VMware Center

vCenter Server
Module 4
© 2015 VMware Inc. All rights reserved.

You Are Here
1. Course Introduction 7. Virtual Machine Management
2. Software-Defined Data Center 8. Resource Management and

Monitoring
3. Creating Virtual Machines
9. vSphere HA and vSphere Fault
4. vCenter Server
Tolerance
5. Configuring and Managing
10. Host Scalability
Virtual Networks
11. vSphere Update Manager and
6. Configuring and Managing
Host Maintenance
Virtual Storage
12. Installing vSphere Components
VMware vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage 4-2

Importance
VMware vCenter Server™ enables you to centrally manage multiple
VMware ESXi™ hosts and their virtual machines. Failure to properly
install, configure, and manage vCenter Server might result in reduced
administrative efficiency or possible ESXi host and virtual machine
downtime.

Module Lessons
Lesson 1: vCenter Server Architecture
Lesson 2: Deploying vCenter Server Appliance
Lesson 3: vSphere Web Client
Lesson 4: Managing the vCenter Server Inventory

Lesson 1:
vCenter Server Architecture
4-5
Learner Objectives
By the end of this lesson, you should be able to meet the following
objectives:
• Describe the vCenter Server architecture
• Discuss how ESXi hosts communicate with vCenter Server
• Identify the vCenter Server services, components, and modules
• Explain VMware Platform Services Controller™

About the vCenter Server Management Platform
vCenter Server is a service that acts as a central administration point for
ESXi hosts and their virtual machines connected on a network.
This service directs the actions of virtual machines and hosts.
vCenter Server
Manage
vSphere vSphere vSphere

vCenter Server Architecture
The diagram shows the supporting components for vCenter Server.
Active Directory Domain
vSphere Web
Client
vCenter Platform
Server and Services
Additional Controller with
Modules vCenter Single
Database Sign-On
ESXi Host ESXi Host ESXi Host

Additional vCenter Server Services and Interfaces
vCenter Server has additional services and interfaces that provide
important functions.
Platform Services PSC

Distributed Services
Controller
vSphere Web Client

Additional Services: User
Database • vSphere Update Manager
Access vSphere
Server • vRealize Orchestrator Third-Party
Control API Applications
Core Services
Plug-In
ESXi Management
vCenter
Server
Database

Platform Services Controller
vCenter Server includes the Platform Services Controller:
 The Platform Services Controller includes a set of common infrastructure
services:
– VMware vCenter™ Single Sign-On™ Virtual Machine or Physical
– VMware License Server
Platform Services
– Lookup Service Controller
– Certificate Authority
– Certificate Store vCenter Server
– VMware Directory Services
 Other features are installed under the vCenter Server component.

 You can install vCenter Server and the Platform Services Controller on the
same or different machines.

vCenter Server Services and Functions
The vCenter Server group of services contains:
• vCenter Server
• VMware vSphere® Web Client (server)
• VMware Inventory Service
• VMware vSphere® Auto Deploy™
• VMware vSphere® ESXi™ Dump Collector
• VMware vSphere® Syslog Collector
You cannot distribute these vCenter Server functions across multiple

servers. When you install the vCenter Server component, all of these
features are included.

ESXi and vCenter Server Communication
TCP
443, 9443
TCP 443
vCenter Server
vpxd
TCP/UDP TCP/UDP
902 902
hostd vpxa
ESXi Host

Default vCenter Server Plug-Ins
vCenter Server is installed with a set of default plug-in components.

vSphere Web Client Plug-In Packages
The vSphere Web Client has several plug-in packages.
Plug-ins are applications that provide additional features and
functionalities to vCenter Server:
• VMware plug-ins: VMware vSphere® Update Manager™, VMware vCenter™
Site Recovery Manager™, and others
• Third party plug-ins: From EMC, NetApp, HP, Dell, and others

