is a tedious but necessary process. Then, you will need to edit the fog configuration file, which you can find by checking the wiki as it’s location varies by OS and FOG version. You will also need to edit the dhcpd.conf file and the network config settings of the Ubuntu operating system to have the correct IP config settings. (This may vary by Ubuntu version, or linux version, so check the wiki and the proper documentation for that OS).
===TFTP Errors===
The error looks like this or something similar depending on configuration:

[[File:ftp_put_error.jpg|550px]]

If you get a tftp or ftp_put() error when trying to update the kernel, these are the solutions we've found:

'''Solution 1: Credentials'''

There are a few different places where FOG uses credentials to manage different files using the fog user account. If the credentials mismatch in any of the places, some functionality will not work. In total there are four different places where those credentials should match (on a standard installation at least, if you need it different you know what you are doing and probably don't need this).
The places where credentials need to match can be found in these places:
*Web Interface -> Storage Management -> [Your storage node] -> Management Username & Management Password
*Web Interface -> FOG Configuration -> FOG Settings -> TFTP Server -> FOG_TFTP_FTP_USERNAME & FOG_TFTP_FTP_PASSWORD
*The local 'fog' user's password on the Linux FOG server
*Server file: /opt/fog/.fogsettings -> username and password settings (For recent FOG Trunk versions only. 1.2.0 does not have this setting. 1.3.0 and newer versions at the time of writing will contain this.)
The first two are easy to check, just use the FOG web interface using a web browser on the host or a machine on the same network.

The fog user password can be changed by using the command:

<code>sudo passwd fog</code>

The server file can be edited using vim in the Linux terminal:

<code>vi /opt/fog/.fogsettings</code>

(More info on vim or vi can be found [https://wiki.fogproject.org/wiki/index.php?title=Vi here].

Official FOG documentation on this issue can be found [https://wiki.fogproject.org/wiki/index.php?title=Troubleshoot_FTP#Credentials_.2F_Passwords here].

'''Solution 2: Use a Kernel Install Script'''

If the first solution doesn't fix the problem, then this probably will. This solution is to manually install the kernel update through a script in the terminal, and as long as you have the correct permissions and a somewhat new version of Linux (CentOS 7+, Fedora 19+, RHEL 7+, Debian8+, and Ubuntu14+) this should work fine.

This script will backup the old kernel versions you already have installed in case of emergency, and will update to the newest ones. It has comments within it to make it easy to understand exactly what each step does.
<code>#Delete previous backed up kernels & inits.
rm -rf /var/www/html/fog/service/ipxe/old

#Make a directory to put old kernels & inits into.

mkdir /var/www/html/fog/service/ipxe/old

#Move old inits, get new ones.

mv /var/www/html/fog/service/ipxe/init.xz /var/www/html/fog/service/ipxe/old

wget https://fogproject.org/inits/init.xz -O /var/www/html/fog/service/ipxe/init.xz

mv /var/www/html/fog/service/ipxe/init_32.xz /var/www/html/fog/service/ipxe/old

wget https://fogproject.org/inits/init_32.xz -O /var/www/html/fog/service/ipxe/init_32.xz

#Move old kernels, get new ones.

mv /var/www/html/fog/service/ipxe/bzImage /var/www/html/fog/service/ipxe/old

wget https://fogproject.org/kernels/bzImage -O /var/www/html/fog/service/ipxe/bzImage

mv /var/www/html/fog/service/ipxe/bzImage32 /var/www/html/fog/service/ipxe/old
wget https://fogproject.org/kernels/bzImage32 -O /var/www/html/fog/service/ipxe/bzImage32</code>

<code>#Reset Ownership:</code>

<code>#Fedora, CentOS, RHEL:</code>

<code>chown -R fog:apache /var/www/html/fog/service/ipxe</code>

<code>#Ubuntu, Debian:</code>

<code>chown -R fog:www-data /var/www/html/fog/service/ipxe</code>

<code>#Set permissions:</code>

<code>chmod -R 775 /var/www/html/fog/service/ipxe</code>

<code>#Script complete.</code>

<code>echo DONE!</code>

The official FOG documentation can be found [https://wiki.fogproject.org/wiki/index.php?title=Kernel_Update here] at the bottom of the page.
===Multicast Not Working===
If after an update Multicast stops functioning, or you find it stops working at some point, this is what has worked in the past.

