Can this server run vCenter 4.1?

[michaeltz]

Hi,

We're moving to a virtualized environment with 2 ESXi hosts.  Our plan was to install vCenter on our 5 year old GSX server but after trying to install vCenter on 4 machines to try it out and failing on 3 we're considering purchasing a new server to run vCenter.  We've read the hardware requirements and we're not sure that they're accurate as one of the older servers met them but the app still failed to install (we're thinking it didn't like the 4 separate CPUS @ 3ghz and wanted 1 CPU with 2+ cores).

Can anyone tell us if the following server will meet vCenter's esoteric hardware requirements?

HP Proliant DL180 G6

1 Quad-Core Xeon E5606 @ 2.13 GHz

4 GB RAM

RAID 1 - 1 TB - SATA-300 - 7200 rpm

http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/us/en/sm/WF05a/15351-15351-3328412-241644-3328421-3884339.html

Is there a way to verify that the server can run vCenter?

Thank you,

Michael

[vmroyale]

Hello.

What are the error message(s) you receive on install?

Good Luck!

[MauroBonder]

Welcome,

First step is check if those hardware are compatible with VMware - http://www.vmware.com/go/hcl

Follow requeriments to run vcenter4.1

vCenter Server

To ensure a trouble-free installation of vCenter Server:

Make sure your  hardware and operating system requirements are compliant. The vCenter  Server 4.1 system can be a physical or a virtual machine. If you are  installing vCenter 4.1 in a virtual machine, see Running vCenter Server in a virtual machine (10087) for more information.Note: For more information, see ESX and vCenter Server Installation Guide and vSphere Compatibility Matrix. vCenter Server 4.1 requires a 64 bit DSN to function properly.

• Processor – Intel or AMD x86 processor with two or more logical cores, each with a speed of 2GHz.
• Memory – 3GB RAM.  RAM requirements may be higher if your database runs on the same  machine. VMware VirtualCenter Management WebServices requires 128Mb to  1.5GB of memory which is allocated at startup.
• Disk storage – 2GB. Disk requirements may be higher if your database runs on the same machine.
• Microsoft SQL  Server 2005 Express disk requirements. The bundled database requires up  to 2GB free disk space to decompress the installation archive.
• Networking – 1Gbit recommended.

http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=102210...

[Troy_Clavell]

why  not run vCenter as a VM and not worry about hardware? Just follow best practice

http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1022101

[DSTAVERT]

That server should have no trouble running vCenter. vCenter for 4.1 requires a Windows 64bit OS so any server that is certified to run a 64Bit Windows Server OS should work.

[a_p_]

The DL180 G6 is absolutely ok to run vCenter Server 4.1. I assume you are aware that vCenter Server 4.1 requires a 64-bit Windows OS!?

I'd recommend you go with Windows Server 2008 R2 which is in the Compatibility List for this Server (http://h18004.www1.hp.com/products/servers/windows/index.html)

One question though: Is there a reason you don't want to run the vCenter Server as a virtual machine on one of the ESXi hosts?

André

[michaeltz]

Well, we have to purchase a server to run other apps like Backup Exec Server 2010, Domain Controller and other ancillary tasks.

We have SQL Server running on the hosts along with web servers, and a VOIP solution and potentially GIS on it and I don't want vCenter tying up its resources.

[Troy_Clavell]

you can't install vCenter on a DC

Plus, in my opionion, vCenter and VUM should be the only applications installed on your vCenter Host OS.

[michaeltz]

Really, vCenter won't run on a DC? 

In an ideal world,  I would also prefer to have an OS with just vCenter running on it.  I'll have to think about installing it onto a VM.

One of the drawbacks is that we don't have shared storage and we use the local drives to host the guests vms.  Could that be an issue if we have vCenter running locally?

BTW, this has to be the best forum in the world - bar none.  I'm beginning to recognize names and you guys all seem so knowledgeable.

[Troy_Clavell]

it's not only not supported, you probably won't even get vCenter to install on a DC

http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1029408

One of the drawbacks is that we don't have shared storage and we use the  local drives to host the guests vms.  Could that be an issue if we have  vCenter running locally?

If you have no shared storage, then I see no drawbacks running vCenter as a VM.  You wouldn't be able to utilize HA/DRS either way.

[a_p_]

Really, vCenter won't run on a DC?

Yes, Troy is right.

I'll have to think about installing it onto a VM.

Good idea

One  of the drawbacks is that we don't have shared storage and we use the  local drives to host the guests vms.  Could that be an issue if we have  vCenter running locally?

There's no real drawback in that. The only drawback I can think of is, that the host on which vCenter Server is running cannot be updated via Update Manager. However, as a workaround I usually deploy a vMA on another host (or install the vCLI on a PC) and update this host using the vihostupdate utility.

André

[michaeltz]

Oh man,  there goes my brilliant plan to combine vCenter and DC on a single server:smileysilly: I'll have to scrap that one along with global domination.

Any recommendations on how many NICs we should have or whether vCenter should get its own NIC? I believe we have 2 NICs in each machine currently to handle 4 VMs (5 if we install vCenter into a vm).

[Troy_Clavell]

Any recommendations on how many NICs we should have or whether vCenter  should get its own NIC? I believe we have 2 NICs in each machine  currently to handle 4 VMs

following the best practices should give you a solid build.

Also, the below document will be useful

ESXi Installable and vCenter Server Setup Guide