Having used parts of NSX and as im looking to do the VCP in the coming week / months its time to get it installed in my lab. The first part is to deploy the NSX manager, download this from VMware’s portal or if you have been on the NSX VCP course you will be able to download it. My lab is using Workstation 12 - nested ESXi 6.0 U1 and nested vCentre 6.0 U1.

VMware’s NSX Install guide can be found here

If you are using Workstation be sure to change the nested ESXi host’s NIC driver from the default E1000. Log onto the Web Client (you must use the Web Client, using the C# client you can deploy NSX Manager but the appliance doesnt fully boot). With my hardware I also had to change the cluster EVC mode to Westmere otherwise the appliance would stop on a Kernel panic error.

From the Web Client open Hosts and Cluster - Deploy OVF Template… be sure to tick the install Accept extra configuration options box

Choose a folder and host

Choose your storage. Add the details to the appliance such as admin passwords / IP address / hostname / DNS settings. Once complete select finish

Give that a few minutes and it will be booted up. Before I changed the EVC mode to Westmere the appliance would fail to boot due to a Kernel panic, I could upgrade the virtual hardware that would get over this error but the appliance wouldnt fully boot up and had me chasing my tail for a bit. If you are doing this using Workstation and are having similar issues change the EVC mode. For reference my CPU is Intel Core i5 6400 2.7GHz Skylake

Once booted browse to the IP address and login with Admin and the password you set earlier. First thing to do is to register it with vCenter. Choose Manage vCenter Registration

Add your vCenter details - use username@domain format here

All being well your vCenter appliance will appear under Manage - NSX Management Service - vCenter Server

Now open the Web Client back up and you will see Network and Security down the left hand side. Click this and now you can start to configure NSX.