A Complete Guide to install Citrix XenServer & XenCenter

After reading the article you will be able to install and configure XenServer 6.5 and XenCenter 6.5 from scratch.

Hardware Used

I will be installing XenServer on an HP Proliant Gen9 Server but you can use any modern server or even PC which has 8 GB RAM and core i5 or equivalent processor. The XenCenter I will install on a DELL Latitude Ultrabook E7470. Let’s Start with the installation. First of all I will be installing XenServer 6.5 to an HP Sever.

Step 1- Download XenServer Image

First of all download the XenServer using the link https://xenserver.org/open-source-virtualization-download.html. Download the iso image and burn a CD containing that image.

Step 2 – Boot from CD-ROM

Put the CD in the CD-ROM of the server you are going to install XenServer. Press [F11] while server booting up. In my case I am using HP ProLiant so it could be different if you are using other server. Please follow the manufacturer manual to get to the boot menu.

Select Legacy “BIOS One-Time Boot Menu” and choose the option boot from CD-ROMRestart the server and it will boot from CD-ROM now.

Step 3 – XenServer Configuration

The Server boots from the CD-ROM. Choose Install XenServer.

Choose the Keyboard

Press OK and Accept the window “Welcome to XenServer Setup” with “OK” Select “Accept EULA” at the “End User License Agreement“ window.

Choose the “sda”-disk as primary disk. On the selected disk XenServer will be installed.“sda” should be your “OS”-drive. Accept with “OK”

In the next window do only select the “sda” disk as virtual machine storage, by pressing “SPACE” and continue with “OK” Also Unchecked “Enable thin Provisioning”.

At the next step select “Local media” and accept with “OK”.

Choose “No” at the “Supplemental Packs” window.

Then accept using “OK” with the option “Skip verification” selected

Set root password. Write it down at safe place as you need it to access the XenServer from the XenCenter.

Choose the Network interface and make sure the network is connected. The interface with which is not up will show no link.

Check the “Static configuration” option in the networking-window with [SPACE]. Enter the IP-Address, Subnet mask and Gateway of XenServer as per your IP PlanConfirm the settings with “OK”.If you prefer DHCP and there is DHCP server running on the network. Choose DHCP

Next, Type in the hostname and the DNS server details if you have any.

Choose the Time Zone and select the Network Time Protocol. You can also enter the time manually. If you are using Time Server then give the IP Address of the time Server. Also, you can get time from the internet if your server will have internet connectivity.For Network Time Server, Meingberg has some good options available. I think for projects with no access to the internet it is a good option. Even if the internet is available, a local time server is a more reliable option.

Step 4 – XenServer Installation

You are done with the configuration and now let’s install the XenServer. Click “Install XenServer” and the installation will start

Remove the boot-device when you are asked to do so.

Confirm with “OK” that you want to reboot the system.

After reboot, the XenServer will automatically start.

You are done with the XenServer 6.5 installation. If you have followed the steps correctly then the server should boot-up with the XenServer 6.5. The next step is to install XenCenter which will make you able to create or import Virtual Machines (VMs) onto the XenServer.

Step 5 – XenCenter

XenCenter is a Windows-based Control Software to manage XenServer. This application will let the user control the XenServer from any machine remotely. you can control more than one XenServers using XenCenter Control Software

Download XenCenter

Well, downloading XenCenter is easy. If you have installed the XenServer and it’s running. All you need is to open the browser and type in the IP address of the XenServer. The Web page of the XenServer will have the link download XenCenter from the Server. In the image below it is showing Version 7.4.0 but it is the same procedure for Version 6.5 too.