''Please note this will not fix any and all Multicast problems, but it did fix our issue where it would open partclone and not start the cast itself, and it showed the error <code> This is not the master node</code> in the logs for multicast''

'''Multicast Repair Step One'''

This first step may seem scary, but it will not damage any of the FOG images or files.

We are going to delete the directory /opt/fog
<code>sudo rm -r /opt/fog</code>

''(The -r is necessary to delete directories)''

Then rerun the installer by downloading the version of FOG you were using (or the latest one available if you're not using it). Then try running a multicast and see if it works. If not, move on to step two.

'''Multicast Repair Step Two'''

This step will require us to modify the MySQL tables by running some commands in the terminal. You should run <code>sudo su</code> before running the script to make things easier.

Below are the commands you will need to run:

<code>mysql</code>

<code>use fog</code>

<code>DELETE FROM `multicastSessions` WHERE 1;</code>

<code>DELETE FROM `multicastSessionsAssoc` WHERE 1;</code>

<code>DELETE FROM `tasks` WHERE `taskTypeID` = 8;</code>

<code>quit</code>

This will clear the MySQL tables. After this you will need to rerun the installer and everything should work fine from there.

The official Multicast FOG Documentation can be found [https://wiki.fogproject.org/wiki/index.php?title=Troubleshoot_Downloading_-_Multicast Here].
===For Issues You Can't Solve with This Page===
Check the [https://wiki.fogproject.org/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page FOG Project Wiki] and the [https://forums.fogproject.org/ FOG Project Forums]. These pages should solve any other issues you have, and any issues you solve that aren't on here should be properly documented here to help future 24PinTechs.
===The Sanders-Cure-All===
If there is an issue with FOG that is not easily solvable, you can follow these steps and 9/10 times it will fix it. All of these steps are found in different solutions for other problems, but done in this order can solve many common problems that seemingly can't be explained. Trust me. I've tried.

''When we run commands, they are run in the Linux terminal, and run them as sudo (that means do the command <code>sudo su</code> before running them to make it easier, if it throws an error saying not to run as sudo, then open a new terminal and don't run the sudo command first.''

'''Step One'''

First we run the manual kernel update script, to ensure that all our kernels aren't broke and are the latest version:

<code>#Delete previous backed up kernels & inits.
rm -rf /var/www/html/fog/service/ipxe/old

#Make a directory to put old kernels & inits into.

mkdir /var/www/html/fog/service/ipxe/old

#Move old inits, get new ones.

mv /var/www/html/fog/service/ipxe/init.xz /var/www/html/fog/service/ipxe/old

wget https://fogproject.org/inits/init.xz -O /var/www/html/fog/service/ipxe/init.xz

mv /var/www/html/fog/service/ipxe/init_32.xz /var/www/html/fog/service/ipxe/old

wget https://fogproject.org/inits/init_32.xz -O /var/www/html/fog/service/ipxe/init_32.xz

#Move old kernels, get new ones.

mv /var/www/html/fog/service/ipxe/bzImage /var/www/html/fog/service/ipxe/old

wget https://fogproject.org/kernels/bzImage -O /var/www/html/fog/service/ipxe/bzImage

mv /var/www/html/fog/service/ipxe/bzImage32 /var/www/html/fog/service/ipxe/old
wget https://fogproject.org/kernels/bzImage32 -O /var/www/html/fog/service/ipxe/bzImage32</code>

<code>#Reset Ownership:</code>

<code>#Fedora, CentOS, RHEL:</code>

<code>chown -R fog:apache /var/www/html/fog/service/ipxe</code>

<code>#Ubuntu, Debian:</code>

<code>chown -R fog:www-data /var/www/html/fog/service/ipxe</code>

<code>#Set permissions:</code>

<code>chmod -R 775 /var/www/html/fog/service/ipxe</code>

<code>#Script complete.</code>

<code>echo DONE!</code>

'''Step Two'''

Now we delete everything that has to do with FOG from the MySQL server. Cause MySQL hates us so we fight fire with fire.

<code>mysql</code>

<code>use fog</code>

<code>DELETE FROM `multicastSessions` WHERE 1;</code>

<code>DELETE FROM `multicastSessionsAssoc` WHERE 1;</code>

<code>DELETE FROM `tasks` WHERE `taskTypeID` = 8;</code>

<code>quit</code>

'''Step Three'''

Now we need to delete most of the FOG files that are on the server, cause FOG itself hates us to. Don't worry, it's not you, it's them.

