How to Enable Nested Virtualization on VMware ESXi
If you’re looking to run virtual machines within a virtual machine on VMware ESXi, you’ll need to enable nested virtualization. This feature allows you to create a virtualization environment within another virtualization environment, which can be useful for testing, development, or running specific applications that require nested virtualization.
Enabling nested virtualization on VMware ESXi is a fairly straightforward process, but there are a few steps you’ll need to follow to ensure everything works smoothly. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the process of enabling nested virtualization on VMware ESXi.
Step 1: Check Hardware Compatibility
Before you can enable nested virtualization on VMware ESXi, you’ll need to make sure that your hardware supports this feature. Nested virtualization requires specific CPU and motherboard support, so it’s essential to check your hardware specifications before proceeding.
You can check your hardware compatibility by referring to your CPU and motherboard documentation or by checking the VMware website for a list of supported hardware.
Step 2: Enable Virtualized Intel VT-X/EPT or AMD-V/RVI
Once you’ve verified that your hardware supports nested virtualization, you’ll need to enable the virtualization extensions in the BIOS of your ESXi host. This typically involves enabling the Virtualized Intel VT-X/EPT or AMD-V/RVI features in the BIOS settings.
To access the BIOS settings, restart your ESXi host and look for the key to press to enter the BIOS setup. This key is usually displayed on the screen during boot-up. Once you’re in the BIOS settings, navigate to the virtualization extensions section and enable the appropriate features.
Step 3: Enable Nested Virtualization in ESXi
With the virtualization extensions enabled in the BIOS, you can now enable nested virtualization in VMware ESXi. To do this, you’ll need to SSH into your ESXi host and make some configuration changes.
Open an SSH client and connect to your ESXi host using the root credentials. Once connected, navigate to the ESXi configuration file located at /etc/vmware/config using a text editor like vi or nano.
Within the config file, add the following line:
vhv.enable = "TRUE"
Save the file and restart your ESXi host for the changes to take effect. Nested virtualization should now be enabled on your VMware ESXi host, allowing you to run virtual machines within a virtual machine.
Conclusion
Enabling nested virtualization on VMware ESXi opens up a world of possibilities for running virtualized environments within virtualized environments. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can enable nested virtualization on your ESXi host and start experimenting with different configurations and setups.
Remember to always check hardware compatibility and follow best practices when enabling nested virtualization to ensure optimal performance and stability.