Install Dimension on VMware

WatchGuard Dimension is distributed as an OVA file for installation on VMware ESXi 5.x–6.x (64-bit required). WatchGuard recommends you use the VMware vSphere Client to provision and install the OVA file.

After you install and start the virtual machine in vSphere, you run the web-based WatchGuard Dimension Setup Wizard to configure the basic settings for your new instance of Dimension.

Before You Begin

Before you can deploy the Dimension OVA file and set up your Dimension VM, you must:

Download the WatchGuard Dimension OVA file.
From the WatchGuard Software Downloads Center, find and download the watchguard-dimension_2_1_1.ova file to install WatchGuard Dimension on your ESXi host.
Have a DHCP server configured in the network you choose for the Dimension virtual machine, if you want to use a DHCP server to get the initial IP address for Dimension. You can also manually set a static IP address for Dimension. You then use this initial IP address to connect to Dimension to run the Dimension Setup Wizard and complete your Dimension configuration.
Have an ESXi host configured where you can deploy your Dimension VM.

Install the Dimension Virtual Machine

To deploy the WatchGuard Dimension VM:

Open VMware vSphere Client and connect to your ESXi host.
Select File > Deploy OVF template.
Browse to the location of the watchguard-dimension_2_1_1.ova file you downloaded from the WatchGuard Portal. Click Next.
On the OVF Template Details page, click Next.
Click Accept to accept the End User License Agreement. Click Next.
In the Name text box, type a descriptive name for your Dimension VM. Click Next.
Select an option for disk provisioning. Click Next.
You can select any of the options to provision your disk, but WatchGuard recommends that you select Thick Provision Lazy Zeroed. This is the default option, provides more predictable performance, and enables the VM to increase the disk size as necessary.
On the Network Mapping page, select the destination network for the virtual machine.
Make sure you select a network with a DHCP server.
Click Next.
Verify your settings and click Finish.
Your new Dimension VM appears in the vSphere Client.

When you deploy the OVF template to install the Dimension VM, the template automatically configures the amount of system memory for the VM. If you manually change the system memory value in the VM settings, make sure to specify a value of 2GB or higher.

Set a Static IP Address for Dimension

If you do not have a DHCP server, you must set a static IP address for the Dimension external interface. This is the IP address you use to connect to Dimension and run the Dimension Setup Wizard. To set a static IP address you make a console connection to Dimension with the wgsupport credentials and specify the IP address for the Eth0 interface.

The first time you make a console connection to Dimension, you must change the default password for the wgsupport user.

The command tool that you use to change the IP address is located in the /opt/watchguard/dimension/bin directory. To change the IP address, you must specify this directory, run the wg_ip_addr.sh command, and type the new IP address and default gateway for the interface.

To make a console connection to Dimension and configure Dimension with a static IP address:

Log in to the vSphere Client and select your Dimension VM.
Start a console connection to your Dimension VM.
Type the user name wgsupport.
Type the passphrase readwrite.
Type and confirm the new passphrase for the wgsupport user account.
To set the static IP address for Dimension, at the command line, type:

/opt/watchguard/dimension/bin/wg_ip_addr.sh -i <IP address> -m <mask> -g <gateway>.

For example, to configure Dimension with a static IP address of 203.0.113.201/24 and a gateway of 203.0.113.1, type:

/opt/watchguard/dimension/bin/wg_ip_addr.sh -i 203.0.113.201 -m 24 -g 203.0.113.1.

Press Enter on your keyboard.

For more information about console connections to Dimension, see Console Access to Dimension.

Review the Dimension VM Settings

After you have deployed your new Dimension VM, you can power on the VM, review the settings for the VM, and find the IP address to use to connect to the WatchGuard Dimension web UI to run the Dimension Setup Wizard.

In the vSphere Client:

In the ESXi host tree, select the Dimension VM.
Select the Summary tab.
In the General section, review the settings for the VM and make sure everything is correct.
In the Commands section, click to power on Dimension.
It can take a few moments for the Dimension VM to start up and get an IP address from the DHCP server.
In the General section, find the IP address for Dimension.
This is the IP address you use to connect to the WatchGuard Dimension web UI to launch the Dimension Setup Wizard .

Run the WatchGuard Dimension Setup Wizard

After your Dimension VM is set up and powered on, you can connect to Dimension to run the Dimension Setup Wizard and complete the configuration for your Dimension system.

Before you start the Setup Wizard, make sure you have this information to add in the wizard:

Host name for Dimension Tip!If you have an internal DNS server configured that can assign a host name to Dimension, you can specify that host name in the Dimension Setup Wizard. If you do not have a DNS server to use with Dimension, you can keep the default host name setting of "localhost".
IPv4 settings for the Eth0 interface
Log Authentication Key
Administrator passphrase

To run the Dimension Setup Wizard:

Open a web browser and connect to Dimension at https://<Dimension IP address>.
For example, if the IP address assigned to your instance of Dimension is 203.0.113.201, you connect to Dimension at https://203.0.113.201.
The login page appears.
Type the default user credentials:
- User Name — admin
- Passphrase — readwrite

You will change the administrator passphrase when you run the Setup Wizard.

Complete the wizard to configure Dimension.
After you finish the wizard, the Dimension login page appears.
Use the new administrator passphrase that you specified in the wizard to log in to Dimension.