Question

Installation basics

  • 22 October 2020
  • 2 replies
  • 5183 views

Hi there!

I’ve installed NutanixCE (twice!) on my existing hardware (custom SuperMicro servers, not Nutanix hardware, though they meet the required specs).  We found it useful, and decided to spring for Ultimate Licenses for the non-Community Edition.

So I’ve got those licenses, but now I’m having a heck of a time figuring out what to download and install!  For CE, there was a nice procedure to create an install image on a thumb drive, but I’m not seeing the same thing for non-CE.

Can anyone point me to documentation that spells out what needs to be downloaded and how to install it?

I’ve already found the AHV admin guide, but that doesn't have installation instructions.

I’ve found the “Field Installation Guide - Foundation 4.5.x”, but the “https://portal.nutanix.com/#/page/docs/details?targetId=Field-Installation-Guide-v4_5:Prepare%20Bare-Metal%20Nodes%20for%20Imaging” section seems impossibly complicated; do I really need to install and configure a VM on virtual box on a laptop in order to install AHV on my hardware?

Is AHV even the right thing for me to be installing?  Am I better off installing ESXi (which I can do with a thumb drive, not having to set up a separate configuration VM) first, and AOS nodes on top of that?

I’d appreciate some help to get me out of my confusion; even just links to the right docs to get me oriented would be great.

Thanks!


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2 replies

Userlevel 3
Badge +4

Hi ToddD,

Foundation process is meant to be an entire cluster installation procedure and not only an hypervisor setup.

It helps to setup AOS and a hypervisor of your choice  (i would go for AHV because it’s amazing but it’s up to you), configure the networks, build a cluster and some other nice stuff on a huge number of nodes at the same time. 

That said, there are many ways you can do the foundation of a cluster for a basic deployment, such as using Foundation for Windows or MacOS instead of Foundation VM.

Let’s start from some basic questions.

Which kind of cluster do you intend to setup?

3 or more, 2 or single node?

Which kind of HW are you going to use?

NX Appliances, other vendors hardware or your SuperMicro server?

check here for the Compatibility Matrix

 

Please let me know and i’ll try to help as i can

Userlevel 2
Badge +3

UPX is correct.

All you need is a laptop/pc connected to a switch/hub connected to your hardware. 

  • Download the current Foundation tool and the AHV Hypervisor.
  • Install the Foundation .msi
  • Run the Foundation .msi
  • Install the hypervisor with Foundation...

At the end of the Foundation you will have a working Cluster.

 

have fun!