5.2

Table 4-1. Custom Configuration Parameters
(Continued)
Parameter Description and Recommendations
CPUs
The number of virtual processors in the virtual machine.
For most guest operating systems, a single processor is
sufficient.
Memory
The amount of memory to allocate to the virtual machine.
In most cases, 512MB is sufficient.
Network
The number of virtual network adapters (NICs) in the virtual
machine.
One NIC is usually sufficient. The network name should be
consistent across virtual infrastructures. An incorrect
network name in a template can cause failures during the
instance customization phases.
When you install View Agent on a virtual machine that has
more
than one NIC, you must configure the subnet that View
Agent uses. See “Configure a Virtual Machine with Multiple
NICs for View Agent,” on page 70 for more information.
IMPORTANT For Windows8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista
operating systems, you must select the VMXNET 3 network
adapter. Using the default E1000 adapter can cause
customization timeout errors on virtual machines. To use the
VMXNET 3 adapter, you must install a Microsoft hotfix
patch:
n
For Windows 7 SP1:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2550978
n
For Windows 7 versions previous to SP1:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2344941
SCSI Controller
The type of SCSI adapter to use with the virtual machine.
For Windows8, Windows 7, and Windows XP guest
operating systems, you should specify the LSI Logic adapter.
The LSI Logic adapter has improved performance and works
better with generic SCSI devices.
LSI Logic SAS is available only for virtual machines with
hardware version 7 and later.
NOTE Windows XP does not include a driver for the LSI
Logic adapter. You must download the driver from the LSI
Logic Web site.
Select a Disk
The disk to use with the virtual machine.
Create a new virtual disk based on the amount of local
storage that you decide to allocate to each user. Allow
enough storage space for the OS installation, patches, and
locally installed applications.
To reduce the need for disk space and management of local
data, you should store the user's information, profile, and
documents on network shares rather than on a local disk.
Install a Guest Operating System
After you create a virtual machine, you must install a guest operating system.
Prerequisites
n
Verify that an ISO image file of the guest operating system is on a datastore on your ESX server.
n
Verify that the CD/DVD drive in the virtual machine points to the ISO image file of the guest operating
system and that the CD/DVD drive is configured to connect at power on.
Chapter 4 Creating and Preparing Virtual Machines
VMware, Inc. 61