This document supports the version of each product listed and supports all
subsequent versions until the document is replaced by a new edition. To
check for more recent editions of this document, see
http://www.vmware.com/support/pubs.
EN-000740-00
vCenter Configuration Manager Installation and Getting Started Guide
You can find the most up-to-date technical documentation on the VMware Web site at:
http://www.vmware.com/support/
The VMware Web site also provides the latest product updates.
If you have comments about this documentation, submit your feedback to:
VMware is a registered trademark or trademark of VMware, Inc. in the United States and/or other jurisdictions. All
other marks and names mentioned herein may be trademarks of their respective companies.
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2VMware, Inc.
Contents
About This Book9
Preparing for Installation11
Installation Manager11
Installation Configurations12
Tools Installation12
General Prerequisites to Install VCM12
Verify Hardware and Software Requirements12
Verify Administration Rights12
Set the Default Network Authority Account12
Specify the Collector Services Account13
Change the Collector Services Account Password in the Services Management Console13
Change the Collector Services Account Password in the Component Services DCOM Config
Console13
Verify the VMware Application Services Account14
Determine the VCM Remote Virtual Directory14
Use Secure Communications Certificates14
Understand Server Authentication14
Verify the Foundation Checker System Checks16
Install UNIX Patch for HP-UX 11.1116
VCM Uses FIPS Cryptography16
VCM Uses Microsoft Cryptographic Service Providers for Windows Machines17
Cryptography for UNIX/Linux Platforms17
Cryptography used in VCM Software Components17
Supported Windows and UNIX Platforms18
Installing VCM19
Installing, Configuring, and Upgrading the OS Provisioning Server and Components 21
Restricted Network Environment21
Install and Configure the OS Provisioning Server21
Install the OS Provisioning Server22
Set the vcmuser Password24
Configure DHCP25
Configure TFTP26
Create a Windows Boot Image26
Copy the VCM Certificate to the OS Provisioning Server for Linux Provisioning27
Configure OS Provisioning Server Integration with the VCM Collector28
Import Distributions into the OS Provisioning Server Repository33
Create Directories for Windows Distributions34
Import Windows Distributions34
Import Linux/ESX Distributions36
Using the basicimport Command Options38
Working with Custom Linux ISO Distributions38
Upgrade the OS Provisioning Server to 5.4.139
Before Upgrading the OS Provisioning Server39
Upgrading the OS Provisioning Server39
After Upgrading the OS Provisioning Server39
Managing the OS Provisioning Server System Logs40
ospctrl Command Options40
VMware, Inc.
3
vCenter Configuration Manager Installation and Getting Started Guide
Upgrading or Migrating VCM43
Upgrades43
Migrations43
Prerequisites to Migrate VCM44
Back Up Your Databases45
Back up Your Files45
Export and Back up Your Certificates45
Migrating VCM46
Migrate Only Your Database46
Replace Your Existing 32-Bit Environment with a Supported 64-bit Environment47
Migrate a 32-bit Environment Running VCM 5.3 or Earlier to VCM 5.4.148
Migrate a 64-bit Environment Running VCM 5.3 or Earlier to VCM 5.4.149
Migrate a Split Installation of VCM 5.3 or Earlier to a Single-Server Installation51
How to Recover Your Collector Machine if the Migration is not Successful53
Upgrading VCM and Components54
Upgrade VCM55
Upgrade Existing Windows Agents55
Upgrade Existing VCM Remote Clients56
Upgrade Existing UNIX Agents57
Upgrade VCM for Virtualization60
Maintaining VCM After Installation65
Customize VCM and Component-Specific Settings65
Database Recovery Models67
Configure Database File Growth67
Configure Database Recovery Settings68
Create a Maintenance Plan for SQL Server 2008 R269
Incorporate the VCM CMDB into your Backup and Disaster Recovery Plans70
Getting Started with VCM Components and Tools71
Understanding User Access71
Running VCM as Administrator on the Collector72
Log In to VCM72
Getting Familiar with the Portal73
General Information Bar73
Portal Toolbar74
Sliders75
Getting Started with VCM77
Discover, License, and Install Windows Machines77
Discover, License, and Install Windows Machines77
Verify Available Domains78
Check the Network Authority78
Assign Network Authority Accounts79
Discover Windows Machines79
License Windows Machines80
Disable User Account Control for VCM Agent Installation81
Install the VCM Windows Agent on Your Windows Machines83
Enable UAC After VCM Agent Installation89
Collect Windows Data90
Windows Collection Results91
Getting Started with Windows Custom Information92
Discover, License, and Install UNIX/Linux Machines111
Upgrade Requirements for UNIX/Linux Machines112
Add UNIX/Linux Machines112
License UNIX/Linux Machines114
Install the Agent on UNIX/Linux Machines114
4
VMware, Inc.
Contents
Collect UNIX/Linux Data121
UNIX/Linux Collection Results121
Discover, License, and Install Mac OS X Machines122
Add Mac OS X Machines123
License Mac OS X Machines124
Install the Agent on Mac OS X Machines124
Collect Mac OS X Data129
Mac OS X Collection Results131
Discover, Configure, and Collect Oracle Data from UNIX Machines131
Discover Oracle Instances132
Edit Oracle Instances133
Collect Oracle Data137
Oracle Collection Results138
Customize VCM for your Environment139
How to Set Up and Use VCM Auditing139
Getting Started with VCM for Virtualization141
Virtual Environments Configuration141
ESX/ESXi Server Collections142
vCenter Server Collections143
vCloud Director vApp Virtual Machines Collections143
Configure vCenter Server Data Collections143
Configure vCenter Server Collection Prerequisites143
Collect vCenter Server Data145
vCenter Server Collection Results146
Troubleshooting vCenter Server Data Collections146
Configure Virtual Machine Host Collections147
vCenter Server Collection Upgrade Considerations147
Configure the Collector as an Agent Proxy147
License and Configure Virtual Machine Hosts148
Copy Files to the ESX/ESXi Servers150
Collect Virtualization Data151
Virtualization Collection Results152
Configure vCloud Director vApp Virtual Machines Collections152
Network Address Translation and vCloud Director vApp Discovery Rules153
Generate vCloud Director Collection Credentials155
Create vCloud Director Data Collection Filters156
Collect vCloud Director Data158
Discover vCloud Director vApp Virtual Machines158
vCloud Director Collection Results162
Configure the vSphere Client VCM Plug-In163
Register the vSphere Client VCM Plug-In163
Configuring the vSphere Client VCM Plug-In Integration Settings164
Manage Machines from the vSphere Client165
Troubleshooting the vSphere Client VCM Plug-In Registration165
Getting Started with VCM Remote167
VCM Remote Management Workflow167
Configuring VCM Remote Connection Types167
Using Certificates With VCM Remote168
Configure and Install the VCM Remote Client168
Configure the VCM Remote Settings168
Install the VCMRemote Client171
Connect VCM Remote Client Machines to the Network178
VCM Remote Collection Results179
Getting Started with VCM Patching181
VMware, Inc.
5
vCenter Configuration Manager Installation and Getting Started Guide
VCM Patching for Windows and UNIX/Linux Machines181
VCM Patching for Windows Machines181
VCM Patching for UNIX and Linux Machines182
Minimum System Requirements182
UNIXand Linux Patch Assessment and Deployment182
Getting Started with VCM Patching184
vCenter Software Content Repository Tool190
Running VCM Patching Reports197
Customize Your Environment for VCMPatching198
Getting Started with Operating System Provisioning199
OS Provisioning Components199
How OS Provisioning Works200
Provision Target Machines with Operating System Distributions201
Collect OS Distributions201
Discover Provisionable Machines202
Provision Machines with Operating System Distributions202
Provisioned Machines Results213
Re-Provision Machines214
Getting Started with Software Provisioning217
Using Package Studio to Create Software Packages and Publish to Repositories217
Software Repository for Windows217
Package Manager for Windows217
Software Provisioning Component Relationships218
Install the Software Provisioning Components218
Install Software Repository for Windows219
Install Package Studio220
Install Package Manager on Managed Machines222
Using Package Studio to Create Software Packages and Publish to Repositories223
Creating Packages223
Using VCM Software Provisioning for Windows225
Collect Package Manager Information from Machines226
Collect Software Repository Data226
Add Repository Sources to Package Managers227
Install Packages228
Related Software Provisioning Actions230
Viewing Provisioning Jobs in the Job Manager230
Create Compliance Rules Based on Software Provisioning Data231
Getting Started with VCM Management Extensions for Assets235
Configure Asset Data Fields235
Review Available Asset Data Fields236
Add an Asset Data Field236
Edit an Asset Data Field237
Delete a VCMMXA Data Field238
Change the Order of Asset Data Columns238
Refresh Dynamic Asset Data Fields239
Configure Asset Data Values for VCM Machines239
Configure Asset Data for Other Hardware Devices240
Add Other Hardware Devices240
Add Multiple Similar Other Hardware Devices241
Edit Asset Data for Other Hardware Devices241
Edit Asset Data Values for Other Hardware Devices242
Delete Other Hardware Devices242
Configure Asset Data for Software243
6
VMware, Inc.
Contents
Add Software Assets243
Add Multiple Similar Software Assets244
Edit Asset Data for Software245
Edit Asset Data Values for Software245
Delete Software Data246
Getting Started with VCM Service Desk Integration247
Configure Service Desk Integration247
View Service Desk Integration in the Console247
View Service Desk Integration in Job Manager248
Getting Started with VCM for Active Directory249
Configure Domain Controllers249
Verify Available Domains250
Check the Network Authority Account250
Assign Network Authority Accounts251
Discover Domain Controllers251
License Domain Controllers252
Install the VCM Windows Agent on Your Domain Controllers253
Collect Domain Controller Data254
Configure VCM for Active Directory as an Additional Product255
Install VCM for Active Directory on the Domain Controllers255
Run the Determine Forest Action256
Run the Domain Controller Setup Action256
Collect Active Directory Data257
Active Directory Collection Results258
Installing and Getting Started with VCM Tools261
Install the VCM Tools Only261
VCM Import/Export and Content Wizard Tools262
Run the Import/Export Tool263
Run the Content Wizard to Access Additional Compliance Content263
Run the Deployment Utility263
Package Studio264
Foundation Checker264
Index265
VMware, Inc.
7
vCenter Configuration Manager Installation and Getting Started Guide
8
VMware, Inc.
About This Book
The VMware vCenter Configuration Manager Installation and Getting Started Guide describes the steps
necessary for a successful VCM installation.
This document contains the following information:
n
Preparing for the VCM installation
n
Installing VCM
n
Maintaining VCM after installation
n
Getting started with VCM and its components
Read this document and complete the associated procedures to prepare for a successful installation.
The VMware vCenter Configuration Manager Installation and Getting Started Guide applies to VCM,
Foundation Checker, and Service Desk Connector.
Intended Audience
This information is written for experienced Windows or UNIX/Linux/Mac OS X system administrators
who are familiar with managing network users and resources and with performing system maintenance.
To use this information effectively, you must have a basic understanding of how to configure network
resources, install software, and administer operating systems. You also need to fully understand your
network’s topology and resource naming conventions.
Document Feedback
VMware welcomes your suggestions for improving our documentation. If you have comments, send
your feedback to docfeedback@vmware.com.
VMware VCM Documentation
The vCenter Configuration Manager (VCM) documentation consists of the VCM Hardware and Software
Requirements Guide, VCM Foundation Checker User's Guide, VCM Installation and Getting Started Guide, VCM
Troubleshooting Guide, VCM online Help, and other associated documentation.
VMware, Inc.9
vCenter Configuration Manager Installation and Getting Started Guide
Technical Support and Education Resources
The following technical support resources are available to you. To access the current version of this book
and other books, go to http://www.vmware.com/support/pubs.
Online and Telephone
Support
Support OfferingsTo find out how VMware support offerings can help meet your business needs,
VMware Professional
Services
To use online support to submit technical support requests, view your product
and contract information, and register your products, go to
http://www.vmware.com/support.
Customers with appropriate support contracts should use telephone support for
priority 1 issues. Go to http://www.vmware.com/support/phone_support.html.
go to http://www.vmware.com/support/services.
VMware Education Services courses offer extensive hands-on labs, case study
examples, and course materials designed to be used as on-the-job reference tools.
Courses are available onsite, in the classroom, and live online. For onsite pilot
programs and implementation best practices, VMware Consulting Services
provides offerings to help you assess, plan, build, and manage your virtual
environment. To access information about education classes, certification
programs, and consulting services, go to http://www.vmware.com/services.
10VMware, Inc.
Preparing for Installation
You must prepare your environment before you install VCM components and tools.
Prerequisit es
n
Verify that your environment meets the security requirements. See the VCM Security Environment
Requirements White Paper on the Download VMware vCenter Configuration Manager Web site.
n
Verify that your hardware and software configuration meets the requirements to install VCM. See the
VCM Hardware and Software Requirements Guide.
n
Verify that your hardware and software meet the requirements to install VCM and install and run the
standalone VCM Foundation Checker. See "Installing and Getting Started with VCM Tools" on page
261.
To prepare your environment, familiarize yourself with the following topics.
n
Installation Manager: Installs and activates VCM components and tools.
Tools Installation: Lists the installed VCM tools.
1
n
General Prerequisites to install VCM: Describes prerequisites that you must perform before you install
VCM.
Installation Manager
The VCM Installation Manager installs new versions of VCM components and tools and upgrades existing
versions. Installation Manager performs several actions.
n
Checks managed machines to ensure that they meet the hardware and software prerequisites for the
installation.
n
Confirms the license file that you apply during the installation.
n
Installs the components and tools in the appropriate order on your machines.
n
Tests each installation step to verify that all components install successfully and that licensed
components activate successfully.
Installation Manager operates with minimal user input and reports on progress during the installation
process. All VCM components are installed. Only components that you purchased are licensed. You can
purchase more licenses later to activate the additional installed components.
If you are upgrading, see "Upgrading or Migrating VCM" on page 43.
VMware, Inc.11
vCenter Configuration Manager Installation and Getting Started Guide
Installation Configurations
Understand the installation configurations, configure your hardware, and install the prerequisite software.
See the VCM Hardware and Software Requirements Guide.
Split installations are not supported. To migrate a split installation of VCM 5.3 or earlier to a single-server
installation, see "Upgrading or Migrating VCM" on page 43. For more information, contact VMware
Technical Support.
Tools Installation
The VCM Installation Manager installs several tools.
n
Foundation Checker
n
Import/Export Tool and Content Wizard Tool
n
Package Studio
You may install VCM tools separately on a non-Collector machine. See "Installing and Getting Started with
VCM Tools" on page 261.
General Prerequisites to Install VCM
Perform the general prerequisites to ensure that your environment is adequately prepared before you use
Installation Manager to install VCM.
Verify Hardware and Software Requirements
Your hardware and software configuration must meet the requirements in the VCM Hardware and Software
Requirements Guide.
Verify Administration Rights
Verify that the user account of the person who performs the installation or upgrade has all of the
following rights.
n
System administrator on the machines on which the installation or upgrade is performed, and
n
System administrator on the database instance to be used, and
n
Member of a domain.
The installing user account must not be the account used to run SQL Server services. In addition, after
installation, do not create a VCM user that uses the SQL Server services account credentials.
Set the Default Network Authority Account
Define the network authority account in the Local Administrators group on each Collector machine before
you install VCM. See the VCM Hardware and Software Requirements Guide.
You specify the default network authority account during VCM installation. The default network authority
account can be a system administrator account, such as a Domain Admin in the Local Admin Group.
The Local System account, NT AUTHORITY\System, has unrestricted access to all local system resources.
This account is a member of the Windows Administrators group on the local machine and a member of
the SQL Server sysadmin fixed server role.
12VMware, Inc.
Preparing for Installation
If the NT AUTHORITY\System account does not have access to the VCM installation binary files, the
installation results in an “access denied” error. You must grant access to the NT AUTHORITY\System
account from the installation source directory and then run the installation again. Right-click the folder,
select the Security tab, and verify that the user or user’s group has Full Control of the file/folder.
To change the network authority account later in VCM, click Administration and select Settings >Network Authority.
Specify the Collector Services Account
You specify the Collector Services Account during VCM installation. The account can be a system
administrator account and must exist in the Local Administrators group on the Collector machine. The
account must not be the Local System account.
If the password for the account changes, you must change the password in the Services Management
console and the Component Services DCOM Config console.
Change the Collector Services Account Password in the Services
Management Console
If the password for your Collector services account changes, you must change the services password in
the Services Management Console.
Procedure
1. Click Start.
2. Select All Programs > Administrative Tools >Services.
3. Locate all of the services that use the collector services account to log on.
4. Right-click each of these services and select Properties.
5. Click the Log On tab and update the password field to reflect your new password.
6. Click OK.
Change the Collector Services Account Password in the Component
Services DCOM Config Console
If the password for your Collector services account changes, you must change the services password in
the Component Services DCOM Config console.
Procedure
1. Click Start.
2. Select All Programs > Administrative Tools >Component Services.
3. Expand Component Services and Computers.
4. Expand My Computer and select DCOM Config.
5. Right click LicenseDcom and select Properties.
6. Click the Identity tab and update the password field to reflect your new password.
7. Click OK.
VMware, Inc.13
vCenter Configuration Manager Installation and Getting Started Guide
Verify the VMware Application Services Account
Verify that the VMware Application Services Account is a domain user. This account has full administrative
authority for the CSI_Domain database.
IMPORTANT Never use this account as a VCM login or for any other purpose.
Determine the VCM Remote Virtual Directory
You specify the VCM Remote Virtual Directory during VCM installation. You can change the account later
using the IIS Management console.
IMPORTANT When you specify the VCM Remote Virtual Directory, to minimize security risks to your
accounts, always use an account that differs from the account used for your Default Network Authority
Account or your Services Account.
Use Secure Communications Certificates
VCM uses Transport Layer Security (TLS) to secure all HTTP communication with all Windows Agents and
UNIX Agents in HTTP mode. TLS uses certificates to authenticate the Collector and Agents to each other.
During VCM installation, you must specify the Collector and Enterprise certificates. If you use your own
certificates, you must familiarize yourself with the certificate names in advance so that you can select them
during installation.
A valid Collector certificate must be:
n
Located in the local machine personal certificate store.
n
Valid for Server Authentication. If any Enhanced Key Usage extension or property is present, it must
include the Server Authentication OID 1.3.6.1.5.5.7.3.1. If the Key Usage extension is present, it
must include DIGITAL_SIGNATURE.
n
Active, and not expired.
If you do not want to use your own certificates, you can have Installation Manager generate the Collector
and Enterprise certificates for you, select the Generate option during the installation.
If you install more than one Collector that will communicate with the same Agent(s), or if you plan to
replace or renew your certificates later, you must follow the special considerations to generate and select
certificates in VCM Installation Manager. See the Transport Layer Security Implementation for VCM white
paper on the Download VMware vCenter Configuration Manager Web site.
Understand Server Authentication
VCM supports Server Authentication, which is a method to authenticate the server to the client. In VCM
environments where TLS is used, VCM Agents verify the identity of the Collectors by using and verifying
certificates over HTTP.
The server typically authenticates a client or user by requiring information such as a user name and
password. When Server Authentication is used, the client or user verifies that the server is valid. To
accomplish this verification, the server provides a certificate issued by a trusted authority, such as Verisign.
If your client Web browser has the Verisign Certified Authority certificate in its trusted store, the Web
browser can trust that the server is actually the Web site you access.
14VMware, Inc.
Preparing for Installation
To guarantee the identity of servers and clients, TLS uses certificates that are managed by a public key
infrastructure (PKI). A certificate is a package that contains a public key, information that identifies the
owner and source of that key, and one or more certifications (signatures) to verify that the package is
authentic. To sign a certificate, an issuer adds information about itself to the information that is already
contained in the certificate request. The public key and identifying information are hashed and signed
using the private key of the issuer’s certificate.
Certificates are defined by the X.509 RFC standard, which includes fields that form a contract between the
creator and consumer. The Enhanced Key Usage extension specifies the use for which the certificate is
valid, including Server Authentication.
Enterprise and Collector Certificates
An Enterprise Certificate and one or more Collector Certificates enable secure HTTP Collector and Agent
communication in VCM. The Enterprise Certificate enables VCM to operate in a multi-Collector
environment. Agents have the Enterprise Certificate in their trusted certificate stores, and they use the
Enterprise Certificate to validate any certificate issued by the Enterprise Certificate. All Collector
Certificates are expected to be issued by the Enterprise Certificate, which is critical in environments where
a single Agent is shared between two Collectors.
Server authentication is required to establish a TLS connection with an Agent. All VCM Collectors should
have a common Enterprise Certificate. Each Collector Certificate is issued by the Enterprise Certificate,
and is capable of Server Authentication. Collector Certificates in VCM must adhere to the requirements
for secure communications certificates. See "General Prerequisites to Install VCM" on page 12.
n
The Collector Certificate initiates and secures a TLS communication channel with an HTTP Agent. The
Agent must be able to establish that the Collector Certificate can be trusted, which means that the
Collector Certificate is valid and the certification path starting with the Collector Certificate ends with a
trusted certificate. By design, the Enterprise Certificate is installed in the Agent’s trusted store. The trust
chain ends with the Enterprise Certificate.
n
A Collector Certificate can issue Agent certificates. When all Collector Certificates are issued by the
same Enterprise Certificate, any Agent Certificate may be issued by any Collector Certificate, and all
Agents can trust all Collectors. All Collectors can validate all Agent Certificates. Agent Certificates are
used for Mutual Authentication only. VCM supports Mutual Authentication, which requires interaction
with VMware Technical Support and a Collector Certificate that has certificate signing capability.
n
The Collector Certificate and associated private key must be available to the Collector. This certificate is
stored in the local machine personal system store.
Delivering Initial Certificates to Agents
VCM Agents use the Enterprise Certificate to validate Collector Certificates. The Agent must have access
to the Enterprise Certificate as a trusted certificate. In most cases, VCM delivers and installs the Enterprise
Certificate as needed.
n
Installing the Agent from a Disk (Windows only)
The VCM Installation DVD does not contain customer-specific certificates. If HTTP is specified, the
manual VCM installer requests the location of the Enterprise Certificate file during the installation. You
must have the Enterprise Certificate file available at installation time. You can copy the certificate file,
which has a .pem extension, from the CollectorData folder on the Collector. You must copy the
certificate file when you run the manual installer directly using CMAgentInstall.exe or when you
use the Agent Only option in the DVD auto-run program.
n
Using CMAgentInstall.exe to Install the Agent (Windows only)
VMware, Inc.15
vCenter Configuration Manager Installation and Getting Started Guide
The CMAgentInstall.exe or CMAgent[version].msi is the manual Agent installer program. The
manual installer requests the location of the Enterprise Certificate file when HTTP is specified. You must
have the Enterprise Certificate file available at installation time. You can copy the certificate file from
the CollectorData folder on the Collector.
n
Using the MSI Install Package
When you specify HTTP, the MSI Agent install package also requires access to the .pem file.
n
Installing the Agent for UNIX/Linux
See "Install the Agent on UNIX/Linux Machines" on page 114.
