Question

Add ESXi 4 host to vCenter server

Asked by: kicktech

I have been trying to add a ESXi 4 host to my vCenter server.  I have been able to add another host to this group as you can see in the screenshot.  However this new host will get to 20% installing the vCenter client and Error out with

"Cannot install the vCenter agent service.  Unknown installer error".

I have disabled the firewall on the vCenter server and turned off virus scan.  seeing if that was a problem.  The vCenter server is running on Windows 2008 Standard with SP2.

I have allocated 512MB of ram to the system server, like another post talked about.

If you have any ideas I will try anything.

I am new to sending debug logs to people.  I just downloaded the bundle but dont know which one to send?  Sorry.

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Asked On
2009-09-03 at 08:37:44ID24704952
Tags

ESXi 4

,

vSphere

,

vCenter

,

vmware

,

Virtualization

Topics

VMware

,

Virtualization

Participating Experts
4
Points
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Comments
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Answers

 

by: mrcustardPosted on 2009-09-03 at 11:37:04ID: 25253558

Are you licensed to control the ESXi server from vCenter? You can't control the free version of ESXi with vCenter without licensing it.

 

by: za_mkhPosted on 2009-09-03 at 11:39:00ID: 25253580

I notice that you reference everything by IP address. Since it looks like you are starting out, let me recommend that you use Fully Qualified Domain Names for all your ESX servers including the VC server. When adding the server to VC use the FQDN name (eg. esxserver1.thisdomain.com) This is a requirement for services such as HA/DRS etc - well you just have less trouble when you use this.

Have you tried rebooting the host on which you having this issue and then tried to reinstall the VC Agent (vpxa) on it? Normally that fixes it!

Also notice you have to massively different Subnets? Is that correct?

 

by: kicktechPosted on 2009-09-03 at 13:53:01ID: 25254820

mrcustard, So i was looking at my licenses i have, and I have one extra vSphere license that is in the vCenter server.  When i go to add the Host I select that license.  It gives me the same error.

za_mkh, Thank your for the info about FQDN's I had been thinking about using that but didn't realize what the benefit would be.  I am just learning ESX, I am loving every minute of it thought.  I will try a reboot of the system tonight.  Yes they are supposed to be on different sub nets.  One of the esx's is in a production environment, the ESXi im trying to get to.  The other is my lab for messing with vMotion, and disaster recovery options so I can prove it to the boss it is a good investment.

I will post back my results tomorrow.

 

by: mrcustardPosted on 2009-09-03 at 14:11:24ID: 25254992

You mentioned in your last post that the servers are in two different subnets, are you allowing the correct ports from your production environment to your vCenter server? If not that would cause some major issues ...

I believe that you need the following open in both directions:

902
903
80
443

You also may need udp - and tcp together.

 

by: kicktechPosted on 2009-09-20 at 09:21:38ID: 25377746

I have not been able to finish moving the ESX servers to the same subnet.  But when i do i will report back.

 

by: MLBRPosted on 2010-01-15 at 06:15:14ID: 26323133

Hi,

I found that in some cases, the vpxuser account needs to be manually added to root and/or localadmin groups on the ESXI box.
On some boxes, the vpxuser was created just as "user" which obviously led to integration errors into VCenter.

Regards,

ML

 

by: DataBitzPosted on 2010-02-15 at 23:21:21ID: 26578047

 

by: kicktechPosted on 2010-02-16 at 06:42:24ID: 26580979

Very nice, Thanks for finding that for other users.  I probably installed that patch while i redid the test.  Thanks for posting that for others.

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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