1/22/2018 VCAP-DCV Deploy Objective 1.

2 – part 1 – vPentathlon

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In this post we will discuss VMware core management infrastructure components. we going to Search
look at installing PSC first and then do some repointing.

here are the objectives from the blueprint: Search …

MAR 2016

Deploy and Configure a Platform Services Controller (PSC):

 NO COMMENTS Determine use case for embedded vs external PSC vExpert
Re-point a vCenter Server Appliance to another External PSC

Lab Setup:

Using VMware workstation:

Certi cation
Microsoft Servers 2012R2 for Services (DNS , DHCP, etc…)
Microsoft Servers 2012R2 as external PSC
Microsoft Servers 2012R2 as vCenter Server

Documents used:

VMware vSphere Installation and Setup

VMware KB articles 2113917/2131191

Deploy and Configure a Platform Services Controller (PSC):

For this objective we will need to have to configure the lab in a different way and if you use VMware
Workstation its very easy to configure, I installed one Windows 2012R2 as a PSC and clone it so I can use a
new vCenter server.

Below are the steps to setup the PSC:

Categories
Install Windows 2012R2 for PSC1
Install Windows 2012R2 for vCenter server Select Category
Configure DNS forward and reverse lookups for PSC1 and vCenter
Join to the main domain Active directory
On PSC1 Mount VMware VIMSetup-all.XXX
Install external PSC (follow screenshots below)
On VC2 Mount VMware VIMSetup-all.XXX
Install VMware vCenter server on the second vCenter server (follow screenshots below)
Verify connection to PSC1 and VC2.

Installing PSC1:

Start the install from the CD

Choose External Deployment and click on Platform Services Controller
Provide the system DNS name (make sure to create the entries in the DNS before the install)
For this task lets create a new SSO and provide the details.
Accepts the next defaults screens.
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Installing VC2:

Run the installer from the CD again and chooise the external deployment and click on vCenter Server
Provide the system DNS name (make sure to create the entries in the DNS before the install)
Provide the PSC name and the SSO password from the previous steps.
Accept the certificate from the PSC.
Accepts the next defaults screens.

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Verify vCenter connectivity to PSC1 and test the SSO:

Login to the new vCenter using the new SSO admin user, once login click on vCenter à
manageàSettingsàadvanced Setting and look up for SSO (see below pic).

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Determine use case for embedded vs external PSC:

I will not deep dive to this objective since this can be good design question, the main case for external vs
embedded for me is scalability, with external configuration you do have a great scalability, you can multiple
sites running vCenter connected to single PSC. In addition, you can also create multiple PSC configuration for
HA.

Source: VMware vSphere Installation and Setup

You can use embedded configuration when you need simplicity, it’s easy to use deploy and maintain and for
most small organization its sufficient.

Source: VMware vSphere Installation and Setup

Re-point a vCenter Server Appliance to another External PSC: 

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I found the information for this objective from the following VMware KB articles 2113917/2131191, and I will follow
the instruction only from the vCenter appliance.

Important Note: You will need to use vSphere 6 update1 for this process, in addition you can you can
decommission the Embedded Platform Services Controller on the vCenter Server and repoint the vCenter
Server to an External Platform Service Controller.

The above KB describe three options of repointing vCenter:

Repointing within a site

Repointing between sites
Repointing from embedded PSC to External PSC

Repointing within a site:

Login to vCenter using root and run the shell command:

Shell.set –enabled True

shell

Run the following command to repoint:

/usr/lib/vmware-vmafd/bin/vmafd-cli set-dc-name –server-name localhost –dc-

namesystemname_of_second_PSC

systemname_of_second_PSC = name of the second Platform Services Controller.

Stop and start vCenter services:

service-control –stop –all

service-control –start –all

Repointing between sites:

Here are the steps:

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Replace the cmsso-util (you will need download the zip file from VMware KB2131191 make sure to backup
the original file (/bin/cmsso-util) and make it
Make sure the file is executable (use chmod +x)
Get the current site info using the following command: /usr/lib/vmware-vmafd/bin/vmafd-cli get-site-name
–server-name localhost
Get the current Domain info using the following command: /usr/lib/vmware-vmafd/bin/vmafd-cli get-
domain-name –server-name localhost
You can execute the info command also on the PSC to get the site and domain info.
Repoint vCenter the new PSC using the following command: /bin/cmsso-util repoint –repoint-psc
FQDN_of_PSC_New_Site
Run the command: /bin/cmsso-util move-services and specify the information requested

Repointing from embedded PSC to External PSC:

For this task I installed additional vCenter server appliance (VC3) with embedded PSC. This task will
demonstrate how to convert to an external PSC in the same domain

Prerequisite:

Only one External PSC is installed

External PSC need to be the same SSO domain as the embedded PSC (I had to reinstall the PSC to join the
same site and SSO domain)

Here are the steps:

Login to the shell and verify all services are running using the following command: service-control –status –all

Run the following command: cmsso-util reconfigure –repoint-psc psc1.vsphere6.lab.local –username

administrator –domain-name vsphere.local –passwd $VMware123

Thanks for reading

Mordi.

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