How to Deploy RedHat Enterprise Virtualization Hypervisor (RHEV-H)

Introduction

RedHat Enterprise Virtualization Hypervisor (RHEV-H) is a virtualization platform that provides an end-to-end, high-performance, and scalable solution to meet the needs of modern data centers. RHEV-H is based on the open-source Kernel-based Virtual Machine (KVM) hypervisor, which allows for hardware-based virtualization, enabling multiple operating systems to run on a single physical machine. With RHEV-H, organizations can create an infrastructure that is easier to manage and more cost-effective.

Preparing for Deployment

System requirements for RHEV-H deployment

Before deploying RedHat Enterprise Virtualization Hypervisor (RHEV-H), it is important to ensure that the system meets the minimum hardware and software requirements. The following are the recommended system requirements for deploying RHEV-H−

• xA 64-bit x86 processor with virtualization extensions such as Intel VT or AMD-V

• At least 4 GB of RAM and 10 GB of disk space for installation

• A network interface controller (NIC) that supports at least 1 Gbps Ethernet connectivity

• A supported storage device or a storage area network (SAN)

• A supported web browser such as Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome

It is also important to note that RHEV-H supports a variety of guest operating systems, including different versions of Windows, Linux, and Solaris. However, proper system requirements must be met to achieve optimal performance.

Downloading and verifying the RHEV-H image

Once you have confirmed that your system meets the necessary requirements, you can download the RHEV-H image from the official RedHat website. It is recommended to download the latest version available.

After downloading, it is important to verify the authenticity and integrity of the downloaded image before proceeding with deployment. This can be done by checking its checksum against a checksum provided by RedHat.

Creating a bootable USB drive or CD/DVD

The next step is to create a bootable media using either USB drive or CD/DVD. This will allow you to install RHEV-H on your target machine(s). To create a bootable USB drive, you can use a tool such as dd or Rufus on Linux and macOS.

On Microsoft Windows, tools such as Win32DiskImager or Rufus can be used. To create a bootable CD/DVD, use a CD/DVD creation software tool that supports ISO images.

Deploying RHEV-H

Booting from the USB drive or CD/DVD

Before deploying RHEV-H, it is necessary to boot the system from either a USB drive or CD/DVD. To do so, first insert the bootable media into the target machine's USB port or optical drive.

Power on the machine and access its boot options by pressing F12 during startup (the key may vary depending on your hardware). Select either 'USB' or 'CD/DVD' as the boot option to initiate RHEV-H installation.

Selecting installation type and language preferences

Once you have booted from your chosen media, you will be presented with an initial screen displaying various options for RHEV-H installation. Choose your preferred language and check any other relevant options for your particular environment.

You will then be asked to select an installation type - typically, this will be either 'automatic' or 'manual'. The automatic option is recommended for most users as it automatically configures basic settings such as network connectivity and storage domains.

Configuring network settings and storage options

During deployment, you will need to configure network settings to enable communication between virtual machines running on RHEV-H. You can choose between dynamic IP assignment using DHCP or static IP assignment by manually specifying IP address configuration details such as netmask, gateway, DNS server information etc.

Next, you will need to configure storage options for hosting virtual machines. This involves selecting a storage domain that has been previously configured on a shared Storage Area Network (SAN) or Network Attached Storage (NAS) device connected via iSCSI protocol.

Setting up root password and security options

Before completing the deployment process of RHEV-H it is necessary to set up a root password which provides access privileges for administrative tasks. Ensure that the password is strong and secure to mitigate any potential security risks.

Post-installation Configuration

Logging in to the RHEV-H console

After successfully installing RHEV-H, the first step in post-installation configuration is to log in to the RHEV-H console. To do this, you need to access the IP address that was assigned during installation using a web browser.

You will be prompted for a username and password, which are by default "root" and the root password selected during installation. Once logged in, you will be taken to the main dashboard of the RHEV-H hypervisor.

From here, you can navigate different tabs including virtual machines, storage domains, networks and events. The user interface is intuitive and easy-to-use while providing many options for managing your virtualized environment.

Configuring network settings, storage domains, and virtual machines

After accessing the console dashboard of RHEV-H hypervisor, it's time to configure network settings as well as create storage domains and virtual machines (VMs). Configuring network settings involves naming your physical networks (e.g., eth0 or bond0), assigning IP addresses or using DHCP protocol for automatic IP assignments. Storage domains are shared locations where VM images are stored.

To create a new storage domain in RHEV-H console −

• Click Storage Domains tab

• Click New Domain button - Select NFS if desired

• Choose appropriate server(s) for storage domain creation

• Provide relevant information such as name of domain

The next step is creating a VM. In RHEV-H console −

• Click Virtual Machines tab

• Click New VM button

• Name your new VM

• Choose one of two options− Install from bootable media or Import existi ng disk image.

• If installing from bootable media select "ISO" option; browse ISO file location on local storage or NFS server.

• Configure network interface(s) if desired

• Assign amount of RAM and CPU cores for the VM

• Review and launch the VM.

Installing additional packages and updates

After configuring network settings, storage domains, and virtual machines, it's important to keep your RHEV-H hypervisor up-to-date with the latest software packages and security patches. The easiest way to keep your system updated is to use the "yum" command in a terminal window or by using "Updates" tab on RHEV-H console dashboard. To install packages via terminal −

• Open a terminal window as root user

• ype "yum update" command

• Follow prompts to download, install, and verify package updates Using "Updates" tab in RHEV-H console−

• Click on Updates tab

• Select available updates you want to install

• Click Install Selected Packages Keeping your system up-to-date will ensure that you have access to latest features while also minimizing security vulnerabilities.

Conclusion

In this article, we have discussed the importance of virtualization in modern IT infrastructure and detailed the process of deploying RedHat Enterprise Virtualization Hypervisor (RHEV-H). We began by discussing the system requirements for RHEV-H deployment, including downloading and verifying the RHEV-H image and creating a bootable USB drive or CD/DVD.

Then, we moved on to deploying RHEV-H itself, covering topics such as selecting installation type and language preferences, configuring network settings and storage options, setting up root password and security options. We then outlined post-installation configuration steps such as logging in to the RHEV-H console, configuring network settings, storage domains, virtual machines, installing additional packages and updates.

We also covered troubleshooting common issues that might arise during deployment such as identifying network connectivity issues or resolving storage-related problems. We explored advanced configuration options like high availability, load balancing and backup solutions.