--- title: "Getting Started with Your Nutanix Cluster" description: "Find out how to get started with your Nutanix cluster." url: https://docs.us.ovhcloud.com/en/hosted-private-cloud/nutanix-on-ovhcloud/first-steps lang: en --- > For AI agents: the complete documentation index is available at https://docs.us.ovhcloud.com/en/llms.txt, the full documentation bundle is available at https://docs.us.ovhcloud.com/en/llms-full.txt. # Getting Started with Your Nutanix Cluster **Find out how to get started with your Nutanix cluster.** This guide will outline the steps you need to take to get started with your Nutanix on OVHcloud cluster: - [Deploy a rebound VM](#deploy-a-rebound-vm) - [Secure cluster](#secure-the-cluster) **Warning:** **NOTE:** OVHcloud provides services for which you are responsible for their configuration and management. You are therefore responsible for their proper functioning.\ \ This tutorial is designed to help you as much as possible with common tasks. If you are having difficulty performing these actions, please contact a specialized service provider. OVHcloud cannot provide you with technical support in this regard.   ## Requirements - a Nutanix cluster in your OVHcloud account - access to your [OVHcloud Control Panel](https://manager.us.ovhcloud.com/) - you must be logged in to Prism Central on the cluster **Warning:** **NOTE:** Some software, such as Microsoft products, require a license. You must therefore ensure that all installed systems and software have these licenses.   ## Instructions ### Deploy a rebound VM The rebound VM will serve as an entry point for the operations you must carry out to secure your cluster. It can also be used as a relay to reach other VMs after being put into production. Continue reading this guide, depending on your OS: [Linux - Rebound via SSH](#linux-ssh) or [Windows - Rebound via RDP](#windows-rdp).   #### Rebound via SSH ##### Creating and configuring the Linux VM In this example, the network configuration is as follows: - Network: 172.16.0.0/22 - Mask: 255.255.252.0 - Gateway: 172.16.3.254 **Warning:** **NOTE:** Adapt this configuration to your cluster. You can find this information by using the [GET /nutanix/{serviceName}](https://api.us.ovhcloud.com/console/?section=/nutanix&branch=v1#get-/nutanix/-serviceName-) API call. Import your Linux image into the cluster. For more details, please refer to our guide on [importing images into Nutanix](https://docs.us.ovhcloud.com/en/hosted-private-cloud/nutanix-on-ovhcloud/import-iso-images-nutanix-using-prism-central.md). In the left-hand menu of **Prism Central**, expand `Compute & Storage` and click `VMs`.   Click the `Create VM` button.   Customize the name and features of the VM.   Click `Next`. You then need to attach a disk. To do this, you can select the image already present on your cluster (Alpine Linux).   Click `Save`. Then click `Attach Subnet`. Select the "infra" network and click `Save`.   Click `Next`. Select cloud-init, copy the "cloud-init" script, then click `Next` and finally `Create VM`.   **Warning:** **NOTE:** Adapt this configuration to your cluster. You can find this information by using the [GET /nutanix/{serviceName}](https://api.us.ovhcloud.com/console/?section=/nutanix&branch=v1#get-/nutanix/-serviceName-) API call. Make sure to adapt your password and IP configuration. ``` #cloud-config hostname: bastion-ssh fqdn: bastion-ssh.domain.local users: - name: bastion sudo: ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD:ALL groups: sudo shell: /bin/ash ssh_pwauth: true lock_passwd: false plain_text_passwd: OVHcloudR0cks! growpart: mode: growpart devices: ["/dev/sda2"] ignore_growroot_disabled: true write_files: - path: /etc/network/interfaces content: | auto lo iface lo inet loopback auto eth0 iface eth0 inet static address 172.16.2.200 netmask 255.255.255.252 gateway 172.16.3.254 runcmd: - echo "nameserver 213.186.33.99" /etc/resolv.conf - rc-service networking restart - apk update - apk upgrade - apk add sudo - sed -i s/'PasswordAuthentication no'/'PasswordAuthentication yes'/g /etc/ssh/sshd_config - sed -i s/'#KbdInteractiveAuthentication yes'/'KbdInteractiveAuthentication yes'/g /etc/ssh/sshd_config - rc-service sshd restart - lvextend -l +100%FREE /dev/vg0/lv_root - resize2fs /dev/vg0/lv_root - reboot final_message: "The system is finally up, after $UPTIME seconds" ```   Open the console after restarting the VM. You can see that the VM has taken the settings from the cloud-init file.   #### Load Balancer configuration Log in to your [OVHcloud Control Panel](https://manager.us.ovhcloud.com/). Open the Nutanix Cluster configuration page. In the `Cluster network` box at the bottom of the page, click on the Load Balancer.   In the `Server clusters` tab, click `Add a server cluster`.   Name your server farm, then select `TCP` and enter this information: - Port: 22 - Datacenter: ALL - Private network: nutanix   Click `Add` to confirm the creation of the server cluster. Then click `Add a server`.   Enter these values: - **Name (optional)**: `SSH` - **IPv4 address**: `IP address of your Windows VM` - **Port**: `22` Click `Add` to confirm the server creation.   Then click on the `Front-ends` tab, and on `Add a front-end`.   Name your front-end, choose the `TCP` protocol, and modify these values: - **Port**: `22` - **Datacenter**: `ALL` - **Default server cluster**: `rebound-ssh (TCP)` Click `Add`.   Click `Apply configuration`.   Select the `Datacenter` and click `Apply configuration`.   You can track the progress of the changes in the `Tasks` tab.   The Load Balancer is now configured. Use your preferred terminal to connect to your machine. You can enter your cluster’s DNS name or Load Balancer’s IP address:   You can now rebound on the different elements of the cluster: - CVMs - Hosts - Prism Element For example, for a CVM, enter the following in the terminal: ``` ssh nutanix@ipcvm ```   #### Rebound via RDP ##### Creating and configuring the Windows VM Import your Windows image into the cluster. Read our guide on [importing images into Nutanix](https://docs.us.ovhcloud.com/en/hosted-private-cloud/nutanix-on-ovhcloud/import-iso-images-nutanix-using-prism-central.md). In the left-hand menu of **Prism Central**, expand `Compute & Storage` and click `VMs`.   Click the `Create VM` button.   Enter a name in `Name`, choose the options in `VM Properties`, and click `Next`. 1. **Adding a system disk** Click the button`Attach Disk`. Enter **60** in the `capacity` field and click `Save` to create a 60 GB disk. 2. **Adding the Windows Server 2022 installation ISO image** The image must be imported before it can be used in a new virtual machine. For more details on importing images, please refer to our guide on [importing images into Nutanix](https://docs.us.ovhcloud.com/en/hosted-private-cloud/nutanix-on-ovhcloud/import-iso-images-nutanix-using-prism-central.md). Click `Attach Disk`. Change the `Type` parameters to **CD-ROM**, `Operation` to **Clone from Image**, `Image` to **WS2022EN.ISO**. Click `Save`. 3. **Adding ISO image containing AHV-specific drivers** This image contains the disk controller driver and must also be imported. It is available on the Nutanix website if you have a Nutanix customer account. Click `Attach Disk`. Change the `Type` parameters to **CD-ROM**, `Operation` to **Clone from Image**, and `Image` to **Nutanix-VirtIO-1.1.7.iso**. Click `Save`. 4. **Network configuration** Click `Attach Subnet`. Select the "infra" network and click `Save`.   Click `Next`. Select the time zone of your country in the `Timezone` field and click `Next`.   Click `Create VM`. The newly created virtual machine will then appear in the dashboard.   #### Installation of Windows Server 2022 Select the virtual machine on which you want to install Windows Server 2022, by ticking the box on the left of the VM. 1. **Boot the VM** Click the `Actions` menu, then `Power ON`. 