[VMWare] Deploy vCenter Server Appliance to ESXi 6.5

To deploy the vCenter Server Appliance (vcsa) to an ESXi 6.5 Server, you need to grab the latest vCenter Server for Linux from http://vmware.com/go/evaluate-vsphere-en - at the moment, thats the Version 6.5.0U1d from 19.12.2017 - which equals to the file VMware-VCSA-all-6.5.0-7312210.iso. After downloading that DVD Image, just burn it to a DVD or unpack it. You can then go on with Deploying it via GUI - or via CLI.

For deploying it via GUI, just start vcsa-ui-installer\win32\installer.exe - if you're on a Windows PC - or execute the installer / Installer.app files in the lin64 or mac folders.

If you want to deploy it via CLI using a template, you should navigate to vcsa-cli-installer\win32. Within that folder, you will find the vcsa-deploy.exe - that is the one we are going to use.

Now, we need to provide a template for deploying our vcsa:

{
    "__version": "2.3.0",
    "new.vcsa": {
        "esxi": {
            "hostname": "ESXI_IP",
            "username": "ESXI_USER",
            "password": "ESXI_PASSWORD",
            "deployment.network": "ESXI_NETWORK, i.e. VM Network",
            "datastore": "ESXI_DATASTORE"
        },
        "appliance": {
            "thin.disk.mode": true,
            "deployment.option": "tiny",
            "name": "NAME_OF_THE_VCSA_APPLIANCE"
        },
        "network": {
            "ip.family": "ipv4",
            "mode": "static",
            "ip": "IP_OF_THE_VCSA",
            "dns.servers": "DNS_SERVER_OF_THE_VCSA",
            "prefix": "NETMASK_OF_THE_VCSA",
            "gateway": "GATEWAY_OF_THE_VCSA",
            "system.name": "HOSTNAME_OF_THE_VCSA"
        },
        "os": {
            "password": "PASSWORD_OF_THE_VCSA_ROOT_ACCOUNT",
            "ntp.servers": "0.pool.ntp.org",
            "ssh.enable": true
        },
        "sso": {
            "password": "SSO_FOR_VCSA_PASSWORD",
            "domain-name": "DOMAIN_NAME_OF_VCSA_AD - could be vsphere.local",
            "site-name": "DEMOSITE"
        }
    },
    "ceip": {
        "description": {
            "__comments": [
                [
                    "This is a demo template with disabled CEIP / Customer Telemetry"
                ]
            ]
        },
        "settings": {
            "ceip.enabled": false
        }
    }
}

Just fill in the needed variables and save it in the root folder of your installer, i.e. as install_template.json. Then run the installer (in Windows, that means to execute following CMD): vcsa-deploy.exe install install_template.json --accept-eula

The installer will then deploy the vcsa and inform you, as soon as everythings ready:

===============================================================================
vCenter Server Appliance installer finished deploying "HOSTNAME_OF_THE_VCSA".
This appliance is a vCenter Server instance with an embedded Platform Services
Controller.
    System Name: IP_OF_THE_VCSA
    Log in as: Administrator@DOMAIN_NAME_OF_VCSA_AD i.e. Administrator@vsphere.local
Finished successfully.
===============================================================================

You can then log into https://IP_OF_THE_VCSA to the vCenter Server (with the SSO Login, i.e. Administrator@vsphere.local) or https://IP_OF_THE_VCSA:5480 to the vCenter Appliance Administration (with VCSA Login, i.e. root and PASSWORD_OF_THE_VCSA_ROOT_ACCOUNT)