When doing Identity Management integrations its very important to properly train consultants/integrators. While shadowing is a good way to get someone aquainted, its even more important to provide hands on training. Dedicating an entire machine for each employees testing purposes becomes difficult quickly.

Virtualization helps eliminate the resource intensive requirements of having all that hardware. Plus it allows you to deal with multiple environments and makes reusing an entire insallation as easy as copy and paste.

In an earlier post I had mentioned that you can setup a VMWare test server using VMWare on Linux as a Development Sever for multiple users.

I followed this link to recently install VMWare 1.0.7 on OpenSUSE 11. Before doing anything update your linux installation from Yast or run the following command in terminal: apt-get update . Run all updates (and do this frequently). Then grab the latest version of VMWare Server from Vmware.com. After unzipping the file these are the commands you should run in terminal and these are the results you should get. The trick is getting your dependencies right. If you get an error along the way just search for that library in yast, or do a google search on the library that is missing and find out how to install it from the terminal. After installing the libraries start the process again. I had to install the latest version of gcc to make this work.

linux-d49o:~ # rpm -qa | grep -i vmware

VMware-server-1.0.7-108231

linux-d49o:~ #  /usr/bin/vmware-config.pl

Making sure services for VMware Server are stopped.

Stopping VMware services:

Virtual machine monitor                                             done

You must read and accept the End User License Agreement to continue.

Press enter to display it.

Do you accept? (yes/no) yes

Thank you.

Configuring fallback GTK+ 2.4 libraries.

In which directory do you want to install the mime type icons?

[/usr/share/icons] /usr/share/icons

What directory contains your desktop menu entry files? These files have a

.desktop file extension. [/usr/share/applications] /usr/share/applications

In which directory do you want to install the application’s icon?

[/usr/share/pixmaps] /usr/share/pixmaps

/usr/share/applications/vmware-server.desktop: warning: value “vmware-server.png” for key “Icon” in group “Desktop Entry” is an icon name with an extension, but there should be no extension as described in the Icon Theme Specification if the value is not an absolute path

/usr/share/applications/vmware-console-uri-handler.desktop: warning: value “vmware-server.png” for key “Icon” in group “Desktop Entry” is an icon name with an extension, but there should be no extension as described in the Icon Theme Specification if the value is not an absolute path

Trying to find a suitable vmmon module for your running kernel.

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] yes

Using compiler “/usr/bin/gcc”. Use environment variable CC to override.

Your kernel was built with “gcc” version “4.3.1″, while you are trying to use

“/usr/bin/gcc” version “4.3″. This configuration is not recommended and VMware

Server may crash if you’ll continue. Please try to use exactly same compiler as

one used for building your kernel. Do you want to go with compiler

“/usr/bin/gcc” version “4.3″ anyway? [no] yes

What is the location of the directory of C header files that match your running

kernel? [/lib/modules/2.6.25.11-0.1-pae/build/include]

Extracting the sources of the vmmon module.

Building the vmmon module.

Using 2.6.x kernel build system.

make: Entering directory `/tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only’

make -C /lib/modules/2.6.25.11-0.1-pae/build/include/.. SUBDIRS=$PWD SRCROOT=$PWD/. modules

make[1]: Entering directory `/usr/src/linux-2.6.25.11-0.1-obj/i386/pae’

make -C /usr/src/linux-2.6.25.11-0.1 O=/usr/src/linux-2.6.25.11-0.1-obj/i386/pae/. modules

CC [M]  /tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/linux/driver.o

CC [M]  /tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/linux/hostif.o

CC [M]  /tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/common/cpuid.o

CC [M]  /tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/common/hash.o

CC [M]  /tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/common/memtrack.o

CC [M]  /tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/common/phystrack.o

CC [M]  /tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/common/task.o

CC [M]  /tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/common/vmx86.o

/tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/common/vmx86.c: In function ‘Vmx86_GetkHzEstimate’:

/tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/common/vmx86.c:1899: warning: passing argument 4 of ‘Div643264′ from incompatible pointer type

/tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/common/vmx86.c:1908: warning: passing argument 4 of ‘Div643232′ from incompatible pointer type

CC [M]  /tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/vmcore/moduleloop.o

LD [M]  /tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/vmmon.o

Building modules, stage 2.

MODPOST 1 modules

WARNING: modpost: module vmmon.ko uses symbol ‘init_mm’ marked UNUSED

CC      /tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/vmmon.mod.o

LD [M]  /tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/vmmon.ko

make[1]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/linux-2.6.25.11-0.1-obj/i386/pae’

cp -f vmmon.ko ./../vmmon.o

make: Leaving directory `/tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only’

The module loads perfectly in the running kernel.

Do you want networking for your virtual machines? (yes/no/help) [yes]

Configuring a bridged network for vmnet0.

The following bridged networks have been defined:

All your ethernet interfaces are already bridged.

Do you want to be able to use NAT networking in your virtual machines? (yes/no)

[yes]

Configuring a NAT network for vmnet8.

Do you want this program to probe for an unused private subnet? (yes/no/help)

[yes]

Probing for an unused private subnet (this can take some time)…

The subnet 192.168.141.0/255.255.255.0 appears to be unused.

