vCenter Installation

Hi everyone,

I've been studying for VCP-550, and I want to install vCenter. Is the correct way to create a Windows server VMachine and run the vCenter Installer on the Windows Server OS?

I've been looking at my book and its a little to confusing, that's why I ask.

Thanks!

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Mow

There are two flavors of vCenter, the one that installs on Windows and the virtual appliance.

watermelonss

^Thanks. I have my ESXI as a virtual machine in VMware Workstation 10. I just created a Windows Server 2012 virtual machine within ESXI. Going to put vCenter in Windows Server 2012. Is this about right?

Also, will it work if I put vCenter on a Windows Server 2012 that is not running in ESXI but running beside ESXI in VMware Workstation 10? Will those two be able to communicate?

Thanks!

Mow

I'm far from a VMWare expert, but I believe it is best practice to keep your vCenter server as a VM on ESXI.

watermelonss

^Np Thanks Mow!

scott28tt

In an entirely virtual lab, I'd either run the vCenter appliance on Workstation, or your Windows VM with vCenter on Workstation - there's no point in nesting it within the virtual ESXi instance.

shezy77

I am with Scott on this.. Install/Deploy vCenter (either appliance or windows based) directly on Workstation.

watermelonss

^Okay, great. I'm gonna do that now. In summary, I'll be having two VMs running on my workstation: the ESXI, and Windows Server 2012 w/ vCenter Appliance. Does this sound about right?

Thanks!

watermelonss

What's the difference between vCenter Orchestrater Client vs. vCenter Appliance?

scott28tt

watermelonss wrote: »

^Okay, great. I'm gonna do that now. In summary, I'll be having two VMs running on my workstation: the ESXI, and Windows Server 2012 w/ vCenter Appliance. Does this sound about right?

Thanks!

That's a starting point. You'll need at least one more ESXi host and some form of shared storage (iSCSI target or NFS share, also run up as a VM) to start having fun with vMotion/HA/DRS...

Deathmage

I'd personally just install the vCenter over a Windows Installation, but the Appliance will do just as-well. But you'll need an existing ESXi host in order to deploy the vCenter .ova Appliance.

Might be helpful in the nested cluster to have a DNS server and AD w/ domain.

watermelonss

^I have vCenter Appliance running as a VM in ESXI. However, as I'm going through the Brian Atkinson VCP-550 Sybex book, I can't seem to follow along when he explains vCenter labs. Is this because the appliance is missing features compared to vCenter on Server 2012?

TheNewITGuy

vCenter isnt overly complex - the appliance is a bit different as far as management goes; for the labs I'd do a Windows installation if you wish to do things like VUM (Update Manager) as it will need to be installed on Windows anyway.