Installing the Agent Using a Provisioning System
For Windows, the manual installation program is available in EXE and MSI formats. Both versions allow
you to specify the Enterprise Certificate file by using a command line switch. You may omit the certificate
installation step by using a command line switch.
When these programs are run through a provisioning system, you must ensure that the Enterprise
Certificate is available and secure, and configure the program options appropriately. Alternatively, you
may choose to send the Enterprise Certificate to Agents by some other means and configure the
provisioning system to omit certificate installation.
For UNIX/Linux, each UNIX/Linux installation package is targeted for one or more supported platforms.
To install the UNIX/Linux Agent using a provisioning system, extract the installation package and then
deploy the extracted file with the provisioning system. The Enterprise Certificate is embedded in the
installation package on the Collector.
For more information about installing the Agent on UNIX/Linux machines, and UNIX/Linux packages and
platforms, see "Install the Agent on UNIX/Linux Machines" on page 114.
Verify the Foundation Checker System Checks
Installation Manager runs Foundation Checker automatically during the VCM installation. Foundation
Checker checks your Collector to verify that all of the prerequisites are satisfied for a successful
installation.
When Foundation Checker runs as part of the Installation Manager process, it verifies component-specific
issues against VCM. Foundation Checker captures common issues that are difficult to remediate and
identifies issues with the components and version of VCM being installed. Foundation Checker must run
without generating errors before you install VCM. For more information about the standalone
Foundation Checker, see "Installing and Getting Started with VCM Tools" on page 261) and the VCMFoundation Checker User's Guide on the Download VMware vCenter Configuration Manager Web site.
Install UNIX Patch for HP-UX 11.11
If you install the VCM Agent on HP-UX 11.11 platforms, install patch PHSS_30966. For assistance, contact
VMware Technical Support.
VCM Uses FIPS Cryptography
VCM incorporates cryptographic service providers that conform to Federal Information Processing
Standards (FIPS) standards. The FIPS standards are developed by the US National Institute of Standards
(NIST) and the Canadian Communications Security Establishment (CSE).
VCM supports the following FIPS standards.
16VMware, Inc.
Preparing for Installation
n
FIPS 140-2: Security Requirements for Cryptographic Modules
n
FIPS 46-3: Data Encryption Standard (DES)
n
FIPS 81: DES Modes of Operation
n
FIPS 113: Computer Data Authentication
n
FIPS 171: Key Management
n
FIPS 180-1: Secure Hash Standard (SHA-1)
n
FIPS 186-2: Digital Signature Standard (DSA) and Random Number Generation (RNG)
n
FIPS 198: Message Authentication Codes (MACs) using SHA-1
n
FIPS 197: Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) Cipher
n
FIPS 200: Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA)
n
SP 800-2: Public Key Cryptography (including RSA)
n
SP 800-20: Triple DES Encryption (3DES) Cipher
VCM Uses Microsoft Cryptographic Service Providers for Windows
Machines
On Windows machines, VCM uses cryptography using the Microsoft CryptoAPI, which is a framework
that dispatches to Microsoft Cryptographic Service Providers (CSPs). CSPs are not shipped with VCM or
installed by VCM, but instead are part of the security environment that is included with Microsoft
Windows. In the configurations supported by VCM, these CSPs are FIPS 140-2 validated.
For a current table of FIPS certificate numbers, see the FIPS 140 Evaluation in the online Microsoft Library.
Cryptography for UNIX/Linux Platforms
On UNIX/Linux platforms, the VCM Agent uses the cryptography of the OpenSSL v0.9.7 module. This
cryptographic library is installed with the VCM Agent.
Cryptography used in VCM Software Components
VCM uses software components that also use cryptography.
n
Microsoft IIS, Internet Explorer, and SChannel (SSL/TLS) systems call the CryptoAPI, and therefore use
the Windows FIPS-validated modules.
n
VCM for Virtualization uses ActiveX COM components from WeOnlyDo! Software (WOD) for SSH and
SFTP services.
n
WOD uses the FIPS 140-2 compliant OpenSSL library.
Table 1–1. Installed or Used Crytography Modules
System
Platform
Open
SSLFIPS 1.1.2
Open
SSLFIPS 1.1.1
Open
SSLCrypt 0.9.7
Crypto++Crypto
API
UIWindowsUsed
VCMServerWindowsInstalledUsed
Virt ProxyWindowsInstalledUsed
AD AgentWindowsUsed
Win AgentWindowsUsed
VMware, Inc.17
vCenter Configuration Manager Installation and Getting Started Guide
System
UNIX AgentHP/UXInstalledInstalled
ESX ServerAllNo cryptography modules are used or installed on ESX.
Platform
AIXInstalledInstalled
SolarisInstalledInstalled
DebianInstalledInstalled
Red HatInstalledInstalled
SUSEInstalledInstalled
Open
SSLFIPS 1.1.2
Open
SSLFIPS 1.1.1
Open
SSLCrypt 0.9.7
Crypto++Crypto
API
Supported Windows and UNIX Platforms
For a list of supported Windows and UNIX platforms and architectures, see the VCM Hardware and
Software Requirements Guide. For information about TLS, see the Transport Layer Security (TLS)
Implementation for VCM white paper on the Download VMware vCenter Configuration Manager Web site.
18VMware, Inc.
Installing VCM
Use Installation Manager to install VCM and all of its components and tools. To install only the VCM
tools, see "Installing and Getting Started with VCM Tools" on page 261.
The VMware vCenter Configuration Manager (VCM) Installation Manager is a standalone application
that checks your machine to confirm that it is properly configured, installs VCM, and configures licensed
components during the installation process.
VCM 5.4.1 supports 64-bit environments that include 64-bit hardware, the 64-bit Windows Server 2008 R2
operating system, and SQL Server 2008 R2.
When you install VCM and related components, the default settings might not fit your configuration
exactly. You must read the information that appears for each configurable component and supply the
appropriate information. If you migrate VCM or SQL Server, or migrate to a 64-bit system, see
"Upgrading or Migrating VCM" on page 43.
CAUTION The installation process adds the %windir%\Installer\ folder, which contains VCM
related MSI files. Do not move or delete the content of this folder. If you delete the content, you will
not be able to use Installation Manager to upgrade, repair, or uninstall VCM.
2
Prerequisit es
n
Review the list of supported platforms in the VCM Hardware and Software Requirements Guide.
n
Before you migrate VCM to VCM 5.4.1, read Migrating VCM and Related Components.
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vCenter Configuration Manager Installation and Getting Started Guide
Procedu re
1. To install VCM, insert the installation disk into the Windows machine.
The initial installation screen appears and displays several options. If the installation screen does not
appear automatically, or if you began the installation from a network location, navigate to the disk
root directory or the file share and double-click setup.exe.
2. Select an installation option.
OptionDescription
Run Installation ManagerStarts Installation Manager and begins the installation.
View HelpDisplays the Installation Manager Help, which describes the selections that appear
during the installation.
Browse Contents of
Installation CD
Contact Support TeamDisplays instructions to contact VMware Technical Support.
ExitCloses Installation Manager.
Starts Windows Explorer and displays the content of the installation disk, which
includes documentation.
3. Follow the steps through the wizard to complete the installation.
For details about the installation options, open the Installation Manager online help.
What to do next
When the installation is finished, configure SQL Server database file growth and database recovery
settings to tune your VCM database. See "Maintaining VCM After Installation" on page 65.
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Installing, Configuring, and Upgrading the
OS Provisioning Server and Components
The Operating System (OS) Provisioning Server serves as a repository of imported OS distributions and
manages the installation of the distributions on target machines. The installation of the distributions is part
of the OS provisioning function in VCM, which identifies machines that can be provisioned and initiates
the OS provisioning on the target machines.
You install and configure the OS Provisioning Server on a Red Hat server. After configuring the server,
you import the operating system ISO files. The database manages the metadata about the OS distributions
and the ISO files are saved in the OS Provisioning Server repository. After you import the distributions,
the server performs the installation process, which is managed in VCM. See "Getting Started with
Operating System Provisioning" on page 199 for provisioning machines instructions.
You cannot directly upgrade from OS Provisioning Server 5.4 to 5.4.1. Nor is OS Provisioning Server 5.4
compatible with VCM 5.4.1. You must install the new 5.4.1 OS Provisioning Server components, configure
the server, and import the operating system ISO files into the new database structure. See "Upgrade the
OS Provisioning Server to 5.4.1" on page 39.
When the OS Provisioning Server is installed and configured, consult the VCM Backup and Disaster RecoveryGuide and create a backup plan for your server and files.
3
Troubleshooting information is available in the VCM Troubleshooting Guide.
Restricted Network Environment
To maintain security during the OS provisioning process, install and run your OS Provisioning Server in a
private or restricted network. When you provision target machines, you connect the machines to this
private network. See VCM Security Environment Requirements.
Install and Configure the OS Provisioning Server
You install the OS Provisioning Server and configure the components used to manage your operating
system distributions. After you configure the components, you import the distributions and use VCM to
install them on target machines.
Procedure
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1. "Install the OS Provisioning Server" on page 22
Using the supplied media or media images, install the OS Provisioning Server and run the command to
create the distribution repository.
2. "Set the vcmuser Password" on page 24
Configure the vcmuser to use when you import distributions into the OS Provisioning Server
repository and for communication between VCM and the OS Provisioning Server.
3. "Configure DHCP" on page 25
When you configure a private, isolated network that is used specifically for provisioning, the OS
Provisioning Server uses the DHCP server it installed to provide addresses and network boot
information to nodes connected to the network.
4. "Configure TFTP " on page 26
The OS Provisioning Server provides TFTP services that run on the provisioning network. You must
configure the TFTP server to listen on the private OS provisioning network interface.
5. "Create a Windows Boot Image" on page 26
Create a Windows boot image and copy it to the OS Provisioning Server. You create the image on a
Windows 2008 or Windows 7 machine, and copy the files to the OS Provisioning Server.
6. "Copy the VCMCertificate to the OS Provisioning Server for Linux Provisioning" on page 27
If you use the OS Provisioning Server to install Linux distributions, you must copy the VCM certificate
file to the OS Provisioning Server to ensure the certificate is included with the Agent when OS
Provisioning Server creates the configured session prior to provisioning.
7. "Configure OS Provisioning Server Integration with the VCM Collector" on page 28
The integration between VCM and the OS Provisioning Server uses Stunnel to establish secure
communication between and the SOAP services of the two components.
Install the OS Provisioning Server
Using the supplied media or media images, install the OS Provisioning Server and run the command to
create the distribution repository.
VCM OS provisioning supports a single instance of VCM with a single instance of the OS Provisioning
Server.
Prerequisites
n
Install VCM. See "Installing VCM" on page 19.
n
Ensure the target machine meets the prerequisites specified in the VCM Hardware and Software
Requirements Guide.
n
Determine whether you are installing the OS Provisioning Server as an attended or unattended
installation. To run an unattended installation, use the ./autoinstall -a y command. This
procedure is based on an attended installation.
22VMware, Inc.
