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Installing CML on Windows 11 using VMware Player

Need a guide to installing CML on a Windows 11 device with VMware?

Let's jump into it!

Downloads

Download the latest CML .ova file from the Cisco Downloads page.

This file is used to create the virtual machine.

The file description reads (as of version 2.6.1):

Cisco Modeling Labs 2.6.1 server. This image is for deployment on VMware. Supported Hypervisors can be found in the CML Installation Guide. For Bare Metal Installation use the bare metal (.iso) installation file found in software center.

Download the Reference Platform .iso file from the Cisco Downloads page.

This file is used to install prebuilt CML devices into the virtual machine.

The file description reads (as of version 2.6.1):

Cisco Modeling Labs reference platform ISO file (July 2023). This file is a required file for users who are not migrating from an existing CML installation.

Download VMware Player from https://www.vmware.com/products/workstation-player/workstation-player-evaluation.html

Some users may have to register for a free VMware account to download or get a license key for usage. Step 2 - Windows Configuration

Windows configurations can differ from user to user. Below are all the steps seen to enable full functionality.

Enable Virtualization via computer BIOS, and disable Secure Boot.

Resources on how to do this vary by computer manufacturer. The best practice is to look up your specific motherboard's bio settings before entering.

Access the "Turn Windows features on or off" program via the Windows key. Turn off the "Hyper-V" feature.

Note: If you are running Windows 11 Home, you may not see Hyper-V. That is okay, future steps will do it via commands.

Open the "Command Prompt" as administrator.

Enter the following command to disable Hyper-V a second time:

bcdedit /set hypervisorlaunchtype off

This command should return "This operation was completed successfully."

Open a "Windows Powershell" window as an administrator.

Enter the following command to disable all Hyper-V a third time:

Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName Microsoft-Hyper-V-A11

When the system prompts you to restart after running this command, type Y to restart your computer.

Press the Windows key and search for "Memory Integrity," then select the "Core isolation" option that appears.

Disable this feature. Windows will not be happy about you disabling it, but it is what allows nested virtualization on VMware for Windows 11.

Configuring the VM

Screenshots taken in this section are from VMware workstation, which is essentially the same thing as VMWare Workstation Player with a few more settings and features. These features do not affect the CML installation process.

Find the CML .ova file downloaded earlier. Right-click and select "Open with VMware Player". - Assign your VM a name and destination location. The default location will work perfectly fine. - Now that the base VM is made with the .ova file select "Edit virtual machine settings."

Enable the following settings per tab:

Memory:

Recommended memory: 16 GB (Change this as needed when more is needed)

Processors:

Number of processors: 4 Number of cores per processor: 1 Virtualize Intel VT-x/EPT or AMD-V/RVI: Enabled

CD/DVD (IDE):

Connect at power on: Enabled Use ISO image file: Enabled Extract the Reference Platform zip file downloaded in Step 1. Upload the .iso file under the "Use ISO image file:" browse selector.

Network Adapter:

Connect at power on: Enabled Bridged: Enabled (or NAT, depending on your use case)

Troubleshooting

With all the steps followed correctly, you should be good to go to start up your VM and get working on CML!

Here are some troubleshooting steps that may come in handy!

When I start the virtual machine it returns an error saying "Virtualized intel VT-x/EPT is not supported on this platform.

Refer to Step 2, where we disable Core Isolation, to allow this feature on your computer.

When I install CML the first time it loads but does not host to an IP address.

Ensure that the network adapter is set to Bridged under the virtual machine settings.
During initial startup, select "Advanced options for CML," then select the generic file (not recovery mode).

Wrapping Up

I hope this article has come in handy either from scratch or with troubleshooting!

Special thanks to Brey Rivera and Dr. Vitaly Ford for helping with my own initial installation.

If you have any questions about your setup, feel free to reach out to me via LinkedIn!