Home Lab - VMware ESXi 5.5 Setup

Introduction

My first target is to setup VMware VDI for testing.My second target is to backup and restore baremetal.My third target is to destroy the above build and setup Citrix for testing.
PS: i will attach some photos if i have time, All this setup are done at night after my kids are asleep.

My Homelab Desktop Setup

i5-4670 3.4ghz Gen4 haswell processor

Asus H87M-E Motherboard

TP-LINK TG-3468 10/100/1000 PCI-e Network Card

1tb barracada seagate hdd

16gb ddr3 memory

cooler master 525 extreme 2 PSU

16gb USB stick

Requirements:

VMware vSphere 5.5 installer 

CPU and motherboard that support VT-d

Valid vmware account to download

Windows 2008 / 2012 server license

Estimated S$880 on costing bought from simlim square.

Part 1 - Hardware setup

1) Download VMware ESXi 5.5

2) Inject TP-Link and Realtek 8111g drivers into ESXi 5.5 iso

3) Make bootable USB from the iso.

4) performance tune your UEFI and make or set your boot priorities.

5) Boot from USB and install your ESXi 5.5

Part 2 - VMware / Software setup 

to be continue

Credits from the following link

http://www.v-front.de/2013/