Before You Install Esxi; Options For Installing Esxi - VMware VS4-ENT-PL-A - vSphere Enterprise Plus Setup Manual

Before You Install ESXi

Before you install ESXi, understand the installation process and options.
This chapter includes the following topics:

"Options for Installing ESXi,"

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"Media Options for Booting the ESXi Installer,"
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"Using Remote Management Applications,"
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"Required Information for ESXi Installation,"
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Options for Installing ESXi
ESXi can be installed in several ways. To ensure the best vSphere deployment, understand the options
thoroughly before beginning the installation.
ESXi installations are designed to accommodate a range of deployment sizes.
Depending on the installation method you choose, different options are available for accessing the
installation media and booting the installer.
Interactive ESXi Installation
Interactive installations are recommended for small deployments of fewer than five hosts.
You boot the installer from a CD or DVD, from a bootable USB device, or by PXE booting the installer from
a location on the network. You follow the prompts in the installation wizard to install ESXi to disk. See
"Installing ESXi Interactively,"
Scripted ESXi Installation
Running a script is an efficient way to deploy multiple ESXi hosts with an unattended installation.
The installation script contains the host configuration settings. You can use the script to configure multiple
hosts with the same settings. See
The installation script must be stored in a location that the host can access by HTTP, HTTPS, FTP, NFS,
CDROM, or USB. You can PXE boot the ESXi installer or boot it from a CD/DVD or USB drive.
VMware, Inc.
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"Installing, Upgrading, or Migrating Hosts Using a Script,"
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