Installing vCLI on Linux Systems with Internet Access

Before you can install the vCLI package on a Linux system with Internet access, that system must meet following prerequisites.

■	Internet access. You must have Internet access when you run the installer because the installer uses CPAN to install prerequisite Perl modules.

■	Development Tools and Libraries. You must install the Development Tools and Libraries for the Linux platform that you are working with before you install vCLI and prerequisite Perl modules.

■	Proxy settings. If your system is using a proxy for Internet access, you must set the http:// and ftp:// proxies, as follows:

export http_proxy=<proxy_server>:port

export ftp_proxy=<proxy_server>:port

Installing Required Prerequisite Software for Linux Systems with Internet Access

If required prerequisite software is not installed, the installer stops and requests that you install it. Installation of prerequisite software depends on the platform that you are using.

Installing Required Prerequisite Software

Platform

Installation

RHEL 5.5, 32-bit RHEL 5.5, 64-bit

Install prerequisites using yum, the RHEL package installer (recommended), or from the installation DVD. For example:

yum install openssl-devel libxml2-dev e2fsprogs-dev

SLES 10, 32 bit

SLES 10, 64 bit

Install the prerequisite packages from the SLES 10 and SLES 11 SDK DVD. When you insert the DVD, it offers to auto run. Cancel the auto run dialog box and use the yast package installer to install OpenSSL or other missing required packages.

■	SLES 10, 64 bit. yast -i openssl-devel libxml2-devel-32bit e2fsprogs-devel-32bit

■	SLES 10, 32 bit. yast -i openssl-devel libxml2-devel e2fsprogs-devel

Some users might be authorized to use the Novell Customer Center and use yast to retrieve missing packages from there.

Note that SLES 10 includes libxml2 version 2.6.23. The vCLI client require 2.6.26 or higher. Upgrade to 2.6.26 or higher.

■	SLES 11 64 bit. yast -i openssl-devel libuuid-devel libuuid-devel-32bit

■	SLES 11 32 bit. yast -i openssl-devel libuuid-devel

Some users might be authorized to use the Novell Customer Center and use yast to retrieve missing packages from there.

Ubuntu 10.04, 32 bit

Ubuntu 10.04, 64 bit

1. Connect to the Internet.

2. Update the local repository of libraries from a terminal window.

sudo apt-get update

3. Install the required libraries from a terminal window.

■	32 bit. sudo apt-get install build-essential gcc uuid uuid-dev perl libssl-dev perl-doc liburi-perl libxml-libxml-perl libcrypt-ssleay-perl

■	64 bit. sudo apt-get install ia32-libs build-essential gcc uuid uuid-dev perl libssl-dev perl-doc liburi-perl libxml-libxml-perl libcrypt-ssleay-perl

For Ubuntu 10.04 64 bit, you must install the 32-bit compatibility libraries or the resxtop and ESXCLI commands do not work.

Installing the vCLI Package on a Linux System with Internet Access

Install the vCLI package and run a command to verify installation was successful.

To install vCLI

1	Log in as root.

2	Untar the vCLI binary that you downloaded.

tar –zxvf VMware-vSphere-CLI-5.X.X-XXXXX.i386.tar.gz

A vmware-vsphere-vcli-distrib directory is created.

3	(Optional) If your server uses a proxy to access the Internet, and if your http:// and ftp:// proxy were not set when you installed prerequisite software, set them now.

export http_proxy=<proxy_server>:port

export ftp_proxy=<proxy_server>:port

4	Run the installer:

sudo vmware-vsphere-cli-distrib/vmware-install.pl

5	To accept the license terms, type yes and press Enter.

The installer connects to CPAN and installs prerequisite software. Establishing a connection might take a long time.

6	On RHEL, when prompted to install precompiled Perl modules, type no and press Enter to use CPAN

The installer connects to CPAN and installs prerequisite software. Establishing a connection might take a long time.

7	Specify an installation directory, or press Enter to accept the default, which is /usr/bin.

A complete installation process has the following result:

■	A success message appears.

■	The installer lists different version numbers for required modules (if any).

■	The prompt returns to the shell prompt.

If you accepted the defaults during installation, you can find the installed software in the following locations:

■	vCLI scripts – /usr/bin

■	vSphere SDK for Perl utility applications – /usr/lib/vmware-vcli/apps

■	vSphere SDK for Perl sample scripts – /usr/share/doc/vmware-vcli/samples

See the vSphere SDK for Perl documentation for a reference to all utility applications. After you install vCLI, you can test the installation by running a vCLI command or vSphere SDK for Perl utility application from the command prompt.