James Jones
asked on
Issues installing VSphere VCenter Server Appliance
Hi,
After welcome help from you guys I have managed to set up my isolated VShpere home lab with an evaluation version of VMware 6.5 ESXi. The Server 2008 R2 PDC (10.0.0.1) acts as an AD/DNS/DHCP server and it and the windows 7 client (10.0.0.100) ping both ways with no issues. The client joined the domain also with no errors.
However I'm having problems installing the VCSA appliance in that it completes the first part (the install) but wont allow the second part (configuration) to start.
I get the following error saying it cant talk to the appliance.
"Unable to proceed with stage 2 of the deployment process. Click close to exit the installer.
You may attempt to continue with stage 2 by logging in to the appliance at https://vcenter.lab.local:5480/ "
When i use that url to login it doesn't connect
I think it may be something to do my isolated network but I cannot work out what, so I was wondering please if someone could look at my 'configure network settings' area of the install to advise?
The network is Isolated
IP version is ipv4
IP assignment is static
System name is vcenter.cool.local
IP address is 10.0.0.101 (reserved)
Subnet mask is 255.255.255.0
Gateway is 10.0.0.1 ( i don't have a gateway as the network is isolated but I have to put an entry in to continue)
DNS Server is 10.0.0.1
Do you think i should do away with an isolated network, and use a 192.x.x.x address from my home router instead? I'm loathe to do this really though as the whole object of my lab was to have it running in isolation.
I've deleted the vm and am trying to install VCSA again, but have noticed, which I didn't before, that I get a warning saying FQDN of system name is not resolvable to IP? (my lab domain is called cool.local)
I am installing the VCSA via the ESXi server's ip address on my laptop (with a 192.x.x.x address) just as I did the VServer client.
Is the VCSA install failing because my esxi host is using a 192.168.x.x ip address from the router (it is installed on a bare metal server) whereas my appliance is being installed in the isolated 10.0.x.x range do you think?
If that's the case though how can I install it in my isolated network? I've tried mounting it as the CD and running from my PDC, but I get the reverse problem in that it cant see my ESXI host itself to start the install (as its on a 192.168.x.x range)
Any advice or suggestions would be gratefully received
Cheers,
James
After welcome help from you guys I have managed to set up my isolated VShpere home lab with an evaluation version of VMware 6.5 ESXi. The Server 2008 R2 PDC (10.0.0.1) acts as an AD/DNS/DHCP server and it and the windows 7 client (10.0.0.100) ping both ways with no issues. The client joined the domain also with no errors.
However I'm having problems installing the VCSA appliance in that it completes the first part (the install) but wont allow the second part (configuration) to start.
I get the following error saying it cant talk to the appliance.
"Unable to proceed with stage 2 of the deployment process. Click close to exit the installer.
You may attempt to continue with stage 2 by logging in to the appliance at https://vcenter.lab.local:5480/ "
When i use that url to login it doesn't connect
I think it may be something to do my isolated network but I cannot work out what, so I was wondering please if someone could look at my 'configure network settings' area of the install to advise?
The network is Isolated
IP version is ipv4
IP assignment is static
System name is vcenter.cool.local
IP address is 10.0.0.101 (reserved)
Subnet mask is 255.255.255.0
Gateway is 10.0.0.1 ( i don't have a gateway as the network is isolated but I have to put an entry in to continue)
DNS Server is 10.0.0.1
Do you think i should do away with an isolated network, and use a 192.x.x.x address from my home router instead? I'm loathe to do this really though as the whole object of my lab was to have it running in isolation.
I've deleted the vm and am trying to install VCSA again, but have noticed, which I didn't before, that I get a warning saying FQDN of system name is not resolvable to IP? (my lab domain is called cool.local)
I am installing the VCSA via the ESXi server's ip address on my laptop (with a 192.x.x.x address) just as I did the VServer client.
Is the VCSA install failing because my esxi host is using a 192.168.x.x ip address from the router (it is installed on a bare metal server) whereas my appliance is being installed in the isolated 10.0.x.x range do you think?
If that's the case though how can I install it in my isolated network? I've tried mounting it as the CD and running from my PDC, but I get the reverse problem in that it cant see my ESXI host itself to start the install (as its on a 192.168.x.x range)
Any advice or suggestions would be gratefully received
Cheers,
James
ASKER
Hi Andrew, thanks for your reply and the link to your install guide
Your guide says "Burn or Mount the VMware-VCSA-all-6.5.0-4602
This is what i did on my laptop (192.168.0.8
It then says Enter the Fully Qualified Domain Names (FQDN) of a VMware vSphere ESXi Host Server, that will host the appliance.
