Download ESXi 5.5 Update 1 and the other vSphere Update 1a pieces to get your home lab started
Download - Steps 1, 2, and 3!
- ESXi 5.5 ISO image (includes VMware Tools) 2014-03-11 | 5.5.0 U1 | 328 MB
VMware-VMvisor-Installer-5.5.0.update01-1623387.x86_64.iso
If you get a "All Downloads" screen instead of a Save as Dialogue, try this authentication required link instead. - VMware vCenter Server 5.5 Update 1a Appliance - OVA File 2014-04-19 | 2 GB
VMware-vCenter-Server-Appliance-5.5.0.10100-1750781_OVF10.ova
If you get a "All Downloads" screen instead of a Save as Dialogue, try this authentication required direct link instead. - VMware vSphere Client 2014-04-19 | 358 MB
VMware-viclient-all-5.5.0-1746248.exe
If you get a "All Downloads" screen instead of a Save as Dialogue, try this authentication required link instead.
Usually you visit vmware.com/go/evaluate-vsphere-en and login with your existing account credentials, but you may get this error for the 1a versions:
You either are not entitled or do not have permissions to download this product.
Check with your My VMware Super User, Procurement Contact or Administrator.
If you recently purchased this product through VMware Store or through a third-party, try downloading later.
Read TinkerTry exclusive on this here, and/or jump to the Long version section of the instructions below, for more information. Basically, if you sign-up for a new account, you will likely get past this error. Or you can just patch the 5.5 U1 you already have, Andreas Peetz makes it pretty darn easy, seen in his article here, and at this spot in my recent video.
This is a refresh of last month's article, Download ESXi 5.5 Update 1 and the other vSphere pieces to get your home lab started, with new download links for the Heartbleed related vCenter Update 1a release that arrived today, April 19, 2014. It is a work in progress, and will updated frequently, throughout the next few days, as I test and retest the links and procedures. The hypervisor itself (the first download) appears to be unchanged, the same 5.5 Update 1 (not 1a) released back on Mar 11 2014. It appears the only thing that has changed has been a patch to SSL certificates to address Heartbleed, as described in the release notes:
Resolved Issues
Vulnerability in OpenSSL third party library **The OpenSSL library is updated to version
openssl-1.0.1gto resolve the Heartbleed issue. The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures Project (cve.mitre.org) has assigned the name CVE-2014-0160 to this issue. Details on this vulnerability can be found in VMware Security Advisory VMSA-2014-0004.Note:
- After upgrading to vCenter Server 5.5 Update 1a, to remediate the issue, you need to replace certificates and reset passwords. For more information, see Resolving OpenSSL Heartbleed for vCenter Server 5.5 (KB 2076692).
- After upgrading the vSphere Web Client, you also need to update the Client Integration plugin by performing the following steps:
- Open a web browser and enter the URL for the vSphere Web Client:
https://client-hostname:port/vsphere-client.- At the bottom of the vSphere Web Client login page, click Upgrade the Client Integration Plug-in.
- Download and install the Client Integration Plug-in.
and in KB 2076225, which tells you to patch ESXi 5.5 Update 1 as described in KB 2076665, which is to say using VMware Update Manager, not particularly practicle in a 60 day home lab, but as usual, Andreas Peetz makes it look pretty easy, seen here. I hope a ESXi 5.5 Update 1a installer gets released, sure would be even slicker for new installs. See also Resolving OpenSSL Heartbleed for VMware vCenter Server 5.5 (2076692).
To get started with your own vSphere 5.5 Update 1a home lab, you'll find that there's just 3 files needed. Navigating VMware's site can be a bit tricky, especially when you consider the presentation of the entire site for folks that have some sort of valid license looks quite different than the product evaluation portal. This article gives you the exact URLs and details, to help ANYBODY be absolutely sure they got all the right bits and pieces, before you dive in and Build your own VMware vSphere 5.5 Datacenter with ESXi and VCSA, and article I plan to refresh with Update 1a soon.