Installing, Configuring, and Upgrading the OS Provisioning Server and Components
Procedure
1. On the target machine, log in as root.
2. Mount the VCM-OS-Provisioning-Server-<version number>.iso by attaching or mounting the
image.
When you mount the image, do not use the no exec option.
3. Type cd /<path to mounted OS Provisioning Server.iso> to change the directory to the
location of the image.
4. Run the ./INSTALL-ME command to install server.
5. In the Nixstaller window, click Next.
6. In the dialog box, click Continue.
7. In the dialog box, click Close when the installation finishes.
8. In the Nixstaller window, click Finish.
9. Run the service FastScale status command to verify that the installation completed
successfully.
A successful installation displays the following results. PID values vary.
rsyslogd (pid 3335) is running...
fsmesgd (pid 3517) is running...
fsrepod (pid 3683) is running...
fsadmin (pid 12618) is running...
dhcpd is stopped
tftpd (pid 12057) is running
fsjobd (pid 4237) is running...
fshinvd (pid 4249) is stopped...
stunnel (pid 4262 4261 4260 4259 4258 4257) is running...
An unsuccessful installation displays FastScale: unrecognized service or several of the above
mentioned services are not running. Review the logs to determine possible problems.
10. Run the /opt/FastScale/sbin/create-repository command.
This action updates the repository database and destroys any existing repository information
11. Reboot the OS Provisioning Server to ensure that all related services are started in the correct order.
12. Run the service FastScale status command to verify the OS Provisioning Server services after
reboot.
A successful installation displays the services and their PIDs as running.
What to do next
n
To ensure proper security, you must set the password for the vcmuser. See "Set the vcmuser Password"
on page 24.
n
(Optional) Add the OS Provisioning Server maintenance commands to the root user's path. The OS
Provisioning Server modifies the default shell profiles by adding /opt/FastScale/sbin to the root
account. When the user is root, the maintenance commands in /opt/FastScale/sbin are available
in the default path and are available when the profile is reloaded.
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Uninstall the OS Provisioning Server
Uninstalling the OS Provisioning Server removes the provisioning application from the machine on which
it is installed. You must mount the OS Provisioning Server media and run the uninstall command.
CAUTION The uninstall process removes the application and deletes all the data in the database.
Procedu re
1. On the OS Provisioning Server, log in as root.
2. Mount the OS Provisioning Server ISO by attaching or mounting the image.
3. Type cd /<path to OS Provisioning Server.iso> to change the directory to the location of
the image.
4. Run the ./UNINSTALL-ME command to uninstall the application.
5. Type yes.
The uninstall process completes and generates a log. See the example log.
[Thu Jul 22 08:57:06 IST 2010] UNINSTALL-ME: Starting uninstallation of VCM OS
Provisioning Server...
[Thu Jul 22 08:57:08 IST 2010] UNINSTALL-ME: FastScale service is running
[Thu Jul 22 08:57:08 IST 2010] UNINSTALL-ME: Stopping FastScale service
[Thu Jul 22 09:00:44 IST 2010] UNINSTALL-ME: Uninstallation complete!
Set the vcmuser Password
Configure the vcmuser to use when you import distributions into the OS Provisioning Server repository
and for communication between VCM and the OS Provisioning Server.
Do not delete the user or change the permissions, but you must set the vcmuser password based on your
corporate standards.
Prerequisites
Verify that the OS Provisioning Server is installed. See "Install the OS Provisioning Server" on page 22.
Procedure
1. On the OS Provisioning Server, log in as root.
2. Run the passwd vcmuser command.
3. Type and confirm the new password.
What to do next
Configure DHCP with your local settings. See "Configure DHCP" on page 25.
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Configure DHCP
When you configure a private, isolated network that is used specifically for provisioning, the OS
Provisioning Server uses the DHCP server it installed to provide addresses and network boot information
to nodes connected to the network.
Prerequisites
Determine whether you are using a private network (recommended) or shared network (supported, but
not recommended). If you are provisioning systems on a shared network, you probably have a DHCP
server on the network. Disable the OS Provisioning Server's DHCP server and configure your regular
DHCP server to provide network boot information for machines to be provisioned. See "Configure a
DHCP Server Other Than the OS Provisioning Server" on page 25 .
Procedure
1. Open /opt/FastScale/etc/dhcpd.conf.
2. Configure the settings for your environment.
OptionDescription
subnet
The IP address subnet of the private network interface.
Default value is 10.11.12.0.
netmask
The netmask of the subnet.
Default value is 255.255.255.0.
range
The range of allocated IP addresses for the provisioned nodes.
Default value is 10.11.12.100–10.11.12.200.
broadcast-address
The broadcast address on the subnet.
Default value is 10.11.12.255.
next-server
The IP address of the private network interface.
Default value is 10.11.12.1.
What to do next
Configure the TFTP server to work with the provisioning environment. See "Configure TFTP " on page 26.
Configure a DHCP Server Other Than the OS Provisioning Server
To configure your system to work with a DHCP server other than the one on the OS Provisioning Server,
you turn off the OS Provisioning Server DHCP server and configure your corporate DHCP server to
connect to the OS Provisioning Server after nodes connect and NetBoot (PXE) starts. The nodes download
the boot kernel from the OS Provisioning Server through TFTP.
Procedu re
1. On the OS Provisioning Server, log in as root.
2. Open /etc/sysconfig/FSdhcpd.
3. Change DHCPD_CONF=/opt/FastScale/etc/dhcpd.conf to DHCPD_
CONF=/opt/FastScale/etc/dhcpd.conf.none
This change prevents the DHCP from resetting after a reboot.
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4. Run the /opt/FastScale/etc/init.d/FSdhcpd stop command.
5. On the corporate DHCP server, update dhcpd.conf to add these options:
allow bootp;
allow booting;
next-server <IP address of the OS Provisioning Server>;
Configure TFTP
The OS Provisioning Server provides TFTP services that run on the provisioning network. You must
configure the TFTP server to listen on the private OS provisioning network interface.
Procedure
1. On the OS Provisioning Server, log in as root.
2. Run ospctrl --showconfig.
The following results verify that the TFTP and Apache services are running.
TFTP - Configured on * - Running
Apache - Configured on * - Running
3. Run ospctrl --configure --privateip <IP Address>.
The configuration process runs. The IP address is 10.11.12.1.
Shutting down FStftpd: [ OK ]
Starting FStftpd: [ OK ]
TFTP - Configured on 10.11.12.1 - Running
Shutting down FSadmin: [ OK ]
Starting FSadmin: [ OK ]
Apache - Configured on 10.11.12.1 - Running
4. Run ospctrl --showconfig.
The following text appears when the TFTP and Apache services are running.
TFTP - Configured on 10.11.12.1 - Running
Apache - Configured on 10.11.12.1 - Running
What to do next
To install Windows distributions on target machines, you must create a Windows boot image and copy it
to the OS Provisioning Server. See "Create a Windows Boot Image" on page 26.
Create a Windows Boot Image
Create a Windows boot image and copy it to the OS Provisioning Server. You create the image on a
Windows 2008 or Windows 7 machine, and copy the files to the OS Provisioning Server.
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Prerequisites
n
Verify that the Windows Automated Install Kit (WAIK) 2.0 is installed on the Windows machine on
which you are creating the boot image.
n
Verify that the Windows machine on which you are creating the image, which is usually the VCM
Collector, can access the OS Provisioning Server on the network.
n
On Windows 2008 machines, you run the command line options in this procedure as Administrator.
Procedure
1. On the OS Provisioning Server, copy /opt/FastScale/deployment to a directory on the Windows
machines on which you are creating the boot image.
For example, c:\Program Files\osp.
2. From the Windows command line, change the directory to the location where you copied the
deployment files.
For example, c:\Program Files\osp\deployment.
3. From the Windows command line, run bin\osp --osphome="c:<Path to OSP files> --
deploymenturl=<OS Provisioning Server Private IP Address> --waik=<Path to
WAIK>".
OptionDescription
osphomeeThe path to the files copied from the OS Provisioning Server. For example,
c:\Program Files\osp\deployment. If you run the command from the
directory, you can use --osphome=.
deploymenturl
waik
The OS Provisioning Server's Private Interface IP Address. The default
configuration is 10.11.12.1.
Path to the Windows AIK files. For example, "c:\Program Files
(x86)\Windows AIK".
4. When the preinstallation environment and boot configuration are created, copy the directories from
the WindowsAIK machine to the OS Provisioning Server.
Copy the VCM certificate to the OS Provisioning Server to ensure the successful installation of your
Linux/ESX distributions. See "Copy the VCMCertificate to the OS Provisioning Server for Linux
Provisioning" on page 27.
Copy the VCMCertificate to the OS Provisioning Server for Linux
Provisioning
If you use the OS Provisioning Server to install Linux distributions, you must copy the VCM certificate file
to the OS Provisioning Server to ensure the certificate is included with the Agent when OS Provisioning
Server creates the configured session prior to provisioning.
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vCenter Configuration Manager Installation and Getting Started Guide
Prerequistes
Ensure that you have access to the VMware_VCM_Enterprise_Certificate_*.pem file in the
\Program Files (x86)\VMware\VCM\CollectorData folder on the VCM Collector.
Procedure
1. Copy the VCM certificate, VMware_VCM_Enterprise_Certificate_*.pem, to the OS Provisioning
Server/opt/FastScale/var/fsadmin/basic/ directory.
What to do next
Configure the secure Stunnel communications between the OS Provisioning Server and the VCM
Collector. See "Configure OS Provisioning Server Integration with the VCM Collector" on page 28.
Configure OS Provisioning Server Integration with the VCM Collector
The integration between VCM and the OS Provisioning Server uses Stunnel to establish secure
communication between and the SOAP services of the two components.
Prerequisites
n
Ensure that all private keys are RSA keys.
n
Ensure that certificates are created or obtained, and copied to the required locations using industry best
practices.
n
On the Collector, copy the certificate to c:\Program Files (x86)
\VMware\VCM\Tools\sTunnel\certs\vcm_stunnel_cert.pem.
n
On the Collector, copy the private key to c:\Program Files
(x86)\VMware\VCM\Tools\sTunnel\key\vcm_stunnel_pk.pem.
n
On the OS Provisioning Server, copy the certificate to /opt/FastScale/var/certs/vcm_stunnel_
cert.pem.
n
Verify that all directories where these keys and certificates are stored are secured.
Procedure
1. "Configure Stunnel on the OS Provisioning Server" on page 29.
Stunnel is used to establish secure communication between VCM and the OS Provisioning Server
SOAP services. On the OS Provisioning Server, copy the certificates to the locations specified in the
stunnel.conf file and configure Stunnel to ensure that the connection on the OS Provisioning Server
is operational.
2. "Configure Stunnel on the VCM Collector" on page 30.
The VCM Collector installation process installs Stunnel files that are used to establish secure
communication between VCM and the OS Provisioning Server SOAP services. Configure Stunnel to
ensure that the connection on the Collector is operational.
3. "Confirm Stunnel Configuration" on page 32.
Confirm that Stunnel communication between the OS Provisioning Server and the VCM Collector is
configured and active before you provision target machines.
28VMware, Inc.
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Configure Stunnel on the OS Provisioning Server
Stunnel is used to establish secure communication between VCM and the OS Provisioning Server SOAP
services. On the OS Provisioning Server, copy the certificates to the locations specified in the
stunnel.conf file and configure Stunnel to ensure that the connection on the OS Provisioning Server is
operational.
Prerequisit es
Review the VCM Stunnel certificate validation chain described in /opt/FastScale/etc/stunnel.conf.
