ESXi Essentials Plus

[CyberNerd]

Have been using the free version of VMware ESXi for a couple of years, and their marketing strategy has paid off as we now are moving to Essentials Plus.

So it is a bit new to me.
I gather I need the VMware vCenter™ Server installed somewhere, and have downloaded the iso and have the serial to hand.
Does the VMware vCenter™ Server actually host servers? or can it run in a virtual machine? I'm assuming it's just there to direct the ESXi servers, and I use the standard Vsphere client to connect to it... ?

I would be grateful for any info from someone more clued up than me.

TIA

[kmount]

Yep, run in a virtual machine and yes, it just drives esxi servers (via the vsphere) so you connect to it rather than an individual esxi box if you have more than one.

[Netman]

vCenter doesn't host anything - it's purely a management tool - it can run physical or virtual - ours is the latter - so just do a clean install of Server 2008 R2 with static IP etc. then install vCenter server on top and as you rightly say, point your client at it, remembering to log in using your server administrator credentials... you're gonna love vCenter!

Edit - and while you've still got the vCenter iso connected, you might as well install update manger (you'll need that!) and converter too if you're going to be doing any P2V...

[FN-GM]

vCenter does all the work if one of your host goes offline. I wouldnt host vCenter on the custer. If the host fails that has the vCenter server on the virtual machines will not be picked up by your other servers. I have mine on a physical box.

[Netman]

vsp_41_esxi_i_vc_setup_guide.pdf This might help if you haven't seen it already... chapter 10 onwards...

[Netman]

vCenter does all the work if one of your host goes offline. I wouldnt host vCenter on the custer. If the host fails that has the vCenter server on the virtual machines will not be picked up by your other servers. I have mine on a physical box.

Not really - HA would catch it and bring it up on another host - HA is not reliant on the vCenter VM running once it's set up. The consensus these days seems to lean toward virtual as you gain much more flexibility. I always have a clone of my vCenter server sitting on a different host and datastore anyway - makes life easy when doing updates if you don't have a vstorage motion licence...
More here: VirtualCenter, run it on physical or virtual? | The VMguy

[CyberNerd]

Thanks All.
My understanding is much clearer.

[FN-GM]

Not really - HA would catch it and bring it up on another host - HA is not reliant on the vCenter VM running once it's set up. The consensus these days seems to lean toward virtual as you gain much more flexibility. I always have a clone of my vCenter server sitting on a different host and datastore anyway - makes life easy when doing updates if you don't have a vstorage motion licence...
More here: VirtualCenter, run it on physical or virtual? | The VMguy

A few years ago it happened to a school a work at the HA didnt kick in. VMware recommended we have the VC on a physical box.

[gshaw]

We've got our VC as a VM, probably better on there than a 5yr old physical server where it would be living otherwise in our case.

The cluster will run fine even if VC isn't there and we've also got Veeam Instant Recovery that can bring the VM alive directly from backup as well which helps

[CyberNerd]

I have a Follow up Question:

I downloaded VWMare-VIMSetup-all-4.1.0-345024 which is (apparently) 4.1 U1 vcentre.

I tried to install on 2008R2 64bit but it says only it will only install on:
xp 64 bit
2003 server 64 bit
2008 server 64bit

any ideas?

is 4.2 U1 supported on 2008R2 64?

[FN-GM]

We have it on Server 2008 R2. Its version 4.1. Thee wont be a version 4.2 the next one is version 5.

[CyberNerd]

We have it on Server 2008 R2. Its version 4.1. Thee wont be a version 4.2 the next one is version 5.

is it 4.1 update 1 or just 4.1

mine just refused to install stating it was an incompatible O/S

[FN-GM]

is it 4.1 update 1 or just 4.1

mine just refused to install stating it was an incompatible O/S

Both i assume as we had VC 4.0 on a Server 2008 R2 Server

[CyberNerd]

ok. I'll try and tackle it again on Monday, not that I don't have enough else to do....

thanks all.

[CyberNerd]

I have a Follow up Question:

I downloaded VWMare-VIMSetup-all-4.1.0-345024 which is (apparently) 4.1 U1 vcentre.

I tried to install on 2008R2 64bit but it says only it will only install on:
xp 64 bit
2003 server 64 bit
2008 server 64bit

any ideas?

is 4.2 U1 supported on 2008R2 64?

Doesn't install on a Domain Controller. My bad for not reading the rules properly.

VMware KB: Installing vCenter Server 4.1 fails with the error: This product can only be installed on the following 64-bit operating system