ESXi 4.1 Management Server

[jasonwelch01]

Hello,

We've rolled out a bunch of ESXi 4.1 hosts in our existing vcenter 4.1 datacenter and i've been asked to build a server with the esxi system tools installed for managing these esxi4.1 hosts...Does anyone know which 'tools' software should be installed for managing esxi 4.1 hosts??

thanks

[Arjantimvdi2011]

If you want to manage ESXi you should use vMA (vSphere Management Assistant):

http://www.vmware.com/support/developer/vima/

Be sure to read the guide:

http://www.vmware.com/support/developer/vima/vma41/doc/vma_41_guide.pdf

And be sure to look at the site of William Lam:

http://www.virtuallyghetto.com/2010/05/getting-started-with-vma.html

Good luck 😉

[jasonwelch01]

Hi Arjan

Thanks for the reply....Is there a Windows-based vsphere management assistant for managing esxi hosts, or is strictly linux?

[Arjantimvdi2011]

You could use Powercli:

http://communities.vmware.com/community/vmtn/vsphere/automationtools/powercli?ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t...

There's ton's of information on that site only and there's also a book out on just that topic:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0470890797?ie=UTF8&tag=virtal-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=39...

[jasonwelch01]

thanks again for the quick reply...so the powercli utility can be installed on a Windows based vm??  from managing an esxi host perspective, is there anything powercli can't do that vma can do, or vice versa?

[jasonwelch01]

Hi Armen

from reviewing install guides for vma and powercli, it appears both are command line. Out of curiosity, are there any esxi management utilities that are GUI-based?

Thank You

[Arjantimvdi2011 · Accepted solution]

What do you want to manage via the GUI that's not available in the vCenter Client.

Almost everything can be handled there, but for things you need to replicate (do more then ones) in a GUI, it's better to build a script.

Some would say: "If you have to repeat it, script it"

Again what kind of management are you trying to accomplish?

Greetings,

Arjan

[jasonwelch01]

Hi Arjan

Thanks for your input..much appreciated

Jason Welch | Infrastructure Engineer

Information Technology