VMware vSphere 7: Install vCenter Server 7 U2 Appliance Step by Step

In this post, we’ll learn how to install and configure vCenter Server 7 Appliance step-by-step in VMware vSphere 7.0. This post covers Objective 4.4: Deploy and Configure vCenter Server 7 Appliance of VMware 2V0-21.20 Exam Preparation Guide where we’ll learn about the installation and configuration of vCenter Server 7 Appliance, and which services are installed with vCenter Server 7 Appliance. 

The vCenter Server Appliance (vcsa 7) can be configured both from a GUI and CLI, and we’ll configure it using the GUI. vCenter Server 7 consists of a single ISO file that you can download from VMware Site.

Also Read: VMware vSphere 7: Explain the Importance of Advanced Storage Configuration (VASA, VAAI, etc.)

I’m installing vCenter Server 7 U2 and this single ISO is having everything so you can Install, Upgrade, Migrate or Restore. 

Download the ISO from VMware‘s official website using your credentials (I assume that you’ve already created an account).

Mount the ISO. Find the vcsa-ui-installer > win32 > installer.exe. Double click on installer.exe to execute the process.

To install a new vCenter Server Appliance, click on Install. The following screen appears. It describes the first stage of two stages deployment process for the vCenter Server Appliance 7 or vcsa 7.

vCenter Server 7.0 Installer

Note: The External Platform Services Controller deployment has been deprecated in vCenter Server 7, and before deploying vCenter Server 7, we also need to create forward and reverse DNS records on our DNS server.

The following services will also be installed with vCenter Server 7 (vcsa 7) when we start the installation process.

• vCenter Lifecycle Manager: It automates VMs’ provisioning tasks, minimizes manual repetitive tasks, gains control and visibility over VM deployment, and optimizes resource utilization.
• PostgreSQL: It is a VMware distribution of PostgreSQL database for vSphere and vCloud Hybrid Services, and is DB bundled and preinstalled.
• vSphere Auto Deploy: It provisions hundreds of physical hosts with ESXi software where you can specify the image to deploy and the hosts to provision with the image.
• vSphere Client: HTML 5 UI that can be accessed via web browser and it eliminates the Macromedia/Adobe Flash requirements.
• ESXi Dump Collector: It is a vCenter Server support tool that is used to save the VMkernel memory to a network server in ESXi rather than to a disk in case of any critical error occurred. It collects such memory dumps over the network.
• vSphere Lifecycle Manager Extension: New feature introduced in vSphere 7 that enables centralized, automated patch, and version management for VMware vSphere and offers support for VMware ESXi hosts, VMs, and virtual appliances.

Also Read: VMware vSphere 7: Describe Storage Policies

Now, click on Next to start the installation process.

Install – Stage1: Deploy vCenter Server 7.0

Check the box “I accept the terms of the license agreement” and click Next.

End-user license agreement

enter the ESXi host or vCenter Server name, the default port is 443, the root username, password, and click Next.

vCenter Server 7.0 deployment target

Certificate warning will appear, click YES to accept it.

Enter vCenter Server 7 VM name, root password, confirm root password, and click NEXT.

Set up vCenter Server VM

You can choose the deployment size of your choice. We’re deploying it in a lab environment, so, we’ll choose deployment size as Tiny, and storage size as default, click NEXT to proceed further.

Select deployment size

In vCenter Server 7 U2, you can either install vcsa 7 on an existing datastore accessible from the target host or install on a new vSAN cluster containing the target host. By choosing “Install on a new vSAN cluster containing the target host”, this option will create a new vSAN cluster with the target ESXi host and install your vCenter Server onto this new vSAN cluster. However, this one-host cluster can’t provide the full benefits of a vSAN cluster. You must complete the vSAN cluster configuration after you have deployed the vCenter Server instance to realize a production-ready vSAN. Enable Thin Disk Mode and click NEXT.

Select datastore

Configure your vCenter server network settings and then click NEXT.

Configure VCSA 7 network settings

Review the settings before starting the vCenter Server 7.0 deployment and click FINISH to start the installation.

Ready to complete stage 1 of vcsa 7

vCenter Server 7.0 will start deploying on the specified target ESXi host.

Deploy vCenter Server Appliance 7

When Stage 1 is completed successfully, Click on Continue to start the Stage 2 installation.

From Install – Stage 2: Set up the vCenter Server page click on the Next button to begin the second stage of the vCenter Server deployment process.

Select the time synchronization mode, Enable/Disable the SSH access, and click NEXT.

Select Create a new SSO domain, type the Single Sign-On domain name, Type the Single Sign-On password, confirm password, and click NEXT.

Configure the CEIP option if you are interested to join it and click NEXT.

Review the vCenter Server settings and click FINISH to finalize the setup.

Click OK on vCenter Server 7 warning to continue.

You can monitor the progress of stage 2 – vCenter Server Setup. It will take around 15 to 20 minutes. You can have a cup of coffee.

Once the vCenter Server 7 setup is completed successfully, click Close.

Stage 2 completed successfully, enter the FQDN of your vCenter Server 7 into the browser (recommended to use Chrome) and click LAUNCH VSPHERE CLIENT (HTML5).

Type administrator@vsphere.local, password, and then click LOGIN.

vCenter Server 7 Update 2 is installed successfully in VMware Workstation 16.1, you can verify it under the Summary tab of the vCenter Server 7.

We’ve seen during the installation of vCenter Server Appliance 7 (VCSA 7) that it was installed with Embedded Platform Services Controller (PSC) and didn’t require External PSC as it is deprecated in vSphere 7. vCenter Server 7 only supports HTML5 client.

Also Read: VMware vSphere 7 Advanced Features