Review of Learner Objectives
You should be able to meet the following objectives:
• Describe the vCenter Server architecture
• Discuss how ESXi hosts communicate with vCenter Server
• Identify the vCenter Server services, components, and modules
• Explain VMware Platform Services Controller™

Lesson 2:
Deploying vCenter Server
Appliance
4-16
Learner Objectives
objectives:
• Discuss the vCenter Server deployment models
• Deploy VMware vCenter Server™ Appliance™ into an infrastructure
• Add license keys to vCenter Server
• Configure vCenter Server settings
• Add hosts to vCenter Server

vCenter Server Appliance Features
vCenter Server Appliance is a preconfigured, Linux-based virtual
machine:
• Runs on SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11, Update 3
• Can be used with ESXi 5.5 and later ESXi versions
• Is prepackaged with a PostgreSQL embedded database:
– Suitable for environments with up to 1,000 hosts and 10,000 virtual machines
• Supports an external Oracle database when running in an enterprise

• Is equipped with the vCenter Server Appliance console, used for
troubleshooting and configuration
• Supports centralized authentication

vCenter Server Appliance Basics
vCenter Server Appliance is functionally
vCenter Server Appliance
equivalent to vCenter Server installed on
a Windows server: Platform Services
Controller
• vCenter Server Appliance can be
configured with an external Platform
vCenter Server
Services Controller.
• vCenter Server Appliance can be
configured as a distributed vCenter Server
instance. vCenter Server Appliance
• You can combine vCenter Server Appliance Platform Services

Controller
instances and vCenter Server systems
installed on Windows servers in the same
vCenter Server Windows
architecture. Appliance vCenter Server
• vCenter Server Appliance supports Linked vCenter vCenter
Server Server
Mode.

Platform Services Controller Deployment Recommendations (1)
Deployment Models Recommended for the Platform Services Controller

in Enhanced Linked Mode
Enhanced Linked Mode with an External Enhanced Linked Mode with an External
Platform Services Controller Without Platform Services Controller with vSphere HA
vSphere HA

Deployment Models Not Recommended for the Platform Services

Controller in Enhanced Linked Mode
Enhanced Linked Mode with Embedded

Platform Services Controllers
Combination Deployments of Both

Embedded and external Platform Services
Controllers

Deployment Model Not Recommended for the Platform Services

Controller in Enhanced Linked Mode
External vCenter Server System Linked to an

Embedded Platform Services Controller

vCenter Server Appliance Scalability
vCenter Server Appliance scales to the same capacity as vCenter Server
installed on a Windows machine.
Metric Windows Appliance
Hosts per vCenter Server System 1,000 1,000
Powered-on virtual machines per

10,000 10,000
vCenter Server System
Hosts per cluster 64 64
Virtual machines per cluster 8,000 8,000
Must be Oracle or SQL for full Can be either Oracle or

Database
scalability embedded PostgreSQL
Linked Mode Yes Yes

vSphere License Service
In vSphere 6, the License Service is part of the Platform Services
Controller.
It delivers centralized license management and reporting functionality to
vSphere and to products integrated with vSphere.
It provides an inventory for licenses in the vSphere environment and
manages the license assignments for ESXi hosts, vCenter Server
systems, and clusters with VMware Virtual SAN™ enabled .
It manages the license assignments for products that integrate with
vSphere.

Preparing for vCenter Server Appliance Deployment (1)
Before deploying vCenter Server Appliance, you must complete several
tasks:
• Verify that all vCenter Server Appliance system requirements are met.
• Prepare a vCenter Server database:
– Use the included PostgreSQL database.
– Set up an external Oracle database.
• For the first installation of vCenter Server Appliance, you must first deploy the
Platform Services Controller and then vCenter Server.
– If you deploy vCenter Server or vCenter Server Appliance with an embedded Platform
Services Controller, this happens automatically.
– If you install vCenter Server with an external Platform Services Controller, you must
first install the Platform Services Controller and then install vCenter Server.

