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vAndrew
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VCSA with no domain

is it worth the hassle to deploy a VCSA appliance not connected to a domain for “testing” purposes and then take to site and join it to the domain?

Ive never done it without a domain before, always joined it to one. Plus it’s part of the initial install where it asks for the FQDN etc I thought?

It would be built on a new setup in a different location and then tested to a certain extent before being delivered and any final config testing being done at that final site. Not the way I want to do it, but seems that the project it’s for want it doing this way, even though the test equipment it will be connected to will only be a slight representation of the actual on site domain config.

We have built a test system that’s staying in a test area location, it is part representative of the on site config and uses the same domain name etc, but to join it to this domain would not be the same as the on site domain, only in name only, so would then likely need unconfiguring before being shipped then reconfiguring again. Seems more trouble than it’s worth to me

-- Andrew (VMware VCP-DCV, MCSA)
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vAndrew
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Plus, does it not need DNS locators when it’s deployed as the installation will fail if can’t resolve it? Giving the VCSA an IP instead of a name might work, but what would be the point

-- Andrew (VMware VCP-DCV, MCSA)
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daphnissov
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is it worth the hassle to deploy a VCSA appliance not connected to a domain for “testing” purposes and then take to site and join it to the domain?

What would you be able to test without it being on site and managing the destined hosts? Joining a vCSA to an AD domain is not required, even to allow principles from AD to login.

Plus it’s part of the initial install where it asks for the FQDN etc I thought?

No, FQDN has nothing to do with domain join, and the SSO domain also has nothing to do with external AD domains.

Plus, does it not need DNS locators when it’s deployed as the installation will fail if can’t resolve it?

Yes, vCSA must have forward and reverse DNS records preexisting in local DNS prior to installation. If it cannot find itself, the installation will fail. Just another reason why what tests you're trying to do make little sense unless it's deployed in its final resting place.

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vAndrew
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You get me wrong, I’m not the one trying to do this, I’m the one saying we need to configure this on site and test it there properly, otherwise we are achieving nothing. All new equipment is in our office at moment ready to be configured in a vanilla form and then shipped. My plan is to configure the SAN, switches and install ESX on the hosts here, then ship it, go up there and install/configure vcenter on the host and complete the usual config and then test it. But those that think they know what they are on about here think, despite being told it’s pointless, that we can do it ALL here and take it up there and it will just magically work.

-- Andrew (VMware VCP-DCV, MCSA)
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daphnissov
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Well, it's certainly possible to pre-install everything and ship it on-site, but you have to have everything identical with respect to external infra. as it is on-site. The better approach here is to learn how to automate the setup and configuration of vCenter and ESXi, both of which are capable of end-to-end setup and configuration in automated, unattended fashion. Depending on how many times you're going through this exercise, that could either save you a bunch of time or cost you a bunch of time. It really depends.

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vAndrew
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And that’s the issue, it’s not identical. Hence why I keep saying we can do so much here as a time saving excercise on site and finish the install there.

-- Andrew (VMware VCP-DCV, MCSA)
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daphnissov
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Then I guess I don't understand what they're hoping to accomplish with these "tests". Is it to "test" if the hardware works? Is it to "test" the concept of vCenter managing ESXi hosts? Something else? Presuming the networking requirements are met, the storage requirements are met, and the hardware functions, there's not much to test.

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vAndrew
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And that’s pretty much the argument I have been having for the past few weeks. If those functions work, there really is no issue.

the test environment we’ve built that’s slightly representative works as it should, the same configuration is planned for this equipment, that’s going to site. It’s like talking to a wall though

-- Andrew (VMware VCP-DCV, MCSA)
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daphnissov
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Ok then if you and I agree, what's the question here?

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vAndrew
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Not so much a question, seemingly more a second opinion based on my own opinion of it all and how I see this entire episode

-- Andrew (VMware VCP-DCV, MCSA)
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