- esxi host
- dns or ip for both - esx and vcenter
- correct time settings (ntp automates this, can be enabled on the esx-host)
- use vcsa-cli installer (the iso contains vcsa-cli for win/lin/mac os)
- "skipManifestCheck": "true" because of reasons (the installer repeatedly failed to verify integrity hashes of the created vm)
- "os.password" and "sso.password" HAVE to pass vmware's pw rules PLUS their dictionary! (verification will pass with a pw in their dictionary but setup will not be able to complete! - we stumbled across this by pure chance after trying for 2 whole days!)
-
download vcenter vcsa iso - i used this file:
VMware-VCSA-all-6.5.0-7515524.iso
-
mount iso (or burn it to a dvd)
-
create a file called
vcsa.json
and fill out the<PLACEHOLDERS>
:
{
"__version": "2.3.0",
"__comments": "Sample template to deploy a vCenter Server Appliance with an embedded Platform Services Controller on an ESXi host.",
"new.vcsa": {
"esxi": {
"hostname": "<YOUR-ESX-HOSTNAME-OR-IP>",
"username": "root",
"password": "<YOUR-ESX-ROOT-PASSWORD>",
"deployment.network": "<NETWORK-NAME-PROPABLY: VM Network>",
"datastore": "<DATASTORE-NAME-PROPABLY: datastore1>"
},
"appliance": {
"thin.disk.mode": true,
"deployment.option": "tiny",
"name": "Embedded-vCenter-Server-Appliance-6.5-2"
},
"network": {
"ip.family": "ipv4",
"mode": "static",
"ip": "<YOUR-WANTED-VCENTER-IP>",
"dns.servers": [
"<YOUR-DNS-SERVER>"
],
"prefix": "<YOUR-NETWORK-PREFIX-LENGTH-PROPABLY: 24>",
"gateway": "<YOUR-NETWORK-GATEWAY>",
"system.name": "<YOUR-VCENTER-DNS-FQDN>"
},
"os": {
"password": "<YOUR-VCENTER-PASSWORD-MUST-PASS-PW-RULES-AND-DICTIONARY-EG: c0mpl3x!$$>",
"ntp.servers": [
"pool.ntp.org"
],
"ssh.enable": true
},
"sso": {
"password": "<YOUR-VCENTER-PASSWORD-MUST-PASS-PW-RULES-AND-DICTIONARY-EG: c0mpl3x!$$>",
"domain-name": "vsphere.local",
"site-name": "my-test-site"
},
"ovftool.arguments" : {
"prop:guestinfo.cis.appliance.root.shell" : "/bin/bash",
"skipManifestCheck": "true"
}
},
"ceip": {
"settings": {
"ceip.enabled": false
}
}
}
-
start the deployment (use a command prompt with
vcsa.json
in your current directory:-
Mac OS: run
/Volumes/CDROM/vcsa-cli-installer/mac/vcsa-deploy install --accept-eula --no-esx-ssl-verify vcsa.json
-
Windows: run
X:\vcsa-cli-installer/mac/vcsa-deploy install --accept-eula --no-esx-ssl-verify vcsa.json
(substitute X with your CD drive letter) -
Linux: run
/run/media/cdrom/vcsa-cli-installer/mac/vcsa-deploy install --accept-eula --no-esx-ssl-verify vcsa.json
(substitute/run/media/cdrom
with your CD mount path)
-
-
now wait about 20 minutes and it should look like this:
- http://virtual-hike.com/cli-install-vmware-vcenter-server-6-5/
- https://www.reddit.com/r/homelab/comments/5l2xsh/vcenter_server_appliance_installation_is_fed_up/
- https://virtualtassie.com/2017/vcsa-cli-deployment-format-requires-a-mapping/
- http://virtual-hike.com/vcsa-cli-install-error-format-requires-a-mapping/
- https://virtualtassie.com/2017/vsphere-6-5-cli-vcsa-embedded-deployment-walkthrough/
- https://tickett.wordpress.com/2017/01/08/chaging-vcenter-network-config-vcsa-woes/
- https://www.virtuallyghetto.com/2016/10/how-to-deploy-the-vcenter-server-appliance-vcsa-6-5-running-on-vmware-fusion-workstation.html
- https://communities-gbot.vmware.com/thread/571247
- https://communities.vmware.com/thread/578011
- https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/2106760
- https://communities.vmware.com/thread/579945
- https://www.virtuallyghetto.com/2013/08/quick-tip-useful-ovftool-debugging.html
- https://communities-gbot.vmware.com/thread/575946
- https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-vSphere/6.5/vsphere-esxi-vcenter-server-65-installation-setup-guide.pdf
- https://www.ivobeerens.nl/2013/01/14/allocate-a-static-ip-address-to-the-vmware-vcenter-server-appliance-vcsa/
- https://www.virtuallyghetto.com/2016/11/vcsa-6-5-cli-installer-now-supports-new-ovftool-argument-pass-through-feature.html
- https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-vSphere/6.5/com.vmware.vsphere.install.doc/GUID-457EAE1F-B08A-4E64-8506-8A3FA84A0446.html#GUID-457EAE1F-B08A-4E64-8506-8A3FA84A0446__table_240B3799A28546BA8F1D844C083FA582
- https://www.virtuallyghetto.com/ovf
./vcsa-start.png
:./vcsa-success.png
: