Would you like to learn how to create a Vmware ESXi ISO repository? In this tutorial, we are going to show you how to enable SSH and how to copy ISO images to a Vmware ESXi server.

This tutorial was tested on Vmware ESXi 6.5

This tutorial was tested on Vmware ESXi 6.7

This tutorial does not use Vcenter.

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Tutorial - Vmware ISO Repository on Vsphere

First, you need to access the Vmware web interface.

Open a browser software, enter the IP address of your Vmware ESXi server and access web interface.

vmware web interface

On the prompt screen, enter the administrative login information.

After a successful login, the Vmware dashboard will be displayed.

Vmware ESXi Dashboard

On the Vmware Dashboard, Access the Storage Menu.

Access the Datastores tab and select the Datastore browser option.

Vmware ESXi Datastore

On the Vmware datastore browser screen, click on the Create directory option.

Vmware ESXi Datastore folder

Enter the desired name to the ISO repository folder.

In our example, we created a directory named ISO.

Vmware ISO Folder

On the Vmware datastore browser screen, select the ISO folder.

Click on the Upload button, select the desired ISO image files and wait for the upload to finish.

Vmware ESXi upload ISO

In our example, we upload the following ISO files:

• gparted-live-0.32.0-1-i686.iso
• ubuntu-18.04-live-server-amd64.iso

Vmware ISO Repository

Congratulations! You successfully created a Vmware ESXi ISO repository.

Tutorial - Vmware Create Virtual Machine using ISO File

On this tutorial, we will also show you how to create a virtual machine using the ISO repository.

Access the Vmware Dashboard.

Vmware ESXi Dashboard

On the Vmware Dashboard, Access the Virtual Machines menu Menu.

Click on the Create / Register VM button.

Vmware ESXi New VM

On the Vmware creation assistant, select the following options:

• Compatibility - ESXI 6.7 Virtual Machine
• Guest OS Family - Linux
• Guest OS Version - Ubuntu Linux

In our example, we are installing a new Linux virtual machine.

Vmwre ESXI Linux Virtual machine

On the Setting customization screen, you need to change the following configuration:

• CD/DVD Drive - Datastore ISO file.
• Status - Connect at power on.
• CD/DVD Media - Click on the Browser button

Vmwre ESXI Linux Virtual Machine ISO

Locate and select the Operational System installation image file.

In our example, we selected the Ubuntu Linux installation file: ubuntu-18.04-live-server-amd64.iso

Vmware ESXi Linux Vm Datastore

Finish the Virtual machine creation assistant.

Turn on the new Virtual Machine.

The system should start automatically a new operational system installation.

Ubuntu Installation

Congratulations! You are now using an ISO repository to install a new Virtual Machine.