Change host server name

[StuartLittle]

Dear VMware pro's

I have a very simple but annoying query that for the life of me I can't figure out. We operate a small number of ESXi servers and a few ESX servers all running without vCenter.

We manage our ESXi/ESX host servers using the VIClient and everything works fine from that aspect.

The one thing I can't figure how to change (or how I did it before) is once I've connected in with the VIClient it shows the server/host IP address at the top left and all the VM's underneath it. On some of our other ESXi/ESX servers it shows the correct server DNS name e.g. servername.domainname.local instead of just the IP address.

It's a minor cosmetic thing but it's driving me mad not being able to figure out what to change so it shows the hostname instead of the IP address?! I have updated the DNS/Routing section of each Host to reflect the correct name but it doesn't affect it and I also thought it might be something to do with the certificate installed when first connecting to the Host using the VIClient as that is mapped to localhost.localdomain ....

I hope I explained this well enough for you to understand and I appreciate any help in resolving this maddening issue!

Kind regards.

[Dave_Mishchenko]

The name that appears in the inventory pane is based on the server name / IP address that you used when you connected with the vSphere client. The hostname that appears above the Summary and other tabs is based on what you configured in the DNS and Routing screen.




Dave

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[StuartLittle]

Dave,

You're a total legend of these forums and I really appreciate your quick response and helping me out.

I understand your explanation - the only thing that was throwing me off reaching that conclusion is that on one of our other ESXi servers we run the VIClient on a helper VM and we use the IP address to connect to the Host but it still shows the full server name correctly in the inventory pane ... unlike the other systems that just how the IP address (which agrees with your explanation).

The one difference is the helper VM & VIClient is running on a Windows 2003 Domain controller with a working DNS server so do you think it's picked up the server name up from DNS?

Does my explanation make sense?

Once again a huge thanks for your help!

[StuartLittle]

Dave,

Sorry just to add to my above post I've just checked the DNS running on the helper VM and there is actually no entry present for the IP address of the ESXi host so I don't think DNS would be playing a part in my cosmetic issue!?

Any ideas?