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Table Of Contents
Using Enhanced Linked Mode 4
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.
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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.
VMware, Inc.
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