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+.. _vyosonvmware:
+
+Running on VMware ESXi
+######################
+
+ESXi 5.5 or later
+*****************
+
+.ova files are available for supporting users, and a VyOS can also be stood up
+using a generic Linux instance, and attaching the bootable ISO file and
+installing from the ISO using the normal process around `install image`.
+
+.. NOTE:: There have been previous documented issues with GRE/IPSEC tunneling
+   using the E1000 adapter on the VyOS guest, and use of the VMXNET3 has been
+   advised.
+
+Memory Contention Considerations
+--------------------------------
+When the underlying ESXi host is approaching ~92% memory utilisation it will
+start the balloon process in s a 'soft' state to start reclaiming memory from
+guest operating systems. This causes an artificial pressure using the vmmemctl
+driver on memory usage on the virtual guest. As VyOS by default does not have
+a swap file, this vmmemctl pressure is unable to force processes to move in
+memory data to the paging file, and blindly consumes memory forcing the
+virtual guest into a low memory state with no way to escape. The balloon
+can expand to 65% of guest allocated memory, so a VyOS guest running >35% of
+memory usage, can encounter an out of memory situation, and trigger the kernel
+oom_kill process. At this point a weighted lottery favouring memory hungry
+processes will be run with the unlucky winner being terminated by the kernel.
+
+It is advised that VyOS routers are configured in a resource group with
+adequate memory reservations so that ballooning is not inflicted on
+virtual VyOS guests.
+
+
+
+
+
+References
+----------
+
+.. stop_vyoslinter
+
+https://muralidba.blogspot.com/2018/03/how-does-linux-out-of-memory-oom-killer.html
+
+.. start_vyoslinter
+\ No newline at end of file