OS X Based Headless VM Server

[Leslie.Hon]

Hi,

I using the ESXi on my 2012 Mac Mini, but after I tried Mavericks Server (OS X Server 3.0).
The caching server 2 need to run in a native OS X installation. (Run on physical machine for register caching service)

Now I change back to OS X Mavericks Server as Host OS and running few VM in the VMware Fusion 6
But these vm should run after manual login and open VMware Fusion.



I want to make the Mac mini to a headless vm (VMware Fusion / Virtual Box) server with the following function.
(The VM is Ubuntu Server.)

1. Can turn on the vm(s) when the computer start (WITHOUT Login)
2. When the host turn off / reboot, VM will suspend / shutdown before host shutdown. (Admin click shutdown or shutdown button on the login screen)
3. Can handle different VLAN e.g. VM1 > VLAN10 , VM2 > VLAN20 , HOST > NoVLAN
4. Run in the background just like a service

PROBLEMS:

I think launched can handle task1(?) , but how about task2?
I tried to create VLAN on OS X Host, and bridge the vm to the "interface", but not working
I tried to make a startup item to power on vm, but notworking (have a vmx process )

BACKGROUND:

• Mac Mini 2012
• Thunderbolt Ethernet Adapter (Dual Lan with the onboard)
• Router: Mikrotik RouterOS 6 (setup some VLAN , can use it with ESXi)
• VM are Ubuntu Server with no GUI

Thankyou.

 

[unplugme71]

Hi,

I using the ESXi on my 2012 Mac Mini, but after I tried Mavericks Server (OS X Server 3.0).
The caching server 2 need to run in a native OS X installation. (Run on physical machine for register caching service)

Now I change back to OS X Mavericks Server as Host OS and running few VM in the VMware Fusion 6
But these vm should run after manual login and open VMware Fusion.



I want to make the Mac mini to a headless vm (VMware Fusion / Virtual Box) server with the following function.
(The VM is Ubuntu Server.)

1. Can turn on the vm(s) when the computer start (WITHOUT Login)
2. When the host turn off / reboot, VM will suspend / shutdown before host shutdown. (Admin click shutdown or shutdown button on the login screen)
3. Can handle different VLAN e.g. VM1 > VLAN10 , VM2 > VLAN20 , HOST > NoVLAN
4. Run in the background just like a service

PROBLEMS:

I think launched can handle task1(?) , but how about task2?
I tried to create VLAN on OS X Host, and bridge the vm to the "interface", but not working
I tried to make a startup item to power on vm, but notworking (have a vmx process )

BACKGROUND:

• Mac Mini 2012
• Thunderbolt Ethernet Adapter (Dual Lan with the onboard)
• Router: Mikrotik RouterOS 6 (setup some VLAN , can use it with ESXi)
• VM are Ubuntu Server with no GUI

Thankyou.

Get another Mac Mini - run ESXi and run your VM's on that. Use the other Mac Mini for Caching..

Or switch to Windows -- Hyper-V works pretty well, especially the latest version as you can have a live VM move from one physical host to another.

 

[spencers]

So the problem here is that Caching Server calls home to Apple and binds to the 12-character serial number of the machine. As I'm sure you're aware, any VM on ESXi has a really long VMW#### serial.

Here's what I ran across https://communities.vmware.com/thread/460831

You can add
SMBIOS.use12CharSerialNumber = "TRUE"
to the bottom the vmx file for the virtual machine.

This only works in ESXi 5.5.

In VCenter web client (Who uses that right?) there is an option for 10.9 in the New Virtual Machine Wizard.

The 12 Character Serial...while doesn't look like an Apple sn...does allow Caching Server to work.

As said, make sure you're running ESXi 5.5. I haven't tested this myself, as our Xserve is still running 5.1