Running ESXi on a Raspberry Pi: Installing VMware ESXi on Raspberry Pi 4 to run Linux virtual machines

Table of Contents
About the Authors
About the Technical Reviewer
Acknowledgments
Preamble
Chapter 1: Setting the Framework for ESXi on Arm on Pi
	The Datacenter Before Virtualization
	Introduction to Virtual Machines (VMs)
		Type 2 Hypervisor
		Type 1 Hypervisor
	VMware
		VMware vSphere
		vCenter Server
		vMotion
		Storage vMotion
		vCenter Server Appliance
	Summary
Chapter 2: ESXi on Arm on Pi and the Post-virtualized Datacenter
	Arm
	Raspberry Pi
	ESXi on Arm on Pi
	ESXi on Arm Currently in the Datacenter
		Cloud Providers and Arm Servers
		Datacenter Arm Servers
		Supercomputers
	ESXi on Arm and the Future of the Datacenter
		SmartNIC/DPU
		Computational Storage
		Dell PowerStore Storage Appliances
		Arm-Based Computational Storage
			SoftIron
			QNAP
	Limitations of Using a Pi for ESXi
		Executables
		Pi Hardware
		Overcommitment of Physical Resources
		Storage
		RAM
		CPU
			ESXi on Arm on Pi Resource Usage Test
		Licensing ESXi on Arm
Chapter 3: ESXi on Arm on Pi Use Cases
	Learning Environment
	Home Labs
	Corporate Sandboxes
	Lightweight VDI Hosts
	Web Development
	Edge Server/Data Collection Point
	vSAN Witness
	Automation Environment for PowerCLI
	Kubernetes
	Game Server
	Summary
Chapter 4: ESXi on Arm on Pi Build Kits
	Requirements
		Notes on the Case
		Notes on Thumb Drives
	Low-Cost Naked Build
	Cased Builds
		Cheap Pi Enclosure
		Argon ONE Kit M.2
		Argon ONE M.2 Case for M.2 SATA Drive
		Geekworm Armor Aluminum Alloy Passive Cooling Case
		3D Printed Cases
	Summary
Chapter 5: Installing ESXi on a Pi
	Redirecting the Screen
	Installation Overview
	Hardware and Software Preparation
	Install Pi on a Micro-SD Card
	Using Pi OS to Check the Pi’s EEPROM
	Prep Micro-SD with UEFI
	Create an ESXi on Arm Install Device
	Installing ESXi on the Pi
	Installing ESXi on the Pi RPi
	Modify RPi Boot Order
	Post-installation Configuration: ESXi Console
	Post-installation Configuration: VMware Host Console
	Summary
Chapter 6: VMware Host Client
	Overview of the Client
	Managing ESXi Using the Host Client
	Managing ESXi and VMs
		Changing Default Timeout
		Starting VMs Automatically
		ESXi Host Hardware
		ESXi License Status
		ESXi Services
		ESXi Users
	Monitoring ESXi Using the Host Client
	Summary
Chapter 7: Local Storage for ESXi
	Different Types of Datastores
	Setting Up a Datastore on a USB Device
		Examining the Datastore from the Host Client
		Script to Automate Creating a USB Storage Device
	Summary
Chapter 8: Virtual Machines on ESXi
	Windows Will Not Work
	VMware Tools
	Types of Virtual Disks
	Installing Ubuntu
		Download Ubuntu 20.04 ISO
		Create an Ubuntu VM
		Install Ubuntu 20.04 on the VM
		Installing VMware Tools on Ubuntu
		Post-configuration of the Ubuntu VM
	Virtual Machine Files
	Creating a Copy of a VM
		Copy a VM’s Files
		Register a Copied VM
		Starting the OS
	Fedora
		Download the Fedora 34 ISO
		Create a Fedora VM
		Install Fedora 34 on the VM
		Configuring Fedora 34
		Installing VMware Tools on Fedora
	Photon OS
		Download Photon OS
		Create a Photon VM
		Install Photon on the VM
		Configuring Photon
		Installing VMware Tools on Photon
	Snapshots
		Working with Snapshots
