You can find instructions on how to run ESXi nested on ESXi. This is a good solution vor a VMWare based (Home) Lab setup.

It is also possible to install ESXi on a libvirt/KVM based virtualization host. The hardware that works is quite strange. Performance problems are minor though as it is virtual hardware.

• There was a “security patch” for kvm_amd nested that broke nested ESXi.
• ESXi 8.0 / VMWare Workstation 17 needs flushbyasid and that is not supported when nested virtualization is used.

Get the install ISO for ESXi 7.0.3 from VMWare. Check back before a new install unless you want to practice patching. (Install ISO for ESXi 8.0.1 but that is broken)

All Disks and CDROM: IDE bus (yes the ancient one, you can specify disks as non rational though) Network: Intel e1000 Pro