How to Install vCenter 5 with SRM 5 and Compellent Integration - Part 1

The following step-by-step walkthrough goes through the steps for installing a vSphere 5 infrastructure with SRM and integrating with Compellent Enterprise Manager. The article has been split up into 4 parts:

Part 1: Install the SQL Servers

Part 2: Install the vCenter Servers

Part 3: Install the Compellent Enterprise Manager Servers

Part 4: Install the Site Recovery Manager Servers

Requirements

Starting Point:

Networking infrastructure in place

Compellent storage infrastructure in place

Server hardware in place

Servers on Each Site:

Windows 2008 R2 Enterprise template from which we’ll need provisioned 3 VMs - one will be the Database Server (DB01/DB02), another the vCenter (VC01/VC02), and the next the SRM server (SRM01/SRM02)

Available physical server or virtual server not on the Compellent SAN for use as the Compellent Enterprise Manager Server (EM01/EM02)

Note 1: I’d recommend a Windows 2008R2 Enterprise template with 4GB RAM and 2 vCPU; with a 40GB O/S drive C, 40GB Data drive D, 10GB Page file drive P (after sysprep-ing the template, assign the page file to P, assign CD to E, and Data drive to D.) With the latest Windows Patches installed, and .NET Framework 3.5.1 and Telnet Client (for troubleshooting) features

Note 2: It is important that the template is sysprep-ed before deployment - can get some very weird issues with SQL server and non-sysprep-ed VMs from the same template!

Note 3: All the VMs need to be joined to the domain.

Note 4: When domain joined, turning off the Windows Firewall will make the installation go more smoothly.

Note 5: For EM01/EM02 this doesn’t need a dedicated server, it is fine to install on say a physical backup server

Installation Accounts:

SQL Install Account - SQLService

vCenter and SRM Install Account - VMService

(Optional) Enterprise Manager Install Account - EMService

Note 1: These accounts should be domain user accounts, and they must be local admin on the relevant servers.

Note 2: The EMService is optional as can install the Enterprise Manager Data Collector as a Local Service Account

Part 1: Install the SQL Servers

DB01

1.1 Login with the SQLService account

1.2 Launch the en_sql_server_2008_r2_express_x64 application and follow the ‘New installation…’ wizard to install all components to the D drive

Note: A typical install of SQL 2008 R2 Express with all features, installed to the D drive is fine for hosting the vCenter and SRM databases

1.3 After installation of SQL 2008 R2 Express, open up SQL Server Configuration Manager, expand SQL Server Network Configuration, select Protocols for SQLEXPRESS, enable Named Pipes, enable TCP/IP, right-click TCP/IP, select properties, and for every IP Address listed in TCP/IP Properties, enter the TCP Port number 1433.

1.4 SQL Server Services - restart SQL Server (SQLEXPRESS)

1.5 SQL Server Services - SQL Server Browser set to automatic start and start

1.6 Install SQL Server 2008 R2 Management Studio Express x64

1.7 Open up SQL Server Management studio, and create the following databases - VIM_VCDB, VIM_UMDB, SRM

1.8 Create a new SQL login for the DOMAIN\VMService account and assign it the sysadmin server role, and db_owner roles for the newly created databases

DB02

1.9 Repeat 1.1 to 1.8!