6.7

Table Of Contents

Introduction to vSphere

Installation and Setup 1

vSphere 6.7 provides various options for installation and setup. To ensure a successful vSphere

deployment, understand the installation and setup options, and the sequence of tasks.

The two core components of vSphere are ESXi and vCenter Server. ESXi is the virtualization platform on

which you can create and run virtual machines and virtual appliances. vCenter Server is a service that

acts as a central administrator for ESXi hosts connected in a network. vCenter Server lets you pool and

manage the resources of multiple hosts.

You can install vCenter Server on a Windows virtual machine or physical server, or deploy the

vCenter Server Appliance. The vCenter Server Appliance is a preconfigured Linux-based virtual machine

optimized for running vCenter Server and the vCenter Server components. You can deploy the

vCenter Server Appliance on ESXi hosts 6.0 or later, or on vCenter Server instances 6.0 or later.

Starting with vSphere 6.0, all prerequisite services for running vCenter Server and the vCenter Server

components are bundled in the VMware Platform Services Controller™. You can deploy vCenter Server

with an embedded or external Platform Services Controller, but you must always install or deploy the

Platform Services Controller before installing or deploying vCenter Server.

For detailed information about the ESXi installation process, see VMware ESXi Installation and Setup .

This chapter includes the following topics:

Overview of the vSphere Installation and Setup Process

vCenter Server Components and Services

Overview of the vCenter Server Appliance

vCenter Server and Platform Services Controller Deployment Types

Understanding vSphere Domains, Domain Names, and Sites

Deployment Topologies with External Platform Services Controller Instances and High Availability

vCenter Enhanced Linked Mode

Overview of the vSphere Installation and Setup Process

vSphere is a sophisticated product with multiple components to install and set up. To ensure a successful

vSphere deployment, understand the sequence of tasks required.

Installing vSphere includes the following tasks:

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