vCenter 8 problems with setup, evaluation copy

[bootstremont]

I'm running a few Esxi 7's on Workstation 17 just to practice.    Now I want to try vCenter.    I can get vCenter 8 installed on a separate Esxi, but when trying to finish the setup in my browser it consistently fails.

I'd like to just run vCenter 7 but I can't figure out how to download it.   If I try I'm told I'm not approved for it.     My evaluation vmware account forces me to download vCenter 8 only.

Its probably something simple but I'm baffled ?   Help pls.    Failure screenshot attached.

[jsm79]

Your environment needs some sort of DNS solution, or else the vCenter Server creation process will fail. You might need to setup a windows server VM or a Linux server VM w/ a DNS service configured.

[a_p_]

In case this is an option for you, see https://williamlam.com/2022/10/how-to-deploy-the-vcenter-server-appliance-vcsa-8-0-to-vmware-fusion-... for how to deploy a vCSA directly in VMware Workstation.

If you don't have a DNS server, then enter the vCSA's IP-Address as it's hostname (System Name) in the deployment wizard.

André