I currently host my vCenter server as a virtual machine on my ESXi 2 server setup. If I get a temporary power loss to the servers, I need to manually login to the root of the ESXi server and launch the virtual vCenter server before it can begin spinning up the various hosts. is there a way to have a physical vCenter server on standby that can take over the reboot process should the virtual vCenter server be offline?
Andrew Hancock (VMware vExpert PRO / EE Fellow/British Beekeeper)
is there a way to have a physical vCenter server on standby that can take over the reboot process should the virtual vCenter server be offline?
No, but why do you not have your vCenter 4.1 VM, on your ESXi 4.1 Hosts?
vCenter Server is only used to configure VMware HA, if a server should fail, VMware HA will restart all the VMs on other hosts, provided it's an uncontrolled failure.
e.g. power cut, server crash etc
a reboot is not uncontrolled.
It's not recommended to override the VMware HA, using the Auto Start/Stop functions, when using VMware HA.
drichman
ASKER
@Andrew
HA is configured, but if I lose power to both VM servers, the virtual vCenter server running HA is not started (unless I make the vCenter server auto-start as asavener suggested) and therefore cannot begin the HA/restart of the VM's. Which leads to the question, should I configure the VM auto-start to just start up the vCenter server and allow it to bring the remaining systems online or use auto-start to start up all the VM's?
Andrew Hancock (VMware vExpert PRO / EE Fellow/British Beekeeper)
Are you using VMware HA, have you configured it, and test it?
Do you have a Cluster?
If however, you have VMware HA configured, a total power outage, after power up of Hosts, VMs will start up. (without enabling Auto Start which is not support when you have a HA Cluster)
asavener
4.1 has HA, but you have to be licensed for it. (Essentials plus is the lowest level that supports HA.)
No, but why do you not have your vCenter 4.1 VM, on your ESXi 4.1 Hosts?
vCenter Server is only used to configure VMware HA, if a server should fail, VMware HA will restart all the VMs on other hosts, provided it's an uncontrolled failure.
e.g. power cut, server crash etc
a reboot is not uncontrolled.
It's not recommended to override the VMware HA, using the Auto Start/Stop functions, when using VMware HA.