sydasif / eve-ng-lab

How to Install EVE-NG on Microsoft Hyper-V

In this blog, I will guide you through the process of installing EVE-NG on Microsoft Hyper-V. Typically, I use GNS3 on VMware as recommended by the documentation. However, if you want to use a Docker Desktop on Windows and WSL2, there is a glitch: Microsoft Hyper-V and WSL2 do not coexist well with VMWare on the same machine.

During my research, I found an article titled How to install EVE-NG on Microsoft Hyper-V, written on November 15, 2018. The tutorial was based on Ubuntu Server 16.04. I applied the same procedure to Ubuntu Server 22.04 but did not succeed due to differences in the Ubuntu versions used.

The EVE-NG CE Community Edition Cookbook provides a procedure for BM Server Installation Ubuntu legacy ISO for Server 22.04. By combining both tutorials, I managed to get EVE-NG running on Microsoft Hyper-V.

Let's dive into the process!

Ubuntu Server Installation on Hyper-V

Step 1: Download Ubuntu Server 22.04 Image

First, download the Ubuntu Server 22.04 image from the official Ubuntu website.

Step 2: Create a New VM in Hyper-V

1. Open Hyper-V Manager and click on New Virtual Machine.
2. Name: Enter EVE-NG.
3. Generation: Select Generation 2.
4. Startup Memory: Allocate 8GB/4GB and disable dynamic memory.
5. Networking: Use an existing Default vSwitch connected to the Internet.
6. Hard Disk: Set the size to a minimum of 60GB.
7. Installation Options: Choose “Install the operating system from a bootable image file” and select the Ubuntu Server 22.04 image.
8. Click “Next,” then “Finish.” Hyper-V will create your VM.

Step 3: Configure VM Settings

1. In Hyper-V Manager, select your VM, right-click, and choose “Settings.”
2. Under Security, disable Secure Boot (necessary for ISO boot).

3. Under Firmware, Set the boot order.

4. Under Processor, increase the number of virtual processors according to your hardware.

Step 4: Install Ubuntu Server

1. Connect to the VM and start it. The Ubuntu installation will begin.
2. Follow the steps in the EVE-NG CE Community Edition Cookbook for BM Server Installation Ubuntu legacy ISO.
3. After installation, reboot the server.

EVE-NG Pre-Installation

Step 1: Initial Configuration

1. After rebooting, log in with the user created during the installation and get root access:

$ sudo su

2. Change the root password (example: in my case eve):

3. Allow SSH root login:

root@eve-ng:~# vim /etc/ssh/sshd_config

Change:

PermitRootLogin prohibit-password

To:

PermitRootLogin yes

Save settings (:wq) and restart the SSH service:

root@eve-ng:~# service sshd restart

Step 2: EVE-NG Installation

1. SSH to your EVE-NG server using an SSH client like Putty and log in as root.
2. Update and upgrade the system:

$ apt update
$ apt upgrade

3. Run the EVE-NG Community Edition installation script:

$ wget -O - https://www.eve-ng.net/jammy/install-eve.sh | bash -i

4. Reboot the server after the installation completes.

5. Go back to Hyper-V, right-click on your VM and click Connect.

Step 3: First Boot Configuration

Follow the official guide for the first boot configuration.

Step 4: Enable Nested Virtualization

1. Open a PowerShell prompt as administrator on your PC and run the following command:

$ Set-VMProcessor -VMName "EVE-NG" -ExposeVirtualizationExtensions $true

2. Start your EVE-NG VM again in the Hyper-V console. The message neither Intel VT-x nor AMD-V found on Hyper-V should not appear, and you should be able to connect to the web interface using your <server ip>.

And there you have it! You now have a running EVE-NG environment on Microsoft Hyper-V. This setup allows you to emulate network scenarios efficiently and leverage the powerful features of EVE-NG.