Preparing for vCenter Server Appliance Deployment (2)
Before deploying vCenter Server Appliance, you must complete several
tasks:
• When you install vCenter Server and the Platform Services Controller, you
must provide the fully qualified domain name (FQDN) or the static IP of the
host machine on which you are performing the install or upgrade. VMware
recommends using the FQDN.
• Before you install vCenter Server Appliance, verify that all machines on the
vSphere network have their clocks synchronized.

Deploying vCenter Server Appliance
You can configure vCenter Server Appliance by using the vSphere Web
Client, the appliance shell, or the Direct Console User Interface.
You must download and install the vCenter Server Appliance installer
and the VMware Client Integration Plug-In.
The Client Integration Plug-In provides access to a virtual machine’s
console in the vSphere Web Client as well as access to other vSphere
infrastructure tasks.

vCenter Server Appliance Installation Media
vCenter Server Appliance is distributed as an ISO image, which contains
the following components:
• vCenter Server Appliance 6 data file (vcsa folder)
• Client Integration Plug-In 6 for Windows, Mac, and Linux
• vCenter Server Appliance command-line installer
• vCenter Server Appliance UI deployment Web page (index.html)

Accessing vCenter Server Appliance
The vCenter Server Appliance ISO image contains an index.html file.
Open this file in a supported browser to begin the installation.

Connecting to the ESXi Host on Which to Deploy vCenter Server Appliance
In the vCenter Server Appliance Deployment wizard, you connect to the

target ESXi host where you deploy vCenter Server Appliance.

Specifying the Virtual Machine Name and Password for Root User
Enter the vCenter Server Appliance name and set the password for the
root user.

Selecting the Deployment Type
Select a deployment type based on your organization’s needs.

Configuring vCenter Single Sign-On
Configure vCenter Single Sign-On by specifying a password, a domain
name, and a site name.

Selecting a vCenter Server Appliance Size
Select the vCenter Server Appliance size based on the size of your
vSphere inventory.

Selecting a Datastore
From the list of available datastores, select the location where all the
virtual machine configuration files and virtual disks will be stored and,
optionally, enable thin provisioning.

Configuring Network Settings
You must configure network settings, specify if you want to enable SSH,
and select a Time Sync option.

Using the vSphere Web Client to Log In to vCenter Server
After you deploy vCenter Server Appliance, log in to it by using the
vSphere Web Client to manage your vSphere inventory.
• Open a Web browser and enter the URL for the vSphere Web Client:
https://appliance_IP_address_or_FQDN/vsphere-client.

Adding License Keys to vCenter Server
Assign a license to vCenter Server before its 60-day evaluation period
expires.

Configuring vCenter Server Settings
You can configure your vCenter Server system from the vSphere Web
Client, including settings such as licensing, statistics collection, logging,
and other settings.
• To access the vCenter Server system settings, navigate to the vCenter Server
system in the vSphere Web Client and click the Manage tab.

Managing the vCenter Server Services
You can manage vCenter Server services by selecting Administration >
System Configuration from the Home page and selecting Services.

Monitoring Health and Status of Services and Nodes Across vCenter Server Systems
The vSphere Web Client enables you to monitor the status of all
manageable services and nodes across vCenter Server systems.
A list of default services is available in each vCenter Server instance.

ESXi Host as an NTP Client
Network Time Protocol (NTP) is a
client-server protocol used to
synchronize a computer’s clock to a NTP
Server NTP
time reference. Server
NTP
NTP is important: Server
• For accurate performance graphs
• For accurate time stamps in log
messages
• So that virtual machines have a source
to synchronize with
An ESXi host can be configured as
an NTP client. It can synchronize time NTP
The NTP client uses
UDP over port 123 to
with an NTP server on the Internet or Client communicate with
your corporate NTP server. the NTP server.
ESXi Host

Configuring Host Time Synchronization
Configure Network Time Protocol (NTP) settings for each host:
• Can be automated with host profiles

