A Quick Install of VMware vCenter Server 5.5U1 on Windows 2008R2 SP1

I needed a vCenter in my lab, so thought I’d get the latest 5.5U1 and jot down some notes.

Requirements

vCenter Server Software Requirements (see here)

64-bit O/S (Windows 2008 SP1 64-bit +)
.NET 3.5 SP1 Framework (installed by the installer package)
Microsoft Windows installer version 4.5 - MSI 4.5 - for the bundled SQL 2008 R2 Express (MSI 4.5 - actually MSI 5.0 - is included in the 2008R2 O/S, see here)

vCenter Hardware Requirements (see here)

For a Simple Install Deployment:
2 CPU Cores
12GB RAM (Yikes!)*
100GB recommended disk storage**

*I’ve given it 8GB in my lab. Post install, the server was using 4.25GB, so even with 6GB it might start to struggle - even in a simple lab!
*I’ve used my default 2008R2 golden image with a 40GB O/S drive (not best practice for real world deployments), and post install it had 20.1GB free on the 40GB disk.

Installation Step By Step Walkthrough

So, I’ve got my 2008R2 SP1 box, domain joined it, logged in with a domain account that has local administrative rights.
In goes the following ISO into the virtual CD/DVD drive:

VMware-VIMSetup-all-5.5.0-1623099-20140201-update01.iso

Double-click on the CD/DVD to get autorun.exe to run, and presented with this menu:

Image: VMware vCenter Installer
With “Simple Install” selected, I hit the Install button.

Simple Install Setup: Welcome to the vCenter Single Sign-On Setup

Click Next
Accept the EULA and click Next

Simple Install: Simple Install Prerequisites Check

Everything’s good - domain joined and DNS resolution successful!
Leave the “Add your.domain.com as a native Active Directory identity source” ticked.

Click Next

Simple Install: vCenter Single Sign-On Information

Enter a password for the Administrator account in default domain (vsphere.local)

Click Next

Simple Install: Simple Install Configure Site

Enter a site name or leave the default “Default-First-Site”

Click Next

Simple Install: Simple Install Port Settings

Enter the connection information for vCenter Single Sign-On.
Leave the default HTTPS port of 7444

Click Next

Simple Install: Change destination folder

I’m leaving it as the default C:\Program Files\VMware\Infrastructure\

Click Next

Simple Install: Simple Install Information

Review your selections and when you’re happy click Install

Image: Simple Install Information
{And wait...}

The next bit of interaction is where you’re asked to accept an SSL SHA1 fingerprint.

Click Yes

Image: Accept the SSL SHA1 fingerprint? Yes
{And wait...}

Next bit of interaction -

VMware vCenter Simple Install: License Key

If you have a license key you can enter it now or do it later.

Click Next

VMware vCenter Simple Install: Database Options

Here I’m leaving selected the “Install a Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Express Instance”

Click Next

Image: VMware vCenter Simple Install - Database Options
VMware vCenter Simple Install: vCenter Server Service

Leave the default “Use Windows Local System Account” checked

Click Next

Image: VMware vCenter Simple Install - vCenter Server Service
VMware vCenter Simple Install: Configure Ports

Leave the ports as default and the “Increase the number of available ephemeral ports” unchecked.

Click Next

Image: VMware vCenter Simple Install - Configure Ports
VMware vCenter Simple Install: JVM Memory

Leave the Inventory Size set to small.

Click Next

Image: VMware vCenter Simple Install - JVM Memory
VMware vCenter Simple Install: Ready to Install the Program

Click Install

Image: VMware vCenter Simple Install - Ready to Install
Again you’ll be asked to accept an SSL SHA 1 fingerprint (the same fingerprint as before)

Click Yes

Image: Accept the SSL SHA1 fingerprint? Yes
{And wait.......................}

VMware vCenter Simple Install: Installation Completed

Click Finish

Image: VMware vCenter Simple Install - Installation Completed
And click OK to the:

“Installation of the vCenter package containing
VMware vCenter Single Sign-On
VMware vSphere Web Client
VMware vCenter Inventory Service
VMware vCenter Server
completed successfully”

Image: VMware vCenter Installer completed successfully
THE END

Note: If you get “VMware vCenter Installer: Stop running this script?” just click No to ignore it.

Image: Stop running this script? No

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