vCenter 5.1 U3 - physical server or virtual machine?
Hi Experts,
I'm adding a new vCenter server (5.1 U3) and I'm hesitating whether to install it on a physical server or on a virtual machine.
My main concern with installing it as a virtual machine is - how will I connect to vCenter if both ESX hosts are down?
Yes, we have only two hosts and every now and then the whole server room needs to be shut down.
It's not an issue when I have vCenter on a physical server - I can power it up manually and start ESX hosts from there.
How will I do it when vCenter is on virtual machine and all the hosts are down? I know you can connect to ESX hosts via HTTP(s) skipping vCenter, but in my experience with ESX 4.0 this option was sometimes patchy in our environment.
That's probably very easy, but I wanted to run the options through you.
Let me know what you think.
Thanks!
I'm adding a new vCenter server (5.1 U3) and I'm hesitating whether to install it on a physical server or on a virtual machine.
My main concern with installing it as a virtual machine is - how will I connect to vCenter if both ESX hosts are down?
Yes, we have only two hosts and every now and then the whole server room needs to be shut down.
It's not an issue when I have vCenter on a physical server - I can power it up manually and start ESX hosts from there.
How will I do it when vCenter is on virtual machine and all the hosts are down? I know you can connect to ESX hosts via HTTP(s) skipping vCenter, but in my experience with ESX 4.0 this option was sometimes patchy in our environment.
That's probably very easy, but I wanted to run the options through you.
Let me know what you think.
Thanks!
SOLUTION
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ASKER
Hi bluedan, Andrew,
Thank you for quick replies and all the links!
I've noticed that VMware recommends VM and I saw comparisons of physical vs virtual deployments. I'm all for virtual except for one thing that I didn't find answer to:
how will I connect to vCenter if all ESX hosts are down?
(yes, I know that ESX should automatically start up guest OSes when it comes back online, so I may not have to connect to vCenter to power up guest OSes)
Thank you for quick replies and all the links!
I've noticed that VMware recommends VM and I saw comparisons of physical vs virtual deployments. I'm all for virtual except for one thing that I didn't find answer to:
how will I connect to vCenter if all ESX hosts are down?
(yes, I know that ESX should automatically start up guest OSes when it comes back online, so I may not have to connect to vCenter to power up guest OSes)
If all the Hosts are DOWN, you CANNOT connect to vCenter!
You will need to start your Hosts first before you can start vCenter Server!
but if all your hosts are down, how does vCenter on a physical server help you?
vCenter server does not start your hosts!
You will need to start your Hosts first before you can start vCenter Server!
but if all your hosts are down, how does vCenter on a physical server help you?
vCenter server does not start your hosts!
ASKER
Hi Andrew,
That was very quick :)
Sorry, I might have been unclear.
I can manually power up ESX server and then use vCenter (physical) to power up individual guests on the ESX.
Now, with vCenter as a VM - how would I power up guest OSes on ESX when the OS with vCenter itself is down?
Does it make more sense?
That was very quick :)
Sorry, I might have been unclear.
I can manually power up ESX server and then use vCenter (physical) to power up individual guests on the ESX.
Now, with vCenter as a VM - how would I power up guest OSes on ESX when the OS with vCenter itself is down?
Does it make more sense?
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ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
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OK, that's all very clear guys - thanks a lot, going with VM!
Running vCenter Server in a virtual machine
http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=10087
vCenter: Physical or Virtual?
http://michael.requeny.com/2011/07/01/vcenter-physical-virtual-high-availability-clustered/
Hope above info helps.