VMware: How to install Cisco Nexus 1000v - Part1

In this topic I briefly explain how to install Cisco Nexus 1000v virtual switch in VMware vSphere 5.1

Prerequisites for this installation are:

• Nexus1000v.4.2.1.SV2.1.1a.zip file which contains Cisco software. You can download it from this page.
• Three VM Networks:

1. Management Network (VM Kernel)
2. Control Network (VM PortGroup)
3. Port Network (VM PortGroup)

These networks should be separated usingh VLANs as stated in Cisco Nexus 1000V Getting Started Guide.

First we need to install Nexus 1000V Virtual Supervisor Module(VSM).
Unzip Nexus1000v.4.2.1.SV2.1.1a.zip, the OVA file that will be deployed is located in "Nexus1000v.4.2.1.SV2.1.1a\VSM\Install" folder.

Open VMware vSphere Client, click File > Deploy OVF Template, choose nexus-1000v.4.2.1.SV2.1.1a.ova and follow the installation as stated in screenshots below.

Insert the Nexus 1000v administrator password and the management IP Address of the switch:

Once VSM is installed, we need to use Cisco installer to finalize the installation of the switch providing vCenter credentials.
Go to "Nexus1000v.4.2.1.SV2.1.1a\VSM\Installer_App" folder and run Nexus1000V-install_CNX.jar (Java must be installed in your machine in order to run this).
Select vCenter Server Connection and provide vCenter credentials as in the following images:

Once installation is finished click Close and in vSphere Client under Inventory > Networking you will see the Cisco 1000v Virtual Distributed Switch.

In a following post I will explain how to simple configure it creating port groups.

That's all!!