Installation Process
This process guides you through installing the Expressway VM using vCenter or vSphere client. Before you start the installation, make sure all the system requirements are in place, as detailed in System Requirements.
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This process guides you through installing the Expressway VM using vCenter or vSphere client. Before you start the installation, make sure all the system requirements are in place, as detailed in System Requirements.
Ensure that the VM host is configured with a valid NTP server – the same NTP server that will be specified in Expressway.
Step 1 |
Select the host. |
Step 2 |
Go to the Configuration tab. |
Step 3 |
Select Time configuration. |
Step 4 |
Select Properties. If the date and time were red on the previous page, set the date and time manually to the current time. |
Step 5 |
Click Options. |
Step 6 |
Select NTP Settings. |
Step 7 |
Click Add. |
Step 8 |
Enter the IP address of the NTP server. |
Step 9 |
Click OK. |
Step 10 |
Select the Restart NTP service to apply changes check box. |
Step 11 |
Click OK. |
Step 12 |
Click OK. |
The following section describes how to deploy the ova to host using vCenter. If you are using vSphere, skip this section and go to Deploying OVA to Standalone ESXi Host.
These instructions represent a typical installation. The Deploy OVF Template wizard dynamically changes to reflect host configuration.
Step 1 |
If the .ova file is already preloaded onto the ESXi Host datastore (for example, in Cisco Business Edition 6000 deployments):
(If the .ova file is not preloaded on the datastore, you can select and upload it in the following steps.) |
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Step 2 |
Log in to vCenter to access the ESXi Host. |
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Step 3 |
Select ![]() |
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Step 4 |
On the Source page, identify where the .ova file is located, and then click Next.
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Step 5 |
On the OVF Template Details page, check that the Publisher certificate is valid and click Next. |
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Step 6 |
On the End User License Agreement page:
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Step 7 |
On the Name and Location page enter a Name for this Expressway VM guest, for example "Virtual_ Expressway" and click Next.
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Step 8 |
On the Deployment Configuration page, select the appropriately sized deployment: |
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Step 9 |
On the Host / Cluster page, select where you want to run the virtual Expressway and click Next. ![]() |
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Step 10 |
On the Resource Pool page, select where you want to run the virtual Expressway and click Next. ![]() |
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Step 11 |
On the Storage page, select the location onto which the virtual Expressway will be deployed and click Next. ![]() |
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Step 12 |
On the Disk Format page, ensure that the default disk format of Thick Provision Lazy Zeroed is selected and then click Next. ![]() |
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Step 13 |
On the Network Mapping page, select the network mapping that applies to your infrastructure (the default is VM Network) and then click Next.
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Step 14 |
On the Properties page, configure the network properties of the virtual Expressway and click Next. The properties you can set include the Expressway's IPv4 and IPv6 settings, option to enable DMI, and configure DMI Address and DMI Netmask, System, hostname and domain, up to five NTP servers, and up to five DNS servers. For automated deployments you can also enter an RSA SSH public key to securely set the root and admin passwords via SSH. If you do not enter a public key, you must set the passwords during the Install Wizard process.
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Step 15 |
On the Ready to Complete page:
The installation process will begin and a progress bar will be displayed. |
The Expressway ova is now deployed as a Guest on the VM Host.
These instructions describe how to set the root and admin password over SSH if you entered an RSA SSH public key in the VM Properties page – used primarily for automated deployments - or using the Install Wizard.
![]() Note |
You can ignore any floppy read errors that appear, as they are not relevant to this deployment mode. |
Step 1 |
Select the VM guest and then select the Console tab. |
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Step 2 |
Enter and confirm your root and admin passwords. You will also be prompted to set any properties you did not set in VMware.
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Step 3 |
Press Enter to apply the configuration. |
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Step 4 |
The Expressway will apply the configuration and reboot. ![]() |
You should now be able to access the Expressway using a web browser.
You can now order your option keys; see Expressway Service Selection, Licenses, and Basic Configuration.
Step 1 |
The Install Wizard starts an SSH daemon, listening on port 5022, so you can set the root and admin password. |
Step 2 |
Connect as user "wizard" using an SSH client on port 5022 (for example: ssh wizard@10.0.0.1 -p 5022). ![]() |
Step 3 |
Follow the prompt to set admin.password and root.password. ![]() |
Step 4 |
The Expressway will apply the configuration and reboot. |
You should now be able to access the Expressway using a web browser.
You can now order your option keys; see Expressway Service Selection, Licenses, and Basic Configuration.
![]() Note |
The desktop vSphere Client is not available from vSphere 6.5 and later. |
Step 1 |
If the .ova file is already preloaded onto the ESXi Host datastore (for example, in Cisco Business Edition 6000 deployments): |
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Step 2 |
Log in to the vSphere client to access the ESXi Host. |
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Step 3 |
Select .![]() |
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Step 4 |
On the Source page, identify where the .ova file is located, and then click Next.
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Step 5 |
On the OVF Template Details page, check that the Publisher certificate is valid and click Next. |
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Step 6 |
On the End User License Agreement page:
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Step 7 |
On the Name and Location page enter a Name for this Expressway VM guest, for example "Virtual_Expressway" and click Next.
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Step 8 |
On the Deployment Configuration page, select the appropriately sized deployment: |
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Step 9 |
On the Disk Format page, ensure that the default disk format of Thick Provision Lazy Zeroed is selected and then click Next. ![]() |
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Step 10 |
On the Ready to Complete page: |
![]() Note |
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Step 1 |
Select the VM guest and then select the Console tab. The VM guest will take some time to boot, create its second hard disk partition and then reboot to the Install Wizard. |
Step 2 |
Follow the prompts given by the Install Wizard to specify the following:
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Step 3 |
After the wizard is finished the following message will appear:
Press Enter. |
Step 4 |
After it has applied the configuration and rebooted, the Expressway is ready to use. You should now be able to access the Expressway using a web browser. |
You can now manage the Expressway licensing and basic configuration; see Expressway Service Selection, Licenses, and Basic Configuration.
We recommend deploying an Expressway VMWare OVA in an automated manner. To do this:
Step 1 |
Deploy the VM using VMWare’s OVFTool:
For more details of the command syntax, including examples, see the OVFTool User’s Guide. |
Step 2 |
Configure the root and admin passwords using ssh on port 5022. Refer the section Set the Root and Admin Password Using SSH. |
Step 3 |
There are multiple ways to automate the deployment, for example, you can use Python Paramiko SSH library command: {{command = '{"admin.password": "x", "root.password": “x”}\n’}} |