Lab 4: Working with vCenter Server
Configure vCenter Server Appliance for first use
1. Access vCenter Server Appliance
2. Install vCenter Server Appliance and Host License Keys
3. Create a Data Center Object
4. Add Your ESXi Host to the vCenter Server Inventory
5. Configure Your ESXi Host as an NTP Client

• Discuss the vCenter Server deployment models
• Deploy VMware vCenter Server™ Appliance™ into an infrastructure
• Add license keys to vCenter Server
• Configure vCenter Server settings
• Add hosts to vCenter Server

Lesson 3:
vSphere Web Client
4-46
Learner Objectives
objectives:
• Access the vSphere Web Client
• Install the VMware Client Integration Plug-In
• Navigate the vSphere Web Client

Accessing vSphere Web Client
To access the vSphere Web Client, you open a Web browser and enter
the URL for the vSphere Web Client.
http://appliance_IP_address_or_FQDN/vsphere-client
http://appliance_IP_address_or_FQDN/vsphere-client
Download and install the

Download and installPlug-In
Client Integration the
Clientfor
Integration Plug-In
virtual machine
for virtual
consolemachine
access.
console access.

vSphere Web Client Home Page
The vSphere Web Client Home page appears the first time that you use
the vSphere Web Client to log in to your vCenter Server system.
The Home page has a Navigator pane on the left and Inventories,
Monitoring, and Administration panes on the right.

Using the vSphere Web Client Navigator
You can use the
Navigator pane to
browse and select
objects in the vSphere
Web Client inventory.
The navigator presents
a graph-based view of
the inventory, which
enables you to
navigate inventory
objects.

vCenter Server Views: Hosts and Clusters, VMs and Templates
Hosts and Clusters Inventory View
VMs and Templates Inventory View

vCenter Server Views: Storage and Networks
Storage Inventory View
Networks Inventory View

Viewing Object Information
Because you can navigate to view object information and access related
objects, monitoring and managing object properties is easy.

Viewing Recent Objects
You can quickly navigate to the objects that you visited during your
vSphere Web Client session.
You can revisit objects without having to search in the inventory tree.
You use the Recent Objects icon to

You use theobjects
view RecentthatObjects icon to
you visited
view objectsinthat
or created youryou visited
environment.
or created in your environment.

Using Quick Filters
You can use quick filters to find an object or a set of objects in the
vSphere inventory by using certain display criteria.
Show or hide
the quickor
Show hideoptions.
filters
the quick filters options.

Using Drag-and-Drop Functionality
You can drag an inventory object to another location. This action is an
alternative way to perform tasks that are available in the context menu.
Drag-and-drop icons
Drag-and-drop icons
indicate whether
indicate whether
you can move
you can move
the object.
the object.
.
.

Lab 5: Using vSphere Web Client
Navigate and customize vSphere Web Client
1. Navigate vSphere Web Client
2. Pin and Unpin Panes
3. Hide the Getting Started Tabs
4. Upgrade the Virtual Machine’s Hardware

• Access the vSphere Web Client
• Install the VMware Client Integration Plug-In
• Navigate the vSphere Web Client

Lesson 4:
Managing the vCenter Server
Inventory
4-59
Learner Objectives
objectives:
• Create and organize vCenter Server inventory objects
• Discuss how to create custom inventory tags for inventory objects
• Recognize how to view vCenter Server logs and events

About Data Center Objects
A virtual data center is a container for all the inventory objects required to
complete a fully functional environment for operating virtual machines:
• You can create multiple data centers to organize sets of environments.
• Each data center has its own hosts, virtual machines, templates,
datastores, and networks.
vCenter Server
Toronto Los Angeles Munich Paris

Data Center Data Center Data Center Data Center

Organizing Inventory Objects into Folders
Items in the data center can be placed into folders. Folders and
subfolders can be created to better organize systems.
Los Angeles
Data Center
File and Intel

DB AMD
Print
HOST HOST HOST HOST

Using Folders
You can use folders to group objects of the same type for easier
management. For example, permissions can be applied to folders,
enabling you to use folders to group objects that should have a common
set of permissions.

