vCenter Server Appliance under workstation

[CatalinCiubotar]

Hi,

I’m trying to get started for VCP, so I really need vCenter. I have converted vCSA ovf to vmx and It’s working under workstation, i can login from browser, i’ve made all the configs but the connection from vSphere client it’s not working.

Network is configured, database is embedded, service is running, i can ping the vCSA but I’m unable to login from vSphere Client. I get a message error, “vSphere Client could not connect to “IP”. An unknown connection error occurred. (The Request failed because of a connection failure. (Unable to connect to the remote server))”.

Any ideas? I really have to make this working because i’m limited to only a single PC, so i have to run vCenter and at least 2 ESXi host inside workstation for learning purposes.

Thank you for your time!

Catalin

[rickardnobel]

Where do you run the vSphere Client? On the "host" operating system?

On what network (VMNET) are the vCenter Appliance located? On some NAT device?

[CatalinCiubotar]

I'm running vSphere client from the host. vCenter is on the same network, NIC is bridged. I'm not using NAT.

VMware Workstation has network bridged, the guests ESXi are bridged and the vCenter is inside workstation, not inside ESXi. I allready tried inside ESXi and the installation doesn't work because of the hardware.

The ping is working from the host OS (Windows 7). I also installed guests inside ESXi and I can connect with RDP.

So the infrastructure is:

Windows 7 -> VMware Workstation ->     ESXi

                                                            ESXi

                                                            vCenter

[rickardnobel]

I have been running a very similar configuration with Win7/Workstation 7 with vCenter 4.x and virtual ESXi hosts and guest. A issue I have sometimes got with bridged networking was strange DHCP duplicates. How does your vSA gets its IP address? Static or dynamic?

[CatalinCiubotar]

Static.

In your configuration, how do you have installed vCenter 4 ? Under a Windows Server 2008 ? Because I didn't find a virtual appliance for vCenter 4.

[rickardnobel]

The appliance is new with vSphere 5. On 4.x I run the vCenter on a virtual Win2008 running directly on Workstation. If you like you have that option of course, but there should be no real reason why you cant connect with the vSphere Client. Have you tried restarting the vSA? You have accepted the EULA?

[RParker]

Did you setup the backend database?

Or try the website of the VCA... what happens when you connect to that?  The management URL or webclient..

[CatalinCiubotar]

Yes, it's embedded.

[RParker]

CatalinCiubotariu wrote:

Yes, it's embedded.

Or try the website of the VCA... what happens when you connect to that?  The management URL or webclient..

[CatalinCiubotar]

It's working. The status of database service it's 'running', all seems to be fine but i can't connect form vSphere client.

[CatalinCiubotar]

I will give a try, I have thought at this after you have said that you had a very similar config.

Yes, I restarted a couple of times. I have followed precisely the steps from http://vmwire.com/2011/07/15/vsphere-vcenter-server-linux-virtual-appliance-quick-start-guide/

Even I've made another installation, I have the same thing.

[Troy_Clavell]

CatalinCiubotariu wrote:

It's working. The status of database service it's 'running', all seems to be fine but i can't connect form vSphere client.

what message are you getting... when you first connect to vCenter, after configuring the vCenter Server Appliance, you should use the default credentials root/vmware

[CatalinCiubotar]

I have changed the password but in the second installation I kept  the password, the same mesage.

“vSphere Client could not connect to “IP”. An unknown connection error occurred. (The Request failed because of a connection failure. (Unable to connect to the remote server))”

[Troy_Clavell]

you didn't configure timezone did you?  Through the webUI, you have confirmed the vCenter Server Status is "running"

[CatalinCiubotar]

In fact yes, I did configured timezone. Is this a problem?

[rickardnobel]

I wonder if there is any problem connecting directly to the IP address? Some trouble with the certificate? Even if it is a bit ugly, could you add the Applicance host name into the Windows hosts file and connect through the name instead of IP?

And just to rule out any IP duplicates, do you have Wireshark or other network traffic analyzer? And just see if the machine does listen and answer to tcp/443 at all or if you get a TCP Reset or no answer at all.

[Troy_Clavell]

yes, that is a problem. The appliance will use UTC and if you change that, all events in the embedded DB will end up being in the future, therefore your vCenter Server will not start.  I would delete the VM, import the appliance again, setup the embedded DB, and that is it.

[CatalinCiubotar]

Now I cannot reset the timezone? Is it really to reinstall?

[Troy_Clavell]

CatalinCiubotariu wrote:

Now I cannot reset the timezone? Is it really to reinstall?

I wasn't able to do so... Plus, even if you could the DB has already been initialized and corrupted.  If it were me, I would start over.  Should take more than 15 minutes from import to finish\

[CatalinCiubotar]

shit, I don't know what I do with the original converted ovf. Now I have to reconvert in vmx for workstation.

Troy, I will do that in a couple of hours. I'll let you know the results. Thank you for now.