This is a home-lab-centric article, with narrow scope. Get you started by getting you past bumps in the road that have steered others off course. The Windows-based vCenter Server download (vCenter Server 5.5 Update 1a Installation Package) that I'm not covering here is considerably more complex and time consuming to set up (you need to provide your own database, like SQL Server), and is overkill for most home labs. Now that VCSA (VMware vCenter Server Appliance) has come so far in scale and capabilities, and finally simple to deploy on a home network, it's likely better suited for your home lab use too. Especially if simplicity is your goal. Yes, VCSA is based on SuSE Linux. But this appliance is largely pre-configured by VMware for you. You don't need to know Linux at all to configure and use it using mostly just your browser, as I demonstrate on this 5.5 (non-Update 1) video here. See also configuration maximums.
Keep in mind that for those first 60 days, you have access to all ESXi datacenter features in a non-production lab. Read a bit more about licensing here on vmware.com and here on TinkerTry.
You'll have plenty of time to read during the download of the 3 needed files, which total about 2.5 GB in all. I detail the links below, followed by a video demonstrating the fastest way to get those downloads completed.
The new vCenter Server 5.5 Update 1a Release Notes parts you'll want to review:
vCenter Server Appliance 5.5 Update 1a | 19 APR 2014 | Build 1750781
Last updated: 19 APR 2014
Download - Steps 1, 2, and 3!
Well worth reading, in case you have troubles with logging in, permissions, and/or download speed issues.
The goal is to get the first download going, the version of ESXi 5.5 Update 1, aka, hypervisor, intended for new installs or upgrades, that ANYBODY can access. To get it, the simplest option is for me to show you the exact sequence of screens to get through, including "Register" for a new account (an optional first step). This way, especially after watching the video below, you'll be convinced that this procedure will work for ALL VMware-curious folks, even those who have never had a free my.vmware.com account before. That's right, no prerequisites, partner requirements, license key requests. Just an ISO you can download right away, for a 60 day trial. During that trial, assuming you don't enter any license key, you'll have access to all the enterprise features. This is a great way to kick the tires, and get to know what vSphere 5.5 Update 1 is capable of. Right in your lab, including the fun stuff like vMotion, Storage vMotion, and more. And if you do get a license keys, just enter them before 60 days are up, and you're all set, no re-install of ESXi or vCenter appliance will be needed. Remember, even if your keys do expire, your VMs are still on your datastores. And you can always rebuild. As always, adhering to EULAs and licensing restrictions are your responsibility. Disclaimers out of the way, let's get started!
1) Download VMware vSphere Hypervisor (ESXi) 5.5 Update 1 Build 1623387
Here's the URL to visit first:
vmware.com/go/evaluate-vsphere-en
You'll be challenged to log in with credentials. Choose the Log In tab for an existing account if you got one, then skip ahead in these instructions to "I Have an Account" below.
Create an Account
If you run into troubles with or chose the 'Create an Account' tab to make a new account, no billing questions will be asked. No matter how you log in, all these downloads listed below are available to you, for free. Licensing is a separate issue.
Finish up with filling out name, address, a little about yourself, then agree to the terms and click ‘Start Free Trial’:
Now bring up your email, web based email is simplest:
I Have an Account
You'll need to decide on the download method.
- For a simple html download method over https, click the 'Manually Download' links
- If you have a faster connection, you may prefer to chose the 'Start Download Manager' buttons, which uses the Java based Akamai DLM (DownLoad Manager).
With my rated as 150Mbps down and 30Mbps up internet connection, I can actually get full use of that pipe (seen at right, and in video below), only if I use DLM. I managed to finish all 3 downloads, that's 2.41GB in all, in under 5 minutes. And if I skip the DLM? Then it's "just" 26Mbps for me. I know, boo hoo.
