Virtualization system requirements

VMware ESXi version 6.7.0 or later is required to install and launch vESR.

Creating a virtual machine

1) In the ESXi management console, click "Create/Register VM":

2) Select "Create a new virtual machine" and click "Next":

3) Specify the name of the virtual machine.

• 3.1 "Compability": the ESXi version,
• 3.2 "Guest OS family" : "Linux",
• 3.3 "Guest OS version": select any 64-bit version, in the following example "Debian GNU/Linux 4 (64-bit)" is selected.
• 3.4 Click "Next":

4) Select the datastore for the virtual machine (create one in advance if none exists yet). Click "Next":

5) Select the Virtual Hardware for the future vESR, at least 3 GB of RAM (optimal 4 GB) and at least 500 MB of storage. "SCSI Controller" must be set to "LSI Logic Parallel". Set "Controller location" for "Hard Disk" to "IDE controller". Add network adapters if required.

6) For "CD/DVD Driver", select "Datastore ISO file":

7) Click "Upload" and select the image file. After the upload, select the image file and click "Select" -> "Next":

8) Complete the virtual machine creation by clicking "Finish":

Installing vESR

Select the created virtual machine in the management console, click "Navigator" -> "Virtual Machines" -> <the name of the created virtual machine> and start it by clicking "Power on":

The next vESR installation steps are detailed in the "vESR installation process" section.

Connecting network interfaces

Perform the following steps for the created virtual machine:

1) Click the "Edit" button:

2) Click the "Add network adapter" button. Select the required Network for the new network adapter from the drop-down list:

3) Save the settings by clicking the "Save" button and start vESR.

Connecting a serial port (optional)

To connect a serial port, perform the following steps:

1) Click the "Edit" button:

2) Add a serial port by clicking the "Serial port" button in the "Add other device" drop-down list:

In the "Serial port" menu, select one of the following options:

• Use output file: all data sent to the virtual serial port by the application running on the virtual machine, is saved to an output file on the host computer.
• Use physical serial port: the VMware ESXi virtual machine will use one of the physical serial ports of the host.
• Use named pipe: two virtual machines, or a virtual machine and a process on the host, will interact directly.
• Use Network: the virtual port will be connected over the network. You must select the network direction: Server for incoming connections, Client for outgoing, and enter the port URI.

The following is an example of a Telnet-based configuration.

3) In the "Serial port" menu, select "Use Network", specify "Server" in the "Direction" field, and enter the connection URI in the following format in the "Port URI" field:

<protocol>://<ip.ad.dr.es>:<port>

where:
<ip.ad.dr.es> — the address of the server on which the VMware ESXi virtual machine is running;

<port> — a free TCP port for the connection.

4) Save the settings by clicking the "Save" button and start vESR.