<code>sudo rm -r /opt/fog</code>

''(This doesn't delete any settings or images don't worry''

'''Step Four'''

Now we start to reinstall FOG, because a lot of it is no longer there. '''IF THERE IS A NEWER VERSION, THIS IS A GOOD TIME TO UPGRADE. IT'S ALREADY BROKEN, AND NEWER VERSIONS HAVE GOTTEN A LOT MORE STABLE PLEASE'''

Download FOG (it is recommended that you get the latest version from [https://fogproject.org/download here]).

If there isn't a new version and the FOG files are still in the downloads folder, then you can skip this step.

'''Step Five'''

Run these commands in the download directory ''(this requires an internet connection)'': <code>tar -xzvf FOG_FILENAME_HERE.tar.gz && cd FOG_FILENAME_HERE/bin && sudo ./install.sh</code>

''TIP: After starting the install command <code>(sudo ./install.sh)</code>, don’t cancel while the installation is in progress as some files will remain and may cause issues when trying to install later.''

''PPS: It should find the old settings and try and pull some of the config. It might not. Verify all settings while running the installer.''

'''Step Six'''

Now FOG may have changed some passwords. Yeah, it can do that.

There are a few different places where FOG uses credentials to manage different files using the fog user account. If the credentials mismatch in any of the places, some functionality will not work. In total there are four different places where those credentials should match (on a standard installation at least, if you need it different you know what you are doing and probably don't need this).
The places where credentials need to match can be found in these places:
*Web Interface -> Storage Management -> [Your storage node] -> Management Username & Management Password
*Web Interface -> FOG Configuration -> FOG Settings -> TFTP Server -> FOG_TFTP_FTP_USERNAME & FOG_TFTP_FTP_PASSWORD
*The local 'fog' user's password on the Linux FOG server
*Server file: /opt/fog/.fogsettings -> username and password settings (For recent FOG Trunk versions only. 1.2.0 does not have this setting. 1.3.0 and newer versions at the time of writing will contain this.)
The first two are easy to check, just use the FOG web interface using a web browser on the host or a machine on the same network.

The fog user password can be changed by using the command:

<code>sudo passwd fog</code>

The server file can be edited using vim in the Linux terminal:

<code>vi /opt/fog/.fogsettings</code>

(More info on vim or vi can be found [https://wiki.fogproject.org/wiki/index.php?title=Vi here].

Official FOG documentation on this issue can be found [https://wiki.fogproject.org/wiki/index.php?title=Troubleshoot_FTP#Credentials_.2F_Passwords here].

'''''If you need to run as sudo and it says the password has already changed (like you can't run sudo) look at the .fogsettings file and it will contain the *new* password in plaintext. It is gonna be long and is gonna suck. If you are logged out and need to get back in, log in as guest or as another user, or boot off of a bootable linux live usb, and go to the file and take a picture of the password.'''''

'''Step Seven'''

The FOG Server may be fixed at this point, and if so yay! You're done. If it is still acting up there is more to do.

Run steps two through six again and it should work, it usually is always good after a second try. If that doesn't work you'll have to do more than the cure-all, cause every time it's gone more than two it was a more in depth issue.
==xRDP==
This is a very useful tool that is currently installed on our FOG server. This allows for any Windows user to use remote desktop to remotely control the host Linux system with full GUI support. To connect just use the FOG IP, and when prompted type in the login.

To learn more about xRDP, go to the wiki page: [[xRDP]]
==FOGBANK SERVER==
the fogbank server is the server that runs our fog server for our classroom, this computer cannot be accessed via remote desktop, you need to go into the back in order to access the computer.
*Processor: Intel Xeon CPU @2.80 CPU
*Memory:
*Storage: Samsung SSD 850 GB
*System:

