Perform the following steps to increase the amount of memory allocated to the Service Console:
1. Use the VI Client to connect to an ESX Server host or VirtualCenter Server installation.
2. Select the appropriate host from the inventory tree on the left and then select the Configuration tab from the details pane on the right.
3. Select Memory from the Hardware menu.
4. Click the Properties link.
5. As shown in Figure 2.36, enter the amount of memory to be allocated to the Service Console in the text box and then click the OK button. The value entered must be between 256 and 800.
Figure 2.36 The amount of memory allocated to the Service Console can be increased to a maximum of 800 MB.
6. Reboot the ESX Server host. As shown in Figure 2.37, the Configuration tab now reflects the current memory allocated and the new amount of memory to be allocated after a reboot.
Figure 2.37 Altering the amount of memory allocated to the Service Console requires a reboot of the ESX Server host.
Time Synchronization
Time synchronization in ESX Server is an important configuration because the ramifications of incorrect time run deep. Time synchronization issues can affect things like performance charting, SSH key expirations, NFS access, backup jobs, authentication, and more. After the installation of ESX Server (or in a kickstart script), the host should be configured to perform time synchronization with a reliable time source. This source could be another server on your network or an Internet time source. For the sake of managing time synchronization, it is easiest to synchronize all your servers against one reliable internal time server and then synchronize the internal time server with a reliable Internet time server.
Configuring time synchronization for an ESX Server requires several steps, including Service Console firewall configuration and edits to several configuration files.
Perform the following steps to enable the NTP Client in the Service Console firewalclass="underline"
1. Use the VI Client to connect directly to the ESX Server host or to a VirtualCenter installation.
2. Select the hostname from the inventory tree on the left and then click the Configuration tab in the details pane on the right.
3. Select Security Profile from the Software menu.
4. As shown in Figure 2.38, enable the NTP Client option in the Firewall Properties dialog box.
5. Alternatively the NTP client could be enabled using the following command:
esxcfg-firewall -e ntpClient
Type the following command to apply the changes made to the Service Console Firewalclass="underline" service mgmt-vmware restart
Perform the following steps to configure the ntp.conf and step-tickers files for NTP time synchronization on an ESX Server host:
1. Log in to a console or SSH session with root privileges. If SSH has not been enabled for the host, log in with a standard user account and use the su - command to elevate to the root user privileges and environment.
Figure 2.38 The NTP Client can be enabled through the Security Profile of an ESX Server host configuration.
2. Create a copy of the ntp.conf file by typing the following command:
cp /etc/ntp.conf /etc/old.ntpconf
3. Type the following command to use the nano editor to open the ntp.conf file:
nano -w /etc/ntp.conf
4. Replace the following line:
restrict default ignore
with this line:
restrict default kod nomodify notrap noquery nopeer
5. Uncomment the following line:
#restrict mytrustedtimeserverip mask 255.255.255.255 nomodify notrap noquery
Edit the line to include the IP address of the new time server. For example, if the time server's IP address is 172.30.0.111, the line would read:
restrict 172.30.0.111 mask 255.255.255.255 nomodify notrap noquery
6. Uncomment the following line:
#server mytrustedtimeserverip
Edit the line to include the IP address of the new time server. For example, if the time server's IP address is 172.30.0.111, the line would read:
server 172.30.0.111
Save the file by pressing Ctrl+X. Click Y to accept.
7. Create a backup of the step-tickers file by typing the following command:
cp /etc/ntp/step-tickers /etc/ntp/backup.step-tickers
8. Type the following command to open the step-tickers file:
nano -w /etc/ntp/step-tickers
9. Type the IP address of the new time server. For example, if the time server's IP address is 172.30.0.111, the single entry in the step-tickers would read:
172.30.0.111
Save the file by pressing Ctrl+X. Click Y to accept.
Windows as a Reliable Time ServerAn existing Windows Server can be configured as a reliable time server by performing these steps:
1. Use the Group Policy Object editor to navigate to Administrative Templates→System→Windows Time Service→Time Providers.
2. Enable the Enable Windows NTP Server Group Policy option.
3. Navigate to Administrative Templates→System→Windows Time Service.
4. Double-click on the Global Configuration Settings option and select the Enabled radio button.
5. Set the AnnounceFlags option to 4.
6. Click the OK button.
Installing the Virtual Infrastructure Client
The VI Client is a Windows-only application that allows for connecting directly to an ESX Server host or to a VirtualCenter installation. The only difference in the tools used is that connecting directly to an ESX Server requires authentication with a user account that exists within the Service Console, while connecting to a VirtualCenter installation relies on Windows users for authentication. The VI Client can be installed as part of a VirtualCenter installation or with the VirtualCenter installation media. However, the easiest installation method is to simply connect to the Web Access page of an ESX Server or VirtualCenter and choose to install the application right from the web page.
Perform the following steps to install the VI Client from an ESX Server Web Access home page:
1. Open an Internet browser (Internet Explorer or Firefox).
2. Type in the IP address or fully qualified domain name of the ESX Server host from which the VI Client should be installed.
3. From the ESX Server host or VirtualCenter home page, click the link labeled Download the Virtual Infrastructure Client.
4. The application can be saved to the local system by clicking the Save button, or if the remote computer is trusted, it can be run directly from the remote computer by clicking the Run button.
5. Click the Run button in the Security Warning box that identifies an unverified publisher, as shown in Figure 2.39.
Figure 2.39 The VI Client might issue a warning about an unverified publisher.
6. Click the Next button on the welcome page of the Virtual Infrastructure Client installation wizard.
7. Click the radio button labeled I Accept the Terms in the License Agreement and then click the Next button.
8. Specify a username and organization name and then click the Next button.
9. Configure the destination folder and then click the Next button.
10. Click the Install button to begin the installation.
11. Click the Finish button to complete the installation.
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