Tag vsphere

Configuring VMware ESXi for Active Directory (AD) authentication involves joining the ESXi host to the Active Directory domain and configuring user permissions accordingly. Here are the steps:

1. Access the ESXi Host:

• Connect to the ESXi host using the vSphere Client or vSphere Web Client.

2. Configure DNS Settings:

• Ensure that the DNS settings on the ESXi host are correctly configured, and it can resolve the Active Directory domain controller’s name. You can set the DNS configuration in the ESXi host under “Networking” > “TCP/IP Configuration.”

3. Join ESXi Host to Active Directory:

• In the vSphere Client, navigate to the “Host” in the inventory and select the “Configure” tab.
• Under the “System” section, select “Authentication Services.”
• Click “Join Domain” or “Properties” depending on your ESXi version.
• Enter the domain information, including the domain name, username, and password with the necessary permissions to join the domain.
• Click “Join Domain” or “OK.”

Example:

• Domain: example.com
• Username: domain_admin
• Password: ********

4. Verify Domain Join:

• After joining the domain, you should see a success message. If not, check the credentials and network connectivity.

5. Configure Permission:

• Go to the “Permissions” tab in the “Host” section.
• Add the AD user account to the appropriate role (e.g., Administrator or a custom role).

Example (PowerCLI):

New-VIPermission -Principal "EXAMPLE\domain_user" -Role "Admin" -Entity $esxiHost

6. Test AD Authentication:

• Log out of the vSphere Client and log in using an Active Directory account. Use the format “DOMAIN\username” or “username@domain.com” depending on your environment.

Example:

• Server: esxi.example.com
• Username: example\domain_user
• Password: ********

7. Troubleshooting:

• If authentication fails, check the ESXi logs for any error messages related to authentication or domain joining.
• Ensure that time synchronization is correct between the ESXi host and the domain controller.
• Verify that the Active Directory user account has the necessary permissions.

Note: Always refer to the official VMware documentation for your specific ESXi version for the most accurate and up-to-date information. The steps might slightly differ based on the ESXi version you are using.

Hello everyone , in this video I am going to install and configure vmware vsphere replication , by using this tools you can replicate virtual machines disks from one one datastore to another datastore. For example you can replicate your disks to disaster center datastore and if your server gets down you can bring up or restore your virtual machine in your disaster center in some seconds ,

Prerequisites:

Before you begin, make sure you have the following prerequisites in place:

1. VMware Infrastructure: You should have a VMware vSphere environment set up with at least two vCenter Servers or ESXi hosts that you want to replicate VMs between.
2. Network Connectivity: Ensure that there is proper network connectivity between the source and target vSphere environments. This includes firewalls, routers, and other networking components.
3. vSphere Replication Appliance: Download the vSphere Replication appliance OVA file from the VMware website or portal.
4. Licensing: Ensure that you have the necessary licensing for vSphere Replication. It’s typically included with VMware’s vSphere Essentials Plus and higher editions.

Installation and Configuration:

Follow these steps to install and configure VMware vSphere Replication:

1. Deploy vSphere Replication Appliance:
   • Log in to the vCenter Server where you want to deploy the vSphere Replication Appliance.
   • From the vCenter Web Client, select “Hosts and Clusters.”
   • Right-click on a host or cluster and select “Deploy OVF Template.”
   • Browse to the location of the vSphere Replication Appliance OVA file and follow the deployment wizard, specifying network settings, deployment size, and other necessary configurations.
2. Configure vSphere Replication Appliance:
   • After deploying the appliance, power it on and access the web-based management interface by entering its IP address in a web browser.
   • Log in with the default credentials (admin/vcdr).
3. Pair vSphere Replication Appliances:
   • In the vSphere Replication management interface, select the “Configuration” tab.
   • Under “VR Servers,” click on “Add VR Server” to add the remote vSphere Replication Appliance. This pairs the appliances from the source and target sites.
4. Create Replication VMs:
   • In the vSphere Web Client, navigate to the VM you want to replicate.
   • Right-click on the VM, select “All vSphere Replication Actions,” and then choose “Configure Replication.”
   • Follow the wizard to configure replication settings, including the target location, RPO (Recovery Point Objective), and other options.
5. Monitor and Manage Replications:
   • In the vSphere Replication management interface, you can monitor and manage replication jobs.
   • You can perform actions like starting, stopping, or deleting replications, monitoring replication status, and configuring email notifications for replication events.
6. Failover and Recovery:
   • In the event of a disaster or for planned migrations, you can initiate a failover to the replicated VMs in the target site.
7. Testing and Validation:
   • It’s crucial to periodically test and validate your replication setup to ensure it meets your recovery objectives.
8. Documentation and Best Practices:
   • Consult VMware’s documentation and best practices guides for vSphere Replication to optimize your setup and ensure data integrity.