Proxmox

2024-02-28T16:30:40Z

KDurovka: The name

{{DISPLAYTITLE:Proxmox (Scrapped)}}

=== Installing Proxmox ===
# Creating A Bootable USB Drive:
## Download the ISO image of the version of proxmox that you want to install from <nowiki>https://www.proxmox.com/en/downloads/category/iso-images-pve</nowiki>. For our environment we will be using Proxmox VE 7.3.
## Once the ISO has finished downloading, use rufus to create a bootable USB drive for proxmox. The drive needs a minimum of 2 gb and will be completely wiped when turned into a bootable drive.
# Preparing To Install Proxmox:
## Put the bootable USB drive in the USB port in the front of the server and press the power button to turn it on.
## Press F2 to access the BIOS as it boots and then go to System Bios > Boot Settings. Go to the BIOS Boot Settings and then configure the Hard-Disk Drive Sequence to use the bootable usb drive first. Exit and save changes to go back to the main menu.
## Exit and save the changes again, this time fully exiting the bios. The server will automatically boot from the USB drive.
# Installing Proxmox:
## A screen for the Proxmox Installer should show up with 4 different options. Choose Install Proxmox VE and then accept the EULA.
## Pick the target hard disk to install Proxmox on.
## Select the Phoenix time zone.
## Enter the password and email ([[Mailto:24pintech@gmail.com|24pintech@gmail.com]] + password)
## Enter the same information that was used for the IDRAC settings in the network configuration.
## Confirm everything is correct and then press Install. Once the installation has finished, remove the USB drive and reboot.
## Proxmox can now be accessed on any web browser using the Static IP and port 8006. (<nowiki>https://10.21.25.6:8006</nowiki> or <nowiki>https://10.21.25.9:8006</nowiki>)

