Virtual Appliance or Windows Based Server

[Joe51]

I'm really new to VMWare and have inherited a VCenter/VSphere environment.

I reviewed some installation materials I found on the website, but I would like to know how do I determine if VCenter is installed as the Virual Appliance or on a Windows Based Server in my environment?  When I login with the vSphere client I see a VM called vCenter, but it doesn't make sense to me that I would see vCenter listed as a VM.

Thank you for any help you can give me.

[a_p_]

This is not unusual. Installing vCenter Server as a virtual machine is actually recommended.

André

[RParker]

It's not the same thing.  the VCA is Linux.  You cannot install Linux vCenter, it only comes pre-installed.  Windows can be installed, but not as an appliance, so you have decide how much Linux experience you have before you start using it.

I can promise you, there *WILL* be a need to fix issues on the VCA, guaranteed.  If your Linux knowledge is lacking, be aware it does require some knowledge of Linux to install and setup.

Not to mention the VCA needs Oracle, Windows can be either MS SQL or Oracle.. so we are not comparing equal environments.

I would recommend the VCA however, it's much better from performance, and easier to setup... if you run into problems (and you will from time to time) you need to fix it.. that's the "fun" part..

[sparrowangelste]

Joe5 wrote:

I'm really new to VMWare and have inherited a VCenter/VSphere environment.

I reviewed some installation materials I found on the website, but I would like to know how do I determine if VCenter is installed as the Virual Appliance or on a Windows Based Server in my environment?  When I login with the vSphere client I see a VM called vCenter, but it doesn't make sense to me that I would see vCenter listed as a VM.

Thank you for any help you can give me.

heres how to determine if is a virtual appliance or windows since you have access to the vsphere client and see the vcenter vm.

select the vcenter vm

click on the console tab

when you are at the console you cane see if its windows or linux.

if its linux uts a virtual appliance, if windows its the instaleld version of vsphere vcenter

[Joe51]

Ok, here is my chicken and egg question.

If VCenter is installed as a VM, then what came first?  Was ESXi installed on all the hosts first and then VCenter was installed and configured to see all of them?  I know VCenter is supposed to manage the VSphere environment, but when I login using the VSphere client it isn't apparent what came first.  It looks top down just by appearance making me think VCenter came first.  VCenter, Data Center, Cluster, Hosts and VMs.

I'm guessing this is the way it works.

1.  ESXi can be installed on any host and you can login to each host independently and manage any VMs from the host.

2.  VCenter is optional.  It is nice to have and makes it great to see your entire environment and move around through it all without the need to login to each host separately.

Is this correct?

[RParker]

I didn't read the original post very well, you HAVE vCenter installed and just want to know if it's appliance.  Obviously it's working fine.  I thought you wanted to INSTALL vCenter and needed direction on which way to go...

In my opinion, vCenter is NOT an option.. it's a necessity.. it's not required for ESX operation, that's true.. however., if you have more than 2 hosts.. you will quickly see the benefit of vCenter vs not having one...

It can run as a VM in fact it is supporte by VM ware.. the problem comes in when the host that has vCenter goes down.. and vCenter cannot move to another host, you need linked mode.. it's easy enough to start vCenter once the host comes back online.. WE run vCenter on a small physical server for that very reason.. it's not part of the environment you are trying to manage.. which makes monitoring and managing VM's much easier..

Can't do much if vCenter goes down.

If you open the client, click on Administration - vCenter Settings, Runtime settings.  That will show you the name of the server that vCenter is running.  If it matches the vCenter VM on ESX, then that's it.. If it's a Windows login, it's VM installed, if it's a Linux screen.. it's the VCA

[sparrowangelste · Accepted solution]

Joe5 wrote:

Ok, here is my chicken and egg question.

If VCenter is installed as a VM, then what came first?

Was ESXi installed on all the hosts first and then VCenter was installed and configured to see all of them?

ESXi always comes first. vcenter can be installed on a physcial box but is worthless without esxi hosts to manage.

I know VCenter is supposed to manage the VSphere environment, but when I login using the VSphere client it isn't apparent what came first.  It looks top down just by appearance making me think VCenter came first.  VCenter, Data Center, Cluster, Hosts and VMs.

irrelevant. doesnt matter what was insatleld first.

I'm guessing this is the way it works.

1.  ESXi can be installed on any host and you can login to each host independently and manage any VMs from the host.

correct

2.  VCenter is optional.  It is nice to have and makes it great to see your entire environment and move around through it all without the need to login to each host separately.

correct again