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ZaraRose06
Contributor
Contributor

Adding ESXi host into the domain

Hi,

Anybody know how to add ESXi host to domain? If you know then please tell me that in detail.

While installing ESXi, I have configured the DNS (added the IP of DNS). I have installed Windows 2008 R2 server in one blade and installed vCenter on that OS.

Regards,

ZaraRose.

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Troy_Clavell
Immortal
Immortal

you can do this by going to the configuration tab of the ESXi Host and clicking on the Authentication Services Hyperlink.  From there click on the Properties Hyperlink in the upper right hand corner.

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eeg3
Commander
Commander

Here is walkthrough with some added pictures: http://www.orinoco-systems.com/blog/bid/124311/VMware-ESXi-5-Lab-Setup-Part-4-ESXi-Host-Configuratio...

Blog: http://blog.eeg3.net
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RanjnaAggarwal
VMware Employee
VMware Employee

1. Connect the host directly from vSphere Client or Connect it with vCenter Server

2. Then select host ---> configuration tab ---> software ---->  authentication services --->  properties ----> select in the domain name field write domain name ---> Join Domain .

Regards, Ranjna Aggarwal
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ZaraRose06
Contributor
Contributor

That means, we have to add each ESx host separatley in the domain? We have 130 hosts here. So do I need to add domain separately in each ESX servers?

And I am confused bit on this part, what is the necessity to add DNS IP directly in to the ESXi? (Connected with ILO, get the console and click F2 and get into the DNS configuration tab and add DNS IP). If add IP like this, will not it be a part of domain? and how to add vCenter on domain?

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golddiggie
Champion
Champion

Make sure you have a entry for the host(s) in DNS before you try to add them to the domain.

As part of the install, you need to configure the management network from the host. The rest can be done from within the vCenter Server. IF you're using the kickstart install, or scripted install, you could add the configuration for each host to that. I've never used that so I'm unsure of what's exactly involved. I'm normally only adding 1-6 hosts to the cluster at a time. Or I'm upgrading them one at a time. I like to make sure the firmware/bios/uefi is also up to date at that point, so it's more of a hands-on process for me.

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a_p_
Leadership
Leadership

Is there a special requirement to add the ESXi hosts to the domain? Usually you would only add the vCenter Server (Windows server) to the domain. In order to have a proper name resolution you have to manually add a "Host-A" entry for each ESXi host to your DNS server and configure the DNS server IP address(es) on the ESXi hosts.

André

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golddiggie
Champion
Champion

Nothing 'special' at all... I add them easily by simply making a new Host A entry in DNS to the IP address of the host. I can then bring that host online, with the management network, without any issue at all.

Never had an issue adding host's to an AD domain this way.

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ZaraRose06
Contributor
Contributor

Actually we are starting from the scratch. So I don't have much idea abt this. And we are not using any scripting or kickstart install, or scripted install.

If you can provide me the steps one by one very simpley then it would be appreciable.

1. We have 130 servers. How to add ESX server to a part of the domain. Few friends told some steps earlier. Is this the right one you have done in your current environment? If not, then please tell me the correct steps to add servers to the part of domain.

2. How to add vCenter in to the domain. (We took one blade -> installed Win 2008 R2 server OS -> assign the static IP -> installed vCenter)

3. If we add only the vCenter server to a part of domain then, will all the ESX server come to a part of domain automatically?

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golddiggie
Champion
Champion

With that many hosts, I hope you're using a SQL database that's on another server.

To add to the domain is easy. Use the same method as any other server. Basically, add the record to DNS BEFORE you try to connect the server to the domain. I suppose you could bind the vCenter Server to the domain the other way (from within the server's OS). But for the ESXi host servers, you need to add the record for the host in DNS before you try to connect it to the domain. Then you just go into the host configuration (once ESXi 5 is installed) and configure the management network, giving it the IPs of the DNS servers as well as it's domain name. Include the domain name in that field (such as host01.mydomain.biz) and include the domain name in the field within the network configuration. If you're using a specific VLAN for manangement, and there's more than one VLAN in the switch port configuration, then you'll want to include the VLAN ID in the network configuration for the management network.

Once you've made your settings, TEST the network configuration before you move on. You'll get either an "OK" or "FAILED" message next to each of the four tests. It will test the gateway connection, two DNS server entries (reason you give it two in the configuration) as well as perform a DNS lookup for the host's name. If all come back as "OK" then you're good. If not, you'll need to see where things went sideways.


Maybe it's becuase I've done enough of these, but it seems really basic to me. Such as pre 101 level. If I recall correctly, the information is included in the install guides and is covered in classes from VMware (to get your VCP). It's really a small (but important) part of the configuration.

Are you planning on using Distributed Switches for the VM's in your environment? We're planning to migrate to that, but we're going to keep the management and vMotion networks on the standard vSwitches (at least for now). It's a fully valid model, especially with how things are configured here. It will also make administration/management easier.

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ZaraRose06
Contributor
Contributor

Yes, we are using SQL server data base on another server.

I didn’t understand what is ‘record’ and I don’t know how to add record to DNS. But one thing I’ve done is, added DNS IP on ESXi (Took blade > Installed ESXi OS > Configure >add DNS IP over there.

We have 4 VLAN (ILO, ESXi management, Production, vMotion)

Right now we are not planning to use dvSwitch.

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golddiggie
Champion
Champion

If just management traffic is going over that port, then you don't need to worry about VLAN ID tags. If it's a 10Gb connection, though, and you have all of it going over the same connection, then you'll need to use VLAN ID/tagging.

Get with the peopel that administrate the DNS/AD DC and find out about adding the entries for the hosts before you start trying to put them onto the network.

This will especially help when you're setting up the hosts within the vCenter Server. You'll be able to use the FQDN of the hosts to add them to the clusters. Otherwise, you'll need to use the IP address, which can making finding the hosts later more difficult. We also label the front of each host with it's name (not it's IP address) so that we can find the one we need quickly.

Out of curiousity, which vSphere/ESXi license did you guys go with? Enterprise, Enterprise Plus??

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RanjnaAggarwal
VMware Employee
VMware Employee

if you have such kind of requirement you can use the script

Regards, Ranjna Aggarwal
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RanjnaAggarwal
VMware Employee
VMware Employee

if you have such kind of requirement you can use the script

Regards, Ranjna Aggarwal
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ZaraRose06
Contributor
Contributor

We are using Enterprise Plus License.

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herseyc
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

If you have Enterprise Plus licenses why not use Host Profiles to join the host to your domain.

http://pubs.vmware.com/vsphere-50/topic/com.vmware.vsphere.install.doc_50/GUID-C9230ECB-FE74-4C5E-AB...

Check out the authentication proxy so you do not have to specifiy AD credentials to join each host to the domain (credentials are supplied to the proxy).

http://pubs.vmware.com/vsphere-50/topic/com.vmware.vsphere.security.doc_50/GUID-084B74BD-40A5-4A4B-A...

Hope this helps.

Hersey

vExpert 2013/2012 :: VCAP5-DCD/VCAP5-DCA/VCAP4-DCA/VCP5,4/EMCISA :: http://www.vhersey.com/ :: Follow me: http://twitter.com/herseyc
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TBKing
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

André Pett wrote:

Is there a special requirement to add the ESXi hosts to the domain? Usually you would only add the vCenter Server (Windows server) to the domain. In order to have a proper name resolution you have to manually add a "Host-A" entry for each ESXi host to your DNS server and configure the DNS server IP address(es) on the ESXi hosts.

André

I was thinking along the same lines while reading this thread - by "Domain" - is it meant to be Active Directory Domain, or Network domain?

We don't add our hosts to the AD domain.  vCenter handles AD user authentication for access/mgmt.

If for some reason we need to access the host directly, we use root.

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golddiggie
Champion
Champion

Right, but with the host entry in DNS, you can use the name instead of the IP to connect to the host. This works for both a direct vSphere Client connection as well as a ssh connection to the host server. If I recall correctly, it's recommended to add each host to DNS if you're on an active directory domain. IMO, there's no reason to not do this.

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