How to Enable Nested Virtualization in ESXi 6.7
If you’re looking to set up nested virtualization in your ESXi 6.7 environment, you’ve come to the right place! Nested virtualization allows you to run a hypervisor inside another hypervisor, which can be incredibly useful for testing and development purposes. In this article, we’ll walk you through the steps to enable nested virtualization in ESXi 6.7.
Step 1: Check CPU Compatibility
Before you can enable nested virtualization in ESXi 6.7, you’ll need to ensure that your CPU supports this feature. To do this, check if your CPU has Intel VT-x or AMD-V virtualization technology support. Most modern CPUs have this feature, but it’s always a good idea to double-check to avoid any compatibility issues.
Step 2: Enable Virtual Hardware CPU Performance Counters
Next, you’ll need to enable Virtual Hardware CPU Performance Counters in your ESXi 6.7 host. This can be done by navigating to the Configuration tab in the vSphere Client, selecting Advanced Settings, and checking the box next to “VMkernel.1.cpuid.v0” under the VMkernel section. Enabling this feature allows your VMs to access CPU performance counters, which is necessary for nested virtualization.
Step 3: Modify ESXi Advanced Settings
After enabling Virtual Hardware CPU Performance Counters, you’ll need to modify the ESXi advanced settings to allow nested virtualization. To do this, log in to your ESXi host using SSH or the ESXi console and add the following lines to the /etc/vmware/config file:
vhv.enable = "TRUE"
Save the file and restart your ESXi host for the changes to take effect. This setting enables the necessary virtualization extensions for nested virtualization to work properly.
Step 4: Verify Nested Virtualization Support
Once you’ve completed the above steps, you can verify that nested virtualization is enabled in your ESXi 6.7 environment. Create a new VM with virtual hardware version 14 or later, install a hypervisor such as VMware Workstation or Hyper-V, and then install a guest OS inside the nested VM. If everything is set up correctly, you should be able to run multiple layers of virtualization without any issues.
Conclusion
Enabling nested virtualization in ESXi 6.7 can open up a world of possibilities for testing and development scenarios. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can easily set up nested virtualization in your ESXi environment and start experimenting with different hypervisors and configurations. Have fun exploring the endless capabilities of nested virtualization!