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Enabling Active Directory / LDAP / LDAPS Authentication In vCenter 8.0

This article describes how to integrate VMware vCenter Server into your authentication infrastructure. Identity sources can be Microsoft Active Directory installations or OpenLDAP.

Bundled with the vCenter Servers is an internal user database that allows you to add and manage Users from the vCenter UI. Users management and Single Sign-On are provided by the embedded Platform Service Controller. In a large environment, you might want to connect your virtualization infrastructure to a centrally managed identity provider.

Read More »Enabling Active Directory / LDAP / LDAPS Authentication In vCenter 8.0

vCenter Server 8.0 Tips and Tricks

This article covers Tips and Tricks for the vCenter Server Appliance In vSphere 8.0. While not all tips are recommended to be used without assistance in production environments, they might come in handy when you need them. Whether you are new to vCenter Server or an experienced user, these tips will help you get the most out of it.

  • Clear HSTS Settings in Chrome
  • Remove Browser Certificate Warnings (VMCA Root Certificate)
  • Enable SSH
  • File Transfer with SCP/SFTP
  • Public Key Authentication
  • Disable or Increase Shell Session Timeout
  • Password Expiration
  • Reset vCenter Server Appliance 8.0 root password
  • Reset vCenter Server SSO password (administrator@vsphere.local)
  • Create a Backup Job
  • Install Additional Software
  • VMware Datacenter CLI (DCLI)
  • Run Docker Containers
  • Connect to the Embedded vPostgres Database
  • Wait after a reboot - Common Startup Errors

Read More »vCenter Server 8.0 Tips and Tricks

vCenter 7.0 Update Issues

Patching the vCenter Server Appliance in vSphere 7.0 has become a lucky bag. When you try to update using the vCenters VAMI, you either have greyed out STAGE ONLY and STAGE AND INSTALL buttons:

The installation fails with "Exception occurred in install precheck phase" errors, rendering the VAMI unusable:

Or the installation gets stuck on Downloading RPM vsphere-ui-[version].rpm:

Read More »vCenter 7.0 Update Issues

How to add AD Authentication in vCenter 7.0

The vCenter Server has an internal user database that allows you to add and manage users very easily. Users management and Single Sign-On is provided by the embedded Platform Service Controller which is available since vSphere 6.0. In a large environment, you might want to connect your virtualization infrastructure to a centrally manage Active Directory.

This article explains how to add AD authentication in vSphere 7.0 and how to get the "Use Windows session authentication" checkbox to work with the "Enhanced Authentication Plugin".

Read More »How to add AD Authentication in vCenter 7.0

vCenter Server 7.0 Tips and Tricks

In vSphere 7.0, the Windows-based vCenter Server is finally gone. Time to move forward and get in touch with the Linux based Photon OS. The following tips and tricks might come handy when working with the vCenter Server Appliance 7.0:

  • Enable SSH
  • File Transfer with SCP/SFTP
  • Public Key Authentication
  • Disable or Increase Shell Session Timeout
  • Password expiration
  • Reset vCenter Server Appliance 6.7 root password
  • Create a Backup Job
  • Remove Certificate Warnings (Root CA)
  • Install Additional Software
  • VMware Datacenter CLI (DCLI)
  • Run Docker Containers

Read More »vCenter Server 7.0 Tips and Tricks

Run pgAdmin in a Docker container on the vCenter Server Appliance

In the last article, I've explained how to manage the vCenter Server Appliance vPostgres Databases with pgAdmin. This article goes a step further and explains how to run pgAdmin in a Docker Container on the vCenter Server Appliance itself. This method works with vCenter Server Appliance version 6.5, 6.7, and 7.0.

Read More »Run pgAdmin in a Docker container on the vCenter Server Appliance

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