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techwater
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vCenter 6.7 crash and reinstallation

Our vCenter 6.7 server has crashed and it wont come up

I'm planning to do a fresh installation of vCenter 6.7.  I'm not well versed in vCenter so I have few queries.

1) Do I need to migrate the postgres DB ?

2) Any additional licenses required for vCenter or can we use the same license key which we use in the ESXi servers ?

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scott28tt
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Moderator: In future please continue your open/active thread on the same issue rather than creating a new one.

vCenter 6.7 down

As threads cannot be merged and there are comments on both, I shall leave the 2 threads as active this time.


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daphnissov
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Why don't you open a support request before you go and blow it away? That requires you have support, obviously.

1) Do I need to migrate the postgres DB ?

If it's crashed you can't.

2) Any additional licenses required for vCenter or can we use the same license key which we use in the ESXi servers ?

You can use the same license key from your "crashed" vCenter. vCenter must be licensed with its own key, not the licenses used for ESXi.

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techwater
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we don't have a support contract thats why I'll have to reinstall it.

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daphnissov
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Yeah, then I guess you're hosed.

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nirmalgnair
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Hi @techwater,

As per your update VC is crashed so you won't be able to backup the DB.

Regarding license, ESXi will have the license details hard coded on the hosts so you only have to get the vCenter license.

If there is no Distributed Switches configured, you can deploy new VCSA and add the hosts to the new vCenter.

Regards,

Nirmal Nair

Install-Upgrade Specialist

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cdsc2020
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Hi,

Are you using vCenter for Windows or the VMWare vCenter Appliance (vsca)?  I'm using vcsa.  I do know with vcsa you can then configure vCenter High Availability.  This will help should your production vCenter crash.  This will give you time to troubleshoot vCenter and get the production one back online.  If you can't figure out the problem, then you can permanently fail-over to the passive (secondary vcsa).  Then shortly afterwards you can then setup vCenter HA again.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Thanks.

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techwater
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What do we lose if we don't migrate the postgres DB ?

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RajeevVCP4
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1.     There is no any way to restore DB from crashed vcenter server.

2.     You can take backup and restore , but vcenter should be in run at the time of backup.

3.     For future you can put backup copy in your hand by following this blog.

https://www.vladan.fr/how-to-backup-and-restore-vpostgres-database-on-vcsa-6/

Rajeev Chauhan
VCIX-DCV6.5/VSAN/VXRAIL
Please mark help full or correct if my answer is use full for you
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daphnissov
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You lose basically everything, but that can't be helped if you have a vCenter that won't come up.

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Ajay1988
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Can u be more detailed on vCenter crashed ? Is it Windows/Appliance ? Does OS not boot or services are down ?

If you think your queries have been answered
Mark this response as "Correct" or "Helpful".

Regards,
AJ
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scott28tt
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Moderator: In future please continue your open/active thread on the same issue rather than creating a new one.

vCenter 6.7 down

As threads cannot be merged and there are comments on both, I shall leave the 2 threads as active this time.


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Although I am a VMware employee I contribute to VMware Communities voluntarily (ie. not in any official capacity)
VMware Training & Certification blog
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