Is is needed to add the host entry in the /etc/hosts to configure the HA

[zhangfred_vm]

Hi Friends,

From the vsphere 4.0, the vsphere will automatically add the host ip entry to the /etc/hosts file of the esx/esxi server?

So my question is: is it needed to add the hostname/ip address entry to the /etc/esxi server manually before the HA is configured?

thanks.

[RvdNieuwendijk]

If you have configured DNS on an ESX(i) server there is no need to edit the /etc/hosts file before configuring HA.

Regards, Robert

[AndreTheGiant]

If your names are fine, then the answer is no.

Andre

[pcerda]

Hi,

You don't need to edit the hosts file before configuring HA, as long as the DNS infrastructure is working fine.  Make sure the DNS service is highly available.

When the DNS service is not highly available, I usually add a hostname/ip entry in the hosts file of each ESX/ESXi host in the cluster, in order to ensure that every ESX/ESXi host is able to resolve the name of all hosts in the cluster, and the name of  vCenter Server.

Best Regards

Patricio Cerda

[Virtualinfra]

Usually its a best partice to add the host entry.

1.If the ESXi and vCetner server sits behind firewall.

2.If DNS as a timeout issue.

[habibalby]

That's depends on your DNS infrastructure and how it's interact with ESX name resolutions. If you are relaying on your Infrastructure DNS-AD and this AD is a VM, then becareful.

If your vCenter running as a VM and the vCenter is behind a Firewall / in another private subnet, then install the DNS services on the vCenter and points all your ESX/ESXi servers to the vCenter as DNS provider.

[mcowger]

Its never best practice to add host entries.

If you are behind a firewall, open a DNS hole in your firewall.  You'll need it for plenty else besides HA.

If you have DNS timeouts, fix your DNS servers .

[admin]

Not a good idea to add manual entry in /etc/hosts. DNS was always there as a upstream dependency too at the same time. So I would suggest just use /etc/resolv.conf and add your name server and search entries... you should be fine.