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Table Of Contents

Technical Note

VMware, Inc. 1

Command-Line Installation of

vCenter Server 6.0

You can install VMware vCenter Server™ on a virtual machine or physical server that runs Microsoft

Windows by using either the GUI or the command-line interface.

The command-line installation process includes downloading the vCenter Server installer, gathering the

required data, and using the samples in this technical note to install vCenter Server according to your needs.

This technical note describes how to install and uninstall vCenter Server by using the command-line interface.

The technical note provides you with example templates that you can use to install vCenter Server.

Overview

By using the command-line interface, you can install vCenter Server with an embedded Platform Services

Controller, vCenter Server with an external Platform Services Controller, or an external Platform Services

Controller. Before the installation, you must create a JSON file that contains the installation and configuration

parameters. You can either create a JSON file manually or generate a JSON file by running

the installer in a

special mode using the installation wizard.

When you create the JSON file, populate the necessary data, and start the command-line installation process,

the parameters from the JSON file are passed to the vCenter Server installer. The installer uses the

configuration parameters that you provide in the JSON file

and installs and configures vCenter Server

according to your specifications. The vCenter Server installer runs minimal validation on the configuration

parameters.

vCenter Server Deployment Models

You can install vCenter Server in one of the two deployment models:

 vCenter Server with an embedded Platform Services Controller

You install the Platform Services Controller and vCenter Server on the same virtual machine or physical

server.

This model is standalone and you cannot use it for replication of vCenter Single Sign-On data.

 vCenter Server with an external Platform Services Controller

You install the Platform Services Controller on one virtual machine or physical server and then install

vCenter Server on a different virtual machine or physical server.

IMPORTANT VMware support cannot assist with troubleshooting command-line installation of

vCenter Server. However, vCenter Server systems installed by using the command-line interface are fully

supported.

Summary of content (11 pages)

PAGE 1
Technical Note Command-Line Installation of vCenter Server 6.0 vCenter Server 6.0 You can install VMware vCenter Server™ on a virtual machine or physical server that runs Microsoft Windows by using either the GUI or the command-line interface. The command-line installation process includes downloading the vCenter Server installer, gathering the required data, and using the samples in this technical note to install vCenter Server according to your needs.
PAGE 2
Command-Line Installation of vCenter Server 6.0 This model is suitable for larger environments. With this model, you can configure many Platform Services Controller instances to replicate their vCenter Single Sign-On data by joining them to the same vCenter Single Sign-On domain. For information about the supported architecture and deployment models in vSphere 6.0, see vSphere Installation and Setup at http://www.pubs.vmware.com. vCenter Server Installation Requirements You can install vCenter Server 6.
PAGE 3
Command-Line Installation of vCenter Server 6.0 Creating JSON Configuration Files You can create a JSON file manually. You can also generate a JSON file by using the command-line installer. You can then fill in the required parameters and start the installation. Create a JSON File Manually You can create a JSON file manually by using a text editor and modify the basic installation templates in “Installation Templates” on page 3. To create a JSON file manually: 1 Open a text editor and create a JSON file.
PAGE 4
Command-Line Installation of vCenter Server 6.0 Example 2. Installation Template for a Platform Services Controller { "INSTALLDIR" "vmware.data.directory" "deployment.node.type" "appliance.net.pnid" "vmdir.first-instance" "vmdir.domain-name" "vmdir.password" "vmdir.site-name" "appliance.net.ports" "rhttpproxy.ext.port1" "rhttpproxy.ext.port2" "syslog.ext.port" "syslog.ext.tls.port" "sts.ext.port1" } : : : : : : : : : : : : : : "C:\\Program Files\\VMware\\", "C:\\ProgramData\\VMware\\", "infrastructure",
PAGE 5
Command-Line Installation of vCenter Server 6.0 2 Mount the ISO file to your virtual machine or physical server. 3 On the virtual machine or physical server where you are installing vCenter Server, open the Windows command prompt. 4 Change the directory to the location of the installation executables. For example, if the executables are on the D drive, run cd /d d:\vCenter-Server\.
PAGE 6
Command-Line Installation of vCenter Server 6.0 JSON Sample Files for Installing vCenter Server with an External Platform Services Controller You can use the following sample JSON files to install two vCenter Server instances with embedded databases and register them with an external Platform Services Controller. You must first install the Platform Services Controller, and then install the vCenter Server instances in sequence. You must change the parameters in bold to your specific values.
PAGE 7
Command-Line Installation of vCenter Server 6.0 JSON Sample File for Installing Platform Services Controller with HA or Multisite Deployment You can use the following sample JSON file to install a Platform Services Controller and join it as a replication partner to a vCenter Single Sign-On domain in an existing Platform Services Controller. Two Platform Services Controller instances can replicate their infrastructure data either within the same site or across different sites.
PAGE 8
Command-Line Installation of vCenter Server 6.0 Installation Parameters Depending on your installation specification, in the JSON configuration file, you must determine and provide a list of the required parameters and their values. Table 1. Available JSON Installation Parameters Parameter Description Deployment type Installation type. Possible values: deployment.node.type  embedded Use this value to install vCenter Server with an embedded Platform Services Controller.
PAGE 9
Command-Line Installation of vCenter Server 6.0 Parameter Description Database parameters db.type vCenter Server database type. Could be:  embedded vCenter Server uses the embedded PostgreSQL database. This database is suitable for small scale deployments.  external vCenter Server uses an existing external database. db.dsn vCenter Server database DSN name. Required only for an external database. db.user vCenter Server database user.
PAGE 10
Command-Line Installation of vCenter Server 6.0 Parameter Description vmdir.password vCenter Single Sign-On password. For the first Platform Services Controller instance, this is the administrator account password. For subsequent instances, this is the administrator account password of the replication partner. The password must adhere to the following requirements: vmdir.
PAGE 11
Command-Line Installation of vCenter Server 6.0 Troubleshooting To troubleshoot the installation you can first review the deployment status file. If you need more information, check the log files. Deployment Status File The vCenter Server installer generates a vc-install.txt file in the %temp% directory. This file provides the status of the installation based on the requested action. The vc-install.