Frequently Asked Questions

Installing Onboard's Edge Software

Onboard's Edge Software is packaged into an OVA file which can be deployed as a VM on VMware application. VMware allow you to run multiple Operating Systems on a single physical machine by creating virtual machines (VMs). The most common VMware set-ups are:

  1. VMware Workstation (for desktops)
  2. VMware ESXi (for servers)

⚠️ Disclaimer: This is not an official installation guide for VMware. Installation steps, and option selections may vary depending on the version of VMware, and system hardware. Please refer to the official product documentation for accurate and up-to-date instructions. This guide is intended to provide a general overview to help you understand the typical process of installation and setup. This guide focuses on setting up VMware ESXi and deploying Onboard's OVA file on it.

📦 Part 1: Installing VMware ESXi

  1. Download ESXi
    • Visit vmware.com and download the latest ESXi (version 6.7 or later)‍‍
  2. Create a Bootable USB
  3. Flash the ISO onto a USB drive‍‍
  4. Install ESXi
    • Plug the USB into your target machine.
    • Boot from the USB, then follow the on-screen instructions:
    • Select disk for installation
    • Accept license agreement
    • Set root password‍‍
    • After installation, remove the USB.
  5. Reboot and use the Direct Console Interface for initial ESXi configuration and troubleshooting.
  6. By default, DHCP sets the IP address, subnet mask, and default gateway.
    • For future reference, write down the IP address.‍‍
  7. Access ESXi Web UI
    • Open a browser and go to the assigned IP address
    • Log in using root and your password.

🧩 Part 2: Deploying Onboard OVA File on VMware ESXi

  1. Deploy OVA Template
    • Click "Create/Register VM”
    • Select “Deploy a virtual machine from an OVF or OVA file”
  2. Upload OVA
    • Give your VM a name
    • Upload the .ova file
    • Select the datastore (where the VM will be stored)
  3. Customize Network
    • Ensure your network allows required ports (see edge node install guide for more details)
  4. Finish Deployment‍
    • Click Finish and wait for deployment to completePower on the VM once it’s deployed