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In this hands-on tutorial, I walk you through the process of adding an ESXi 9.0 host to vCenter Server 9.0 — a crucial step in building out your VMware Cloud Foundation 9.0 environment.
This video is part of the VCF 9.0 Component Deployment Guide series and is ideal for system administrators, cloud architects, and home lab enthusiasts looking to expand their infrastructure using the latest VMware technologies.
You’ll learn how to:
Prepare your ESXi 9.0 host for integration
Connect the host to vCenter 9.0
Assign networking and licensing
Verify the host is ready for VCF deployment
Compatible with vSphere 8.x, NSX 4.x, and VCF 9.x
Perfect for lab builds, proof-of-concept, or production rollouts
Have questions or run into issues? Drop a comment and I’ll be glad to help.
Don’t forget to Like, Subscribe, and Click the Bell to stay updated with the latest VMware and vExpert content!
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Unlock the full power of VMware Cloud Foundation 9.0 with this in-depth, step-by-step tutorial! In this video, I walk you through the complete process of deploying, installing, and configuring the VCF 9.0 Installer — from downloading the bundle to initial setup and system configuration.
Whether you’re a VMware admin, cloud architect, or just starting with VCF, this guide will help you confidently deploy your management domain using the new VCF 9.0 enhancements.
Fully compatible with vSphere 8 and NSX 4
Covers deployment of the Management Domain using the new SDDC Manager
Designed for enterprise environments
Have questions? Drop them in the comments and I’ll help where I can.
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In this detailed tutorial, we guide you through the installation and initial configuration of VMware vCenter Server 9.0, a critical management component in VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) 9.0 environments. Whether you’re deploying in a home lab, testing environment, or preparing for production, this video walks you through every step.
What’s Covered in This Video:
Overview of vCenter 9.0 and its role in VCF 9.0
System requirements and deployment options
Preparing the vCenter Server 9.0 ISO/OVA
Step-by-step installer walkthrough (Stage 1 & 2)
Configuring SSO domain, time sync, and networking
Accessing the vSphere Web Client (UI)
Best practices for post-install configuration
Why vCenter 9.0?
vCenter Server 9.0 introduces platform enhancements, improved lifecycle management, and tight integration with VCF 9.0, making it the control center of your modern Software-Defined Data Center (SDDC).
Prerequisites:
ESXi 9.0 host deployed and reachable
DNS entries in place (forward/reverse)
vCenter Server 9.0 ISO/OVA from VMware Customer Connect
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Got questions about vCenter 9.0 or VCF 9.0? Drop a comment below — we respond to every one!
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How to Install VMware vSphere ESXi 9.0 | VCF 9.0 Component Deployment Guide ?
In this step-by-step tutorial, we walk you through the installation of VMware vSphere ESXi 9.0, a foundational hypervisor within the VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) 9.0 stack. Whether you’re building a lab, staging a production deployment, or simply exploring the latest VMware offerings, this guide will help you get started quickly and confidently.
Key tips and best practices for stability and performance
Why ESXi 9.0?
VMware vSphere ESXi 9.0 brings increased performance, updated hardware support, and is a critical part of the modern VCF 9.0 infrastructure platform—enabling fully automated SDDC (Software-Defined Data Center) deployment and management.
Requirements:
Compatible server or VM platform
ESXi 9.0 ISO (from VMware Customer Connect)
Basic understanding of virtualization concepts
If you found this helpful, don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the for more VMware tutorials and enterprise IT content!
Got questions about the installation? Drop them in the comments—we’re here to help!
Are you tired of dealing with the Raspberry Pi 5 frame buffer issue when running ESXi ARM? In this video, we’ll show you a step-by-step guide on how to fix this frustrating problem and get your Raspberry Pi 5 up and running smoothly with ESXi ARM. Whether you’re a hobbyist or a professional, this tutorial is perfect for anyone looking to troubleshoot and resolve the frame buffer issue on their Raspberry Pi 5. So, what are you waiting for? Let’s dive in and get started!
Hey everyone — welcome back to Andysworld!, where there’s always something bubbling in the pot (usually tech-flavoured, sometimes coffee, sometimes bees).
500 Hacks a Day — Mission Accomplished!
After a consistent streak of daily pwnage, I’ve finally hit 500 hacks a day on TryHackMe! It’s been an epic ride, sharpening my skills and staying sharp in the ever-evolving world of cybersecurity. But… that’s it for now. As much as I’ve loved the challenge, life’s too hectic to keep up the daily grind — and honestly, it’s time to re-balance.
If you’ve not tuned into Hancock’s VMware Half Hour yet, what are you doing? ? The YouTube channel is keeping me plenty busy — but it’s worth every minute. From real-world scenarios to community spotlights and the latest from the VMwareverse, it’s been great to share stories, learn, and laugh with fellow techies around the world.
Catch the next episode if you haven’t already — things are just heating up.
vExpert PRO – 5 Years Strong!
Big news landed this month — I’m proud (and humbled) to announce that I’ve been recognised as a VMware vExpert PRO for the fifth year running. Not only that, but I’ve also picked up the vExpert VCF badge, too!
