VMware vCenter Server

Module 4

Module 2-2

You Are Here

VMware vSphere 4.1: Install, Configure, Manage – Revision A

vSphere Environment

VMware vCenter Server

Introduction to VMware Virtualization

VMware ESX and ESXi

Networking

Storage

Virtual Machines

Operations

Access Control

Resource Monitoring

Data Protection

Scalability

High Availability

Patch Management

Installing VMware ESX and ESXi

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Importance

VMware vSphere 4.1: Install, Configure, Manage – Revision A

VMware vCenter™ Server allows you to centrally manage multiple VMware® ESX™/ESXi hosts and their virtual machines. Failure to properly install, configure, and manage vCenter Server could result in reduced administrative efficiency or possible ESX/ESXi host and virtual machine downtime.

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Module Lessons

VMware vSphere 4.1: Install, Configure, Manage – Revision A

Lesson 1: Installing vCenter Server

Lesson 2: Using vCenter Server

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Lesson 1:Installing vCenter Server

VMware vSphere 4.1: Install, Configure, Manage – Revision A

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Lesson Objectives

VMware vSphere 4.1: Install, Configure, Manage – Revision A

Describe the vCenter Server architecture

Describe the vCenter Server components

Install vCenter Server

Install the VMware vSphere™ Client

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vCenter Server: Management Platform

VMware vSphere 4.1: Install, Configure, Manage – Revision A

VMware vCenter Server is a service that acts as a central administration point for ESX/ESXi hosts and their virtual machines, connected on a network:

Up to 1,000 hosts per vCenter Server instance

Up to 10,000 powered-on virtual machines per vCenter Server instance

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vCenter Architecture

VMware vSphere 4.1: Install, Configure, Manage – Revision A

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vCenter Server Components

VMware vSphere 4.1: Install, Configure, Manage – Revision A

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Additional vCenter Server Modules

VMware vSphere 4.1: Install, Configure, Manage – Revision A

Optional vCenter Server modules (plug-ins) provide additional features to vCenter Server.

Examples:

VMware vCenter Update Manager

VMware vCenter Converter

These modules include a server component and a client component:

The client component is a plug-in available for download and installation to the vSphere Client after the server component is installed in vCenter Server.

The client component alters the interface by adding items related to the enhanced functionality.

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vCenter Server: Physical or Virtual Machine

VMware vSphere 4.1: Install, Configure, Manage – Revision A

When using a physical machine:

A dedicated physical server is required.

vCenter Server is not susceptible to potential VMware vSphere outage.

vCenter Server performance is limited only by the system hardware.

When using a virtual machine:

A dedicated physical server is not required.

vCenter Server is susceptible to potential vSphere outage.

The vCenter Server instance can be migrated from one system to another during maintenance activities.

vCenter Server must contend for resources with the other virtual machines on the host.

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vCenter Server Hardware and Software Requirements

VMware vSphere 4.1: Install, Configure, Manage – Revision A

Hardware requirements (physical or virtual machine):

Number of CPUs – Two 64-bit CPUs or one 64-bit dual-core processor

Processor – 2.0GHz or higher Intel or AMD processor*

Memory – 3GB RAM minimum*

Disk storage – 3GB minimum*

Networking – Gigabit connection recommended

* Higher if database runs on the same machine

Software requirements:

64-bit operating system is required.

Examples of guest operating systems supported:

• Windows XP Pro 64-bit, SP2, Windows Server 2003 Enterprise SP2, Windows 2008 R2 64-bit

See “vSphere Compatibility Matrixes.”

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vCenter Database Requirements

VMware vSphere 4.1: Install, Configure, Manage – Revision A

Each vCenter Server instance must have a connection to a database to organize all the configuration data.

Supported databases: Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Oracle 10g and 11g IBM DB2 9.5

Default database – Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express: Bundled with vCenter Server Used for product evaluations and demos Also used for small deployments (up to five hosts and 50 virtual

machines)

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Calculating the Database Size

VMware vSphere 4.1: Install, Configure, Manage – Revision A

Use the VMware vCenter Server 4.x Database Sizing Calculator: For Microsoft

SQL Server and Oracle

Or use the what-if calculator built in to vCenter Server.

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Before Installing vCenter Server

VMware vSphere 4.1: Install, Configure, Manage – Revision A

Before beginning the vCenter Server installation, make sure that the following prerequisites are met:

Ensure that vCenter Server hardware and software requirements are met.

Ensure that the vCenter Server system belongs to a domain rather than a workgroup.

Create a vCenter Server database, unless you are using the default database.

Obtain and assign static IP address and host name to the vCenter Server system.

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Installing vCenter Server and Its Components

VMware vSphere 4.1: Install, Configure, Manage – Revision A

Use the VMware vCenter Installer to install vCenter Server and its components.

Install vCenter Server.

Install the

vSphere Client.

Install additional modules, such as Update Manager

and vCenter Converter.

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vCenter Server Installation Wizard

VMware vSphere 4.1: Install, Configure, Manage – Revision A

The vCenter Server Installation wizard asks for the following data.

Parameter Description

User name and organization User identification

License key Evaluation or valid license key

Database information Default database or remote database connection information

SYSTEM account information User for running the vCenter Server service

Destination folder Software location

Standalone or join a Linked Mode group

Standalone instance(vCenter Linked Mode is discussed in a later

module.)