2. **Launch the console** Click the `Actions` menu, then `Launch Console`. 3. **Start the installation** Choose your locale and click `Next`. Click `Install now`. Select **Windows Server 2022 Standard (Desktop Experience)** and click `Next`. Read the Microsoft software license terms and conditions, confirm their acceptance, and click `Next`. Click `Custom: Install Microsoft Server Operating System only (advanced)`. Click `Load driver`. Click `Browse`. Select the correct folder `e:\Windows Server 2022\amd64` and click `OK`. Select these drivers: - `Nutanix VirtIO Balloon Driver` - `Nutanix VirtIO Ethernet Adapter` - `Nutanix VirtIO SCSI pass-through controller` - `QEMU FWCfg Device` Click `Next`. The 60 GB disk appears, click `Next`. Enter and confirm the password in the two fields provided, and click `Finish`. Windows Server 2022 and WS2022-specific drivers for the **AHV** hypervisor have been successfully installed. 4. **Windows Configuration** Log in and assign an IP address to the machine in the "infra" network. In this example, the network configuration is as follows: - Network: 172.16.0.0/22 - Mask: 255.255.252.0 - Gateway: 172.16.3.254 **Warning:** **NOTE:** Adapt this configuration to your cluster. You can find this information by using the `GET /nutanix/{serviceName}` API call. In the system settings, enable "Remote Desktop". **Warning:** **NOTE:** Check the firewall configuration if necessary.   #### Load Balancer configuration Log in to your [OVHcloud Control Panel](https://manager.us.ovhcloud.com/). Open the Nutanix Cluster configuration page. In the `Cluster network` box at the bottom of the page, click on the Load Balancer.   In the `Server clusters` tab, click `Add a server cluster`.   Name your server farm, then select `TCP` and enter this information: - **Port**: `3389` - **Datacenter**: `ALL` - **Private network**: `nutanix`   Click `Add` to confirm the creation of the server farm. Click `Add a server`. Enter these values: - **Name (optional)**: `RDP` - **IPv4 address**: `IP address of your Windows VM` - **Port**: `3389` Click `Add` to confirm the cluster creation.   Then click on the `Front-ends` tab, and on `Add a front-end`. Name your front-end, choose the protocol `TCP`, and modify these values: - **Port**: `3389` - **Datacenter**: `ALL` - **Default farm**: `Bastion RDP (TCP)` Click `Add`.   Click `Apply configuration`.   Select the `Datacenter` and click `Apply configuration`.   You can track the progress of the changes in the `Tasks` tab.   The Load Balancer is now configured. Use your favorite RDP client to connect to your machine. You can enter your cluster’s DNS name or Load Balancer’s IP address: You can now rebound on the different elements of the cluster: - CVMS - HOSTS - Prism Element For example, for a CVM, open powershell and type: ``` ssh nutanix@ipcvm ```   ### Secure the cluster To secure your cluster, we recommend changing your passwords. Use the Nutanix knowledge base to perform these operations: [Secure your Nutanix cluster](https://portal.nutanix.com/page/documents/kbs/details?targetId=kA00e000000LKXcCAO). You can also [secure access to Prism Central](https://docs.us.ovhcloud.com/en/hosted-private-cloud/nutanix-on-ovhcloud/restrict-prism-central-web-access.md).   ## Go further Browse all the [Nutanix guides](https://docs.us.ovhcloud.com/en/hosted-private-cloud/nutanix-on-ovhcloud/landing-page-nutanix-on-ovhcloud.md). Browse the rest of the [OVHcloud US documentation](https://docs.us.ovhcloud.com/en/index.md) for guides on our other products and services. Learn more about [Nutanix on OVHcloud](https://us.ovhcloud.com/hosted-private-cloud/nutanix/) on the OVHcloud US website. If you need training or technical assistance to implement our solutions, contact your sales representative or click on [this link](https://us.ovhcloud.com/professional-services/) to get a quote and ask our Professional Services experts for a custom analysis of your project.