Part-1 : VMWare NSX Manager 6.4.x Installation and Initial Configuration

This post will cover deploying NSX Manager and initial configuration of NSX Manager. Micro-Segmentation and other configurations for NSX can be found here.

To make it easy this series is split in to 5 parts.

Part-1 : VMWare NSX Manager 6.4.x Installation and Initial Configuration

Part 2: VMWare NSX 6.4.x Micro-Segmentation Configuration steps

Part 3: VMWare NSX Cluster preparation and Controllers Installation

Part 4: VMWare NSX Logical Switching and DLR Configuration

Part 5: VMWare NSX EDGE and OSPF Routing Configuration

Pre-Requisites for this post

• NSX manager media (ova) downloaded from vmware website.
• License for NSX, Its CPU based like vSphere, But NSX license are separate.
• vCenter Login credentials & Necessary resources to deploy NSX manager from ova file.
• Static IP address and DNS record for NSX Manager.
• NTP server ( vCenter, ESXi and NSX manager should use same)

Deploying NSX Manager with OVA file

Step 1: Login to vCenter server -Right click on Cluster or DC – Select Deploy OVF Template

Step : Select Local file – Browse for NSX manager ova file.

Step : provide NSX Manager name

Step : Select the Host to deploy

Step :review details – Next

Step : Accept EULA – Next

Step : Select thin/think and datastore – Next

Step : Select Network for NSX Manager.

Step : Provide appliance password and cli admin password – Scroll down

Step : Provide NSX Manager Hostname, IP, netmask, gateway – Scroll down

Step :  Provide DNS and NTP server details – Next

Step : Review and finish

Initial Configuration of NSX Manager

Step : Once deploying is completed – Login to nsx manager using hostname or IP – admin & Password

Verifying NSX Manager services

Step : Click on view summary

Step : Verify that vPostgres, RabbitMQ and NSX Manager Service is running

Configuring NTP on NSX Manager

Step : To configure NTP on NSX Manager –  Click Manage – General – Edit on top

Step : provide NTP server details, i can be internal or external but it should be same as vCenter

Configuring Syslog server in NSX Manager

Step : Select Edit next to Syslog server

Step : provide syslog server details as shown below.

Connect NSX Manager to vCenter server (1:1)

NSX Manager to vCenter connection is always 1:1 , Meaning to say only one NSX manager can be connected to one vCenter server.

Step : Navigate to Manage – NSX Management service – Click Edit next to vCenter server

Step : provide vCenter fqdn, user and password

Step : select Yes to accept the certificate.

Step : Verify that status is connected and sync is successful

Step : vCenter lookup service configuration – NSX Manager service – Lookup service – Edit

Step : Provide the vCenter details , login and password

Step : select yes to trust certificate

Step : Status should show as connected.

Step : Once done login to vCenter server to verify that Network & Security is visible. ( some times, needs to logoff from vCenter console and login to check)

Step : Verify that NSX manager is shown as below.

Licensing NSX Manager

Step : Add the NSX license keys – Menu – Administration

Step : Licenses – Licenses – Add new licenses as shown below – eneter key and name to it.

Step : To Activate – Licenes – Assets – Solutions – Select NSX for vSphere and Assign license.

 

With this NSX manager installation and Initial configuration is done.

Below are the complete list of posts part of the series

Part-1 : VMWare NSX Manager 6.4.x Installation and Initial Configuration

Part 2: VMWare NSX 6.4.x Micro-Segmentation Configuration steps

Part 3: VMWare NSX Cluster preparation and Controllers Installation

Part 4: VMWare NSX Logical Switching and DLR Configuration

Part 5: VMWare NSX EDGE and OSPF Routing Configuration

Hope this post is useful, please leave your comments and feedback.