6.0.1

Table Of Contents
Using Enhanced Linked Mode
Enhanced Linked Mode links multiple vCenter Server systems by using one or more
Platform Services Controllers. With Enhanced Linked Mode, you can view and search across all linked
vCenter Server systems. This mode replicates roles, permissions, licenses, and other key data across systems.
Enhanced Linked Mode provides the following features for both vCenter Server on Windows and
vCenter Server Appliance systems:
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You can log in to all linked vCenter Server systems simultaneously with a single user name and
password.
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You can view and search the inventories of all linked vCenter Server systems within the
vSphere Web Client. The vSphere Client does not support Enhanced Linked Mode.
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Roles, permission, licenses, tags, and policies are replicated across linked vCenter Server systems.
To join vCenter Server systems in Enhanced Linked Mode, connect them to the same
Platform Services Controller, or to Platform Services Controllers that share the same vCenter Single Sign-On
domain.
Enhanced Linked Mode requires the vCenter Server Standard licensing level, and is not supported with
vCenter Server Foundation or vCenter Server Essentials.
In vSphere 5.5 and earlier, Linked Mode relied on Microsoft ADAM to provide replication functionality.
Starting in vSphere 6.0, the Platform Services Controller provides replication and ADAM is no longer
required. Because of the change in architecture, you must isolate vCenter Server 5.5 systems from any
Linked Mode groups before upgrading these systems to vCenter Server 6.0. For more information, see the
vSphere Upgrade documentation.
Configuring Communication Among ESXi , vCenter Server, and the
vSphere Web Client
By default, the vSphere Web Client uses ports 80 and 443 to communicate with vCenter Server and ESXi
hosts.
Congure your rewall to allow communication between the vSphere Web Client and vCenter Server by
opening ports 80 and 443.
vCenter Server acts as a web service. If your environment requires the use of a web proxy, vCenter Server
can be proxied like any other web service.
vCenter Server and Host Management
58 VMware, Inc.