Configuring VMware on ClearOS 5.2
This howto demonstrates the installation of VMWare server 2.0.2 on ClearOS 5.2.
Prepare your system
The VMWare installation is a prebuilt RPM that will need to compile some code on your system in order to function. You will need compiler and other tools. You can install the development tools by running the following:
yum groupinstall "Development Tools"
This will take about a couple hundred megabytes on your system.
You will also need a patch to get this running. I'll explain later.
Create a user, group, and a flexshare for your VMWare server. I created a group called vmware-group, a user called vmware, and a flexshare called vms. I assigned the vmware-group as the owners of this share and shared it out for file sharing.
Get the data
You will need to get the RPM installation file from VMWare directly. You should also subscribe with them so that you can get licenses for your VMWare server. To get started please visit their download webpage. For purposes of this howto, I am using VMware-server-2.0.2-203138.i386.rpm.
Once you transfer this rpm to your ClearOS server you will need to install it. Open a command prompt and navigate to the directory of the RPM. Install it with the following command:
rpm -Uvh VMware-server-2.0.2-203138.i386.rpm
If you ever want to uninstall this RPM, run the following from anywhere on the server:
rpm -e VMware-server
Get and apply a patch to the VMWare-server installation:
cd /usr/lib/vmware/modules/source/ mv vmnet.tar vmnet.tar~ wget http://communities.vmware.com/servlet/JiveServlet/download/1372157-28759/vmnet.tar;jsessionid=6378C5B81EA8C9A5A5B7CECAF4F4221C
Following the installation you will need to run a script and answer some questions about your VMWare installation.
/usr/bin/vmware-config.pl
You will be asked to read the license agreement and agree to it. Press Enter to begin. Pressing the space bar will scroll you through page by page. When prompted, type yes and then press Enter.
You will be asked questions to which you can usually choose the default response by pressing Enter.
None of the pre-built vmmon modules for VMware Server is suitable for your running kernel. Do you want this program to try to build the vmmon module for your system (you need to have a C compiler installed on your system)? [yes] What is the location of the directory of C header files that match your running kernel? [/lib/modules/2.6.18-194.8.1.v5/build/include] None of the pre-built vmci modules for VMware Server is suitable for your running kernel. Do you want this program to try to build the vmci module for your system (you need to have a C compiler installed on your system)? [yes] None of the pre-built vsock modules for VMware Server is suitable for your running kernel. Do you want this program to try to build the vsock module for your system (you need to have a C compiler installed on your system)? [yes] Do you want networking for your virtual machines? (yes/no/help) [yes]
For this next section you will be asked to bind some common VMWare network types to interfaces. For greatest flexibility, you should bind each of the types to Each of the network interfaces you have.
Please specify a name for this network. [Bridged] Your computer has multiple ethernet network interfaces available: eth0, eth1, eth2, eth3, eth4, eth5. Which one do you want to bridge to vmnet0? [eth0]
Repeat as necessary.
Do you wish to configure another bridged network? (yes/no) [no] yes Please specify a name for this network. [Bridged] Bridged1 Your computer has multiple ethernet network interfaces available: eth1, eth2, eth3, eth4, eth5. Which one do you want to bridge to vmnet2? [eth0] eth1
Continue until you are done. Next you will get a bunch of additional prompts and you can probably choose the defaults:
Do you want to be able to use NAT networking in your virtual machines? (yes/no) [yes] Please specify a name for this network. [NAT] Do you want this program to probe for an unused private subnet? (yes/no/help) [yes]
If you need more NAT networks, please specify them. Otherwise just continue on.
Do you wish to configure another NAT network? (yes/no) [no] Do you want to be able to use host-only networking in your virtual machines? [yes] Please specify a name for this network. [HostOnly] Do you want this program to probe for an unused private subnet? (yes/no/help) [yes] Do you wish to configure another host-only network? (yes/no) [no] None of the pre-built vmnet modules for VMware Server is suitable for your running kernel. Do you want this program to try to build the vmnet module for your system (you need to have a C compiler installed on your system)? [yes] Please specify a port for remote connections to use [902] Please specify a port for standard http connections to use [8222] Please specify a port for secure http (https) connections to use [8333]
Specify an administrator for the VMWare installation:
The current administrative user for VMware Server is ''. Would you like to specify a different administrator? [no] yes
Please specify the user whom you wish to be the VMware Server administrator vmware **<enter>**
Specify the flexshare for the data repository.
In which directory do you want to keep your virtual machine files? [/var/lib/vmware/Virtual Machines] /var/flexshare/shares/vms
Specify your license code from VMWare (you might want to email this number to yourself or put it where you can find it as it is extremely useful)
Type XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX or 'Enter' to cancel:
Finish up with some more defaults.
In which directory do you want to install the VMware VIX API binary files? [/usr/bin] In which directory do you want to install the VMware VIX API library files? [/usr/lib/vmware-vix/lib] The path "/usr/lib/vmware-vix/lib" does not exist currently. This program is going to create it, including needed parent directories. Is this what you want? [yes] In which directory do you want to install the VMware VIX API document pages? [/usr/share/doc/vmware-vix] The path "/usr/share/doc/vmware-vix" does not exist currently. This program is going to create it, including needed parent directories. Is this what you want? [yes]
Finishing up
If you want to manage this box from the outside you will need to open ports to access the server.
You will also want to test the server from your web browser at https://servername:8333