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Albert WidjajaFlag for Australia

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Multiple different AD domain and appliances VCenter linked mode requirement and steps ?

People,

I'd like to integrate multiple different VCenter servers in different Data center and AD domain, so I wonder if I need to be aware of any pitfalls of incompatibilities between them?

Data Center 1 - AD Domain DC1.int
Windows VCenter server v6.0

Data Center 2 - AD Domain DC2.int
Linux VCenter server v6.0

Head Quarter - AD Domain CorpHQ.local
Linux VCenter 6.5

Can I integrate them all into linked mode and then use any of the three AD domain logins to see all of my Data Center object in the Windows vSphere console ?

Thanks in advance.
Avatar of Andrew Hancock (VMware vExpert PRO / EE Fellow/British Beekeeper)
Andrew Hancock (VMware vExpert PRO / EE Fellow/British Beekeeper)
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You can currently add all your vCenter Servers to many different Active Directory domains, so you can login with different AD Accounts, you just need to remember which  AD you have made the default. I think you have 3.

e.g. DOMAINA\username and DOMANB\username

you can drop the DOMAIN prefix, when making it the default source.

It gets alot more complicated when you now talk of Linked-Mode, which vSphere has replaced, and it was easier just to link vCenter Servers in Linked Mode, and then you could login, and View all your DCs via a single pane of glass.

Because it's difficult to retro-fit around a current installation, and really needs to be designed.

see here

https://virtualizationreview.com/Blogs/Everyday-Virtualization/2015/05/vCenter-Server-Linked-Mode-in-vSphere-6.aspx

also have a look at this....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mh_FGlQ2lk
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ASKER

Thanks Andrew,
So in my case here I am thinking to convert or migrate them all to VCSA Linux and then configure the linked mode. Those three VCenter if it is possible to achieve that ?
Not easily it's better if you start with a new design for each site with External Platform Service Controller

And SSO for Multi Sites and implement it from scratch

And then Add Hosts

And remember 50% of migrations and upgrades fail!
Hm..
So in this case I shall then deploy 3x fresh VCSA V6.5 for all those three and then add the hosts manually one by one ?

The thing that concerns me is the dvSwitches and Resource Pool to migrate with no downtime.
SOLUTION
Avatar of Andrew Hancock (VMware vExpert PRO / EE Fellow/British Beekeeper)
Andrew Hancock (VMware vExpert PRO / EE Fellow/British Beekeeper)
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Hi Andrew,

At present, it just not clicks and next to link them, and you've then got the risk of failure if you vCenter Server to VCSA 6.5 goes pear shaped.

So do you mean is the VCSA migration for the Windows VCenter with dvSwitch is not going to work ?
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Ok, cool
so in my case here I will just deploy all in one appliance (VCSA) on each Datacenter, no need to separate the PSC on each site for linked mode in v6.5 ?
Thanks !