ESXi Operating System Deployment on DPU Installed PowerEdge Server

Dell PowerEdge server with the DPU installed which are to be used for VMware Distributed Services Engine we need to go through ESXi deployment workflow as detailed. We need to take care of a few pre-requisites before the we start the operating system deployments. This Video captures the detailed workflow to be followed by the customer to complete the successful deployment and it demonstrates on the entire operating system deployment process. For more information, click here.

In this video, we learned how to install VMware vSphere 8.0 Hypervisor on a Data Processing Unit or DPU integrated PowerEdge system using iDRAC vMedia. Before you begin to install the operating system, make sure to install the compatible or supported firmware versions that are updated as per the VMware VCG for the respective vsphere version.

To begin the process, login to iDRAC using your credentials. Power on the server and click OK. Then start the Virtual Console. Press F2 to open the System Setup page. To enable the SR-IOV Global Enable feature, click System BIOS, Integrated Devices, and select Enable. Click Back. Click Finish and click Yes to save the settings. The settings are saved successfully. click OK. Now, go back to iDRAC Settings, click Communications Permission, under the Operating System to iDRAC Pass-through option.

Make sure that the USB NIC is Enabled, and then click Back. Click Finish and click Yes to save the settings. The settings have been saved successfully, click OK. Click Finish twice, and the click Yes to reboot the system. To install VMware vSphere 8.0 hypervisor, click Virtual Media, and then click Connect Virtual Media.

In the Virtual Media- Map CD/DVD dialog box, click Choose File to locate and select the VMware vSphere 8.0 hypervisor. Then click Map Device. The system boots from the virtual optical drive. Now, press any key to continue the operating system installation from CD or DVD. Press F11, to go to the Boot Manager page. Click the One-shot UEFI Boot Menu, and then click Virtual Optical Drive.

The system boots from the virtual optical drive. Now press any key to boot from CD or DVD. VMware ESXi 8.0 Installer page is displayed, press Enter to Continue, again press F11 to accept, and continue. On scanning for the available devices at the Installer Configuration page, select both Install or Upgrade ESXi and DPU to proceed with the operating system installation, this allows the ESXi to be installed in the Targeted Boot Disk and ESXi on the DPU, selecting the available device, press Enter to continue Select the partitioning method for the disk on which you install the operating system.

Select ATA DELLBOSS VD for the partition. When finished, press Enter to continue. Select the appropriate Language in which you want to install the OS. and press Enter to continue. Create a password to log in and press Enter to continue. On the Confirm Install page, press F11 to continue. The installation process may take some time. After the installation is successful note that the server will automatically restart a few times during the installation process.

Now you can log in to VMware vSphere page using the login credentials, click the host vCenter file. Now, Expand Datacenter, right click Add Hosts, and then enter the IP address, Username, and passwords and click Next to continue. The Security Alert page is displayed. select Hostname, or IP address. and click Next twice and Finish. Now, from the VMware vSphere page, click the Host created by right clicking the Host IP address. Exit the Maintenance Mode.

You can now verify the DPU's CPU & Memory metrics under Monitor Tab. This video demonstrates how ESXi 8 is deployed on both x86 and Data Processing Unit together. This is the basic enablement aspect of VMware Distributed Services Engine. For more information about Data Processing Unit and VMware Distributed Services, see the technical paper: Data Processing Unit and VMware Distributed Services Engine on Dell PowerEdge servers.