Once logged in to the "VMware vSphere Product Evaluation Center" you'll see you're on the "Installation & Configuation" screen. If this is your first login here, just wait about 30 seconds, and it'll automatically go to the next step, the "License & Download" tab, seen below:
Scroll down, and there it is:
ESXi 5.5 ISO image (Includes VMware Tools)
2014-03-11 | 5.5.0 U1 | 328 MB | iso
VMware-VMvisor-Installer-5.5.0.update01-1623387.x86_64.iso
You should see this dialogue come up:
If you don't see this, your download may work, but it'll be slow. You can adjust your Java setting to fix this. Press your Windows key, type Java, select 'Configure Java', choose the 'Security' tab, and turn on 'Enable Java content in the browser' then click 'Apply'. You can turn it right back off again when done, and yes, there are good security reasons why you might want to do so. This easy browser integration on/off capability arrived in Java 7 Update 10, which has the checkbox set to off by default.
2) Download VCSA (VMware vCenter Server Appliance - OVA File) 5.5 Update 1a Build 1750781
Visit this site (if you're not already logged in there from step 1 above):
vmware.com/go/evaluate-vsphere-en
You'll need this appliance to have access to many of the ESXi 5.5 specific features that are only accessible by pointing your browser to this appliance, aka, vSphere Web Client. This is how you'll be able to try the new and interesting stuff, seen here.
Just scroll down and open the "Download the management server" section, and click the 2nd item found there:
VMware vCenter Server Appliance - OVA File File size: 2GB
2014-04-19 | 5.5.0.10100 | 2 GB
VMware-vCenter-Server-Appliance-5.5.0.10100-1750781_OVF10.ova
All the appliance-related files are bundled inside the OVA file, kindly pointed out by TinkerTry commenter Squuiid here. Yes, that means you only need this one file.
3) Download VMware vSphere Client 5.5 Build 1746248
You still need this C# Windows 32 bit program to initially configure your ESXi host, and to deploy the appliance ("File, Deploy OVF Template"), but after that, not so much. This is the same exact link to the actual EXE from VMware's site that you get when you click on the "Download vSphere Client" button upon pointing your browser straight to your ESXi host later on, but why not get this 358MB download over with now?
Visit this site (if you're not already logged in there from step 1 or step 2 above):
vmware.com/go/evaluate-vsphere-en
VMware vSphere Client 5.5 Update 1a
2014-04-19 | 5.5.0U1a | 358 MB | exe
VMware-viclient-all-5.5.0-1746248.exe
and finish up kicking off that 3rd download.
When all 3 are done, use Windows Explorer to verify you have the correct 3 files:
You may wonder, what about the Client Integration Plug-In in the vSphere Web Client? Well, that bit of code will be coming straight from your VCSA on your local network, once you've got the appliance up and running. Thankfully, the vSphere Web Client is now a decent performer, especially when run off a SATA3 SSD, as seen on the TinkerTry YouTube Channel. Not something I'd dare say about 5.1, which was pretty much intolerable. Phew!
You are now ready to begin building your lab, congratulations!
How, exactly? I will be creating an updated, streamlined, step-by-step 5.5 Update 1 installation and configuration guide, with new video, right here at TinkerTry soon. But worry not, it'll be very much like the original, comprehensive hit, Build your own VMware vSphere 5.5 Datacenter with ESXi and VCSA, so you can get started right away, since this is just a relatively minor update.
I've also published a video walk through of me downloading the 3 key files that were current back in March 2014, featuring the Akamai Download Manager:
See also:
VMware Community:
Fastest way to download the new VMware ESXi 5.5 Update 1 ISO, the vCenter Server 5.5 Update 1 OVA, and the latest vSphere Client EXE
Duncan Epping on Mar 12 2014 at Yellow-Bricks:
Heartbleed Security Bug fixes for VMware
See also this TinkerTry exclusive:
Use ESXi-Customizer GUI to inject multiple driver VIBs into your ESXi installer ISO
Also right here on TinkerTry:
Build your own VMware vSphere 5.5 Datacenter with ESXi and VCSA
Superguide: VMware vSphere