ESXi

2024-02-27T17:42:20Z

KDurovka: Grammar edit

[[Category:VMware]]
==What is it==
[[File:VMwareESXiHostClientSummary.png|thumb|640x640px|General image of ESXi web interface|link=https://10.21.25.11//wiki.24pin.tech/File:VMwareESXiHostClientSummary.png]]ESXi is an OS designed to hold many virtual machines on one physical machine. It is identified as a type-1 hypervisor developed by VMware. We are using it currently for at least 4 of our machines in the classroom. Those machines are Heimdall, Thor, Asgard, and Valhalla. Heimdall and Thor are using the 6.7 license as explained in the Installation of ESXi heading. Asgard and Valhalla are using version 7.0+ which we paid for the licenses.
==Installation of ESXi==
The installation method of ESXi is pretty simple. All you will need is a computer/server and a flash drive. To be able to actually access the server you'll end up needing the machine to be connected to the internet. The procedure is as follows:
*Grab a image of ESXi from VMware's page. Depending on the importance or role of the server, you should use vSphere 6.7 for testing and small project purposes. Use 7.0+ as a limited resource since we only have so many activations available. You can grab all of our ISOs from the following directory on our domain, [https://10.21.25.11//wiki.24pin.tech/Mhs.24pin.tech mhs.24pin.tech], \\10.21.25.10/Cisco Curriculum/vSphere Downloads/ESXi ISOs/
*The rest of the installation process is pretty simple and can be found here: https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-vSphere/6.5/com.vmware.vsphere.install.doc/GUID-6FFA928F-7F7D-4B1A-B05C-777279233A77.html
*Once installed go to manage>licensing and input your license key, or you can use evaluation mode for up to at least 30 days. Though if you are using version 6.7 you can use the following key: 144AH-AU10P-W8888-0A22K-85912 and if you are going to use 7.0+ you can grab the product key from our vSphere Downloads folder from above.
==Management of a ESXi Machine's Local Interface==
[[File:VCenter interface.png|thumb|310x310px|link=https://10.21.25.11//wiki.24pin.tech/File:VCenter_interface.png]]After you install ESXi you should be greeted with a screen like shown to the right. (The screenshot is one of the vCenter server but a ESXi local interface should look similar)Through this screen you will be able to change management settings such as hostname, basic management networking, etc. A specific list of what you can do from the machine locally can be found below, to access these options you need to press f2 and use the login you created for the machine.
*Configure local password
*Configure lockdown
*Configure/Restart/Test Management Network and restore default networking settings
*Configure keyboard
*Troubleshooting Options
*View systems logs, support information
*Reset System Configurations
==Accessing ESXi's web interface==
To actually be able to get into ESXi you'll need to be able to access the server using a web interface. To get into the server simply put the ip address of the server into your web browser like this, [http://10.21.25.2/ http://10.21.25.2]. Once prompted to login, use the default username root and the root password you set during installation. You will be able to add the device to the domain and be able to create other users once logged in with root.
==Creating a VM==
Creating a VM on ESXi is pretty simple. The big thing is that you have to make sure your server/ESXi host has enough resources to share with it's VMs. You can create as many VMs as you want as long as you have the resources to see fit. Its best practice to try to limit your resources you give to a single machine to a minimum. For example, you won't be giving a domain controller tasked with basic tasks such as DNS, Active Directory, and DHCP 1 TB of storage and 32 logical cores. To determine the correct resources for your machine you'll want to research the best practices for that type of machine. The following is the steps of creating a virtual machine:[[File:Friia config.png|thumb|382x382px|Basic settings of Friia our secondary domain controller|link=https://10.21.25.11//wiki.24pin.tech/File:Friia_config.png]]
*Move into the Virtual Machines tab of ESXi as shown in the image at the top of the page.
*From there you will want to press Create/Register VM
*You will be prompted with three options, to create a new VM, deploy a machine from OVF or OVA file, or register a existing virtual machine. For our purposes we will be creating a new VM.
*Next you will want to enter the name of the VM (this is only for the ESXi interface and has no effect on the VM itself) and choose what OS the VM will be. This is for management purposes.
*The next step asks you where you would like the machine to be actually located. This gets pretty in depth and lets you choose a storage point other than the local machine. Choosing a storage point other than the local machine is usually used when implanting redundancy. For our purposes we will be choosing the local storage.
*Now you actually get to assign the resources to your VM. You'll be able to set how many logical cores, ram, and storage the VM has. Once again do research on what the basic requirements of the VM you are creating. When choosing your networking settings use the machines default for now. This can get pretty in depth but once again we are staying basic here. Here you will also be able to choose the ISO file you are using to setup the machine. You simply want to choose it as a CD drive and upload the image either through the network or locally though a USB.
*That's it. Now you can go ahead and finalize the process of creating the VM.
==Adding ESXi to the domain==
Adding ESXi to the domain can easily be done by heading over to the manage tab on the left of the ESXi web interface. From there you will want to go into the Security & Users tab and down into Authentication. You should see something like this screenshot below. Here you will be able to press join domain. All you will have to do is enter the domain name, in our case mhs.24pin.tech and a admin login for that domain. Only users in the ESXi user group and Domain Admin group will be able to access ESXi.[[File:Asgard Domain.png|thumb|601x601px|link=https://10.21.25.11//wiki.24pin.tech/File:Asgard_Domain.png|none]]
