{"id":1801,"date":"2017-12-25T14:00:22","date_gmt":"2017-12-25T13:00:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nico-maas.de\/?p=1801"},"modified":"2017-12-21T13:25:31","modified_gmt":"2017-12-21T12:25:31","slug":"vmware-deploy-vcenter-server-appliance-to-esxi-6-5","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nico-maas.de\/?p=1801","title":{"rendered":"[VMWare] Deploy vCenter Server Appliance to ESXi 6.5"},"content":{"rendered":"

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<\/a> - 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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Now, we need to provide a template for deploying our vcsa:<\/p>\n

{\n    \"__version\": \"2.3.0\",\n    \"new.vcsa\": {\n        \"esxi\": {\n            \"hostname\": \"ESXI_IP\",\n            \"username\": \"ESXI_USER\",\n            \"password\": \"ESXI_PASSWORD\",\n            \"deployment.network\": \"ESXI_NETWORK, i.e. VM Network\",\n            \"datastore\": \"ESXI_DATASTORE\"\n        },\n        \"appliance\": {\n            \"thin.disk.mode\": true,\n            \"deployment.option\": \"tiny\",\n            \"name\": \"NAME_OF_THE_VCSA_APPLIANCE\"\n        },\n        \"network\": {\n            \"ip.family\": \"ipv4\",\n            \"mode\": \"static\",\n            \"ip\": \"IP_OF_THE_VCSA\",\n            \"dns.servers\": \"DNS_SERVER_OF_THE_VCSA\",\n            \"prefix\": \"NETMASK_OF_THE_VCSA\",\n            \"gateway\": \"GATEWAY_OF_THE_VCSA\",\n            \"system.name\": \"HOSTNAME_OF_THE_VCSA\"\n        },\n        \"os\": {\n            \"password\": \"PASSWORD_OF_THE_VCSA_ROOT_ACCOUNT\",\n            \"ntp.servers\": \"0.pool.ntp.org\",\n            \"ssh.enable\": true\n        },\n        \"sso\": {\n            \"password\": \"SSO_FOR_VCSA_PASSWORD\",\n            \"domain-name\": \"DOMAIN_NAME_OF_VCSA_AD - could be vsphere.local\",\n            \"site-name\": \"DEMOSITE\"\n        }\n    },\n    \"ceip\": {\n        \"description\": {\n            \"__comments\": [\n                [\n                    \"This is a demo template with disabled CEIP \/ Customer Telemetry\"\n                ]\n            ]\n        },\n        \"settings\": {\n            \"ceip.enabled\": false\n        }\n    }\n}<\/pre>\n
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<\/code><\/p>\n
The installer will then deploy the vcsa and inform you, as soon as everythings ready:<\/p>\n
===============================================================================\nvCenter Server Appliance installer finished deploying \"HOSTNAME_OF_THE_VCSA\".\nThis appliance is a vCenter Server instance with an embedded Platform Services\nController.\n    System Name: IP_OF_THE_VCSA\n    Log in as: Administrator@DOMAIN_NAME_OF_VCSA_AD i.e. Administrator@vsphere.local\nFinished successfully.\n===============================================================================\n<\/pre>\n
You can then log into https:\/\/IP_OF_THE_VCSA to the vCenter Server (with the SSO Login, i.e.\u00a0Administrator@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)<\/p>\n