Procedu re
1. On the OS Provisioning Server, log in as root.
2. Place the VCM Stunnel certificate validation chain in /opt/FastScale/var/certs.
All of the files in this directory are owned by root and have permissions of -rw-r--r--.
The Stunnel configuration file on the OS Provisioning Server is located in
; Either CAfile or CAPath, but not both, should be defined
; CAfile = /opt/FastScale/var/certs/ca-cert.pem
; Certificate Authority directory
; This is the directory in which stunnel will look for certificates
when using the verify.
; Note that the certificates in this directory should be named
; XXXXXXXX.0 where XXXXXXXX is the hash value of the DER encoded
subject of the
; cert (the first 4 bytes of the MD5 hash in least significant byte
order).
; The hash can be obtained with the command: openssl x509 -noout -in
cert.pem -hash
CApath = /opt/FastScale/var/certs
client = no
foreground = no
output = /opt/FastScale/logs/stunnel.log
pid = /opt/FastScale/logs/stunnel.pid
[fsmesgds]
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vCenter Configuration Manager Installation and Getting Started Guide
accept = 40610
connect = localhost:21310
; Authentication stuff
verify = 3
[fsrepods]
accept = 40607
connect = 127.0.0.1:21307
; Authentication stuff
verify = 3
3. Run the service FastScale restart command to restart Stunnel.
What to do next
After you configure the Stunnel on the OS Provisioning Server, you must configure the Stunnel
communication on the VCM Collector. See "Configure Stunnel on the VCM Collector" on page 30.
Configure Stunnel on the VCM Collector
The VCM Collector installation process installs Stunnel files that are used to establish secure
communication between VCM and the OS Provisioning Server SOAP services. Configure Stunnel to
ensure that the connection on the Collector is operational.
Prerequisit es
n
Secure the VCM Stunnel certificate and the VCM Stunnel private key according to your corporate best
practices.
n
Verify that the [C:]\Program Files (x86)\VMware\VCM\Tools\sTunnel\certs\ directory
exists on the Collector. If the directory does not exist, create it.
n
Verify that the [C:]\Program Files (x86)\VMware\VCM\Tools\sTunnel\key\ directory exists
on the Collector. If the directory does not exist, create it.
Procedu re
1. On the Collector, place the VCM Stunnel certificate in
[C:]\Program Files (x86)\VMware\VCM\Tools\sTunnel\certs\vcm_stunnel_cert.pem.
2. Place the VCM Stunnel RSAprivate key in
[C:]\Program Files (x86)\VMware\VCM\Tools\sTunnel\key\vcm_stunnel_pk.pem.
3. Place the OS Provisioning Server Stunnel CA certificate validation chain in the files and directory
specified in the stunnel.conf file.
The VCM Stunnel configuration file on the VCM application server is [C:]\Program Files
If using CAfile, update C:\Program Files
(x86)\VMware\VCM\Tools\sTunnel\certs\ca-cert.pem with
the installation location.
n
If using CApath, update C:\Program Files
(x86)\VMware\VCM\Tools\sTunnel\certs with the installation
location.
accept
connect
Update to 127.0.0.1:21307.
Update asm_hostname_or_ip_address:40607 to the host name or
the IP address of the OS Provisioning Server.
5. Run the following commands from the Stunnel directory to register and start the Stunnel service.
cd c:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\VCM\Tools\sTunnel
stunnel –install
net start stunnel
What to do next
Verify that the communication between the OS Provisioning Server and the VCMCollector is properly
configured. See "Confirm Stunnel Configuration" on page 32.
Confirm Stunnel Configuration
Confirm that Stunnel communication between the OS Provisioning Server and the VCM Collector is
configured and active before you provision target machines.
Prerequisit es
n
Configure Stunnel on the OS Provisioning Server. See "Configure Stunnel on the OS Provisioning
Server" on page 29.
n
Configure Stunnel on the VCMCollector. See "Configure Stunnel on the VCM Collector" on page 30.
32VMware, Inc.
Installing, Configuring, and Upgrading the OS Provisioning Server and Components
Procedu re
1. On the Collector, start Internet Explorer and type http://localhost:21307/ in the address field.
If the connection is properly configured, the following message appears.
<faultstring>HTTP GET method not implemented</faultstring>
</SOAP-ENV:Fault>
</SOAP-ENV:Body>
</SOAP-ENV:Envelope>
If the connection fails, the page displays Web page not found. You must review your Stunnel
configuration files and make any necessary corrections.
What to do next
Import distributions into your OS Provisioning Server repository. See "Import Distributions into the OS
Provisioning Server Repository" on page 33.
Import Distributions into the OS Provisioning Server Repository
To install operating system distributions on target machines, you must import the distributions into the OS
Provisioning Server repository.
Supported operating systems are listed in the VCM Hardware and Software Requirements Guide.
Prerequisites
Confirm that you installed OS Provisioning Server and configured all the options. See "Install and
Configure the OS Provisioning Server" on page 21.
Procedure
1. "Create Directories for Windows Distributions" on page 34.
Some Windows operating system distribution files are issued on multiple disks. Because of the
dependencies within the packages, you must create a single directory for multiple Windows operating
system disks before you import Windows distributions.
2. "Import Windows Distributions" on page 34.
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Windows distributions are the operating system installation files that you import into the OS
Provisioning Server repository. After importing the distribution, you use VCM provisioning actions to
install the operating system on target machines.
3. "Import Linux/ESX Distributions" on page 36.
Linux/ESX distributions are the operating system installation files that you import into the OS
Provisioning Server repository. After importing the distribution, use VCM provisioning actions to
install the operating system on target machines. You can import standard and customized operating
system distributions.
Create Directories for Windows Distributions
Some Windows operating system distribution files are issued on multiple disks. Because of the
dependencies within the packages, you must create a single directory for multiple Windows operating
system disks before you import Windows distributions.
Procedure
1. On the OS Provisioning Server, use the mkdir -p /tmp/<directory name> command to create a
directory to contain the imported files from multiple source files.
For example, mkdir -p /tmp/Win2003-R2-SP2-Standard.
2. Insert the first CD in the drive and run the cp -R /media/cdrom/<source directory name>/tmp/<directory name> command.
For example, cp -R /media/cdrom/Win2003-R2-SP2-Standard /tmp/Win2003-R2-SP2-Standard-Disk1.
3. Replace the first CD with the second CD and run the cp -R /media/cdrom/<source directoryname> /tmp/<directory name> command.
For example, cp -R /media/cdrom/Win2003-R2-SP2-Standard /tmp/Win2003-R2-SP2-Standard-Disk2.
When you import the second CD, do not replace any files if you are prompted during the copy
operation.
What to do next
Import Windows distributions into your repository. See "Import Windows Distributions" on page 34.
Import Windows Distributions
Windows distributions are the operating system installation files that you import into the OS Provisioning
Server repository. After importing the distribution, you use VCM provisioning actions to install the
operating system on target machines.
You can import standard and customized ISO images. When you import a standard image, you type the
required metadata. If the import process detects a custom image, you must select specific values for the
platform, distribution, and build type.
When you mount the images, do not use -t iso9660. If you use -t iso9660, some auto-mounted
media will not import. If the import process reports a fingerprint error message, you must unmount the
directory and manually mount it using the -t udf rather than the -t iso9660 option.
34VMware, Inc.
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Prerequisites
n
Verify that the distributions you are importing do not include spaces in the filenames. Before you
import, remove the spaces or replace them with underscores.
n
Confirm that the current OS Provisioning Server IP address is correct for your production
environment. You cannot change the OS Provisioning Server IP address at a later time. If the initial IP
address of the OS Provisioning Server after install is not the address you intend for it to have when it is
put into production, you must change its address, and change related DHCP and TFTP configurations,
before you import any OS distributions. If you change the OS Provisioning Server IP address after you
imported the distributions, you must re-import the distributions with the new address. You must also
recreate the Windows boot image with the new IP address.
n
Determine whether you are importing a single ISO image or multiple images from a directory. The
basicimport command uses a -i option to specify an ISO file and a -d option to specify the directory.
See "Using the basicimport Command Options" on page 38.
n
If you are importing multidistribution .iso files, create directories and copy the files to the directories.
See "Create Directories for Windows Distributions" on page 34.
Procedure
1. On the OS Provisioning Server, log in as vcmuser.
2. Mount the ISO by attaching to the media image or mounting the image.
For Windows 2008 and Windows 7, use -t udf mount type and do not include any spaces in the path.
For all other Windows operating systems, use loopback. For example, $ sudo mount -o loop/<iso_file.iso> /<mount point>.
3. Run the sudo basicimport -d /mnt/<directory name> -l <OS Provisioning Serverprivate IP address or provisioning network IP address> command.
For example, sudo basicimport -d /mnt/Win2k3SE-R2-SP2-i386 -l 10.11.12.1.
If you created a /tmp/ directory for a multi-CD distribution, include the path. For example,/tmp/<directory name>, or /tmp/Win2003-R2-SP2-Standard.
For subsequent imports, you can run the command without the -l option.
4. Type the Family Name.
For example, Windows. You must provide a unique family name to import different operating systems
in the same family. No other family can exist with the same combination of name, version, and
architecture values.
5. Type the Family Version.
For example, 2008R2.
6. Type the Family Architecture.
For example, either i386 or x86_64.
7. Type the Provenance.
For example, CD, hotfix, or SP.
8. For Windows 2008 R2, Windows 7, and Windows 2003 only, type the Build Type.
For example, either volume or retail.
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vCenter Configuration Manager Installation and Getting Started Guide
If you importing a standard ISO, the distribution is imported. If the ISO is customized, you must
provide additional information about the distribution that is used when installing the operating
system.
9. In the OS platform list, select 1. Microsoft Windows.
10. In the OS distributions list, select the number that most closely corresponds to the operating system
you are importing.
1. Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2
2. Microsoft Windows Server 2008 SP2
3. Microsoft Windows Server 2008 SP1
4. Microsoft Windows 7
5. Microsoft Windows 2003, Enterprise Edition R2 SP2
6. Microsoft Windows 2003, Standard Edition R2 SP2
If you select the incorrect distribution, you can import the distributions, but you cannot install it.
11. Type the Build Type, either retail or volume.
The distribution is imported.
What to do next
Import Linux/ESX distributions into the OS Provisioning Server repository. See "Import Linux/ESX
Distributions" on page 36
Import Linux/ESX Distributions
Linux/ESX distributions are the operating system installation files that you import into the OS Provisioning
Server repository. After importing the distribution, use VCM provisioning actions to install the operating
system on target machines. You can import standard and customized operating system distributions.
You can import standard and customized ISO images. When you import a standard image, you type the
required metadata during the import process. If the import process detects a custom image, you must
select specific values for the platform and distribution.
Use this procedure to import Linux or ESX distributions. For SUSE distributions that are issued on multiple
DVDs, you use only the first disk and import the distribution using this procedure.
Prerequisites
n
Verify that the distributions you are importing do not include spaces in the filenames. Before you
import, remove the spaces or replace them with underscores.
n
Confirm that the current OS Provisioning Server IP address is correct for your production
environment. You cannot change the OS Provisioning Server IP address at a later time. If the initial IP
address of the OS Provisioning Server after install is not the address you intend for it to have when it is
put into production, you must change its address, and change related DHCP and TFTP configurations,
before you import any OS distributions. If you change the OS Provisioning Server IP address after you
imported the distributions, you must re-import the distributions with the new address.
n
Determine whether you are importing a single ISO image or multiple images from a directory. The
basicimport command uses a -i option to specify an ISO file and a -d option to specify the directory.
