Creating the DSN needed to connect vCenter 5.1 to SQL Server

[StageCoach20111]

I'm looking for a simple, step-by-step process to create the DSN needed to connect vCenter Server 5.1 to an already-configured SQL database.

It should be simple, yet usable by someone who is not a database administrator.  It should assume no database knowledge.

It should be usable on the 64-bit Windows 2008 Server R2 OS when connecting to a SQL Server 2008 R2 database.

It should include ALL the options I need to configure when setting up the DSN, so that afterward I can run vCenter Server 5.1 install and breeze on through.

Screenshots would be great too but if you just have a step-by-step it would be great.  Something you can pass on to totally database illiterate team members and they can walk through step by step.  VMware docs don't give enough details and don't point to a good reference either.

[memaad · Accepted solution]

Hi,

Click Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Data Sources (ODBC).

Open ODBC connection, Select system  DSN tab , then click on  Add 

Select  native SQL client , click finish

It will ask for  DSN name, enter name that you want for VC DSN.

Then enter VC database address.

Then it will ask for authentication, choose which option you want, like windows based or SQL based authentication.

Then click next and select the correct database that was created for VC from drop down option

Finish and test connection.

Regards

Mohammed

[aravinds3107]

Configure a SQL Server ODBC Connection section given step by step to create a DSN for vCenter

Also take a look at this to create DBS using Scrips

http://derek858.blogspot.in/2012/09/ware-vcenter-51-installation-part-6.html

[vMario156]

Hi,

I wrote a post about a step by step installation with screenshots for MS SQL including the DB configuration and the DSN connection.

May this helps you:

http://vknowledge.net/2012/08/31/how-to-setup-ms-sql-2008-r2-for-vmware-vcenter-part-2/

Regards,

Mario

[StageCoach20111]

Great thanks for the info.  However regarding ODBC connections:  in the VMware Installation Guide it says this on page 253

http://pubs.vmware.com/vsphere-51/topic/com.vmware.ICbase/PDF/vsphere-esxi-vcenter-server-51-install...

" If you are using an existing database, enter the JDBC connection information."

With version 5.1 is it still an ODBC connection or should it now be a JDBC connection that I am creating?

[emorgoch]

That's for the vCenter Single Sign-On Service. vCenter Server itself still uses ODBC.