This system appears to have a DHCP server configured for normal use.  Beware

that you should teach it how not to interfere with VMware Server’s DHCP server.

There are two ways to do this:

1) Modify the file /etc/dhcpd.conf to add something like:

subnet 192.168.141.0 netmask 255.255.255.0 {

# Note: No range is given, vmnet-dhcpd will deal with this subnet.

}

2) Start your DHCP server with an explicit list of network interfaces to deal

with (leaving out vmnet8). e.g.:

dhcpd eth0

Consult the dhcpd(8) and dhcpd.conf(5) manual pages for details.

Hit enter to continue.

The following NAT networks have been defined:

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]

Configuring a host-only network for vmnet1.

Do you want this program to probe for an unused private subnet? (yes/no/help)

[yes]

Probing for an unused private subnet (this can take some time)…

The subnet 172.16.56.0/255.255.255.0 appears to be unused.

This system appears to have a DHCP server configured for normal use.  Beware

that you should teach it how not to interfere with VMware Server’s DHCP server.

There are two ways to do this:

1) Modify the file /etc/dhcpd.conf to add something like:

subnet 172.16.56.0 netmask 255.255.255.0 {

# Note: No range is given, vmnet-dhcpd will deal with this subnet.

}

2) Start your DHCP server with an explicit list of network interfaces to deal

with (leaving out vmnet1). e.g.:

dhcpd eth0

Consult the dhcpd(8) and dhcpd.conf(5) manual pages for details.

Hit enter to continue.

The following host-only networks have been defined:

Do you wish to configure another host-only network? (yes/no) [no]

Extracting the sources of the vmnet module.

Building the vmnet module.

Using 2.6.x kernel build system.

make: Entering directory `/tmp/vmware-config0/vmnet-only’

make -C /lib/modules/2.6.25.11-0.1-pae/build/include/.. SUBDIRS=$PWD SRCROOT=$PWD/. modules

make[1]: Entering directory `/usr/src/linux-2.6.25.11-0.1-obj/i386/pae’

make -C /usr/src/linux-2.6.25.11-0.1 O=/usr/src/linux-2.6.25.11-0.1-obj/i386/pae/. modules

CC [M]  /tmp/vmware-config0/vmnet-only/driver.o

CC [M]  /tmp/vmware-config0/vmnet-only/hub.o

CC [M]  /tmp/vmware-config0/vmnet-only/userif.o

CC [M]  /tmp/vmware-config0/vmnet-only/netif.o

CC [M]  /tmp/vmware-config0/vmnet-only/bridge.o

CC [M]  /tmp/vmware-config0/vmnet-only/procfs.o

CC [M]  /tmp/vmware-config0/vmnet-only/smac_compat.o

SHIPPED /tmp/vmware-config0/vmnet-only/smac_linux.x386.o

LD [M]  /tmp/vmware-config0/vmnet-only/vmnet.o

Building modules, stage 2.

MODPOST 1 modules

WARNING: could not find /tmp/vmware-config0/vmnet-only/.smac_linux.x386.o.cmd for /tmp/vmware-config0/vmnet-only/smac_linux.x386.o

CC      /tmp/vmware-config0/vmnet-only/vmnet.mod.o

LD [M]  /tmp/vmware-config0/vmnet-only/vmnet.ko

make[1]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/linux-2.6.25.11-0.1-obj/i386/pae’

cp -f vmnet.ko ./../vmnet.o

make: Leaving directory `/tmp/vmware-config0/vmnet-only’

The module loads perfectly in the running kernel.

The default port : 902 is not free. We have selected a suitable alternative

port for VMware Server use. You may override this value now.

Remember to use this port when connecting to this server.

Please specify a port for remote console connections to use [904]

WARNING: VMware Server has been configured to run on a port different from the

default port. Remember to use this port when connecting to this server.

Shutting down xinetd:                                                done

Starting INET services. (xinetd)                                     done

Configuring the VMware VmPerl Scripting API.

Building the VMware VmPerl Scripting API.

Using compiler “/usr/bin/gcc”. Use environment variable CC to override.

Installing the VMware VmPerl Scripting API.

The installation of the VMware VmPerl Scripting API succeeded.

Generating SSL Server Certificate

In which directory do you want to keep your virtual machine files?

[/var/lib/vmware/Virtual Machines]

The path “/var/lib/vmware/Virtual Machines” does not exist currently. This

program is going to create it, including needed parent directories. Is this

what you want? [yes]

Please enter your 20-character serial number.

Type XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX or ‘Enter’ to cancel:

You cannot power on any virtual machines until you enter a valid serial number.

To enter the serial number, run this configuration program again, or choose

‘Help > Enter Serial Number’ in the virtual machine console.

Starting VMware services:

Virtual machine monitor                                             done

Virtual ethernet                                                    done

Bridged networking on /dev/vmnet0                                   done

Host-only networking on /dev/vmnet1 (background)                    done

Host-only networking on /dev/vmnet8 (background)                    done

NAT service on /dev/vmnet8                                          done

The configuration of VMware Server 1.0.7 build-108231 for Linux for this

running kernel completed successfully.

linux-d49o:~ #

Related articles by Zemanta

• Novell patches Suse Linux kernel for VMware efficiency
• VMWare offers free training videos on YouTube