Book excerpt: A virtual evolution in IT shops large and small has begun. VMware's ESX Server is the enterprise tool to free your infrastructure from its physical limitations providing the great transformation into a virtual environment--this book shows you how. Use Syngress' proven "How to Cheat methodology to configure and build VMware's ESX Server version 3. This clear, concise guide provides all the information you need to become a virtual whiz!This book will detail the default and custom installation of VMware's ESX server as well as basic and advanced virtual machine configurations. It will then walk the reader through post installation configurations including installation and configuration of VirtualCenter. From here, readers will learn to efficiently create and deploy virtual machine templates. Best practices for securing and backing up your virtual environment are also provided. The book concludes with a series of handy, time-saving command and configuration for: bash shell keystrokes, Linux commands, configuration files, common/proc files, VMware ESX commands, and troubleshooting.•Reap the Benefits of Server VirtualizationRealize improved ROI, ensure efficient mergers and acquisitions, and reduce compliance risk exposure through server virtualization and consolidation.•Build a Virtual MachineCreate a Gold Master and use your VMlibrary to leverage the power and flexibility of VMware. •Manage Your Virtual InfrastructureUse VMware tools to partition physical servers and manage virtual machines.•Set Up Scripted InstallationSee how a scripted installation method can be a fast and efficient way to provision ESX hosts.•Master ESX Native ToolsUse tools like Esxtop to diagnose performance issues and vmkfstools to import and export•Install and Use VMware Scripting APIsDevelop programs to help automate and ease administration—even with a limited background in scripting or programming.•Learn the Fundamentals of a VM BackupVMware ESX ships with three scripts that work together to create a backup and restore system: vmsnap.pl, vmsnap_all.pl, and vmres.pl.•Extend a Cloned Windows VM's Root PartitionUse Microsoft's Sysprep utility to extend a newly deployed virtual machine's root partition from the original clone size to a larger size.