Linked Mode group are registered to the same vCenter Single Sign On server

[amitb79]

Need clarification as i was reading about the upgrading vCenter so somewhere it mentioned that : Make sure that all vCenter Servers in a Linked Mode group are registered to the same vCenter Single Sign On server.

What does that mean suppose i have 3 site and 3 vcenter connected in a linked mode so during installtion i need to install SSO in ONE location and during installation on other two servers/sites do i need to point to the first server ?

Suppose. I have 3 sites. I need to manage the 3 instances of vCenter (5.5) using linked mode but was wondering if I only installed the first site using simple install method (which includes the installation of SSO) then on the 2nd site I pointed the 2nd vCenter server back to the first instance of SSO (i.e not install SSO on the 2nd site) and same is for 3rd site as well. then only it will work ? PLs help

[vThinkBeyondVM]

You are correct. You need to register all other site to first SSO.

Below post is on Linked mode with SSO for SRM but you will get what exactly you mean

Refer: Linked mode with SSO for SRM | VMware vSphere Blog - VMware Blogs

[amitb79]

what if first one is SIMPLE INSTALL ??

[vThinkBeyondVM]

Yes it should work fine with no issue.

[amitb79]

OK just want to understand what if we will remove all the 3 vCenters from linked mode and then upgrade to 5.5 in that case we need to install SSO separately Correct ? and later on if we want to enable linked mode then what will happen in that case. how the SSO will work in that case. And what about the inventory service component is we need to do the same with that also (Inventory Service).

[amitb79]

any expert ideas ??

[bayupw · Accepted solution]

What does that mean suppose i have 3 site and 3 vcenter connected in a linked mode so during installtion i need to install SSO in ONE location and during installation on other two servers/sites do i need to point to the first server ?

See these docs:

vSphere 5.5 Documentation Center - vCenter Single Sign-On Deployment Modes

Multiple Single Sign-On instances in different locations: You can install the vCenter Single Sign-On nodes in this deployment in any order. Any node that is installed after the first node can point to any node that is already installed. For example, the third node can point to either the first or second node.

vSphere 5.5 Documentation Center - Joining a Linked Mode Group During and After Installation

On Machine 3, you upgrade to vCenter Server 5.x. After the upgrade, you configure Machine 3 to join either Machine 1 or Machine 2. Machine  1, Machine  2, and Machine  3 are now members of a Linked Mode group.

See this guide on step by step to install MultiSite SSO and Linked Mode: Back To Basics: vCenter 5.5 with MultiSite SSO and Linked Mode Configuration Mike Laverick

Read this blog for the explanation between the three deployment options: Getting ready to upgrade production to vCenter Server 5.5? Make sure you're using the correct deploy...

[Atul_gen]

It is not necessary that you need to point all virtual centers to same sso server. You can deploy sso server at all the sites.

For Ex.

- Deploy first SSO-1 server on site-1

- Install virtual center server on site-1 and register it to SSO-1

-Deploy second SSO-2 server on site-2 but while deploying second sso server select the third option , click next and provide the first sso details (it is called multi site).

- Install second virtual center server on site-2 and register it to SSO-2

- Deploy third SSO-2 server on site-3 but while deploying third sso server select the third option , click next and provide the first or second sso details (it is called multi site).

- Install third virtual center server on site-3 and register it to SSO-3

- Now you can join virtual center server from first to second once it is done then join second virtaul center server to third virtual center server.

- If it configured successfully all three vc is linked.

Please let me know if you have any other problems/doubts.

[amitb79]

Just need to know small thing does we really need to install SSO in multi-site mode in order to take advantage of linked mode.bcoz as you mentioned the doc  Getting ready to upgrade production to vCenter Server 5.5? Make sure you're using the corre...that while selecting the option 3 duing SSO installation if SSO goes down at primary site it does not take affect the others SSO servers /Vcenter bcoz the things has been replicated during the replication then it's mentioned in thise blog that we need to look for multi site SSO - Linked mode with SSO for SRM | VMware vSphere Blog - VMware Blogs or things are differet in 5.1 and 5.5  

[Atul_gen]

Nothing will impact on second SSO if SSO goes down at primary site. Actually there is no primary secondary concept on sso for multisite. These option are provided only for joined the SSO in multi site. Once it is joined then it will function separately. Only replication will be happened.