Build a HomeLab ESXi with a Micro PC (Intel NUC)

I’ve been working with VMware virtualization solutions for several years and decided to set up a small ESXi HomeLab to run a few Windows servers. To save energy and avoid taking up too much space in my small apartment, I chose an Intel NUC to install ESXi.

More information on hardware selection here:

https://www.virten.net/2020/04/homelab-will-esxi-7-0-run-on-intel-nuc/

and here:

https://www.virten.net/2020/08/which-intel-nuc-should-i-buy-for-vmware-esxi-august-2020/

Prerequisites

A powerful Intel NUC (mine is an Intel NUC10i7FNK2 purchased second-hand on Galaxus.ch, upgraded with 64GB RAM and 1TB M.2 SSD).
The ESXi installation ISO (download here: https://www.vmware.com/go/get-free-esxi).
A USB drive to write the ESXi ISO using a tool like Rufus.ie.
A free ESXi license: https://www.vmware.com/go/get-free-esxi.

Installing ESXi

Start by plugging in your USB drive, powering on the machine, and booting from the USB (ESXi-7.your-version) by pressing “Enter.”

Loading the ESXi installer:

Loading modules and starting the services needed for installation:

Select “Continue” by pressing “Enter”:

Accept the license agreement by pressing F11 (make sure to read it all 😜):

Choose the disk to install on:

As you can see, the disk shown here is VMware. I recreated the installation for this article. Essentially, I installed ESXi on the NUC, but it’s an ESXi-ception: ESXi installed on a VM running on ESXi installed on the NUC. Got it? If not, don’t worry; just note that I recreated the installation for this article on a VM, and the steps are exactly the same for installing ESXi. 😉

Next, select the keyboard layout and press Enter:

Set a root password (this will also be used for the web interface):

Press F11 to install:

Reboot by pressing Enter:

The installation is complete. You can access the web interface by entering your IP address in a browser or access the settings by pressing F2. To access settings, you’ll need to enter your root credentials. The settings allow you to manage network configurations, such as changing your IP or VLAN, etc.