This recognition means a lot — it’s not just about titles; it’s about community, contribution, and passion. The vExpert family has been a huge part of my journey, and it’s an honour to continue helping others grow and succeed in the ecosystem.
and that’s not forget the Bees !
Beekeeping at Meltonby Honey
Bees are a mixed bag this is to say, some are doing really well, and some are not doing so well, so this month of June, in the June Gap – need to start sorting out and selecting hives to work this Summer, and dare I say it starting Winter preparations, and a week today attend a Bee Health Day, sponsored by DEFRA !
That’s it for now — life’s buzzing, tech is flying, and the blog never sleeps (even if I do). Thanks to everyone who’s been along for the ride so far.
Until next time — stay curious, stay hacking, and don’t forget to say “What’s Occurin’?” ?
If you’ve been following me for a while — either here on Andysworld! or on social — you’ll probably have noticed I’ve got a bit of a thing for TryHackMe. That’s right: the gamified, hands-on cybersecurity platform that lets you “learn hacking the fun way.”
While I’ve worn many hats over the years — from building corporate desktops in the 90s to deploying Thin Clients, backing VMware before it was cool, and even keeping bees in my spare time — I’ve always had a quiet curiosity for cybersecurity.
But in recent years, that curiosity has turned into something more structured. I’ve been diving head-first into daily challenges, CTFs, and red team/blue team rooms on TryHackMe. Every day I log in and test my “hacking” and “penetration” skills. (Legally, of course. Let’s not get too excited.)
Why TryHackMe?
Simple: it’s accessible, addictive, and just plain fun. The platform breaks down complicated security concepts into digestible learning paths and real-world scenarios. Whether you’re into Linux fundamentals, web app hacking, or breaking into Windows environments, there’s something for everyone — and something new to learn every day.
I started with a few easy rooms — some were fun, some had me questioning my life choices — but before long I found myself chasing streaks, solving buffer overflows, exploiting SQL injections, and pivoting through internal networks like it was second nature. It’s part puzzle, part education, and part thrill.
That Daily Streak… and the Climb
I’ll admit it: I got hooked on the daily streak. There’s something about seeing that little flame icon next to your
name that sparks a sense of achievement. Each day I carve out time to complete at least one room, even if it’s a short task or a simple walkthrough. And in doing so, I’ve kept my streak alive and sharpened my skills without ever feeling like it’s a chore.
And here’s the kicker — recently, after being ranked #1,060 out of over 3 million TryHackMe users, I finally cracked the four-digit barrier and rose to #998! Top 1,000 in the world. Not bad for a “beekeeper with a hacking habit,” eh?
Oh — and right now, I’m sitting on a 461-day hacking streak. That’s right. 461 consecutive days of training, solving, cracking, and learning. I’m not far off the 500-day HackStreak badge, and believe me — I will get there. It’s part stubbornness, part obsession, but mostly just a whole lot of fun.
What’s Next?
Honestly, I’d love to get into some deeper reverse engineering, exploit development, and maybe even take on some of the harder red team labs. And who knows — maybe I’ll finally take a proper cert (OffSec, I’m looking at you) just to prove to myself I can.
TryHackMe has rekindled my passion for hands-on learning, just like Experts Exchange did in the early days. It’s reminded me that whether you’re troubleshooting snapshots, spinning up ESXi hosts, or brute-forcing a login page, there’s always more to learn.
Whether you’re an old-school sysadmin like me, a student just starting out, or someone who’s just curious about hacking without getting arrested — I highly recommend giving TryHackMe a spin.
And if you’re already in the game — drop me a message. I’ll see you on the leaderboard ?
Want me to whip up a graphic showing your current rank and streak progress? I can give it that polished blog badge feel.
The Photo Album! (sorry for the 2nd post in 2 days!)
Finally! (Yes, really… finally!) The holiday photos from our amazing trip to Malaysia in 2023 are now up in the Album. No more delays, no more excuses — just a good old-fashioned dose of reality: everything else always comes before holiday photos. But in the next month, I’m catching up before Bees work takes off!
Let me explain…
Bees, VMware, and… Bees Again
Since returning from Malaysia, life has been buzzing — literally. Between caring for the bees, running Meltonby Honey, preparing fondant blocks, doing swarm control, extracting and jarring honey (with proper batch tracking!), and delivering to customers — it’s a full-time job.
Then, there’s my Hancock’s VMware Half Hour HOW TO series (which keeps growing), all the vExpert stuff, and, oh yes — my actual day job. So when it came to uploading holiday photos? Well… that always ended up at the bottom of the list. Along with finishing my coffee while it’s still warm.
Holiday Snaps – What’s the Point?
I often end up in conversations with people about what we all actually do with our holiday photos. Most of us take thousands on our smartphones, and then what? They just sit in iCloud, Google Photos, or a hard drive somewhere — never looked at again.
And it does raise a good question: If we never view them, why take them in the first place?
The answer, I think, is memories.
They’re little digital keepsakes. Not always for today, but for some rainy day in the future. That’s why I still try to get the best ones up on the website — so we can look back and smile, or relive that adventure, even if it takes me a year (or more!) to get around to doing it.
