linkedmode | Root

Hello Again

I show you in earlier blog how to configure Linked mode for VMware 5.5 As a result of these architectural changes, Platform Services Controllers can be linked together. Previously, vCenter Linked Mode was only available for Windows vCenters.

Until the release of vSphere 6.0, the new vCenter Enhanced Linked Mode (ELM) can connect multiple vCenter Servers (both vCenter Servers running on Windows and vCenter Server Appliances) by using one or more Platform Services Controllers.
vSphere 6.0, Platform Services Controller (PSC) was introduced as Embedded PSC for single vCenter Server and External PSC to manage multiple vCenter Servers.

the limitations for Linked Mode with external or embedded PSCs are different:

For vCenter Servers deployments with external PSCs, you can join up to 10 external PSCs and 15 vCenter Server systems in a single SSO domain.
For vCenter Servers with an embedded PSC, you can join up 15 nodes in one SSO domain.

You can also migrate virtual machines across clusters on separate vCenter instances

so let’s go
This is my Single Sign-on Machine

i will run the VMware CD
Click Install vCenter Server for Windows
Click YES

Press Next

Check the box
I Accept the term of the license agreement
I choose (Platform Service Controller)
i put the Machine FQDN
then i click OK

put the domain name, vCenter admin and password and default site name as this is a new SSO
Leave the port to it default

Press Next

again Next

now click Install

it will take couple of minute

Press Finish

you can go to Program and software and you will fins the software installed on the machine
(platform Service Controller)

Now lets go to my First vCenter (VC1-CCIEROOT)
Lets start the installation same way
Click Next

Accept the agreement and Click Next
this time choose Deployment type as (vCenter Server)

Specify the SSO Server FQDN name or IP Address and the SSO Administrator credentials (administrator@vsphere.local ) which will be the same system running your vCenter SSO service (192.168.200.250)
Make sure that all vCenter Servers in a Linked Mode group are registered to the same vCenter Single Sign On server.

Click OK to accept the SSO Certificate

choose to use the Windows Local Account and Click Next
Again Accept the default value and Click Next
and again accept the default value for ports and Click Next
Click Next 😀

and Finally Install

And Finish

you can see the software (vCenter Server with an External PSC)
Repeat the same Steps with VC2-CCIEROOT

Now to check your configuration go and browse to any of vCenter IP Address

Accept the Certificate

Login using the Administrator account
in the dashboard go to Hosts and Clusters
you can see in the right side both vCenter
Once selected the vCenter you can see the detail of it under the Manage > Settings > General
and the same for the second vCenter

Note:

A single vCenter can manage 300 ESXi host with 3000 virtual machines, while using linked mode can manage 1000 ESXi hosts with 10000 virtual machines.
You can create a vCenter Enhanced Linked Mode group only during the deployment of vCenter Server Appliance or installation of vCenter Server. You cannot create a vCenter Enhanced Linked Mode group after you install vCenter Server or after you deploy the vCenter Server Appliance.
from vSphere 6.5 U2 and vSphere 6.7 onwards, External PSC has been deprecated, Embedded PSC is recommended to manage multiple vCenter Servers and deploy VCSA with embedded PSCs will be used now and onward.

That is a Win ;D

Now who wouldn’t love to manage his VMware Infrastructure using a single management console. And you can do this with VMware vCenter Linked Mode. it’s available since vSphere 5.1 but im doing it here in 5.5 but let me warn you, there is a degradation in your scalability which i will not Discuss but you always need to check this feature is supported for how many vCenter and how many Hosts

i took this picture from kendrickcoleman which explain my design for this scenario and to to tell you the truth i learn alot from this site, even CBTNuggets didnt mention the way to configure vCenter in Linked mode in their Nugget so i had to test alot and here is the way
one of the most important requirement of Linked Mode is that both vCenter Server is Registering to the Same Single Sign-on Server which force me to change my LAB.

My LAB:
Single Sign-on Server (SSO): 192.168.200.250
vCenter 1 (VC1-CCIEROOT): 192.168.200.251
vCenter 2 (VC1-CCIEROOT): 192.168.200.252

I configured my DNS resolution (forward / reverse working) on all my Windows servers.

Now similar to my second blog where i install vCenetr i will follow the same procedure.
I will choose Custom Install > vCenter Single Sign-On > Install
Click Next

Check the Box to Accept the License Agreement

Check the Box to add the AD as my identity source

Choose the standalone vCenter Single Sign-On Server

Choose a password

Use the default Site name

Click Next for the default port

Click Next

Choose Install

it will take couple of minute to finish the installation

Click Finish

and here i finish the first part on the first server

Now we move to the first vCenter (VC1-CCIEROOT) to configure the features
But this time we will Choose vSphere Web Client
Click OK

Click Next

Accept the License Agreement

Click Next

Click Next to accept the default port

Now the Most Important step is to define the SSO Server
Choose a password

and before you press next also put the IP Address of the SSO Server
Click Yes to accept the SSL SHA fingerprint

Click Install Certificates

Click Install

Click Next and it will proceed with the installation

Click Finish

and this is a message to let you know the installation is finish successfully

Second step install the vCenter Inventory Service > Install
Click OK

Click Next

Accept the License Agreement

Click Next to accept the location of the installation

Enter the FQDN for the first vCenter
(VC1-CCIEROOT.mynaghi.com)

Click Next

Select the Small and click Next

Also again here you enter the SSO Credential and the IP Address of the SSO Server

Select Yes

Click Install to start the installation

it will take time to finish

Click Finish

Last but not least Select the vCenter Server > Install
Click OK

Click Next

Accept the Agreement

no need to input any license since this is a LAB just click Next and it will install the evaluation License
Choose to install the Database

Check the box to use the Administrator Account since i’m login with the Domain Admin Credential
Create a standalone vCenter

Click Next to Accept the Default Ports

Choose the Small Size

and again Enter the Credential of the SSO Server

Click Yes

Click Next

make sure the name is the correct one

Click Next

Click Install

it will take couple of minute

and the database will take more time too
once the SQL is finish the Server will progress with the vCenter Installation

Click Finish

and as you can see all my servers are installed

Now we will repeat the same step in the second vCenter (VC2-CCIEROOT) for both feature Web Client and Inventory but for vCenter Server there is a little change so i will show it to you here
so select vCenter Server > Install
Click OK

Click Next

Accept the Agreement

Click Next on the License

Select to install the SQL Database

Also use the Local Admin here

Now this is the most important Step
Choose to join a VMware vCenter Server group using Linked Mode

Click OK

ENter the DNS FQDN for the first vCenter
(VC1-CCIEROOT.mynaghi.com)
and click Next

Click Next

Select Small Size Deployment

Enter the Credential of the SSO Server

Click Yes to Accept the SSL SHA1 fingerprint

Click Next

Enter the FQDN of the Server
(VC2-CCIEROOT.mynaghi.com)

Click Next

Click Install

Give it time

and more time
and more more time 😀
and just more more more time
i promise this is the last time

and Finish

now let’s browse to the vCenter page
vCenter 1 (VC1-CCIEROOT): 192.168.200.251
Click Advanced to accept the Certificate
Confirm it

and now i will login to the vCenter page
and as the page of vCenter show up click on vCenter
and as you can see it show two vCenter in my page
VC1-CCIEROOT.mynaghi.com & VC2-CCIEROOT.mynaghi.com
As Easy As It Get 😀