AutoLab

brownwrap

After reading a recommendation on here regarding AutoLab:

http://www.labguides.com/

I decided to give it a try. It took a little time getting the software together. I used Windows Server 2008. It now supports Windows Server 2012. A lot of work has been put into this project. My laptop is I7 with 16gigs and at time the lab runs slow, but as I said lots of work has been put into this.

There are different versions of the lab. I used the VM Workstation version with Workstation 11. Once downloaded and unzipped, there are a number of machines, like a router, a 'NAS', which holds all of the software. You bring up the NAS first, start staging software, like the Windows Server. There are also predefined machine like a Domain Controller and VCenter. Three ESXi hosts shells. You need to download the VMware stuff and place its in the proper directories on the NAS. Once everything is staged it is simple point and click. Some of the machines take a couple of hours to build, but most of it went flawlessly.

brownwrap

Also, I found this videos series on Youtube to be quite helpful:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjVhWy6u6jQ

GAB1900

brownwrap wrote: »

Also, I found this videos series on Youtube to be quite helpful:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjVhWy6u6jQ

Great find... thank you. I will be combining this with my lab.

hiddenknight821

I was able to put together a lab on my Windows 7 host. It was pretty neat. I reckon one can run the AutoLab kit using the free VMware Player outer platform installed on a linux host, and I attempt to confirm this later this week since I didn't like how Windows already consumes more than 1GB of RAM at boot-up. I plan to post a clearer tutorial eventually on my occasional blog for Linux folks as I'm sure most people are only interested in setting up the core labs.

brownwrap

hiddenknight821 wrote: »

I was able to put together a lab on my Windows 7 host. It was pretty neat. I reckon one can run the AutoLab kit using the free VMware Player outer platform installed on a linux host, and I attempt to confirm this later this week since I didn't like how Windows already consumes more than 1GB of RAM at boot-up. I plan to post a clearer tutorial eventually on my occasional blog for Linux folks as I'm sure most people are only interested in setting up the core labs.

I started a blog on it, not finished yet:

brownwrap: Autolab on VMware

brownwrap

I am still getting to know AutoLab, but I have an issue. It seems every time I bring it up I don't see the Hosts and Vms. I think I have shut everything down in the proper order, but I will be the first to say I know next to nothing about Windows. After everything is up. I usually have to reboot the Windows machine that is called VC which has the vShere client on it in order to see anything. Anyone else here have that issue?

dave330i

Start the router, NAS, AD, VC, then ESXi hosts. Shutdown is opposite.

brownwrap

Thank you. Thank is my order, except for the first two. I started the router after the DC, because I thought it was getting a DHCP address from the DC. My order has been:

NAS, DC, router VC, and then hosts. I will try your method.

brownwrap

I followed the order for shutdown, and brought the machines back up in the suggested order, but again vCenter didn't see its inventory. I remembered I have to bring up services on VC and restart the Virtual Web Services and Virtual Center service itself.

hiddenknight821

When I first set up the AutoLab successfully, I couldn't see a darn thing listed when I logged in. Turned out I literally attempted to log in as LAB\vi-admin, which wasn't correct. Instead, I logged in using the windows credential on the VC server, and voila it worked. I see I really need to get through the entire Mastering vSphere book to understand what's going on.

kj0

hiddenknight821 wrote: »

When I first set up the AutoLab successfully, I couldn't see a darn thing listed when I logged in. Turned out I literally attempted to log in as LAB\vi-admin, which wasn't correct. Instead, I logged in using the windows credential on the VC server, and voila it worked. I see I really need to get through the entire Mastering vSphere book to understand what's going on.

That is due to SSO which uses the administrator@vsphere.local account. Log in using that and then add either AD/LDAP or local accounts that you want to use. That should be under Chapter 3 and Chapter 8.