6.5.1
Table Of Contents
- Platform Services Controller Administration
- Contents
- About Platform Services Controller Administration
- Updated Information
- Getting Started with Platform Services Controller
- vCenter Server and Platform Services Controller Deployment Types
- Deployment Topologies with External Platform Services Controller Instances and High Availability
- Understanding vSphere Domains, Domain Names, and Sites
- Platform Services Controller Capabilities
- Managing Platform Services Controller Services
- Managing the Platform Services Controller Appliance
- vSphere Authentication with vCenter Single Sign-On
- Understanding vCenter Single Sign-On
- Configuring vCenter Single Sign-On Identity Sources
- Identity Sources for vCenter Server with vCenter Single Sign-On
- Set the Default Domain for vCenter Single Sign-On
- Add a vCenter Single Sign-On Identity Source
- Edit a vCenter Single Sign-On Identity Source
- Remove a vCenter Single Sign-On Identity Source
- Use vCenter Single Sign-On With Windows Session Authentication
- vCenter Server Two-Factor Authentication
- Using vCenter Single Sign-On as the Identity Provider for Another Service Provider
- Security Token Service STS
- Managing vCenter Single Sign-On Policies
- Managing vCenter Single Sign-On Users and Groups
- Add vCenter Single Sign-On Users
- Disable and Enable vCenter Single Sign-On Users
- Delete a vCenter Single Sign-On User
- Edit a vCenter Single Sign-On User
- Add a vCenter Single Sign-On Group
- Add Members to a vCenter Single Sign-On Group
- Remove Members From a vCenter Single Sign-On Group
- Delete vCenter Single Sign-On Solution Users
- Change Your vCenter Single Sign-On Password
- vCenter Single Sign-On Security Best Practices
- vSphere Security Certificates
- Certificate Requirements for Different Solution Paths
- Certificate Management Overview
- Managing Certificates with the Platform Services Controller Web Interface
- Explore Certificate Stores from the Platform Services Controller Web Interface
- Replace Certificates with New VMCA-Signed Certificates from the Platform Services Controller Web Interface
- Make VMCA an Intermediate Certificate Authority from the Platform Services Controller Web Interface
- Set up Your System to Use Custom Certificates from the Platform Services Controller
- Managing Certificates from the vSphere Web Client
- Managing Certificates with the vSphere Certificate Manager Utility
- Certificate Manager Options and the Workflows in This Document
- Regenerate a New VMCA Root Certificate and Replace All Certificates
- Make VMCA an Intermediate Certificate Authority (Certificate Manager)
- Generate CSR with vSphere Certificate Manager and Prepare Root Certificate (Intermediate CA)
- Replace VMCA Root Certificate with Custom Signing Certificate and Replace All Certificates
- Replace Machine SSL Certificate with VMCA Certificate (Intermediate CA)
- Replace Solution User Certificates with VMCA Certificates (Intermediate CA)
- Replace All Certificates with Custom Certificate (Certificate Manager)
- Revert Last Performed Operation by Republishing Old Certificates
- Reset All Certificates
- Manual Certificate Replacement
- Managing Services and Certificates With CLI Commands
- Troubleshooting Platform Services Controller
- Determining the Cause of a Lookup Service Error
- Unable to Log In Using Active Directory Domain Authentication
- vCenter Server Login Fails Because the User Account Is Locked
- VMware Directory Service Replication Can Take a Long Time
- Export a Platform Services Controller Support Bundle
- Platform Services Controller Service Logs Reference
Specifying a Nondefault Authentication Method
Administrators can set up a nondefault authentication method from the Platform Services Controller Web
interface, or by using the sso-config script.
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For smart card authentication, you can perform the vCenter Single Sign-On setup from the
Platform Services Controller Web interface or by using sso-config. Setup includes enabling smart
card authentication and configuring certificate revocation policies.
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For RSA SecurID, you use the sso-config script to configure RSA Authentication Manager for the
domain, and to enable RSA token authentication. You cannot configure RSA SecurID authentication
from the Web interface. However, if you enable RSA SecurID, that authentication method appears in
the Web interface.
Combining Authentication Methods
You can enable or disable each authentication method separately by using sso-config. Leave user
name and password authentication enabled initially, while you are testing a two-factor authentication
method, and set only one authentication method to enabled after testing.
Smart Card Authentication Login
A smart card is a small plastic card with an embedded integrated circuit chip. Many government agencies
and large enterprises use smart cards such as Common Access Card (CAC) to increase the security of
their systems and to comply with security regulations. A smart card is used in environments where each
machine includes a smart card reader. Smart card hardware drivers that manage the smart card are
typically preinstalled.
When you configure smart card authentication for vCenter Single Sign-On, you must set up your
environment before users can log in using smart card authentication.
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If you are using vSphere 6.0 and earlier, verify that the Client Integration Plug-in is installed.
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If you are using vSphere 6.5 and later, verify that the Enhanced Authentication Plug-In is installed.
See vSphere Installation and Setup.
Users who log in to a vCenter Server or Platform Services Controller system are then prompted to
authenticate with a smart card and PIN combination, as follows.
1 When the user inserts the smart card into the smart card reader, vCenter Single Sign-On reads the
certificates on the card.
2 vCenter Single Sign-On prompts the user to select a certificate, and then prompts the user for the PIN
for that certificate.
3 vCenter Single Sign-On checks whether the certificate on the smart card is known and whether the
PIN is correct. If revocation checking is turned on, vCenter Single Sign-On also checks whether the
certificate is revoked.
Platform Services Controller Administration
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