Linux Journal: Configuring a Linux/VMware GSX Server

"Last time we talked, I described how you could utilize a single high-powered computer running Linux and VMware GSX server to host many virtual servers running Windows NT, 2000, 98, FreeBSD and so on. In this article, we will talk about how to configure a Red Hat Linux server for the VMware GSX environment, add additional network interface cards to reduce virtual server bottlenecks and add an external drive array to provide plenty of disk space for our SQL databases and VMs.

"Out of the box, the Linux kernel comes configured to support a great many devices, filesystems and networking protocols. But only a small portion of the supported devices are needed for a typical GSX server, and some that aren't included in the default kernel may need to be added. For some of you, the stock kernel configuration may work fine for your GSX implementation. Depending on your needs or any special hardware requirements, however, you may have to resort to building a custom kernel. For the purposes of this article, we will be using Red Hat 7.2 with the 2.4.2-17smp kernel. If you are using a different distribution for your GSX server (SuSE, Caldera or TurboLinux), make the necessary kernel modifications that match your version..."

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Related Stories:

• Linux Journal: Introducing Linux into the Enterprise(Jun 12, 2002)
• Linux Orbit: VMWare Workstation 3.1: Solid Upgrade to an Already Solid Package(May 15, 2002)
• LinuxLookup: VMware GSX Server for Linux Review(Apr 25, 2002)