1. Prepare for Installation:

• Download the VMware ESXi 8.0 ISO from the VMware website.
• Create a bootable USB drive using software like Rufus (for Windows) or Etcher (for macOS and Linux).
• Insert the USB drive into the server where you want to install ESXi.

2. Boot from the Installation Media:

• Power on the server and access the BIOS or UEFI firmware settings.
• Configure the boot order to boot from the USB drive first.
• Save the changes and exit the BIOS/UEFI settings.

3. Install VMware ESXi:

• The ESXi installer should load. Press Enter to begin the installation process.
• Read and accept the End User License Agreement (EULA) by pressing F11.
• Select the disk or storage device where you want to install ESXi and press Enter.
• Select the keyboard layout and press Enter.
• Enter a root password for the ESXi host and press Enter.
• Press F11 to confirm the installation.
• Wait for the installation to complete. Once done, remove the installation media and reboot the server.

4. Configure Networking:

• After rebooting, the ESXi host will boot up, and you’ll be prompted to configure networking.
• Use the arrow keys to navigate to “Configure Management Network” and press Enter.
• Set the IP address, subnet mask, default gateway, and DNS servers for the ESXi host.

5. Access ESXi Host via Web Client:

• Open a web browser on a computer connected to the same network as the ESXi host.
• Enter the IP address of the ESXi host in the address bar.
• Log in using the username “root” and the password you set during installation.

6. (Optional) Configure Additional Settings:

• In the vSphere Client, you can configure additional settings such as adding a license key, configuring storage, creating virtual machines, and managing networking.

7. Install VMware Tools (Optional):

• In the vSphere Client, right-click on the virtual machine and select “Guest OS” > “Install VMware Tools” to install the VMware Tools package on the virtual machine for better performance and management.

By following these steps, you can install and configure VMware ESXi 8.0 on a server and start using it to host virtual machines.

1. Unlock the root Account:

• Open a web browser and navigate to the VAMI interface of your vCenter Server Appliance. The URL is usually https://<vCenter_IP>:5480.
• Log in with your root credentials.
• Go to the “Access” tab and click on “Edit” next to “User Accounts.”
• Select the “root” account and click on “Unlock Account.”

2. Reset the root Password:

• In the same “User Accounts” section of the “Access” tab, click on “Edit.”
• Select the “root” account and enter a new password in the “New Password” and “Confirm Password” fields.
• Click on “Save Settings” to apply the new password.

3. Verify the Changes:

• Log out of the VAMI interface and log back in with the new root password to ensure it’s working correctly.
• You can also log in to the vSphere Client using the root account to verify access.

4. (Optional) Reset Password Using vSphere Client:

• If you have access to the vSphere Client and vCenter Server is connected, you can reset the root password from the vSphere Client.
• Log in to the vSphere Client with administrator credentials.
• Navigate to the vCenter Server in the inventory.
• Go to the “Configure” tab and select “Settings” under “Access.”
• Click on “Edit” next to “Authentication” and then “Edit” next to “Password.”
• Enter the new root password and click “OK” to save the changes.

5. Restart vCenter Services (if needed):

• If you encounter any issues after changing the root password, you may need to restart the vCenter services.
• You can do this from the VAMI interface by going to the “Services” tab and clicking on “Restart.”

After completing these steps, the root password for your vCenter Server should be successfully reset, and you should be able to log in with the new password.