	Summary
Chapter 9: Network Storage Options for ESXi
	NFS
		Using NFS with ESXi
	Setting Up an NFS Server on Windows
		Share a Windows Server Directory via NFS
	Connecting an ESXi Host to an NFS Server
	Creating a VM Using NFS Storage
	Copying a VM Stored on a Local Datastore to an NFS Share
	Connecting an NFS Share to a Linux System
	Final Thoughts on Setting Up an NFS Share
	VMware Player
		VMware Player Requirements
	Installing VMware Player
	Installing Ubuntu on Player
		Add a Second Hard Drive to a Player VM
		Getting a Routable IP Address
	iSCSI
	Installing and Configuring iSCSI on Ubuntu
	Adding an iSCSI Target to an ESXi Host
		iSCSI Final Thoughts
	Case Study: Using a VM as an iSCSI Server for the ESXi Host
	Summary
Chapter 10: Testing Storage Performance
	Testing Configuration
	Initial USB Storage Performance Testing
	Observations on My Initial Tests
	Fio
	Random and Sequential Test Script
	Testing Network Storage
		iSCSI on Player
		NFS on Windows
		NFS on QNAP TS-431K Storage Appliance
	Testing Thumb Drives
		PNY Elite-X Fit
		Samsung BAR Plus 256GB
		Samsung BAR Plus 128GB
		SanDisk Ultra Flair
	Stress Testing a Thumb Drive
	Testing Attached Drives
		Western Digital SATA in Argon Case
		Toshiba NVME in an SSK Enclosure
		KingSpec SATA M.2 in an ORICO Enclosure
		Kingston SATA M.2 in an ORICO Enclosure
		Micron M500DC in a MASSCOOL External Enclosure
		Micron M500DC in a Sabrent Docking Station
		Seagate IronWolf in a Sabrent Docking Station
		diskAshur M2 High-Security Drive
	Compiled Results for Local Storage
	Summary
Chapter 11: Virtual Desktop on ESXi
	Benefits of Virtual Desktops
	Virtual Desktop Infrastructure
		Cost Savings
		Security
		Business Continuity
		Manageability
		Data Locality
	Types of Virtual Desktop Users
	Accessing Virtual Desktops
		Media Redirection
		VDI Clients
			Zero Clients
			Thin Clients
			Thick Clients
		Native Clients
		Web Clients
		All-in-One Client
		Mobile Devices
	What a Remote Protocol Does
	Connecting to Virtual Desktops
	Linux VMs
		Fedora
		Ubuntu
	Connecting to Fedora Desktop with RDP
		Installing RDP Server on Fedora
		Connecting to a Linux Desktop Using RDP
	X11
		Connecting to Fedora Using X11
	NoMachine (NX)
		Connecting to a Virtual Desktop Using NoMachine
	Changing Your Screen Resolution
	Summary
Chapter 12: ESXi Networking
	Networking
		Virtual Switch
		Creating a Virtual Switch
		Physical NICs
		Virtual NICs
	Testing Performance of a Network
		iPerf3
		Using iPerf3 VM-to-VM on the Same ESXi Host
		Using iPerf3 Between VM and Physical Machine
		Using iPerf3 Using the VMXNET3 Driver
		iPerf3 on ESXi
	Summary
Chapter 13: Managing ESXi Systems with VCSA
	vCenter Server License
	Installing vCenter Server
	Installing vCenter Server on an x64 ESXi Host
	Installing vCenter Server on VMware Workstation
	Configuring vCenter Server
	Adding ESXi Hosts to vCenter Server
	Managing ESXi Using vCenter Server
		Licensing
		Storage
		Networking
		Virtual Machines
		Cloning Virtual Machines
		vMotion
		Storage vMotion
		Automatic VM Startup with a Host
	Using Third-Party Products with VCSA
		ControlUp
	Summary
Chapter 14: The Future of ESXi on Arm
	Key Challenges for the Future of ESXi on Arm
	How to Get Involved
	Final Words
Index