[ale] building a Linux sub-operating system layer for VMware server?

[Christoper Fowler]

Ned Williams wrote:
>
> Ale'rs.
>
> I was wondering if anyone had built a stripped down Linux kernel with 
> the base base base driver set to get Vmware server up and then 
> afterwards  booted the Virtual OS as a default startup function of OS 
> (init.d or whatever). thus placing a layer of Linux and iptables etc 
> etc between the VM os shall we say a user base's windows OS?
>
I was going to do it but I don't know if it is really needed.

I've done MANY tiny linux systems so I could probably hack one out in
a day or so but CentOS 5.2 does exactly what I need it to do. 

Load CentOS 5.2 and then go into rc3.d and remove EVERYTHING
not needed.   Remove it all.   If you never plan to SSH
into the VMware server or do any CLI base managment then edit
rc.local to start VMware server and turn off all gettys and run no
SSH.

Create a startup file for iptables.


I built my server two weeks ago and did some unique things with it.

1.  I installed a multi-port serial board.
I assign one port per guest and use serial console.  This works much
better for me then using the web interface of VMware.  It is also
more reliable.  The remote console keeps terminating on me with
a SGFAULT on both Ubuntu 7.10 and 8.04.  I gave up!


2.  I installed a 4 port modem board ($$$$)
I assign ports as needed to the guests.  I have 3 pots lines in our colo.

I use console management device on the serial ports and access that 
remotely. 

For development guests that are not critical I assign each one of them
a named pipe and call it ttyS0.  I then connect to that to see their
serial console. 

The ONLY time I use the web gui is to modify or create guests.  We
do have to use it for our Windows 2003 guest :(

This setup is working extremely well for us.  A bit spendy but it works!