Current ESXI install looking for a little help

bhunter · Jul 20, 2015, 9:18 PM

I am going to virtualize PFsense 2.2.3as a perimeter firewall. I am looking for an updated installation step by step. I am also wondering what I should give the virtual for processor, ram and harddrive space. I have seen 1 cpu, 512 ram and 8 gig HD. What I am want is best performance setup.

My end goal is this

http://everythingshouldbevirtual.com/super-router-pfsense-untangle

I want to gain more control over my network as far as traffic shaping, internet scheduling per group or device.

My ESXI server has plenty of CPU and RAM to assign what is needed.

I have been reading this

https://calvin.me/part-1-install-pfsense-on-esxi-5-5/

HOw up to date is that step by step?

I want to use the vmxnet3 adaptor in esxi, does PFsense 2.2.3 come with the driver or does a person need to buy the OVA to get that adaptor?

Thanks
Bill

KOM · Jul 21, 2015, 1:13 PM

HOw up to date is that step by step?

No idea as I couldn't be bothered reading the entire thing. Installing pfSense in ESXi isn't much different than installing on a PC, and the process hasn't changed much over the years.

does PFsense 2.2.3 come with the driver

Yes. FreeBSD, which pfSense is based on, supports that driver.

johnpoz · Jul 21, 2015, 5:10 PM

To be honest if you have to have some step by step guide, or instructions on how to install an OS to VM or how to connect it via virtual nics to your physical network to be your router – maybe your not ready to run pfsense in a VM..

If you have some specific sort of question be happy to help. Been running multiple versions of pfsense on esxi for multiple version going back to esxi 5, now on current 6. I personally am not using the vmx3 in pfsense because yes they work out of the box. But don't provide speed and or duplex information for cdp or lldp. While the e1000 does without any issues.. And to be honest with multiple posts about it going back quite some time I really don't think there is all that much difference in performance.

And there is no need to install the tools from vmware - the openvm tools package you can just client install on pfsense works just fine.

KOM · Jul 21, 2015, 6:06 PM

It's really just a matter of creating a few vSwitches, one for your WAN and one for LAN. Create VM and connect respective NIC into respective vSwitch.

johnpoz · Jul 21, 2015, 7:37 PM

As to to your ram and hard drive.. Depends on if your going to be running packages like ntop or snort or squid, etc.

If your not going to be using any packages, more than likely 256MB is enough ram with 1 cpu and disk space 4GB is more than enough.. Pfsense will only create a 4GB disk even if you gave it 100GB, etc.

bhunter · Jul 22, 2015, 5:34 PM

@johnpoz:

To be honest if you have to have some step by step guide, or instructions on how to install an OS to VM or how to connect it via virtual nics to your physical network to be your router – maybe your not ready to run pfsense in a VM..

If you have some specific sort of question be happy to help. Been running multiple versions of pfsense on esxi for multiple version going back to esxi 5, now on current 6. I personally am not using the vmx3 in pfsense because yes they work out of the box. But don't provide speed and or duplex information for cdp or lldp. While the e1000 does without any issues.. And to be honest with multiple posts about it going back quite some time I really don't think there is all that much difference in performance.

And there is no need to install the tools from vmware - the openvm tools package you can just client install on pfsense works just fine.

To be honest I never asked how to install an OS to a VM. A vitualized firewall is more than an OS to a VM. I was just wonder if there was a more up to date step by step. If the most recent version required more resources etc.

Thanks for the reply
Bill

johnpoz · Jul 23, 2015, 7:19 AM

"A vitualized firewall is more than an OS to a VM"

No not really… So you don't know where your wan or lan is? Do you need a guide?

Bastion · Jul 23, 2015, 8:12 AM

bhunter,

As johnpoz said a virtualized firewall is "NOT REALLY" more than an OS to a VM !!
The four parts of Calvin document/blog are more than enough for what you need to setup a basic installation.
Don't be intimidated… If you know how to install an OS in a VM, You will be able to install and setup pfSense too ;)