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Demystifying vCenter Version and Build Number Mismatches

Have you ever wondered that the VMware vCenter Server build number mentioned in Release Notes does not match with the build number displayed in the vSphere Client? There are many different versions and build numbers used through the product. How the numbering works is different from Releases to Release. Here is an example of version numbers used in vSphere 6.7:

  • vCenter Server 6.7 U3f
  • Appliance Version: 6.7.0.43000
  • Windows Application Version: 6.7.0.31288
  • ISO/Installer/Update Build: 15976714
  • Appliance Build Number: 15976728
  • Windows Build Number: 15976721

In this article, I am going to explain where these numbers are used and also how the numbering differs from vSphere Release to vSphere Release (eg. vSphere 6.7 numbering standards differ from vSphere 6.5).

Read More »Demystifying vCenter Version and Build Number Mismatches

What's inside VMware vSphere 6.0 Update 3

VMware has released vSphere 6.0 Update 3. That update only contains minor changes, no noteworthy new features have been added. Together with 6.0 U3, the following product updates were released today:

If you want to get notified about updates and new products, subscribe to my vTracker RSS Feed.Read More »What's inside VMware vSphere 6.0 Update 3

vMA 6: Recover vi-admin Password and Remove Password Complexity

When you've installed the vSphere Management Assistant 6.0 (vMA) you very like came across its very strict password policy. With this requirements, the password recovery for vMAs is a common tasks. This post explains how to recover forgotten vMA passwords and how to use insecure, simple passwords for lab uses.vma-bad-password

Please provide a password for the vi-admin user.
BAD PASSWORD: to short
BAD PASSWORD: it is based on a dictionary word
BAD PASSWORD: is too simple
...Have exhausted maximum number of retries for service

Read More »vMA 6: Recover vi-admin Password and Remove Password Complexity

How to Increase VCSA External PSC Disk Space in vSphere 6

The vCenter Server Appliance 6.0 uses the Linux Logical Volume Management (LVM) that allows you to dynamically increase the disk size of the vCenter Server disks. For the vCenter server itself the process to increase the capacity is well documented in KB2126276. When you have an external Platform Services Controller, the tool mentioned in the KB is missing. You can't use "vpxd_servicecfg storage lvm autogrow" to increase the space automatically so you have to do it manually.

This post explains how to increase the disk space for an external platform service controller.

Read More »How to Increase VCSA External PSC Disk Space in vSphere 6

Ping from specific VMkernel adapter in vSphere 6

When troubleshooting network problems on ESXi hosts you want to specify the outgoing VMkernel adapter. As explained here you can ping from a specific VMkernel adapter with the -I parameter. In vSphere 6.0, or with VXLAN activated, this might not work as expected and displays the following error.

[root@esx:~] ping -I vmk1 10.1.1.1
Unknown interface 'vmk1': Invalid argument

The problem is related to the multiple TCP/IP Stack features introduced in vSphere 6.0. To ping from specific VMkernel adapters that are not in the default Stack (defaultTcpipStack) you have to manually specify the NetStack with the -S parameter.

Read More »Ping from specific VMkernel adapter in vSphere 6

VMware NSX-V 6.2 Beginners Guide - From Zero to Full Deployment for Labs

NSXVMware NSX-V is the SDDC technology of the future. What ESX was once for Servers, NSX is now for Networks. I highly encourage everyone to make yourselves familiar with this technology. NSX with all its features is quite complex, but the entry point is quite simple and requires only basic vSphere and networking skills. This beginners guide explains how to deploy NSX in your homelab even with limited physical ressources by downsizing NSX Manager and NSX Controller VMs. The guide starts at zero and quickly explains how to deploy NSX and connect your first Virtual Machine to a VXLAN based logical switch that is able to communicate to the physical world through an NSX Edge Gateway.

What do you need to create the Lab?

  • vCenter 6 with some physical ESXi Hosts
  • vSphere Distributed Switch (dvSwitch)
  • NSX Manager Appliance (Download: NSX 6.2.2)
  • There is no special physical Switch requirement

Read More »VMware NSX-V 6.2 Beginners Guide - From Zero to Full Deployment for Labs

Script to add vSphere 6 VMCA Root Certificate to Trusted Certs Store

When running vSphere 6 deployments in default (recommended) mode, VMware Certificate Authority is its own root certificate authority. Everything fine and secure with this configuration, but your browser displays a warning because the root certificate is not trusted.
there-is-a-problem-with-this-security-certificate

I've written a little script (VBS) that pulls the CA certificate from a vCenter Server and adds it to the local trusted root certificates store. When the root CA is trusted, browser warnings are gone.
script-vmca-certificate

Read More »Script to add vSphere 6 VMCA Root Certificate to Trusted Certs Store