=== User Permissions: ===
User and group permissions can be modified by going to permissions under actions.
[[File:Image2424.png|none|thumb]]
Customs roles can also be created to allow certain user groups to have specific permissions. Our environment has a user group for users that need basic access to ESXi
[[File:354253.png|none|thumb]]
==ESXi Networking==
===Brief Overview===
The ESXi machine basically has its own local environment built into it. Once you setup the machine and access the networking portion from the web interface you'll see that the machine has it's own vNICs, vSwitches, vVLANs, etc. If you want to get experienced with ESXi and know how to manage machines networking wise you'll need to know about these. A brief breakdown of this networking portion is that you'll have a VM Port group all assigned to a Virtual Switch which connects the VMs to the physical NICs. You can do many other things with this networking environment like making closed off test environments, separating VLANs, and configuring VMWare offered features like vMotion.
===Management===
When you initially setup the ESXi machine you create a management IP address. This is used to initially setup the machine and to access the web interface whenever you need it. You could also use the DNS name of the server once that is setup as well. If anything ever goes wrong on the networking side and you can't remotely access the server, you may need to go into the local server and reset the networking on the machine. This could be done easily with the following steps:
#Go into the local machine and press F2, it will ask for the root login that you created on initial setup.
#This interface is used to change anything management wise for the ESXi machine. (You can reset root password, reset networking, etc.)
#For our purpose we will go into the reset management network, what this will do is reset the NICs on the machine and VLANs that way it goes back to its original setup, this will usually fix networking issues.
#In this interface you can also edit the assigned VLAN, NIC teaming, etc. It is very helpful for troubleshooting.
===NIC Teaming===
Whenever you plug in a new cable to the physical machine it should automatically pick it up as a physical NIC and assign it a MAC address. To actually assign all the other cables other than the management cable to a interface on the machine you'll need to manually assign it to a Virtual Switch. After that you have to make and assign all the VMs to a port group and assign that port group to the switch that is connected to the NIC team. The process of creating a NIC team can be followed with this process:
#Open up the web interface for the ESXi machine. For my example I will be using Valhalla (10.21.25.2)
#Go to the networking portion of ESXi which can be found on the list of drop downs to the left.
#You'll see multiple tabs including Port Groups, Virtual Switches, Physical NICs, VMKernel NICs, TCP/IP Stacks, Firewall Rules. We can leave VMKernel, TCP/IP Stacks, and the Firewall alone for now.
#Go into the Physical NIC tab to verify that all of your NICs are activated and plugged in.
#Next you will want to create a new Virtual Switch (by switching to the Virtual Switch tab and pressing add new switch), name this something that you'll easily identify.
#Leave pretty much everything the same and click add.
#Once the virtual switch has been made you'll want to click create new uplink, these are the physical NICs and assigns them to the virtual switch.
#After assigning the uplinks go into the settings of the switch to verify that they are assigned. You can leave the rest of the settings the same, or change them depending on your purposes or knowledge.
#Now go into the Port Group tab. You can either use the default Port Group (recommended if you already have VMs running on the machine) or create a new one with your own name. If you do use the default Port Group you will have to go into the settings of it and assign it to the new vSwitch. These are what you will assign the VMs to so that they are connected.
#Once done you should verify all the connections of the VMs and make sure they are all connected to the correct Port Group. Ta-da you are done.
==Moving a pre existing machine to or from ESXi==
[[File:Word-image-51.png|thumb|442x442px|Starwind converter|link=https://10.21.25.11//wiki.24pin.tech/File:Word-image-51.png]]The process of moving pre existing machines onto ESXi and copying them off is pretty easy. You can do this by using [https://10.21.25.11//wiki.24pin.tech/Starwind Starwind]. [https://10.21.25.11//wiki.24pin.tech/Starwind Starwind] will allow you to choose a remote image, local file, or physical machine and put that image onto another machine locally or as a VM. It became pretty helpful in our process of virtualizing all of our physical servers onto one machine.
Another way of doing this could be through vMotion. This moves a VM from one vSphere machine to another while keeping the VM running and functional. Though to set this up you will need to assign a new vNIC to each machine the destination and source and that will require a IP address from our domain.
==Probable Issues==
*One day a cable came slightly unplugged and the domain controllers started acting up. The web server also had some issues. We don't know if this was the
==Helpful Links==
For those that would like more information than what I can provide:
*https://www.vmware.com/content/dam/digitalmarketing/vmware/en/pdf/techpaper/virtual_networking_concepts.pdf #General piece on VMWare Virtual Networking, a bit dated
*https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-vSphere/7.0/com.vmware.vsphere.networking.doc/GUID-B57FBE96-21EA-401C-BAA6-BDE88108E4BB.html #Best practices, should probably follow
*https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkC6lLfVj50 Creating a mac VM

