VCENTER-apliance5

 

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As an alternative to installing vCenter Server on a Windows machine, you can download the VMware vCenter Server Appliance. The vCenter Server Appliance is a preconfigured Linux-based virtual machine optimized for running vCenter Server and associated services.

Environment:

• ESXi and vCenter Server 5.5

Prerequisites:

• Verify that the host machine meets the hardware requirements for the vCenter Server Appliance listed in Hardware Requirements for vCenter Server, the vSphere Web Client, vCenter Inventory Service, and vCenter Single Sign-On.
• Verify that the hosts are running ESX version 4.x or ESXi version 4.x or later.
• Synchronize the clocks of all machines on the vSphere network. See Synchronizing Clocks on the vSphere Network.
• If you plan to configure the vCenter Server Appliance from a configuration file, prepare the file and store it in a location that is accessible from the vCenter Server Appliance host machine. See Format for the vCenter Server Appliance Configuration File.
• See the vSphere Virtual Machine Administration documentation for instructions on deploying OVA files and OVF templates.

Steps to download the vCenter Server Appliance 5.5:

1. Go to the VMware Download Center
2. Under Datacenter & Cloud Infrastructure, click VMware vSphere
3. Find the section for the license type you purchased, such as Essentials.
4. Within that section, next to VMware vCenter Server 5.x and modules, click Download.
5. If you agree to the EULA, click Yes.
6. Download the vCenter Server Appliance 5.x:
   1. VMware vCenter Server 5.x Appliance - OVF File
   2. VMware vCenter Server 5.x Appliance - System Disk
   3. VMware vCenter Server 5.x Appliance - Data Disk
   4. VMware vCenter Server 5.x Appliance - OVA File

Steps to deploy and configure the vCenter Server Appliance 5.5:

1. Using the vSphere Web Client, deploy the .OVA file or the .OVF and VMDK files as an OVF template.
   1. Go to File > Deploy OVF Template.
   2. Browse to the location of the vCenter Server Appliance downloaded .ova or the .ovf file and click Open.
   3. In the OVF Template Details page, click Next.
   4. In Name and Location, enter the name of your vCenter Server Appliance and click Next.
   5. Select a datastore and click Next.
   6. Select a disk format and click Next.
   7. Click Finish.
2. Power on the vCenter Server Appliance.
3. Open a console view.
4. Follow the instructions on the welcome screen to open a browser window to the URL shown.
5. Log in to the vCenter Server Appliance and accept the license agreement. (User root with the password vmware).
6. When you log in, the vCenter Server Setup wizard starts.
7. Select the configuration option for your installation:
   1. Configure with default settings: Sets up embedded vCenter Server database in the vCenter Server Appliance and configures the database and Active Directory with default settings.
   2. Upload configuration file: To configure the vCenter Server Appliance from a prepared configuration file.
   3. Set custom configuration: To customize the configuration of the vCenter Server Appliance. The setup wizard displays separate panels for you to connect the appliance to embedded or external vCenter Server database, and to configure custom Active Directory settings.
8. Follow the prompts to complete the wizard.

Note: The vCenter Server Appliance has the following default user names:

• root@localos with the password vmware.
• administrator@vsphere.local with the password that you entered during installation for the vCenter Single Sign-On administrator account in the built-in domain.

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References: VMware vSphere 5.5 Documentation Center
                     Downloading and deploying the vCenter Server Appliance 5.x (2007619)

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