Adding a Host to the vCenter Server Inventory
You can add hosts under a data center object, folder object, or cluster
object. If a host contains virtual machines, those virtual machines are
added to the inventory together with the host.

Creating Custom Tags for Inventory Objects
Tags enable you to attach metadata to objects in the vSphere inventory
to make these objects more sortable.
You can associate a set of objects of the same type:
• Search for objects by that tag.
• Enable a business case where customers want to create groups of virtual
machines, clusters, and datastores for ease of management.

vCenter Server Events
Events are records of user actions or system actions that occur on
objects in vCenter Server or on a host.
Event Type
Details of
Selected Event

vCenter Server System Logs
vSphere records events in the vCenter Server database. System log
entries include information such as who generated the event, when the
event was created, and the type of event.
You can export system

logs for troubleshooting
system problems.

Lab 6: Creating Folders in vCenter Server Appliance
Create vCenter Server inventory objects
1. Create a Host and Cluster Folder
2. Create Virtual Machine and Template Folders

• Create and organize vCenter Server inventory objects
• Discuss how to create custom inventory tags for inventory objects
• Recognize how to view vCenter Server logs and events

Key Points
• The vCenter Server architecture consists of the following components:
– vCenter Server
– vCenter Server database
– Active Directory
– Managed ESXi hosts
• vCenter Server has two types of deployment models:

– Embedded Platform Services Controller
– External Platform Services Controller
• You use the vSphere Web Client to connect to vCenter Server systems and
manage vSphere inventory objects.
Questions?


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© 2015 VMware Inc. All rights reserved.

1. Course Introduction 7. Virtual Machine Management

2. Software-Defined Data Center 8. Resource Management and

VMware vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage 4-2

VMware vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage 4-3

VMware vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage 4-4

VMware vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage 4-6

vSphere vSphere vSphere

VMware vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage 4-7

Active Directory Domain

ESXi Host ESXi Host ESXi Host

VMware vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage 4-8

Platform Services PSC

vSphere Web Client

VMware vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage 4-9

 Other features are installed under the vCenter Server component.

VMware vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage 4-10

You cannot distribute these vCenter Server functions across multiple

VMware vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage 4-11

VMware vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage 4-12

VMware vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage 4-13

VMware vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage 4-14

VMware vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage 4-15

VMware vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage 4-17

• Supports an external Oracle database when running in an enterprise

VMware vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage 4-18

• You can combine vCenter Server Appliance Platform Services

VMware vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage 4-19

Deployment Models Recommended for the Platform Services Controller

VMware vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage 4-20

Deployment Models Not Recommended for the Platform Services

Enhanced Linked Mode with Embedded

Combination Deployments of Both

VMware vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage 4-21

Deployment Model Not Recommended for the Platform Services

External vCenter Server System Linked to an

VMware vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage 4-22

Metric Windows Appliance

Hosts per vCenter Server System 1,000 1,000

Powered-on virtual machines per

Hosts per cluster 64 64

Virtual machines per cluster 8,000 8,000

Must be Oracle or SQL for full Can be either Oracle or

Linked Mode Yes Yes

VMware vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage 4-23

VMware vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage 4-24

VMware vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage 4-25

VMware vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage 4-26

VMware vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage 4-27

VMware vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage 4-28

VMware vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage 4-29

In the vCenter Server Appliance Deployment wizard, you connect to the

VMware vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage 4-30

VMware vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage 4-31

VMware vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage 4-32

VMware vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage 4-33

VMware vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage 4-34

VMware vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage 4-35

VMware vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage 4-36

VMware vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage 4-37

VMware vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage 4-38

VMware vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage 4-39