PC server ML110 G7 with VMware ESXi 5.1

After I wrote a previous post on my blog, I received a coupon which had a discount on PC servers. The coupon gave me a 4,000 yen ($50) discount on ML110 G7 which is normally priced at 13,980 yen ($175). I decided to buy it soon and I had started to collect some parts to upgrade the machine.

Finally, I bought following items:

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ML110 G7    9,980 yen

WD 2.0TB WD20EZRX/N (HDD)    6,778 yen

Kingston DDR3 KVR1333D3E9SK2/8G (Memory)  5,164 yen x 2

BUFFALO RUF2-PS2GS-BK (USB stick memory)  891 yen

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Total       27,977 yen ($350)

I put memories and the HDD into the server when all items had arrived. A body of the server is quite accessible to put items on easily. Furthermore, it has an internal USB port so that I can put the USB stick memory which was installed VMware ESXi 5.1 on it.

The procedure of installing ESXi is following: 

• Download VMware ESXi 5.1(ISO image) into my pc.
• Make a bootable USB memory key using unetbootin (It's very useful software).
• Set the USB memory key into an internal USB port of the server.
• Set power management setting of the server to "OS Control" in BIOS settings screen.
• Boot from USB memory key then ESXi installation starts.
• Install ESXi into USB memory key itself.

Installation is smooth and I got a virtualized server quickly and easily. Finally, I installed VMware vSphere Client on my pc to control the server. At the time, ESXi is installed as evaluation edition which is used only for 60 days so that I needed to input license code, which was provided on VMware's website freely, into the server by using vSphere Client.