VCSA 6.5 Deploy with an Embedded PSC

Hi all,

Today we will discuss about how to deploy vCenter server appliance with an embedded Platform Service controller.

Download vCenter Server appliance installer iso from VMware website.

Once the download completed, Open vcsa-ui-installer folder from the downloaded iso.

Open installer application.

Once the application opens, select install option.

Click Next to continue:-

Accept the licence agreement and click Next to continue:-

I am going with embedded PSC, If you want to create a new PSC node “select Platform service controller option” If you have any PSC running in your environment “select vCenter server option” (Requires external platform service controller).

I am selecting vCenter Server with embedded platform service controller.

Click Next to continue:-

For appliance deployment we need one esxi host or vCenter Server, provide required details.

ESXi host: esxi04.vgyan.local

HTTPS port: 443

User name: root

Password: *****

Click Next to continue:-

Accept the certificate warning, click Yes to continue:-

Set up your appliance VM here.

VM name: VCSA-01

Root password: *****

Confirm root password: *****

Click Next to continue:-

Select a vCenter Server deployment according to your environment, I am working on a lab environment so I am going with Tiny deployment size and default storage size. Below screenshot shows all the available deployment sizes.

Select and click Next to continue:-

On this esxi host I don’t have any shared disk, for time being I am going with local storage with Thin disk mode.

Thin disk mode is not recommended for production environment, it will effect the vCenter server performance.

Click Next to continue:-

We need to configure the network settings for new vCenter server.

Provide all the required information.

Network: VM Network

IP version: IPv4

IP assignment: static

System name: VCSA-01.vgyan.local (need to add the same DNS entry in your DNS server)

IP: 192.168.10.30

Subnet mask: 255.255.255.0

Default gateway: 192.168.10.1

DNS servers: 192.168.10.10

Click Next to continue:-

Verify all the information and click “Finish” to start the deployment.

Deployment is completed, For stage 2 we have two options.

  1. Click “Continue” and proceed for Stage 2 department.
  2. Select “Close” option and continue the stage 2 department later.

I am going to close this installation wizard.

For accessing the newly deployed appliance, open any web browser and access https://FQDN or IP:5480 it will redirect to vCenter Server appliance configuration wizard.

As you know we deployed a new appliance but vCenter Server is not configured.

Select Set up a vCenter Server Appliance option.

Provide the root user and password for login to the appliance.

Select Log in.

Now we are in stage 2.

Click Next to continue:-

Verify all the IP details and provide NTP server details.

If you want to access the vCenter Server through SSH, Enable SSH option.

Click Next to continue:-

Click OK for IP address change warning.

We need to configure the Single Sign On (SSO) for the new vCenter Server.

SSO domain name: vsphere.vgyan.local

SSO user name: administrator

SSO password: *****

Confirm password: *****

Site name: Test-Lab

Click Next to continue:-

Join the VMware Customer experience improvement program (CEP) it will help to improve the product.

Click Next to continue:-

Verify all the details and click Finish to complete the new deployment.

Warning: you will not be able to pause or stop the install from completing once started.

Click OK to continue:-

New vCenter Server Appliance Deployment is completed close the installation wizard.

For vCenter appliance manager, access https://FQDN or IP:5480

Provide root credentials for loging to the vCenter appliance manager web page.

In the web page we have couple of options.

  • Summary tab – vCenter overview.
  • Access tab – Access Settings (SSH,Bash shell)
  • Networking tab – Network monitor and manage
  • Time tab – Time zone and NTP setup
  • Upgrade tab – VCSA upgrade
  • Administration tab – Password settings
  • Syslog configuration tab – Remote syslog configuration
  • CPU and Memory tab – CPU/Memory monitoring
  • Database tab – Database utilization chart
  • Backup button – Inbuilt VCSA 6.5 backup
  • Create Support Bundle button – Support bundle download
  • Reboot button – Rebooting VCSA
  • Shutdown button – Shutting down VCSA

vCenter 6.5 is coming with two different management client.

  1. vSphere web client (flash)
  2. vSphere client (html 5)

I am going to access vSphere web client first.

Login with SSO administrator user name and password.

URL: https://FQDN or IP:9443/vsphere-client/

vSphere web client view.

Next I will access the new vSphere client or html client.

Login with same SSO user name and password.

URL: https://FQDN or IP/ui

New vSphere client view.

I hope you enjoyed reading this post. Feel free to share this to others if it is worth sharing!!!

Follow vGyan on Facebook , Twitter and YouTube!!!

Written by Sujith Surendran

Leave a comment Hide comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *