Can I run ESXi inside a Hyper-V host VM?

[cyr0n_k0r]

We have a new vendor solution that REQUIRES esxi. We are a Hyper-V shop. I currently have the vendors VM deployed on a test server that isn't beefy just to get the solution up and running. I'm wondering if it is possible to run ESXi inside a Hyper-V VM then load the vendors solution inside that VM?

I've read you can go the other way (hyper-v hosted on esxi), but can't find any info on doing it the way I want.
I understand this is not ideal, but I don't want to have to buy a whole separate server just for this 1 VM.

 

[kur1j]

I have heard of it going the other way (Hyper-V inside of VMWare product).

http://vmetc.com/2009/01/29/installing-hyper-v-server-2008-r2-beta-on-vmware-server-20/

Just out of curiosity what product requires ESXi? The only reason I ask is a this situation sounds very similar to a question I was asked a few weeks ago on a product I work on.

 

[cyr0n_k0r]

sophos web appliance.

 

[peanuthead]

Yes, you can. Google vzilla.

 

[cyr0n_k0r]

Yes, you van. Google vzilla.

thats cryptic.
anyone else?

 

[danswartz]

Silly question: have you tried it? e.g. loading esxi inside a hyper-v?

 

[Vengance_01]

Worst case, run workstation on a VM in hyper-V?

 

[peanuthead]

thats cryptic.
anyone else?

I did have a typo Vader, do you have the direct link to the nested VMs article anymore? I lost it. Here is a link to vzilla.
http://tinkertry.com/category/alltopics/computer/virtualization/

 

[holden j caufield]

I've run esi and hyper v in a nested vm so yeah if you have iommu or ept it should work.

 

[Vashypooh]

Might be able to convert it to a VHD and so forth as well. I've done that with a few appliances.

 

[cyr0n_k0r]

Might be able to convert it to a VHD and so forth as well. I've done that with a few appliances.

Interesting!
I honestly hadn't even thought of that.
I'll try that first next week.

 

[Vashypooh]

Interesting!
I honestly hadn't even thought of that.
I'll try that first next week.

Might take a little bit of work, but I've had my luck.

 

[cyr0n_k0r]

Might take a little bit of work, but I've had my luck.

any advice other than using the standard vmdk to vhd converters?

 

[Vashypooh]

any advice other than using the standard vmdk to vhd converters?

Your biggest issue will likely be getting the network going. You may want to see if someone has done it before and go from there.

Edit: If there isn't much documentation covering Sophos itself, try to figure out what OS it is running ontop of and go from there. IE if its FreeBSD, improvise off of a Hyper-V FreeBSD guide, Ubuntu and Ubuntu and so forth.

 

[cyr0n_k0r]

Contacted the manufacturer. Here is what they said

"it's an ubuntu derivative of debian"
running debian 6.0.4
linux kernel 2.6.39
i686

 

[Vashypooh]

Should be cake to get working in Hyper-V then. Just do a bit of digging for Debian Hyper-V networking and see what you come up with