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VMware Getting Started - Deploying SoftNAS Virtual Machines

VMware Getting Started - Deploying SoftNAS Virtual Machines

Nov 04, 2021

Deploying Your First SoftNAS Instance in VMware vSphere

Deploying your SoftNAS instance through VMware is a simple process. After obtaining the SoftNAS OVF file from our site (via purchase or trial, see Launching SoftNAS Platforms), note the storage location, and make sure it is accessible from the machine hosting your vSphere Client.

Log into your vSphere client with the appropriate credentials.
Select the ESXi host upon which you will be placing the virtual machine (if there is more than one to choose from).
Click File, and Deploy OVF Template.
Click Browse to go to the location of your OVF file, and select it.
Click Next, then Next again on OVF Template Details.
Type a name, select a location, and click Next. 
Select a Resource Pool. Click Next. 
Select your destination storage. Click Next. 
Select a Disk Format, depending on your requirements. For example if running your VM in an environment with space constraints, select thin provisioning. Look to VMware help for more information. Click Next.
Select a network for your VM. If creating an HA environment, be sure to select the same network as other instances.

If creating an HA environment, you will require at least three VMs, two to act as paired nodes, and one to act as HA Controller. Plan accordingly. 

Click Finish. 

Customizing the System Using the SoftNAS Console

SoftNAS appliances provide a Console for managing key settings in  VMware vSphere.

Log into vSphere Client.
On the Home Page, double click the Host and Clusters option under the Inventory section.

All Hosts and Clusters will be displayed. 

Right click on the SoftNAS VM and select Open Console option. 

The console of the selected VM will be displayed. 

Check the status of VM on the console. If it is off, power it on. Right click on the SoftNAS VM and select the Power On option. 

The Console with the new configuration screen will be displayed. 

The Console has 3 options which are visible at the bottom of the screen: 

  • Customize System - To Customize the system, press the F2 function key on the keyboard. 

  • Run Desktop - To run the desktop, press the F8 function key on the keyboard.

  • Shutdown/Restart - To shutdown or restart the system, press the F12 key on the keyboard.

To configure our SoftNAS Instance, we will select F2 to customize our system.
Enter an authorized login name and password for the logged in VM. If the defaults have not been changed, use the login id as ‘root’ in the Login text entry box. Enter the root password as Pass4W0rd in the Password text entry box (change the root password using the console). Press the Enter key on the keyboard to log in. 

The System Customization screen will be displayed.  The System Customization screen allows configuration of all the core components of the network (VMware vSphere platforms only).

The screen has the following options:

 

Use the Up/Down arrows on your keyboard to navigate between the options.

Changing the Password

In the System Customization Console, navigate to the Configure Password option.

Press Enter.
The Configure Root and SoftNAS Password screen will be displayed.
Setting the password for the “root” and “softnas” login names will prevent unauthorized access to this host.
Enter the old (or default) password in the Old Password field.
Enter the new password in the New Password field.
Confirm the password by re-entering it in the Confirm Password field.
Press Enter.

The password will be reset. 

Configuring the Management Network

On the System Customization Console, navigate to the Configure Management Network option.

Press Enter.
The Configure Management Network screen will be displayed.

From here, we can configure the following options: