We help IT Professionals succeed at work.

reverse pointer for vCenter without DNS

snyderkv
snyderkv asked
on
No DNS and trying to deploy a vCenter appliance with a reverse lookup requirement.

Anyone know how to create a reverse lookup without DNS to sorta trick the vCenter appliance to install? I believe the requirement is on the vCenter side and not the windows machine I'm using for the upgrade but if that's the case, I'd need a reverse for windows. I don't think I can do this with the hosts file but I don't know.

Thanks in advance
Comment
Watch Question

View Solution Only

AlexA lack of information provides a lack of a decent solution.

Commented:

Morning,


Gotta ask this rather basic question... Why do you not have a DNS server? Could you give some more details about the setup?


Thanks

Alex

arnold
Distinguished Expert 2017

Commented:
Please clarify what your issue is, you could on the Linux platform add the IP to name reference in the /etc/hosts file.
AlexA lack of information provides a lack of a decent solution.

Commented:

I think it's because you have to have a PTR record for your V-Center box normally. Or the VCSA depending on the version you're installing.



snyderkv

Author

Commented:
Thanks and to answer one of your questions, we do have DNS, I just want to know how to do this without telling some long drawn out story.

Well vCenter just started using Photon so I'm not sure how to go about doing this but I do have access to the shell.
Distinguished Expert 2017
Commented:
try
vi /etc/hosts


A.b.c.d     Name
snyderkv

Author

Commented:
Thanks
David FavorFractional CTO
Distinguished Expert 2018

Commented:
Highly unlikely any action you take will have any effect, as PTR records must serve from the entity actually owning the IP.

To set a working PTR record, you'll contact your hosting/provisioning company to do this for you or they'll provide how you will do this.

For example with OVH, you just login to your dashboard + set a PTR value + the PTR record becomes active immediately.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reverse_DNS_lookup

Open in new window

provides a good starting point for researching how PTR records work, also for crafting correct tests to verify your PTR record is working.
arnold
Distinguished Expert 2017

Commented:
David,

The inquiry about a pointer deals with the vcenter/photon process trying to resolve an IP it is assigned without the need to registered in a DNS server.
The option to achieve it is to have the ip/name napping in the local hosts file as fast and without delay.
David FavorFractional CTO
Distinguished Expert 2018

Commented:
Ah... This is an A record, not a PTR (reverse record).

If this is true, changing /etc/hosts will be sufficient.
arnold
Distinguished Expert 2017

Commented:
Actually, and technically speaking, the data in the /etc/hosts is actually dual use PTR/A record.
snyderkv

Author

Commented:
Thanks arnold, I was just about to comment. Needs to be the ptr which your solution suffices. And also correct on avoiding the ticketing system that would delay the process as it would be processed in a different continent.