User`s guide

Overview

Use this manual to determine your specific hardware and software requirements for VMware vCenter

Configuration Manager (VCM) and to install and configure the prerequisites necessary for a successful

installation.

To determine your hardware and software requirements, you must begin by answering several questions.

Worksheets are available later in this document to help you determine the answers to these questions.

How many Windows servers and workstations and UNIX or Linux machines do you plan to license?

How often do you intend to collect data?

How much data do you intend to collect?

How long do you plan to retain the data that you collect?

What additional VCM components do you intend to use? See the Download VMware vCenter

Configuration Manager Web site for more information about VCM components.

Do you fully understand your VCM security requirements? See the VCM Security Environment

Requirements Technical white paper on the Download VMware vCenter Configuration Manager Web

site.

To successfully install VCM, you must complete the preparatory tasks in order.

1. Understand how VCM and its related components are installed.

2. Determine your VCM Collector hardware requirements based on the number of machines in your

environment and the VCM components that you plan to license. See "Hardware Requirements for

Collector Machines" on page 11.

3. Determine your VCM Agent hardware requirements based on the VCM components that you plan to

license. A list of supported operating systems is included. See "Hardware and Operating System

Requirements for VCM Managed Machines" on page 37.

4. Prepare the Windows server to install VCM by installing and configuring the necessary software

prerequisites. See "Software and Operating System Requirements for Collector Machines" on page 15.

5. Configure SQLServer to fine-tune the settings. See "Configure SQL Server for VCM" on page 31.

Complete each of the activities and procedures in the order they appear. After you complete these tasks,

you can run Foundation Checker to ensure that your system is ready to install VCM. Foundation Checker

is a VCM application that scans the Collector machine for the necessary prerequisites.

If you have questions about the configuration for Windows servers or workstations, or UNIX or Linux

machines, or about any requirements not answered in this document, contact your VMware account

representative or VMware Technical Support.

VMware, Inc.