1.2.0

Table Of Contents
Lifecycle Manager Architecture
LCM is powered by VMware vCenter Orchestrator 4.1. Orchestrator is a development and process-automation
platform that provides a library of extensible workflows for creating and running automated, configurable
processes to manage the VMware vCenter infrastructure. You can use Orchestrator to create custom workflows
that you can run from LCM.
Orchestrator exposes every operation in the vCenter Server API, allowing users to integrate all these operations
into their automated processes. Orchestrator also allows integration with other management and
administration solutions through its open plug-in architecture.
LCM Compatibility with vCenter Server
LCM 1.2 works with vCenter Server 4.1 and vCenter Server 4.0 Update 2.
Before you install LCM, make sure that you have a compatible version of vCenter Server installed.
Lifecycle Manager Components
You must configure the required components for LCM to function properly.
Service directory
Defines which users can connect to LCM, and also defines their permission
levels. Only users who are members of a directory group can log in.
Database
Stores all information that is related to LCM, such as virtual machine names,
control groups, view groups, commission and decommission dates,
infrastructure elements linked with the virtual machine request (such as
template profile, datastore, resource pool, and so on). The information
necessary to map criteria and the infrastructure is also stored in the database.
vCenter Server
Responsible for all communication with VMware vCenter Server. A Web
Service API is used to connect to vCenter Server.
The components shown in Figure 1-2 must be configured in the Orchestrator configuration interface.
Figure 1-2. Architecture of LCM and Orchestrator
vCenter
Server
4.1
Lifecycle
Manager
database
networking
database
plug-ins
VMware vCenter Orchestrator
Lifecycle
Manager
config
config
email
browser
browser
vCO
database
service
directory
Chapter 1 Understanding LCM
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