Configuring VMware ESXi Management Network from the direct console

Products

• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

This article provides instructions to configure the ESXi host Management Network from the direct console.

 

Notes:

• Place the host in maintenance mode before implementing changes to the IP address if the host is part of the HA cluster.
• ESXi will disconnect from the vCenter Server if changing the host Management Network IP address.

Resolution

Note: To perform the steps in this section, connect to ESXi using the remote access console tools (such as iLO, iDRAC, IMM etc.) or KVM attached to the physical server hardware.

Table of Contents

Configuring static IP settings.

Configuring DNS settings.

Configuring DNS suffixes.

Configuring static IP settings from the console

To configure static IP settings from the console:

1. Press F2 to examine the default configuration.
2. Login with 'root' credentials.
3. Press the down-arrow key to select Configure Management Network and press Enter.
4. Press the down-arrow key to choose IPv4 Configuration (or IPv6) and press Enter.
5. Press the down-arrow key to choose Set static IP address and network configuration and press the spacebar.
6. Press the down-arrow key to choose IP Address.
7. Press the backspace key to clear the current IP address, then enter a new IP address.
8. Press the down-arrow key to choose Subnet Mask.
9. Press Backspace to delete the current Subnet Mask.
10. Enter a new Subnet Mask.
11. Press the down-arrow key to choose Default Gateway.
12. Delete the existing Default Gateway.
13. Enter a new Default Gateway.
14. Press Enter to apply the changes.

Configuring DNS settings

When configuring DNS settings, it can be configured either manual or automatic Domain Name System (DNS). By default, DNS configuration is automatic. The automatic setting enables a DHCP server to acquire DNS information. For automatic DNS to work, network environment must have a DHCP server and a DNS server. In network environments where automatic DNS is not available or not desirable, static DNS can be configured, including a host name, a primary name server, a secondary name server, and DNS suffixes.

To configure DNS settings from the console:

1. Press F2 to examine the default configuration.
2. Login with 'root' credentials.
3. Press the down-arrow key to choose Configure Management Network and press Enter.
4. Press the down-arrow key to choose DNS Configuration and press Enter.
5. Press the down-arrow key to choose Use the following DNS server addresses and hostname and press the spacebar.
6. Delete the current primary server, alternate server, and host name.
7. Enter a static primary DNS server, alternate server, and host name.
8. Press Enter to apply the changes.
    

To configure DNS suffixes from the console:

Note: By default, DHCP acquires the DNS suffixes.

1. Press F2 to examine the default configuration.
2. Login with 'root' credentials.
3. Press the down-arrow key to choose Configure Management Network and press Enter.
4. Press the down-arrow key to choose Custom DNS Suffixes and press Enter.
5. Press Backspace to delete the current DNS suffixes.
6. Enter new DNS suffixes.
7. Press Enter to apply the changes.

Additional Information

Changing the ESXi server management IP address