This is esxi.cool.local (192.168.0.9) which creates the certificate fine.
There is an entry in my local hosts file for this and ping -a 192.168.0.9 works fine here
It then says Enter network settings for the appliance. You will get a warning if the System Name of the appliance, is not resolvable to an IP Address. Please make sure you have created a DNS A Record for the FQDN of the appliance before installation has started.
This is exactly the error i'm getting when entering the following.
The network is Isolated
IP version is ipv4
IP assignment is static
System name is vcenter.cool.local
IP address is 10.0.0.101 (reserved)
Subnet mask is 255.0.0.0
Gateway is 10.0.0.1
DNS Server is 10.0.0.1
This is where I'm a tad confused. Are you saying I need to have a hosts file on my 192.168.0.8 laptop's hosts file for my VCenter server (10.0.0.101) ?
When I ping one from the other I get unreachable because they are on different ip ranges?
Cheers,
Simon
Your guide says "Burn or Mount the VMware-VCSA-all-6.5.0-4602
This is what i did on my laptop (192.168.0.8
It then says Enter the Fully Qualified Domain Names (FQDN) of a VMware vSphere ESXi Host Server, that will host the appliance.
This is esxi.cool.local (192.168.0.9) which creates the certificate fine.
There is an entry in my local hosts file for this and ping -a 192.168.0.9 works fine here
It then says Enter network settings for the appliance. You will get a warning if the System Name of the appliance, is not resolvable to an IP Address. Please make sure you have created a DNS A Record for the FQDN of the appliance before installation has started.
This is exactly the error i'm getting when entering the following.
The network is Isolated
IP version is ipv4
IP assignment is static
System name is vcenter.cool.local
IP address is 10.0.0.101 (reserved)
Subnet mask is 255.0.0.0
Gateway is 10.0.0.1
DNS Server is 10.0.0.1
This is where I'm a tad confused. Are you saying I need to have a hosts file on my 192.168.0.8 laptop's hosts file for my VCenter server (10.0.0.101) ?
When I ping one from the other I get unreachable because they are on different ip ranges?
Cheers,
Simon
you cannot use a host files!!!!
create an A Record on your DNS server, if you cannot resolve the hostname, and reverse DNS to the name it will fail, as per my Article states, this is the most common issue!
can you list the IP Address of your ESXi Host, vCenter Server, Laptop, DNS Server, AD Server, DHCP Server ?
create an A Record on your DNS server, if you cannot resolve the hostname, and reverse DNS to the name it will fail, as per my Article states, this is the most common issue!
can you list the IP Address of your ESXi Host, vCenter Server, Laptop, DNS Server, AD Server, DHCP Server ?
ASKER
Hi,
Of course, thanks.
They are:
ESXi host (physical server) 192.168.0.9
VCenter Server appliance will be 10.0.0.101 (inside isolated lab)
Laptop 192,168.0.8
DNS/AD/DHCP server 10.0.0.1 (inside isolated lab)
Of course, thanks.
They are:
ESXi host (physical server) 192.168.0.9
VCenter Server appliance will be 10.0.0.101 (inside isolated lab)
Laptop 192,168.0.8
DNS/AD/DHCP server 10.0.0.1 (inside isolated lab)
how does vCenter Server communicate with ESXi host ?
e.g. 10.0.0.101 communicate with 192.168.0.9 to manage it....
if you ping your vCenter Server IP Address does it resolve to 10.0.0.101
e.g. 10.0.0.101 communicate with 192.168.0.9 to manage it....
if you ping your vCenter Server IP Address does it resolve to 10.0.0.101
ASKER
Hi,
No, I dont have a VCenter server in my lab, just a PDC (with AD/DNS/DHCP) and a windows 7 PC.
I am installing the VCenter Server appliance instead of VCenter Server as I was told this was now best practice going forward?
When I ping the VCSA ip (10.0.0.101) from my ESXi host (192.168.0.9) I dont get a reply as its not been created yet, which is the problem.
Should I install VCenter Server itself instead do you think?
Thanks for your time with this by the way, it's much appreciated.
No, I dont have a VCenter server in my lab, just a PDC (with AD/DNS/DHCP) and a windows 7 PC.
I am installing the VCenter Server appliance instead of VCenter Server as I was told this was now best practice going forward?