ESXi

2024-02-27T17:11:17Z

KDurovka: Changed where the ISO is located

[[Category:VMware]]
==What is it==
[[File:VMwareESXiHostClientSummary.png|thumb|640x640px|General image of ESXi web interface|link=https://10.21.25.11//wiki.24pin.tech/File:VMwareESXiHostClientSummary.png]]ESXi is an OS designed to hold many virtual machines on one physical machine. It is identified as a type-1 hypervisor developed by VMware. We are using it currently for at least 4 of our machines in the classroom. Those machines are Heimdall, Thor, Asgard, and Valhalla. Heimdall and Thor are using the 6.7 license as explained in the Installation of ESXi heading. Asgard and Valhalla are using version 7.0+ which we paid for the licenses.
==Installation of ESXi==
The installation method of ESXi is pretty simple. All you will need is a computer/server and a flash drive. To be able to actually access the server you'll end up needing the machine to be connected to the internet. The procedure is as follows:
*Grab a image of ESXi from VMware's page. Depending on the importance or role of the server, you should use vSphere 6.7 for testing and small project purposes. Use 7.0+ as a limited resource since we only have so many activations available. You can grab all of our ISOs from the following directory on our domain, [https://10.21.25.11//wiki.24pin.tech/Mhs.24pin.tech mhs.24pin.tech], \\10.21.25.10/Cisco Curriculum/vSphere Downloads/ESXi ISOs/
*The rest of the installation process is pretty simple and can be found here: https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-vSphere/6.5/com.vmware.vsphere.install.doc/GUID-6FFA928F-7F7D-4B1A-B05C-777279233A77.html
*Once installed go to manage>licensing and input your license key, or you can use evaluation mode for up to at least 30 days. Though if you are using version 6.7 you can use the following key: 144AH-AU10P-W8888-0A22K-85912 and if you are going to use 7.0+ you can grab the product key from our vSphere Downloads folder from above.
==Management of a ESXi Machine's Local Interface==
[[File:VCenter interface.png|thumb|310x310px|link=https://10.21.25.11//wiki.24pin.tech/File:VCenter_interface.png]]After you install ESXi you should be greeted with a screen like shown to the right. (The screenshot is one of the vCenter server but a ESXi local interface should look similar)Through this screen you will be able to change management settings such as hostname, basic management networking, etc. A specific list of what you can do from the machine locally can be found below, to access these options you need to press f2 and use the login you created for the machine.
*Configure local password
*Configure lockdown
*Configure/Restart/Test Management Network and restore default networking settings
*Configure keyboard
*Troubleshooting Options
*View systems logs, support information
*Reset System Configurations
==Accessing ESXi's web interface==
To actually be able to get into ESXi you'll need to be able to access the server using a web interface. To get into the server simply put the ip address of the server into your web browser like this, [http://10.21.25.2/ http://10.21.25.2]. Once prompted to login, use the default username root and the root password you set during installation. You will be able to add the device to the domain and be able to create other users once logged in with root.
==Creating a VM==
Creating a VM on ESXi is pretty simple. The big thing is that you have to make sure your server/ESXi host has enough resources to share with it's VMs. You can create as many VMs as you want as long as you have the resources to see fit. Its best practice to try to limit your resources you give to a single machine to a minimum. For example, you won't be giving a domain controller tasked with basic tasks such as DNS, Active Directory, and DHCP 1 TB of storage and 32 logical cores. To determine the correct resources for your machine you'll want to research the best practices for that type of machine. The following is the steps of creating a virtual machine:[[File:Friia config.png|thumb|382x382px|Basic settings of Friia our secondary domain controller|link=https://10.21.25.11//wiki.24pin.tech/File:Friia_config.png]]
*Move into the Virtual Machines tab of ESXi as shown in the image at the top of the page.
*From there you will want to press create/register a VM
*You will be prompted with three options, to create a new VM, deploy a machine from OVF or OVA, or register a existing machine. For our purposes we will be creating a new VM.
*Next you will want to enter the name of the VM (this is only for the ESXi interface and has no effect on the VM itself) and choose what OS the VM will be. This is for management purposes.
*The next step asks you where you would like the machine to be actually located. This gets pretty in depth and lets you choose a storage point other than the local machine. Choosing a storage point other than the local machine is usually used when implanting redundancy. For our purposes we will be choosing the local storage.
*Now you actually get to assign the resources to your VM. You'll be able to set how many logical cores, ram, and storage the VM has. Once again do research on what the basic requirements of the VM you are creating. When choosing your networking settings use the machines default for now. This can get pretty in depth but once again we are staying basic here. Here you will also be able to choose the ISO file you are using to setup the machine. You simply want to choose it as a CD drive and upload the image either through the network or locally though a USB.
*That's it. Now you can go ahead and finalize the process of creating the VM.
==Adding ESXi to the domain==
Adding ESXi to the domain can easily be done by heading over to the manage tab on the left of the ESXi web interface. From there you will want to go into the Security & Users tab and down into Authentication. You should see something like this screenshot below. Here you will be able to press join domain. All you will have to do is enter the domain name, in our case mhs.24pin.tech and a admin login for that domain. Only users in the ESXi user group and Domain Admin group will be able to access ESXi.[[File:Asgard Domain.png|thumb|601x601px|link=https://10.21.25.11//wiki.24pin.tech/File:Asgard_Domain.png|none]]