The Process: Not for the Faint-Hearted
Getting the holiday album onto the website is no quick task. Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at how the magic (eventually) happens:
Devices: We take two Apple iPhones and a trusty DSLR bridge camera. So far, so good.
Storage: Photos land in iCloud, Google Photos, and locally from the DSLR. That’s right — manually copied from the camera (how quaint).
Sorting: Enter Lindsey, who heroically goes through the ~3,000 photos and selects the best ones. (She’s got a great eye!)
Converting: Once selected, I get the fun job of converting hundreds — sometimes thousands — of HEIC images to JPG. Because of course, not everything plays nice on the web.
The Website Album: Now for the real time sink — manually coding the photo album. I’ve been running this HTML-based album for over 20 years now. And honestly? I don’t write much code anymore… so remembering how it all works takes a bit of head-scratching.
Fixes and Tweaks: This year I ran into some broken HTML, incorrect folder names, and layout issues that needed fixing. So it took even longer to get everything polished and just right.
Getting Older (and Slower at HTML)
Let’s be real — this code is vintage. My own custom creation from decades ago. Back then, I had all the tags and folder structures in my head. Now? Not so much. Every time I dive back into it, I feel like I’m solving my own little legacy puzzle.
But hey, it’s done now, and it’s up!
Go Take a Look
So if you fancy a bit of armchair travel, check out the 2023 Malaysia Holiday Photos in the Album. Temples, tropical beaches, cultural sights, food (of course), and lots of little moments that made it such a special trip. The Album Index is here – https://andysworld.org.uk/album/index.html, and includes all the photos from 2006, to present, okay I still now need to complete the last holiday to Sri Lanka in 2025 ! I’ll start on those now!
Thanks for your patience — now I’m off to label some more jars of honey… or fix some vCenter upgrades… or maybe take a nap! Off to edit and publish all the videos to YouTube !
Once upon a time, all great stories start this way, and this one is no different.
Many years ago, Andy & Lindsey bought a house in a small hamlet called Meltonby, located just on the outskirts of the bustling city life, where the pace of life slowed down, and nature had a way of becoming a more prominent feature of everyday living.
We had asked the sellers the usual questions you ask when buying a house — Is it a quiet place? Does it snow in the winter? And do you get snowed in? The sellers assured us, “Oh, it’s quiet here, and it never snows, and we never get snowed in.”
We exchanged contracts and got the keys in July 2006. But the property needed a bit of work: maintenance, decorating, damp-proofing, and some urgent fixes. Oh, and the Fish House had to move in — a story all on its own!
While carefully relocating tanks, checking filters, and making sure the fish were happily acclimatised to their new surroundings, I heard music drifting in the summer air. Parallel Worlds — the kind of tune that stops you in your tracks. At first, I thought someone had a great playlist on.
Then I noticed… it wasn’t being played. It was being rehearsed.
I recognised the song straight away — it was by a band called Elliot Minor, who had supported McFly on tour in 2006. It was surreal, hearing that familiar melody not through speakers, but live, right there in the heart of Meltonby. The kind of unexpected discovery that made you feel like you’d moved into the middle of something quietly extraordinary.
I asked my neighbour about it, and all he could say was, “I think Tim’s kids are in a band!”
A few years later, Tim popped by to ask me to deal with some honey bee swarms that kept turning up at his property, and all became clear!
And a few years ago, I finally met Dan & Ed of Elliot Minor fame due to another swarm call. We spoke of the old days of Elliot Minor in the 20s, and they showed me the original drumkit lying dormant with cobwebs in the “barn.”
I asked them, “Would you ever reform?” They replied, “NEVER!”
Fast forward to 2025, and to my surprise, Elliot Minor have released new music — “HOW DOES IT FEEL” — on a 7-inch limited edition vinyl, and announced a 5-night tour called “Once In a Decade”.
And as for the snow? Well, it does snow in Meltonby, and yes, we do get snowed in from time to time! That first winter, we had to walk 3 miles to the nearest town just to get supplies. It was an adventure of sorts — one that gave us a true sense of isolation and beauty in the winter months, even though it wasn’t quite what the sellers had promised!
And as for quiet? Well, not when Elliot Minor are back! Their rehearsals and music are anything but subtle, and Meltonby suddenly became the least quiet place we had ever imagined — but we wouldn’t have it any other way.
So what other hidden mysteries did the sellers not tell us? The answer, it seems, is that you never quite know what surprises await when you step into a new chapter of life. Whether it’s hidden musical talents, unexpected snowstorms, or the constant buzz of a new adventure, life in Meltonby has been full of them.
As a small token of appreciation for the incredible vExpert community, I have a special giveaway for current VMware vExperts 2024 or 2025! ?
If you’re a vExpert and would like some free vExpert stickers, just go to my Meltonby Honey shop and select vExpert stickers! ? United Kingdom addresses only, 1 2024/2025 sticker per vExpert !
Not a vExpert yet? This could be your year to join the program! ? Apply today and become part of an elite group of VMware advocates!
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