This chapter describes the steps that are required to configure the environment for two OLTP database instances that are running in separate VMware 6.7 VMs, which are on a single PowerEdge R940 server. The vCenter instance running on the R640 management server manages the VMs.

The deployment of the two virtual databases on a single ESXi host consists of the following tasks:

1. Configure XtremIO storage:
   1. Create the Initiator Group.
   2. Create the storage volumes.
   3. Map the storage volumes to the ESXi host.

2. Set up the LAN and SAN switches:
   1. Configure redundant ToR 10 GbE switches.
   2. Configure redundant 16 Gbps SAN FC switches, including zoning.
3. Set up the ESXi host, network, VMs, and storage:
   1. Prepare the PowerEdge server.
   2. Install and configure ESXi on the database server.
   3. Create a vSphere data center, including adding the ESXi database host.
   4. Configure a vSphere Distributed Switch.
   5. Configure datastores.
   6. Create VMs for the databases.
   7. Set up networking for ESXi hosts and VMs.
   8. Prepare storage disks for the databases.
4. Configure the guest operating system and databases.