=== User Permissions: ===
User and group permissions can be modified by going to permissions under actions.
[[File:Image2424.png|none|thumb]]
Customs roles can also be created to allow certain user groups to have specific permissions. Our environment has a user group for users that need basic access to ESXi
[[File:354253.png|none|thumb]]
==ESXi Networking==
===Brief Overview===
The ESXi machine basically has its own local environment built into it. Once you setup the machine and access the networking portion from the web interface you'll see that the machine has it's own vNICs, vSwitches, vVLANs, etc. If you want to get experienced with ESXi and know how to manage machines networking wise you'll need to know about these. A brief breakdown of this networking portion is that you'll have a VM Port group all assigned to a Virtual Switch which connects the VMs to the physical NICs. You can do many other things with this networking environment like making closed off test environments, separating VLANs, and configuring VMWare offered features like vMotion.
===Management===
When you initially setup the ESXi machine you create a management IP address. This is used to initially setup the machine and to access the web interface whenever you need it. You could also use the DNS name of the server once that is setup as well. If anything ever goes wrong on the networking side and you can't remotely access the server, you may need to go into the local server and reset the networking on the machine. This could be done easily with the following steps:
#Go into the local machine and press F2, it will ask for the root login that you created on initial setup.
#This interface is used to change anything management wise for the ESXi machine. (You can reset root password, reset networking, etc.)
#For our purpose we will go into the reset management network, what this will do is reset the NICs on the machine and VLANs that way it goes back to its original setup, this will usually fix networking issues.
#In this interface you can also edit the assigned VLAN, NIC teaming, etc. It is very helpful for troubleshooting.
===NIC Teaming===
Whenever you plug in a new cable to the physical machine it should automatically pick it up as a physical NIC and assign it a MAC address. To actually assign all the other cables other than the management cable to a interface on the machine you'll need to manually assign it to a Virtual Switch. After that you have to make and assign all the VMs to a port group and assign that port group to the switch that is connected to the NIC team. The process of creating a NIC team can be followed with this process:
#Open up the web interface for the ESXi machine. For my example I will be using Valhalla (10.21.25.2)
#Go to the networking portion of ESXi which can be found on the list of drop downs to the left.
#You'll see multiple tabs including Port Groups, Virtual Switches, Physical NICs, VMKernel NICs, TCP/IP Stacks, Firewall Rules. We can leave VMKernel, TCP/IP Stacks, and the Firewall alone for now.
#Go into the Physical NIC tab to verify that all of your NICs are activated and plugged in.
#Next you will want to create a new Virtual Switch (by switching to the Virtual Switch tab and pressing add new switch), name this something that you'll easily identify.
#Leave pretty much everything the same and click add.
#Once the virtual switch has been made you'll want to click create new uplink, these are the physical NICs and assigns them to the virtual switch.
#After assigning the uplinks go into the settings of the switch to verify that they are assigned. You can leave the rest of the settings the same, or change them depending on your purposes or knowledge.
#Now go into the Port Group tab. You can either use the default Port Group (recommended if you already have VMs running on the machine) or create a new one with your own name. If you do use the default Port Group you will have to go into the settings of it and assign it to the new vSwitch. These are what you will assign the VMs to so that they are connected.
#Once done you should verify all the connections of the VMs and make sure they are all connected to the correct Port Group. Ta-da you are done.
==Moving a pre existing machine to or from ESXi==
[[File:Word-image-51.png|thumb|442x442px|Starwind converter|link=https://10.21.25.11//wiki.24pin.tech/File:Word-image-51.png]]The process of moving pre existing machines onto ESXi and copying them off is pretty easy. You can do this by using [https://10.21.25.11//wiki.24pin.tech/Starwind Starwind]. [https://10.21.25.11//wiki.24pin.tech/Starwind Starwind] will allow you to choose a remote image, local file, or physical machine and put that image onto another machine locally or as a VM. It became pretty helpful in our process of virtualizing all of our physical servers onto one machine.
Another way of doing this could be through vMotion. This moves a VM from one vSphere machine to another while keeping the VM running and functional. Though to set this up you will need to assign a new vNIC to each machine the destination and source and that will require a IP address from our domain.
==Probable Issues==
*One day a cable came slightly unplugged and the domain controllers started acting up. The web server also had some issues. We don't know if this was the
==Helpful Links==
For those that would like more information than what I can provide:
*https://www.vmware.com/content/dam/digitalmarketing/vmware/en/pdf/techpaper/virtual_networking_concepts.pdf #General piece on VMWare Virtual Networking, a bit dated
*https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-vSphere/7.0/com.vmware.vsphere.networking.doc/GUID-B57FBE96-21EA-401C-BAA6-BDE88108E4BB.html #Best practices, should probably follow
*https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkC6lLfVj50 Creating a mac VM