Upgrades

Accept the Thumbprint of a Default SSL Certificate
When you add vCenter Server and View Composer instances to View, you must ensure that the SSL
certificates that are used for the vCenter Server and View Composer instances are valid and trusted by View
Connection Server. If the default certificates that are installed with vCenter Server and View Composer are
still in place, you must determine whether to accept these certificates' thumbprints.
If a vCenter Server or View Composer instance is configured with a certificate that is signed by a CA, and
the root certificate is trusted by View Connection Server, you do not have to accept the certificate
thumbprint. No action is required.
If you replace a default certificate with a certificate that is signed by a CA, but View Connection Server does
not trust the root certificate, you must determine whether to accept the certificate thumbprint. A thumbprint
is a cryptographic hash of a certificate. The thumbprint is used to quickly determine if a presented certificate
is the same as another certificate, such as the certificate that was accepted previously.
NOTE If you install vCenter Server and View Composer on the same Windows Server host, they can use the
same SSL certificate, but you must configure the certificate separately for each component.
For details about configuring SSL certificates, see "Configuring SSL Certificates for View Servers" in the View
Installation document.
You first add vCenter Server and View Composer in View Administrator by using the Add vCenter Server
wizard. If a certificate is untrusted and you do not accept the thumbprint, you cannot add vCenter Server
and View Composer.
After these servers are added, you can reconfigure them in the Edit vCenter Server dialog box.
NOTE You also must accept a certificate thumbprint when you upgrade from an earlier release and a
vCenter Server or View Composer certificate is untrusted, or if you replace a trusted certificate with an
untrusted certificate.
On the View Administrator dashboard, the vCenter Server or View Composer icon turns red and an Invalid
Certificate Detected dialog box appears. You must click Verify and follow the procedure shown here.
Similarly, in View Administrator you can configure a SAML authenticator for use by a View Connection
Server instance. If the SAML server certificate is not trusted by View Connection Server, you must
determine whether to accept the certificate thumbprint. If you do not accept the thumbprint, you cannot
configure the SAML authenticator in View. After a SAML authenticator is configured, you can reconfigure it
in the Edit View Connection Server dialog box.
Procedure
1 When View Administrator displays an Invalid Certificate Detected dialog box, click View Certificate.
2 Examine the certificate thumbprint in the Certificate Information window.
3 Examine the certificate thumbprint that was configured for the vCenter Server or View Composer
instance.
a On the vCenter Server or View Composer host, start the MMC snap-in and open the Windows
Certificate Store.
b Navigate to the vCenter Server or View Composer certificate.
c Click the Certificate Details tab to display the certificate thumbprint.
Similarly, examine the certificate thumbprint for a SAML authenticator. If appropriate, take the
preceding steps on the SAML authenticator host.
Chapter 5 Upgrading View Server Components
VMware, Inc. 39