When I ping the VCSA ip (10.0.0.101) from my ESXi host (192.168.0.9) I dont get a reply as its not been created yet, which is the problem.
Should I install VCenter Server itself instead do you think?
Thanks for your time with this by the way, it's much appreciated.
It's not going to make ANY difference which you use Appliance or vCenter Server on Windows.
Appliance is now best choice.
ESXi and Appliance/vCenter Server need to communicate at some point in time.
It's not been created yet, but 192.168.0.9 and 10.0.0.101 are not on the same network, so you'll never get a reply....you will need to route between them.
Appliance is now best choice.
ESXi and Appliance/vCenter Server need to communicate at some point in time.
It's not been created yet, but 192.168.0.9 and 10.0.0.101 are not on the same network, so you'll never get a reply....you will need to route between them.
ASKER
Ah, ok,
I'll have to look into ways of doing that. I'm not sure if my home router will allow it as it's pretty locked down by the ISP.
Is it a simple process in your experience?
Failing that I can always recreate my lab from scratch using the vm network nic rather than an isolated setup.
I'll have to look into ways of doing that. I'm not sure if my home router will allow it as it's pretty locked down by the ISP.
Is it a simple process in your experience?
Failing that I can always recreate my lab from scratch using the vm network nic rather than an isolated setup.
You need to have a think of the reason for an isolated network, if required.
what's the issue with a standard network, introduce an isolated network, and then you'll need to find methods, e.g. routing to access it, and for it to access the internet.
what's the issue with a standard network, introduce an isolated network, and then you'll need to find methods, e.g. routing to access it, and for it to access the internet.
ASKER
Hi Andrew,
There were 2 reasons I opted for an isolated network.
The first was I thought that having 2 DHCP servers (my home router and my virtual DHCP server) might cause conflicts,?
The second was I was concerned that having all VMs attached to 192.x.x.x addresses issued by my router may be unsecure?
If I was wrong on either of these concerns then I'll happily stand corrected :)
Cheers
James
There were 2 reasons I opted for an isolated network.
The first was I thought that having 2 DHCP servers (my home router and my virtual DHCP server) might cause conflicts,?
The second was I was concerned that having all VMs attached to 192.x.x.x addresses issued by my router may be unsecure?
If I was wrong on either of these concerns then I'll happily stand corrected :)
Cheers
James
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ASKER
Hi,
In the end I found things too complicated to isolate the lab, so I recreated my lab from scratch using my router as the DNS server and using a solely 192.168.x.x setup.
I then used the DHCP option in my routers settings to reserve an ip address for the ESXi host, and set this entry in the not really to be used local hosts file (sorry)
I then installed the VSphere VCenter Server Appliance successfully using the DHCP option rather than static, and using it's ip address rather than FQDN. I then reserved it's ip address also inside my router's DHCP settings.
This has given it a name of 'localhost.localdom in it's DNSsetting on ESXI, , which isnt ideal but it's working.
I will next create a PDC but just install AD, not DHCP. I'll just let my router continue to act as a DHCP/DNS server as creating one in my lab will complicate things for my skill set I think.
I couldn't really disable DHCP in my home router and use the new PDC to provide DHCP for my entire lan as the server inst switched on all day (as it costs a lot to run) .
Thankyou for your suggestions and time though Andrew, it is much appreciated
James
In the end I found things too complicated to isolate the lab, so I recreated my lab from scratch using my router as the DNS server and using a solely 192.168.x.x setup.
I then used the DHCP option in my routers settings to reserve an ip address for the ESXi host, and set this entry in the not really to be used local hosts file (sorry)
I then installed the VSphere VCenter Server Appliance successfully using the DHCP option rather than static, and using it's ip address rather than FQDN. I then reserved it's ip address also inside my router's DHCP settings.
This has given it a name of 'localhost.localdom in it's DNSsetting on ESXI, , which isnt ideal but it's working.
I will next create a PDC but just install AD, not DHCP. I'll just let my router continue to act as a DHCP/DNS server as creating one in my lab will complicate things for my skill set I think.
I couldn't really disable DHCP in my home router and use the new PDC to provide DHCP for my entire lan as the server inst switched on all day (as it costs a lot to run) .
Thankyou for your suggestions and time though Andrew, it is much appreciated
James
HOW TO: Deploy and Install the VMware vCenter Server Appliance 6.5 (VCSA 6.5)
The logs will tell you exactly WHY it's failed.
Networking!
a vSphere installation is only as good as your networking design, DNS, DHCP, AD.....
did you create an A Record in DNS for the server before you started ?