Purpose
This article provides information on the new Scripted Install feature of ESXi 4.1 Installable.
Resolution
The ESXi 4.1 Scripted Install is a boot script that directs an ESXi host on how it should be configured during installation. The script automates the installation task and ensures that all deployed ESXi hosts are configured the same way.
The Scripted Install feature has these benefits:
- It allows you to rapidly deploy ESXi to multiple machines
- Configurations can be duplicated to multiple ESXi hosts with minimal manual intervention
- Modifying an ESXi configuration is easier and faster because you need to modify only the script file
- You can boot the scripted installation with a CD-ROM drive or over the network using PXE booting
- It supports scripted installations of ESXi to local and remote disks
- All configuration directives initiated by the installation script are logged in the /var/log/weasel.log file of the ESXi host, which helps in troubleshooting deployment issues
- The errors and warnings displayed by the installer are elaborate and help in troubleshooting issues
When using Scripted Install, consider these limitations:
- Scripted Install is available only with the Installer version of ESXi and is not available in the Embedded version of ESXi
- You cannot use Scripted Install to install ESXi Installable to a USB device or SD Card.
Note: For information on setting up ESXi 4.1 Scripted Install, see the ESXi Installable and vCenter Server Setup Guide.
Based on VMware KB 1022263
