It's quite common to find diverse hypervisors employed across different environments in enterprise organizations. While my personal recommendation often falls on VMware vSphere for managing enterprise-grade workloads, there are cases where other hypervisors fit the bill. One such alternative is Proxmox, a free, open-source hypervisor developed specifically for enterprise applications.

This article will guide you through a nested installation of Proxmox within a VMware ESXi host, allowing you to experiment with Proxmox in a safe and controlled environment.

Understanding Proxmox

Proxmox Virtual Environment (VE) is a comprehensive open-source platform designed for enterprise-level virtualization. Offering features like virtual machine (VM) management, containers, software-defined storage, and networking out-of-the-box, Proxmox has much to offer.

Benefits include:

• Open-source software
• Avoidance of vendor lock-in
• Linux kernel-based
• Quick installation and intuitive web interface
• Low admin costs and easy deployment
• An extensive, active community

How to Install Proxmox Nested in VMware ESXi

1. Download the Proxmox ISO: The first step involves downloading the Proxmox ISO installer. After downloading, you'll need to mount the ISO to your VM in VMware vSphere just like any other OS installation.
2. Set up a new VMware vSphere VM: When creating a new VMware vSphere VM, use the following details:
   • Guest OS Family – Linux
   • Guest OS Version – Debian GNU/Linux 11 (64-bit)
3. Expose Hardware-Assisted Virtualization: Make sure to expose hardware-assisted virtualization to the guest OS for your Proxmox installation. You can find this option under the CPU settings of your VMware ESXi VM.
4. Install Proxmox VE: After booting from the ISO, the Proxmox VE 7.1 installation begins. Follow the prompts to proceed with the installation:
   • Accept the End User License Agreement (EULA)
   • Customize the disk partition layout (you can choose to accept the defaults)
   • Set your location and timezone
   • Set the root account password and provide an email address
   • Configure the Proxmox hostname and network settings
   • Review the configuration and validate your settings on the Summary screen, then click Install.
5. Reboot after Installation: After the installation process finishes, the Proxmox server will reboot. Following this, you'll see the boot screen as the system restarts.
6. Access the Proxmox Web GUI: Once rebooted, log into the Proxmox web GUI using the root credentials you configured during installation.

That's it! With these steps, you can have Proxmox nested within VMware ESXi, letting you experiment and learn in a safe, isolated environment. While the process might sound complicated, the installation is relatively straightforward, especially if you're already familiar with setting up nested ESXi environments.