See "Using the basicimport Command Options" on page 38.
36VMware, Inc.
Installing, Configuring, and Upgrading the OS Provisioning Server and Components
Procedure
1. On the OS Provisioning Server, log in as vcmuser.
2. Mount the ISO by attaching to the media image or mounting the image.
For all UNIX, Linux, or ESX operating systems, use loopback. For example, $ sudo mount -o loop<iso_file.iso> /<mount point>.
3. Run the sudo basicimport -i <distribution name>.iso -l <OS Provisioning Serverprivate IP address or provisioning network IP address> command.
For example, sudo basicimport -i ESX-4.0.0-update01-208167.iso -l 10.11.12.1.
For subsequent imports, you can run the command without the -l option.
4. Type the Family Name.
For example, ESX or Linux. You must provide a unique family name to import different operating
systems in the same family. No other family can exist with the same combination of name, version,
and architecture values.
5. Type the Family Version.
For example, 4.0ul.
6. Type the Family Architecture.
For example, either i386 or x86_64.
7. Type the Provenance.
For example, CD, hotfix, or SP.
If you importing a standard ISO, The distribution is imported.. If the ISO is customized, you must
provide additional information about the distribution that is used when installing the operating
system.
8. In the OS platform list, select the number corresponding to your distribution platform, either 2.Linux or 3. VMware Hypervisor Platform.
9. In the OS distributions list, select the number that most closely corresponds to the operating system
you are importing.
LinuxVMware Hypervisor Platform
1. RedHat Enterprise Linux 61. ESXi 5.0
2. RedHat Enterprise Linux 5.62. ESXi 4.1 Update1
3. RedHat Enterprise Linux 5.53. ESXi 4.1
4. RedHat Enterprise Linux 5.44. ESX 4.1 Update1
5. RedHat Enterprise Linux 5.25. ESX 4.1
6. RedHat Enterprise Linux 5.06. ESX 4.0 Update2
7. Suse Linux Enterprise 11.17. ESX 4.0 Update1
8. Suse Linux Enterprise 10.3
If you select the incorrect distribution, you can import the distributions, but you cannot install it.
The distribution is imported.
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vCenter Configuration Manager Installation and Getting Started Guide
What to do next
Using VCM, you install distributions on target machines. See "Getting Started with Operating System
Provisioning" on page 199.
Using the basicimport Command Options
You use the basicimport command-line options to import UNIX, Linux, ESX, or Windows distributions
into the OS Provisioning Server repository.
Table 3–1. basicimport Command Options
OptionDescription
-h
Help. Displays and describes the basicimport options.
-d
Directory. Path to the media source directory. This option is required when
you import OS distributions issued on more than one media item, such as
multiple DVDs.
-i
ISO file. Path and image name for the distribution. Used with importing
distributions issued on one media source, such as a Red Hat distribution on a
single DVD.
-l
-n
-V
-a
-p
-t
Deployment IP address of the OS Provisioning Server.
Family name. For example, ESX or Windows.
Family version. For example, 4.0u1 or 2008r2sp2.
Family Architecture. For example, i386 or x86_64.
Provenance. Distribution source. For example, CD, hotfix, or SP.
ISO build type. For example, retail or volume. Applies only to Windows
Server 2008 R2, Windows 7, and Windows Server 2003.
Working with Custom Linux ISO Distributions
The OS Provisioning Server in VCM allows you to import custom Red Hat and SUSE ISO images into the
repository and then to install the custom distributions on target machines.
To support standard and custom ISO images, OS Provisioning Server includes required package lists for
each supported ISO. If your custom ISO is missing any of the packages specified in the list, or is missing
any of the dependencies specified by the required packages, you can import the ISO into the repository,
but the installation of a distribution lacking a required or dependency package may fail.
To provide you with the flexibility to use OS provisioning to install your custom distribution, you have the
two options.
n
Add the missing required packages back into the ISO and re-import it into the repository. Run the
Provision wizard again to create a new configured session with the updated distribution. The
installation of the distribution on the target machines will proceed without an error and the required list
remains as it was provided in the OS Provisioning Server.
n
Modify the required package list by removing the package names from the list. The installation of the
distribution on the target machines will proceed without an error unless there are missing dependency
packages.
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Installing, Configuring, and Upgrading the OS Provisioning Server and Components
The required package lists, whether you are using them for reference, as in the first option, or are
modifying them, as in the second option, are located on the OS Provisioning Server.
n
Red Hat: /FSboot/repository/linux/<RHEL version>.
For example, /FSboot/repository/linux/RHEL6.0server-x86_64/packages
For error messages due to missing packages, see the VCMTroubleshooting Guide.
Upgrade the OS Provisioning Server to 5.4.1
You cannot directly upgrade from OS Provisioning Server 5.4 to 5.4.1. Nor is OS Provisioning Server 5.4
compatible with VCM 5.4.1. You must install the new 5.4.1 OS Provisioning Server components, configure
the server, and import the operating system ISO files into the new database structure.
Before Upgrading the OS Provisioning Server
Review the upgrade constraints.
n
If the target machines in your current Provisionable Machines and Provisioned Machines data grids in
VCM are machines you intend to manage with VCM, complete the provisioning process, license, install
the Agent, and collect data from the target machines. This action ensures that the machines continue as
managed machines. All provisioning history and the ability to reprovision the managed machines from
the Provisioned Machines data grid is no long available after you upgrade.
n
Ensure that there are no outstanding provisioning actions. The Provisionable Machines data grid should
not include any target machines that must be installed before you upgrade. Click Administration and
select Machines Manager > OS Provisioning > Provisionable Machines.
Upgrading the OS Provisioning Server
The OS Provisioning Server includes new components and a new database structure. You cannot use any
part of the 5.4 OS Provisioning Server. You must uninstall your existing OS Provisioning Server server and
configure the system as specified in the VCM Hardware and Software Requirements Guide, then install and
configure the new OS Provisioning Server. See "Installing, Configuring, and Upgrading the OS
Provisioning Server and Components" on page 21.
You must also import your distributions into the new database structure. See "Import Distributions into
the OS Provisioning Server Repository" on page 33.
In VCM, after you install, configure, and import the distributions, you must collect the OS distributions
from the new OS Provisioning Server before you can begin provisioning target machines. See "Getting
Started with Operating System Provisioning" on page 199.
After Upgrading the OS Provisioning Server
All provisioned machines that were licensed, on which the Agent was installed, and from which data was
collected are fully managed machines in VCM. They are displayed in VCM based on the installed
operating system. However, they are not longer displayed in the Provisioned Machines data grid and they
are not available for reprovisioning using the Re-provision wizard.
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vCenter Configuration Manager Installation and Getting Started Guide
Managing the OS Provisioning Server System Logs
The OS Provisioning Server log files are located in the /opt/FastScale/logs and /var/log directories.
You must monitor the space used and truncate the files if they begin to consume more disk space on the
server than you have space to store.
Table 3–2. Log File Locations
Directo ryFile NameDescription
/opt/FastScale/logs
/var/log
fsadmin.err
fsadmin.log
FSjobd.log
FSmesgd.log
FSnetfs.log
FSrepod.log
php.log
stunnel.log
messages
Messages from the Apache Web
server.
Lists internal commands from the
Apache Web server.
Messages generated during the job
build process.
Messages generated by the message
daemon.
Messages from the FSnetfs service.
Messages generated by the
repository database server.
Messages from the php interpreter
used by the Web server and the jobs
build program.
Messages generated by Stunnel
services for Stunnel services
communication between the OS
Provisioning Server and VCM.
Messages from dhcpd and tftpd
services generated during
hardware discovery and
operating system deployment
to target machines.
ospctrl Command Options
Use the ospctrl command-line options to configure your TFTPand Apache services with the OS
provisioning private IP address and to back up and restore the OS Provisioning Server repository and
distribution files.
Table 3–3. ospctrl Command Options
OptionDescription
--help
--showconfig
--configure --privateip
<IPAddress>
--deconfigure
--backup --dirpath=/<path to
backup directory>
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Displays and describes the
Displays the current state of the TFTP and Apache servers,
including the configured private IP address.
Configures the TFTP server and the Apache server with the
private provisioning network IP address.
Resets the TFTP server and the Apache server to the default
values.
Backs up the repository and the OS distributions to the specified
--dirpath
location.
ospctrl
options.
Installing, Configuring, and Upgrading the OS Provisioning Server and Components
OptionDescription
--restore --dirpath=/<path to
backup directory>
Restores the repository and the OS distributions from the
specified
--dirpath
backup location.
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vCenter Configuration Manager Installation and Getting Started Guide
42VMware, Inc.
Upgrading or Migrating VCM
You can upgrade or migrate your existing VCM environment to VCM 5.4.1, which supports 64-bit
environments that include 64-bit hardware, 64-bit Windows Server 2008 R2 and SP1, and SQL Server 2008
R2 and SP1.
You can use Installation Manager to upgrade from VMware VCM 5.3, EMC Ionix SCM 5.0 or greater, or
Configuresoft ECM 4.11.1 or greater to VCM 5.4.1.
When you perform a new installation or a migration, you must have the previous license file available and
specify the path to the license file during the installation. Installation Manager uses the license file to
activate the components that you purchased. If you do not have the license file from VCM 4.11.1 or later,
contact VMware Technical Support.
You must determine whether your VCM environment requires an upgrade or a migration. The
prerequisites and steps differ depending on whether you perform an upgrade or a migration of VCM.
Upgrades
An upgrade to VCM 5.4.1 uses an existing VCM Collector installation. You upgrade the operating system,
SQL Server, and VCM to the versions associated with VCM 5.4.1.
4
VCM 5.4.1 supports the following upgrade paths.
n
Upgrade from VCM 5.4, which is a 64-bit single-server installation. Updates to Windows Server 2008
R2 or SQL Server 2008 R2 are not required.
n
Upgrade from a 64-bit single-server installation that includes VMware VCM 5.3 or later, EMC Ionix
SCM 5.0 or later, or Configuresoft ECM 4.11.1 or later. You must upgrade to Windows Server 2008 R2
and SQL Server 2008 R2 are required.
Migrations
A migration to VCM 5.4.1 requires you to prepare new hardware and software for your environment.
VCM 5.4.1 supports the following migration paths.
n
Migrate from a 32-bit or 64-bit environment that includes VCM, SCM, or ECM.
n
Migrate a split installation of VCM to a single-server installation of VCM 5.4.1.
You must update your hardware to 64-bit. Update the operating system to the 64-bit Windows Server
2008 R2 operating system, update to SQL Server 2008 R2, and update SQL Server Reporting Services. Then
you can migrate your existing VCM, SCM, or ECM installation to your new VCM 5.4.1 environment.
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vCenter Configuration Manager Installation and Getting Started Guide
What to do next
Understand the prerequisites to prepare and migrate your VCM environment to VCM 5.4.1. See
"Prerequisites to Migrate VCM" on page 44.
