VMware VS4-ENT-PL-A Setup Guide - Page 254

vSphere Installation and Setup Managing ESXi Remotely You can use the vSphere Web Client and vCenter Server to manage the host. For instructions about downloading and installing vCenter Server and the vSphere Web Client, see the following topics. n "Download the vCenter Server Installer," on page 61 n Install vCenter Server as Part of a Custom Install n "Install or Upgrade the vSphere Web Client," on page 103 Configuring Network Settings ESXi requires one IP address for the management network. To configure basic network settings, use the vSphere Web Client or the direct console. Use the vSphere Web Client if you are satisfied with the IP address assigned by the DHCP server. Use the direct console in the following cases: n You are not satisfied with the IP address assigned by the DHCP server. n You are not allowed to use the IP address assigned by the DHCP server. n ESXi does not have an IP address. This situation could happen if the autoconfiguration phase did not succeed in configuring DHCP. n The wrong network adapter was selected during the autoconfiguration phase. Choose Network Adapters for the Management Network Traffic between an ESXi host and any external management software is transmitted through an Ethernet network adapter on the host. You can use the direct console to choose the network adapters that are used by the management network. Examples of external management software include the vCenter Server and SNMP client. Network adapters on the host are named vmnicN, where N is a unique number identifying the network adapter, for example, vmnic0, vmnic1, and so forth. During the autoconfiguration phase, the ESXi host chooses vmnic0 for management traffic. You can override the default choice by manually choosing the network adapter that carries management traffic for the host. In some cases, you might want to use a Gigabit Ethernet network adapter for your management traffic. Another way to help ensure availability is to select multiple network adapters. Using multiple network adapters enables load balancing and failover capabilities. Procedure 1 From the direct console, select Configure Management Network and press Enter. 2 Select Network Adapters and press Enter. 3 Select a network adapter and press Enter. After the network is functional, you can use the vSphere Web Client to connect to the ESXi host through vCenter Server. 254 VMware, Inc.