Frequently Asked Questions

What is KickstartESX?
KickstartESX is a web based application from which you can fully manage and automate the deployments of all of your VMware ESX hosts. All details relevant to each of your ESX hosts are captured and used to generate a single installation media which you can use to deploy all of your hosts, fully configured without any intervention.

Even though a standard vanilla ESX installation can be completed in 15-20 minutes, you are then required to access the new host and configure all networking for port groups, Service Consoles, VMKernel ports, VMotion and Fault Tolerance, Service Console memory, NTP & Firewall settings, iSCSI and NFS storage etc... the list goes on! KickstartESX does all of this for you without any intervention and in the same amount of time as it takes to install a base build of ESX.

With vSphere 4.0 and the introduction of Host Profiles, why do I need KickstartESX?
Host Profiles is a welcome and long overdue feature within vSphere 4, however not only do you have to upgrade to the Enterprise Plus license to enable the feature, but also the process for deploying an ESX host is still timely given that you have to manually install the ESX base build, manually remediate it, add the host to vCenter, manually apply the profile and await completion. If all this runs smoothly, it can take in excess of 45 minutes before your server is ready for production.

With KickstartESX simply generate your install media from the web based application, turn on your servers, enter the host name when prompted and your done. A fully configured host ready for production in 10-15 minutes. Better yet, a single installation media will be sufficient to use on up to 255 hosts, each configured exactly to their required specifications.

What is the installation media?
The web application currently generates an ISO file, however FTP host builds will be available very soon.

There is a reference to the application being available as an appliance?
Right now the application is web based and hosted on our servers, however following the completion of our BETA program with a future release we plan to provide the application in the form of a VMware appliance. This appliance will still run as a web based application however it will be housed within your own environment allowing us to unlock the additional features of KickstartESX which will allow seamless integration into vCenter.

How is KickstartESX licensed?
Throughout the BETA program, licenses will be provided free of charge to those users selected to participate.Upon completion of the BETA program, licensing will be on a per host basis discounted with the more licenses you require. BETA participants will receive an annual license. Unlicensed versions of the application will not allow for the creation of new hosts, nor will it generate the installation media when requested.

When is KickstartESX going to be available?
The BETA program will begin in September 2009 with the full version being available from January 2010.

If your query still remains unanswered, please contact us.

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