Prerequisites to Migrate VCM
Before you migrate your existing VCM environment to VCM 5.4.1, you must perform several
prerequisites. If you have any questions about the migration procedures, contact VMware Technical
Support before you begin the migration.
n
Review and understand the migration scenarios. See "Upgrading or Migrating VCM" on page 43.
n
Verify that your existing VCM installation is functional.
n
Verify that your VCM Collector meets all of the hardware and software requirements for a 64-bit
environment. For a complete list of requirements, see the VCM Hardware and Software RequirementsGuide.
n
Verify that your Configuration Manager version to migrate is either VMware VCM 5.3, EMC Ionix
SCM 5.0 or later, or Configuresoft ECM 4.11.1 or later.
n
If your VCM Collector is installed on a 32-bit Windows machine, understand the system requirements
for VCM 5.4.1. See the VCM Hardware and Software Requirements Guide.
n
Verify that an existing 32-bit environment includes SQL Server 2005 and SP3.
n
Verify that an existing 64-bit environment includes 64-bit SQL Server 2005 and SP2, 32-bit SQL Server
Reporting Services (SSRS), and SSRS SP3. The 32-bit version of SSRS is required in 64-bit environments
of VCM 5.3 and earlier.
n
Verify that your environment includes the required versions of the Microsoft .NET Framework. See the
VCM Hardware and Software Requirements Guide.
n
Back up your databases. See "Back Up Your Databases" on page 45.
n
Back up the CMFILES$ share. See "Back up Your Files" on page 45.
n
Back up any files that you used to customize your Collector.
n
Back up any reports that you exported to a non-default location.
n
Back up your certificates. See "Export and Back up Your Certificates" on page 45.
n
Verify that all jobs have finished running.
n
Verify that no jobs are scheduled to begin during the migration process. The migration process stops
the SQLAgent service, which prevents jobs from starting.
n
Verify that all users have logged off of VCM.
n
Ensure that users will not attempt to access VCM until you finish the migration process.
n
Run Foundation Checker as a standalone utility on your VCM Collector to ensure that it is ready for
the installation of VCM 5.4.1. See the VCM Hardware and Software Requirements Guide.
n
Obtain the installation package from the Download VMware vCenter Configuration Manager Web site
or the VCM 5.4.1 CD. You will install VCM as a final step in the migration process.
n
Download the VCM SQL Migration Helper Tool from the Download VMware vCenter Configuration
Manager Web site to help you reconfigure scheduled jobs and membership logins in your new
environment.
44VMware, Inc.
Back Up Your Databases
Before you migrate an existing VCM environment to VCM 5.4.1, back up your databases to avoid any
potential loss of data.
Depending on your existing version of VCM, SCM, or ECM, or the custom names that you chose during
installation, the database names differ.
Table 4–1. Back Up Your Databases Before YouStart the Migration Process
CSI_Domain, ECM, ECM_Coll, ECM_UNIX, ReportServer, master,
and msdb
Back up Your Files
Before you migrate an existing VCM environment to VCM 5.4.1, back up your files to avoid any potential
loss of data.
1. Back up the entire content of the CMFILES$ share.
n
For 64-bit systems: C:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\VCM\WebConsole\L1033\Files\, or
in the path relative to where you installed the software.
n
For 32-bit systems: C:\Program Files\VMware\VCM\WebConsole\L1033\Files\, or in the
path relative to where you installed the software.
If your VCM Collector is part of an installation of EMC Ionix SCM or Configuresoft ECM, the path
differs.
2. Back up any files used to customize your Collector.
3. Back up any reports that exist in a location other than the default location.
Export and Back up Your Certificates
Export and back up your VCM Collector and Enterprise certificates.
Procedure
1. On your VCM Collector, click Start > Run. Type mmc.exe.
2. In the Console window, click File and select Add/Remote Snap-in.
3. In the Add/Remote Snap-in dialog box, click the Standalone tab and click Add.
4. In the Add Standalone Snap-in dialog box, select Certificates and click Add.
5. In the Certificates snap-in dialog box, select Computer account and click Next.
6. In the Select Computer dialog box, select Local Computer and click Finish.
The Certificates (Local Computer) is added to the list of certificates on the Standalone tab.
7. Click Close to close the Add Standalone Snap-in dialog box.
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vCenter Configuration Manager Installation and Getting Started Guide
8. In the Add/Remove Snap-in dialog box, click OK.
The Certificates (Local Computer) is added to the Console Root.
9. Expand Console Root and select Certificates > Personal > Certificates.
10. In the right pane, right-click the Collector certificate and select All Tasks > Export.
11. On the Certificate Export Wizard Welcome page, click Next.
12. On the Export Private Key page, select No and click Next.
13. On the Export File Format page, select DER encoded binary and click Next.
14. On the File to Export page, type the path and name or click Browse to specify the location of the file on
the Collector or shared location, and click Next.
15. On the Completing the Certificate Export Wizard page, click Finish.
The .cer file is now in the location that you specified in the export process.
Migrating VCM
To prepare your environment for VCM 5.4.1, you can choose to migrate only your databases, replace an
existing 32-bit environment, migrate an existing 32-bit or 64-bit environment, or migrate a split
installation.
Prerequisites
Before you migrate any part of your existing VCM environment to VCM 5.4.1, you must perform the
prerequisites. See "Prerequisites to Migrate VCM" on page 44.
Procedure
n
"Migrate Only Your Database " on page 46
Migrate only your VCM database from version 4.11.1 or later.
n
"Replace Your Existing 32-Bit Environment with a Supported 64-bit Environment" on page 47
Replace an existing 32-bit environment of VMware VCM, EMC Ionix SCM, or Configureoft ECM.
n
"Migrate a 32-bit Environment Running VCM 5.3 or Earlier to VCM 5.4.1" on page 48
Migrate an existing 32-bit Collector to VCM 5.4.1. A migration to VCM 5.4.1 requires you to prepare
new hardware and software for your environment and install the required software components.
n
"Migrate a 64-bit Environment Running VCM 5.3 or Earlier to VCM 5.4.1" on page 49
Migrate an existing 64-bit Collector to VCM 5.4.1. A migration to VCM 5.4.1 requires you to prepare
new software for your environment and install the required software components.
n
"Migrate a Split Installation of VCM 5.3 or Earlier to a Single-Server Installation" on page 51
Migrate an existing split installation to a single-server installation for VCM 5.4.1. A split installation
configuration placed the VCM Collector database on the Collector machine and the other VCM
databases on a separate server machine.
Migrate Only Your Database
Migrate only your VCM database from version 4.11.1 or later.
46VMware, Inc.
Upgrading or Migrating VCM
Prerequisites
n
Understand the scenarios to migrate your VCM environment to VCM 5.4.1. See "Upgrading or
Migrating VCM" on page 43.
n
Understand the prerequisites to migrate your VCM environment to VCM 5.4.1. See "Prerequisites to
Migrate VCM" on page 44.
n
Understand how to attach a SQL server database in SQL Server Management Studio. See the Microsoft
MSDN Library.
n
Install SQL Server 2008 R2 on the Windows machine that will host the VCM database.
Procedure
1. Move the VCM database to a prepared machine that has 64-bit SQL Server 2008 R2 installed.
2. On the prepared machine, start SQLServer Management Studio.
3. Attach the database to SQL Server 2008 R2.
4. Confirm that the sa account or the VCM service account is the owner of the newly attached database.
What to do next
Install VCM 5.4.1. See "Installing VCM" on page 19.
Replace Your Existing 32-Bit Environment with a Supported 64-bit
Environment
Replace an existing 32-bit environment of VMware VCM, EMC Ionix SCM, or Configureoft ECM.
Previous versions of VMware VCM, EMC Ionix SCM, and Configureoft ECM support older versions of
SQL Server. Your 32-bit environment must include specific software components before you replace your
32-bit environment and upgrade to VCM 5.4.1.
Prerequisites
n
Understand the scenarios to migrate your VCM environment to VCM 5.4.1. See "Upgrading or
Migrating VCM" on page 43
n
Perform the prerequisites to migrate your VCM environment to VCM 5.4.1. See "Prerequisites to
Migrate VCM" on page 44.
n
Ensure that your environment is functional before you replace it and upgrade to VCM 5.4.1.
Procedure
1. Verify that your existing 32-bit installation of Configuration Manager is version 4.11.1 or later.
2. If your existing 32-bit installation is not 4.11.1 or later, use the appropriate installation packages and
documentation to upgrade your existing installation to version 4.11.1 or later.
3. Verify that your 32-bit environment includes the following software components.
If these software components are not installed, install them in the order listed.
a. SQL Server 2005
b. SQL Server Reporting Services, 32-bit version
c. SQL Server 2005 SP3
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vCenter Configuration Manager Installation and Getting Started Guide
4. Replace your 32-bit Windows Collector machine with a 64-bit machine.
5. Install the 64-bit Windows Server 2008 R2 operating system on the 64-bit Windows Collector machine.
6. Upgrade VCM to VCM 5.4.1.
What to do next
n
Configure the SQL Server settings to tune your VCM database in SQL Server Management Studio,
including the VCM database file growth and database recovery. See "Maintaining VCM After
Installation" on page 65.
n
Log in to VCM.
Migrate a 32-bit Environment Running VCM 5.3 or Earlier to VCM 5.4.1
Migrate an existing 32-bit Collector to VCM 5.4.1. A migration to VCM 5.4.1 requires you to prepare new
hardware and software for your environment and install the required software components.
CAUTION Before you begin the migration, to avoid any potential loss of data you must perform the
prerequisite steps to back up your files, including the VCM databases, the CMFILES$ share, any files
used to customize the VCM Collector, reports that are exported to a non-default location, and your
certificates.
Prerequisites
n
Understand the scenarios to migrate your VCM environment to VCM 5.4.1. See "Upgrading or
Migrating VCM" on page 43.
n
Perform the prerequisites to migrate your VCM environment to VCM 5.4.1. See "Prerequisites to
Migrate VCM" on page 44.
n
Understand how to detach and attach a SQL server database in SQL Server Management Studio. See the
online Microsoft MSDN Library.
n
Understand how to use the sp_changedbowner stored procedure. See SQL Server 2008 R2 Books
Online in the online Microsoft MSDN Library.
n
Determine if your 64-bit Collector machine is configured for Secure Sockets Layer (SSL).
n
Use the SQL Migration Helper Tool to create a script for scheduled jobs on your 32-bit Collector. You
can then import the scheduled jobs into your 64-bit Collector.
n
Use the SQL Migration Helper Tool to create a script that contains your existing login and role
membership information on your 32-bit Collector. You can then import your logins and roles into your
64-bit Collector.
n
Locate the VCM 5.4.1 installation package on the Download VMware vCenter Configuration Manager
Web site or obtain the VCM 5.4.1 CD.
n
Ensure that your environment is functional before you migrate VCM 5.3 or earlier to VCM 5.4.1.
Procedure
1. On your 64-bit VCM Collector Windows machine, install Windows Server 2008 R2.
2. Install SQL Server 2008 R2 on your 64-bit VCM Collector.
3. Stop the VCM Collector service and the VCM Patch Management service.
4. On your 32-bit VCM Collector, use SQL Server Management Studio Object Explorer to detach the
VCM databases.
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Upgrading or Migrating VCM
5. On your 64-bit Collector, use SQLServer Management Studio Object Explorer to attach or restore the
VCM databases to SQL Server 2008 R2.
6. On your 64-bit Collector, verify that the owner for the restored or attached databases is set to the sa
account or the VCM service account.
You can use the built-in sp_changedbowner stored procedure to change the ownership of the
databases.
7. Start the VCM 5.4.1 installation and select the Install option.
CAUTION When you begin the VCMinstallation, do not select the Repair option unless you are
directed by VMware Technical Support. The repair process requires access to your original
installation media to check for and replace missing files and settings.
When the installation begins, VCM Foundation Checker gathers information about the Collector
machine. If errors occur, you must resolve them before you can proceed.
