Datasheet

CREATE AN AUTOMATED INSTALLATION 5
Install, Con gure, and Manage the vSphere Environment
PART I
 e system is joined to a domain, and not a workgroup. While this is not 
a strict requirement, domain membership ensures that when you’re using
advanced features like the vCenter Guided Consolidation Service, the vCenter
Server will be able to  nd all domains and systems on the network for the
purpose of converting physical systems to virtual machines (VMs).
A supported database is already available, unless you’re using the bundled

SQL Server 2005 Express Edition.
A valid system data source name (DSN) exists that allows vCenter Server to

connect to the created database.
 e vCenter Server is able to directly access the hosts it will manage without 
any network address translation between the server and the hosts.
NO MAGIC WANDS
Notice that all these requirements and recommendations are the same as those you’d
check if you were manually installing vCenter Server on a single machine. People often
think that scripting introduces some kind of magic or new ways to do things behind the
scene. Not so! We use exactly the same methods VMware does for a manual install; it’s
just automated. If things go wrong, troubleshoot them the same way you would for a
standard vCenter Server install that went wrong.
Create an Automated Installation
When installing vCenter Server manually, you  rst download the media and then
run through a series of wizards, ensuring each step within the wizard is correctly
con gured before completing the installation and waiting for the wizard to install
vCenter Server.  is process can become cumbersome if the installation needs to be
repeated multiple times, and mistakes can be made that could cause key con gured
items to be incorrect.
Use the script in Listing 1.1 as an example; it shows how you might automate
the installation of vCenter Server while ensuring all database components are
installed and all connections to the database are created.  is example connects
to a SQL 2005 database that was set up previously and is ready for install. With all
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