How to join two separate vcenter 6.5 to linked mode

[StealthTSX]

We currently have 2 separate vcenter 6.5 server appliance instances in different physical locations, each with many hosts and vms, both with their own external PSC. Completely independent of each other. Both are using distributed switches and both are using the same AD Domain. Is there a way to link these two into linked mode so that we can see both vcenter in the same interface without having to completely rebuild one of them. We also have plans to implement SRM between the two vCenter instances to be able to fail over for disaster recovery

[JamieGator32]

We did this when we first went to 6.0 so we could cross vCenter vMotion.  Is that why you would like to have them in linked-mode or just ease of administration?

Here are the requirements for cross vCenter vMotion:

To enable migration across vCenter Server instances, your environment must meet these requirements:

• The source and destination vCenter Server instances and ESXi hosts must be running version 6.0 or later.
• The cross vCenter Server and long distance vMotion features require an Enterprise Plus license. For more information, see Compare vSphere Editions.
• When using the vSphere Web Client, both vCenter Server instances must be in Enhanced Linked Mode and must be in the same vCenter Single Sign-On domain so that the source vCenter Server can authenticate to the destination vCenter Server.
• Both vCenter Server instances must be time-synchronized with each other for correct vCenter Single Sign-On token verification.
• For migration of compute resources only, both vCenter Server instances must be connected to the shared virtual machine storage.
• When using the vSphere APIs/SDK, both vCenter Server instances may exist in separate vSphere Single Sign-On domains. Additional parameters are required when performing a non-federated cross vCenter Server vMotion. For more information, see the VirtualMachineRelocateSpec section in the vSphere Management SDK Guide.

Note: Cross vCenter Server provisioning, which was introduced in vSphere 6.0, is not supported across vCenter Server versions. The cross-vCenter provisioning operations not supported across different versions of vCenter Server include vMotion, cold migration, and cloning. For example, a vMotion operation from vCenter Server 6.0 to vCenter Server 6.5, and vice versa are not supported.

Cross vCenter Server vMotion requirements in VMware vSphere 6.0 (2106952) | VMware KB

I hope that helps!

[JamieGator32]

I found another link that might be helpful as well.

Using Enhanced Linked Mode

[StealthTSX]

Yes we would like to perform cross vCenter migration and also for ease of administration. We are using Enterprise Plus and meet all the requirements, however I still don't see the steps to implement it.

[JamieGator32]

If I remember when we first set it up it just worked once we had all the requirements in place.  The key was having the same sso domain.  I believe that is what allows both environments to be displayed in the web client.  This is definitely different than linked mode using the thick client in the old days.

[MarkCains]

I think the steps you are looking for have been left out in the vmware documentation. This is what you should do assuming this is how your environment is layed out. First is to connect your first vCenter appliance to your EXTERNAL platform services controller(Not vCenter/PSC Embedded Combo). Then connect your second vCenter appliance to the SAME EXTERNAL platform service controller. [In my case I was also upgrading my vSphere license so I chose to rebuild each vCenter at Primary and DR location] I done this in the Production environment during the day with VM's still running on the hosts by disconnecting the hosts from the original vCenter server appliance and then deleting it.

Once the first PSC was deployed I then deployed the primary vCenter appliance and connected it to the PSC using the same Single Sign On domain setup with the PSC. I then deployed the second vCenter Appliance and connected it to the PSC using the same Single Sign On domain setup for the PSC. Once I applied the vCenter 6 Standard license again for both vCenter server appliances I then logged out and logged back in and voila. You now have Enhanced vCenter Servers which you can verify by going to any one of your vCenter appliance in the left Navigator menu and selecting it and browsing to the tab that says "Linked vCenter Server Systems". Whatever vCenter server appliance you clicked on in the Navigator menu you should see the other listed with mode off "Linked"

Hopefully that helps you out. I remember looking for any documentation on it and the docs portal was very vague!@