VMware Tools in Linux, new kernel

[evandena]

We have roughly 150 Linux servers, and manually install all patches via yum once a month from an internal repository. In the past, we've been re-installing VMware Tools every time a new kernel is insatlled. This is very time consuming and requires console access. Is this necessary? Do we have to do full install every time? Can yum install the tools?

Thanks!

[AndreTheGiant]

Which distro are you using.

With some supported distros there are the binary modules included in the VMware Tools, so no rebuild.

Andre

[evandena]

RHEL4/5, CentOS 4/5.

What exactly do you mean by a full rebuild?

[AndreTheGiant]

If you use RHEL the modules are present.

I do not remember (cause I use unsupported distros and I have alway to recompile them with the vmware-config-tools.pl command)... but restarting the service is not sufficient?

Andre

[evandena]

Thanks for quick responese.

Let me make sure I understand. In RHEL, simply restarting service after a new kernel is installed will allow me to use the memory management, network driver, etc. offered by vmtools?

[AndreTheGiant]

I'm not 100% sure (I do not have a REHL in a VM to check it).

If service restart is not sufficient you can simple use again only the vmware-config.pl command.

For example (it more generic but it could be useful) see:

http://www.tuxyturvy.com/blog/index.php?/archives/48-Automating-VMware-modules-reinstall-after-Linux...

Andre

[evandena]

Thanks, that article looks helpful.

[AndreTheGiant]

You're welcome.

Andre

[LucasAlbers]

Try the OSP tools for centos.

It works on centos and centosplus.

more VMware-Tools.repo

name=VMware Tools for CentOS $releasever - $basearch

baseurl=http://packages.vmware.com/tools/esx/4.0/rhel5/x86_64/

enabled=1

#gpgcheck=1

1. redhat 5.3 does not import keys correctly

#https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=493777

gpgcheck=0

gpgkey=file:///root/VMWARE-PACKAGING-GPG-KEY.pub

You can install the vmware tools using yum/apt.

I use it on centos 5.x3 x64 systems that have the centosplus kernel, so I don't have to recompile the package, in addition I don't need to have a compiler and kernel headers installed.

It does not require any configuration after it is installed, unlike the first installation of vmware tools which requires a config and possible a rebuild.

[killahertz]

OSP is really the only way to go....