Summary

This document contains information about configuring the NetScaler IP address, subnet mask, and default gateway for multiple instances of a NetScaler VPX appliance, before you initially start the instance, by setting virtual machine attributes by using the VMware vSphere utility.

Background

Some of the Internet Service Provider (ISP) or multi-tenant environments require the ability to provision multiple instances of NetScaler VPX appliance on a VMware ESX or ESXi host. In such a deployment, each instance must have a unique NetScaler IP address.

You can use the VMware Tools utility perform a graceful shutdown and reset of the virtual appliances by using the VMware vSphere utility or VMware vCenter Server. The VMware Tools utility can send details of the version of VMware Tools used and state of each virtual appliance to the ESX server. Using the VMware Tools utility, you can directly configure the IP address, gateway, and subnet mask of each NetScaler VPX appliance, without accessing the virtual appliance console.

Auto-Provisioning a NetScaler VPX Appliance by using the VMware Tools Utility

To Auto-provision a NetScaler VPX appliance using VMTools, complete the following procedure:

1. Install VMware ESX or ESXi 4.0 or later on the host server.
2. Install vSphere or vCenter on a workstation.
3. Open the vSphere client and type the IP address of the VMware host along with administrator credentials for the server.
4. Download NetScaler VPX ESX 9.3 or later from the MyCitrix Web site.

       Note: Starting NetScaler software release 9.3, Auto-provisioning of a NetScaler VPX appliance on VMware ESX or           ESXi hosts is available
        5. Extract the file and save it on a local drive.
        6. Import the extracted NetScaler VPX ESX 9.3 file to the VMware host. Complete the following sub-procedure to              import the .ovf file to the VMware host:
        
             From the File menu, select Deploy OVF Template
             Click Browse.
             Select the location of the decompressed NetScaler VPX ESX 9.3 file
              Click Open.

• After the virtual machine is imported, ensure that the NetScaler VPX appliance is not started. In the inventory list, the virtual machine should to display a green arrow net to the virtual machine.

        7.Select the virtual machine for a NetScaler VPX appliance.
        8.Click Edit virtual machine settings, as shown in the following screenshot:
         
 

 

        9.Activate the Options tab in the Virtual Machine Properties dialog box.
        10. Select General.
        11. Click Configuration Parameters, as shown in the following screenshot:
        
        12. Click Add Row in the Configuration Parameters dialog box.
        13. Type machine.id as the name in the new row.
        14. Type ip=<ipaddress>&netmask=<netmask>&gateway=<ip address>, as shown in the following screenshot:
         
        15. Click OK.
        16. Right-click the virtual machine for a NetScaler VPX appliance in the inventory list
        17.Click Power from the shortcut menu.
        18. Click Power On.
 

• When the virtual machine for NetScaler VPX appliance starts, the virtual machine attempts to locate an ns.conf file. If the virtual machine cannot locate the ns.conf file, then the virtual machine uses the pre-set configuration parameters.

         19. After the virtual machine for a NetScaler VPX appliance starts, verify if the NetScaler IP address and properties          are appropriately configured.
         20. Select the virtual machine for a NetScaler VPX appliance and activate the Console tab.
         21. Log in to the NetScaler VPX appliance by using default nsroot credentials.
         22. Run the following command from the command line interface:
 

• show ns ip
• Ipaddress Type Mode Arp Icmp Vserver State
• --------- ---- ---- --- ---- ------- ------
• 1) 10.12.44.90 NetScaler IP Active Enabled Enabled NA Enabled
• Done
  Note: If the pre-set configuration parameters were not used by the virtual machine, then the console prompts you to run the Configuration Wizard:
  Enter NetScaler’s IPv4 address [ ]:

This document contains information about configuring the NetScaler IP address, subnet mask, and default gateway for multiple instances of a NetScaler VPX appliance, before you initially start the instance, by setting virtual machine attributes by using the VMware vSphere utility.