Ports Ports used for communicating with client interfaces and managed hosts

JVM memory JVM memory configuration for the vCenter Server Web service

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vCenter Server Services

VMware vSphere 4.1: Install, Configure, Manage – Revision A

vCenter Server is installed on a Windows system.

After it is installed, vCenter Server services can be managed from the Windows Control Panel (Administrative Tools > Services).

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Installing the vSphere Client

VMware vSphere 4.1: Install, Configure, Manage – Revision A

The vSphere Client is an interface used to connect remotely to vCenter Server from a Windows system.

Two ways to install the vSphere Client:

Use the VMware vCenter Installer.

Download the client from the main Web page of the vCenter Server system.

Point to the vCenter Server.

Download the vSphere Client to a supported Windows

system.

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Logging In to the vSphere Client

VMware vSphere 4.1: Install, Configure, Manage – Revision A

To log in to the vSphere Client, enter:

Host name or IP address of the vCenter Server system

Windows user and password

(Optional) Use your Windows session credentials.

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Default vCenter Server Plug-Ins

VMware vSphere 4.1: Install, Configure, Manage – Revision A

vCenter Server is installed with a set of default plug-ins.

To install a new plug-in, use the Plug-in Manager in the vSphere Client.

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Lab 2

VMware vSphere 4.1: Install, Configure, Manage – Revision A

In this lab, you will install vCenter Server components.

1. Access your vCenter Server system.

2. Configure a SQL Server ODBC connection to a remote database.

3. Install vCenter Server.

4. Install the vSphere Client on the vCenter Server system.

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Lesson Summary

VMware vSphere 4.1: Install, Configure, Manage – Revision A

Describe the vCenter Server architecture

Describe the vCenter Server components

Install vCenter Server

Install the vSphere Client

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Lesson 2:Using vCenter Server

VMware vSphere 4.1: Install, Configure, Manage – Revision A

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Lesson Objectives

VMware vSphere 4.1: Install, Configure, Manage – Revision A

Create and organize vCenter Server inventory objects

Navigate using the vSphere Client

Add license keys to vCenter Server

View vCenter Server logs and events

Create a vCenter Server administrator

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Datacenter Object

VMware vSphere 4.1: Install, Configure, Manage – Revision A

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Organizing Inventory Objects into Folders

VMware vSphere 4.1: Install, Configure, Manage – Revision A

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Navigating the vSphere Client

VMware vSphere 4.1: Install, Configure, Manage – Revision A

Home page

search box

navigation bar

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vCenter Server Views: Hosts and Clusters, VMs and Templates

VMware vSphere 4.1: Install, Configure, Manage – Revision A

VMs and Templates inventory viewHosts and Clusters inventory view

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vCenter Server Views: Datastores and Networks

VMware vSphere 4.1: Install, Configure, Manage – Revision A

Networking inventory viewDatastores inventory view

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Adding a Host to the vCenter Server Inventory

VMware vSphere 4.1: Install, Configure, Manage – Revision A

To add an ESX/ESXi host to the vCenter Server inventory, use the Add Host wizard. Specify: Fully qualified

domain name User name and

password (ESXi hosts only)

Lockdown mode enabled

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ESX/ESXi and vCenter Server Communication

VMware vSphere 4.1: Install, Configure, Manage – Revision A

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vCenter License Overview

VMware vSphere 4.1: Install, Configure, Manage – Revision A

Licenses are managed and monitored from vCenter Server.

Licensing consists of:

Product – License to use a vSphere software component or feature

License key – 25-character string that corresponds to a product

Asset – Machine on which a product is installed

product

license key

assets

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vCenter Server Events

VMware vSphere 4.1: Install, Configure, Manage – Revision A

event search

details of selected

event

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vCenter Server System Logs

VMware vSphere 4.1: Install, Configure, Manage – Revision A

log search

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Creating a vCenter Server Administrator

VMware vSphere 4.1: Install, Configure, Manage – Revision A

Avoid using the Windows Administrator user to run vCenter Server after it has been installed.

By default, the Windows local Administrators group is given the vCenter Server role named Administrator.

Use a nonadministrative Windows account to run vCenter Server.

Remove the Windows Administrators group from the list.

Group vSphereAdminsand user Rawlinson

are assigned the vCenter Server Administrator role.

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Lab 3

VMware vSphere 4.1: Install, Configure, Manage – Revision A

In this lab, you will perform basic vCenter Server inventory operations.

1. Log in to the vCenter Server system from your desktop virtual machine.

2. Add your ESXi host to the vCenter Server inventory.

3. Create folder objects.

4. Manage vSphere license keys.

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Lesson Summary

VMware vSphere 4.1: Install, Configure, Manage – Revision A

Create and organize vCenter Server inventory objects

Navigate using the vSphere Client

Add license keys to vCenter Server

View vCenter Server logs and events

Create a vCenter Server administrator

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Key Points

VMware vSphere 4.1: Install, Configure, Manage – Revision A

The vCenter architecture consists of vCenter Server, the vCenter Server database, Active Directory, and managed ESX/ESXi hosts.

Use the inventory views to organize inventory objects in a meaningful way.

It is a good practice to assign the vCenter Server Administrator role to a normal Windows user account and to remove this role from the Windows Administrator group.