Ubuntu 20.04 LTS Minimal Server Installation on ESXi 6.5

Categories ESXi, Linux
  • The recommended system requirements are:
  • CPU: 1 gigahertz or better
  • RAM: 1 gigabyte or more
  • Disk: a minimum of 2.5 gigabytes
  • NOTE: This installation media is a minimal install of Ubuntu which means their is no graphical user interface. Everything must be done on the command line unless you were to install the GUI yourself.
  • Minimal installations are better for a server in the sense that their are less packages to be installed and less services needed to run. This makes the instance more secure, faster and less need for resource overhead. All of this will depend on what services the server is to provide though.

Install Network Services Orchestrator 5.3 on Ubuntu Linux 20.04

Categories Automation, Cisco, Devnet
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Verifying Ubuntu version used for installation process

For personal use Cisco NSO is FREE to use. You can download the trial version at https://developer.cisco.com/ . Login with your CCO account.

  • Move nso-5.3 bin file to the home directory.
  • Unpack the file to a directory.
  • The source command is used in order to evaluate the file passed as an argument in the context of the current execution.
  • Create the ncs-run directory for the end location of the ncs-setup command.
  • Change directory to ncs-run and verify the version..
  • Next download the newer NEDs from the https://developer.cisco.com/docs/nso/#!getting-nso/ site.
  • Extract the tarballs for the nx, ios, and asa then verify.
  • You now have the newest NEDs and a running installation of the Cisco Network Services Orchestrator.
  • I ran into issues with device manager not seeing the packages so I created a new directory and began again. After stopping the ncs services, removing the original ncs directory and creating a new one I was able to see the devices in Device manager.
  • Execute ncs and then verify the service is running.
  • Navigate to http://localhost:8080 to access the web UI.
The default credentials are admin : admin

From here you can explore the different modules that the GUI has to offer.