DATA ONTAP 8.0 Simulator

Installing DOT 8.0 Simulator on two laptops:

• Laptop #1: Windows 7 Professional x64 SP1 on Dell D630 w/ T7300 2 Duo proc
• Laptop #2: Windows 7 Ultimate x86 on HP 8510w w/ T9300 2 Duo CPU 

Funny things is, I got the exact same results on both. Here was the timeline.


-  Installed the Simulator:  http://now.netapp.com/NOW/download/tools/simulator/ontap/8.0/ (login required)
-  Installed VMware player: http://downloads.vmware.com/d/info/desktop_downloads/vmware_player/3_0 (free login required)
-  When I went to run the machine, I got a prompt telling me to enable "Virtualization Technology" and "Trusted Execution" in the BIOS.  Rebooted, enabled VT (Trusted Execution not an option this hardware), save and exit, boot up.


Then I got a curious prompt: "Continue without 64-bit support?"

Courtesy: Me

Options:

• If you click on the link, it'll take you here: http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=1003945, informing you that x64 guest OS's are only supported by specific x64 hosting proc's.  My knowledge in current CPU architectures isn't enough to know whether laptop#1's T7300 is covered under "Intel EM64T VT-enabled processors (experimental support)."   
• If you press yes, the machine begins to boot and then shows you "BTX Halted."
• If you press no...well, you don't have much of a simulator.

But RFTM (linked below)*1 says you have to actually shut down and not just restart after your BIOS VT change.  Shut down, came back up, works great on both laptops!  On to the next challenge!  Perhaps I'll read the instructions this time.

Note: Make sure your BIOS is up to date.  Dell BIOS v16 for laptop#1 gave me trouble, v17 worked fine.


Config:

• Open VMware Player, highlight the machine.  In the Virtual Machine Settings (lower right), remove Network adapter 1.  Set Network Adapter 3 to "Bridged." 
• Boot up, Control-C when you can.  Choose option 4, agree to the prompts in the middle to the process by typing "y"
• Let it boot up again, it'll zero out the disks.
• Let it boot up once more, it'll take you through setup.
• I wasn't able to get VMware tools installed properly.  

Done!  Continue reading here for how to get it on your network.

Sources
*1 http://now.netapp.com/NOW/knowledge/docs/simulate_ontap/Simulate_ONTAP_8.0.pdf (login required)
Thanks to: getgreenshot.org for the picture above.