8. Make sure that you select all of the components for installation.
If a component cannot be upgraded due to an invalid upgrade or an incomplete copy of the install
image, Installation Manager clears the check box and displays a message.
9. If you plan to upgrade VCM Remote and continue to use older Agents, use the same name for the
new Remote virtual directory as used in your previous installation.
If you change the Remote virtual directory name, you must update all corresponding Agents to use
the new virtual directory.
10. Select your existing databases to migrate them to VCM 5.4.1.
If Installation Manager requests that you create a new database, select the previous wizard page and
verify that your existing database, which you attached, is selected.
11. Do not select SSL unless your machine is already configured for SSL.
12. After the upgrade is finished, copy the content of WebConsole\L1033\Files from your 32-bit
Collector to your 64-bit Collector.
Any existing remote commands, discovery files, and imported template files in this directory are
available on the 64-bit Collector.
13. On your 64-bit Collector, run your script to import your VCM scheduled jobs.
14. On your 64-bit Collector, run your script to import your VCM membership logins.
15. Re-import any custom SQL Server Reporting Service Report Definition Language (RDL) files.
What to do next
n
Configure the SQL Server settings to tune your VCM database in SQL Server Management Studio,
including the VCM database file growth and database recovery. See "Maintaining VCM After
Installation" on page 65.
n
Log in to VCM.
Migrate a 64-bit Environment Running VCM 5.3 or Earlier to VCM 5.4.1
Migrate an existing 64-bit Collector to VCM 5.4.1. A migration to VCM 5.4.1 requires you to prepare new
software for your environment and install the required software components.
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vCenter Configuration Manager Installation and Getting Started Guide
Use this method as part of the VCM 5.4.1 installation process to replace the VCM hardware, change the
operating system version, or install a new operating system. You install a new environment, copy the
VCM databases and other components, and then install VCM 5.4.1. During the installation, you select the
existing VCM database.
CAUTION Before you begin the migration, to avoid any potential loss of data you must perform the
prerequisite steps to back up your files, including the VCM databases, the CMFILES$ share, any files
used to customize the VCM Collector, reports that are exported to a non-default location, and your
certificates.
Prerequisites
n
Understand the scenarios to migrate your VCM environment to VCM 5.4.1. See "Upgrading or
Migrating VCM" on page 43.
n
Perform the prerequisites to migrate your VCM environment to VCM 5.4.1. See "Prerequisites to
Migrate VCM" on page 44.
n
Understand how to detach and attach a SQL server database in SQL Server Management Studio. See the
online Microsoft MSDN Library.
n
Understand how to use the sp_changedbowner stored procedure. See SQL Server 2008 R2 Books
Online in the online Microsoft MSDN Library.
n
Determine if your 64-bit Collector machine is configured for Secure Sockets Layer (SSL).
n
Use the SQL Migration Helper Tool to create a script for scheduled jobs on your existing 64-bit
Collector. You can then import the scheduled jobs into your new 64-bit Collector.
n
Use the SQL Migration Helper Tool to create a script that contains your existing login and role
membership information on your existing 64-bit Collector. You can then import your logins and roles
into your new 64-bit Collector.
n
Locate the VCM 5.4.1 installation package on the Download VMware vCenter Configuration Manager
Web site or obtain the VCM 5.4.1 CD.
n
Ensure that your environment is functional before you migrate VCM 5.3 or earlier to VCM 5.4.1.
Procedure
1. On your 64-bit VCM Collector Windows machine, install Windows Server 2008 R2.
2. Install SQL Server 2008 R2 on your 64-bit VCM Collector.
3. Stop the VCM Collector service and the VCM Patch Management service.
4. On your existing 64-bit VCM Collector, use SQL Server Management Studio Object Explorer to detach
the VCM databases.
5. On your new 64-bit Collector, use SQLServer Management Studio Object Explorer to attach or restore
the VCM databases to SQL Server 2008 R2.
6. On your 64-bit Collector, verify that the owner for the restored or attached databases is set to the sa
account or the VCM service account.
You can use the built-in sp_changedbowner stored procedure to change the ownership of the
databases.
7. Start the VCM 5.4.1 installation and select the Install option.
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Upgrading or Migrating VCM
CAUTION When you begin the VCMinstallation, do not select the Repair option unless you are
directed by VMware Technical Support. The repair process requires access to your original
installation media to check for and replace missing files and settings.
When the installation begins, VCM Foundation Checker gathers information about the Collector
machine. If errors occur, you must resolve them before you can proceed.
8. Make sure that you select all of the components for installation.
If a component cannot be upgraded due to an invalid upgrade or an incomplete copy of the install
image, Installation Manager clears the check box and displays a message.
9. If you plan to upgrade VCM Remote and continue to use older Agents, use the same name for the
new Remote virtual directory as used in your previous installation.
If you change the Remote virtual directory name, you must update all corresponding Agents to use
the new virtual directory.
10. Select your existing databases to migrate them to VCM 5.4.1.
If Installation Manager requests that you create a new database, select the previous wizard page and
verify that your existing database, which you attached, is selected.
11. Do not select SSL unless your machine is already configured for SSL.
12. After the upgrade is finished, copy the content of WebConsole\L1033\Files from your existing 64-
bit Collector to your new 64-bit Collector.
Any existing remote commands, discovery files, and imported template files in this directory are
available on the 64-bit Collector.
13. On your 64-bit Collector, run your script to import your VCM scheduled jobs.
14. On your 64-bit Collector, run your script to import your VCM membership logins.
15. Re-import any custom SQL Server Reporting Service Report Definition Language (RDL) files.
What to do next
n
Configure the SQL Server settings to tune your VCM database in SQL Server Management Studio,
including the VCM database file growth and database recovery. See "Maintaining VCM After
Installation" on page 65.
n
Log in to VCM.
Migrate a Split Installation of VCM 5.3 or Earlier to a Single-Server
Installation
Migrate an existing split installation to a single-server installation for VCM 5.4.1. A split installation
configuration placed the VCM Collector database on the Collector machine and the other VCM databases
on a separate server machine.
In a previous split installation, the VCM databases are installed as follows.
n
Collector machine: Hosts the VCM_Coll database only.
n
Database Server machine: Hosts the VCM, VCM_UNIX, ReportServer, master, and msdb databases.
The 64-bit single-server configuration used for VCM 5.4.1 installs all of the VCM databases on the
Collector machine.
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CAUTION Before you begin the migration, to avoid any potential loss of data you must perform the
prerequisite steps to back up your files, including the VCM databases, the CMFILES$ share, any files
used to customize the VCM Collector, reports that are exported to a non-default location, and your
certificates.
Prerequisites
n
Understand the scenarios to migrate your VCM environment to VCM 5.4.1. See "Upgrading or
Migrating VCM" on page 43.
n
Perform the prerequisites to migrate your VCM environment to VCM 5.4.1. See "Prerequisites to
Migrate VCM" on page 44.
n
Understand how to detach and attach a SQL server database in SQL Server Management Studio. See the
online Microsoft MSDN Library.
n
Understand how to use the sp_changedbowner stored procedure. See SQL Server 2008 R2 Books
Online in the online Microsoft MSDN Library.
n
Determine if your 64-bit Collector machine is configured for Secure Sockets Layer (SSL).
n
Use the SQL Migration Helper Tool to create a script for scheduled jobs on your 32-bit Collector. You
can then import the scheduled jobs into your 64-bit Collector.
n
Use the SQL Migration Helper Tool to create a script that contains your existing login and role
membership information on your 32-bit Collector. You can then import your logins and roles into your
64-bit Collector.
n
Locate the VCM 5.4.1 installation package on the Download VMware vCenter Configuration Manager
Web site or obtain the VCM 5.4.1 CD.
n
Ensure that your environment is functional before you migrate VCM 5.3 or earlier to VCM 5.4.1.
Procedure
1. On your 64-bit VCM Collector Windows machine, install Windows Server 2008 R2.
2. Install SQL Server 2008 R2 on your 64-bit VCM Collector.
3. Stop the VCM Collector service and the VCM Patch Management service.
4. On your 32-bit VCM Collector, use SQL Server Management Studio Object Explorer to detach the
VCM databases.
5. On your 64-bit Collector, use SQLServer Management Studio Object Explorer to attach or restore the
VCM databases to SQL Server 2008 R2.
For a split installation, you must attach the databases from the Database Server to SQL Server 2008 R2.
6. On your 64-bit Collector, verify that the owner for the restored or attached databases is set to the sa
account or the VCM service account.
You can use the built-in sp_changedbowner stored procedure to change the ownership of the
databases.
7. Start the VCM 5.4.1 installation and select the Install option.
CAUTION When you begin the VCMinstallation, do not select the Repair option unless you are
directed by VMware Technical Support. The repair process requires access to your original
installation media to check for and replace missing files and settings.
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When the installation begins, VCM Foundation Checker gathers information about the Collector
machine. If errors occur, you must resolve them before you can proceed.
8. Make sure that you select all of the components for installation.
If a component cannot be upgraded due to an invalid upgrade or an incomplete copy of the install
image, Installation Manager clears the check box and displays a message.
9. If you plan to upgrade VCM Remote and continue to use older Agents, use the same name for the
new Remote virtual directory as used in your previous installation.
If you change the Remote virtual directory name, you must update all corresponding Agents to use
the new virtual directory.
10. Select your existing databases to migrate them to VCM 5.4.1.
If Installation Manager requests that you create a new database, select the previous wizard page and
verify that your existing database, which you attached, is selected.
11. Do not select SSL unless your machine is already configured for SSL.
12. After the upgrade is finished, copy the content of WebConsole\L1033\Files from your 32-bit
Collector to your 64-bit Collector.
Any existing remote commands, discovery files, and imported template files in this directory are
available on the 64-bit Collector.
13. On your 64-bit Collector, run your script to import your VCM scheduled jobs.
14. On your 64-bit Collector, run your script to import your VCM membership logins.
15. Re-import any custom SQL Server Reporting Service Report Definition Language (RDL) files.
What to do next
n
Configure the SQL Server settings to tune your VCM database in SQL Server Management Studio,
including the VCM database file growth and database recovery. See "Maintaining VCM After
Installation" on page 65.
n
Log in to VCM.
How to Recover Your Collector Machine if the Migration is not Successful
If the migration to VCM 5.4.1 failed, you must perform several steps to recover your VCM Collector
machine. Before you attempt another migration to VCM 5.4.1, contact VMware Technical Support to
identify what caused the migration to fail and answer any questions about the migration procedures.
Prerequisites
n
Identify the available migration options. See "Migrating VCM" on page 46.
n
Understand the scenarios to migrate your VCM environment to VCM 5.4.1. See "Upgrading or
Migrating VCM" on page 43.
n
Understand the prerequisites to migrate your VCM environment to VCM 5.4.1. See "Prerequisites to
Migrate VCM" on page 44.
n
Understand how to attach a SQL server database in SQL Server Management Studio. See the Microsoft
MSDN Library.
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Procedure
1. On your VCM Collector, reinstall the software that was installed before you started the migration.
Install the software in the order listed.
a. SQL Server 2005
b. SQL Server Reporting Services, 32-bit version
c. SQL Server 2005 SP3
d. VMware VCM 5.3, EMC Ionix SCM 5.0 or later, or Configuresoft ECM 4.11.1 or later
2. Use SQLServer Management Studio Object Explorer to connect the databases from your backed up
copies.
3. Recopy the files to the CMFILES$ share.
Upgrading VCM and Components
To prepare your environment for VCM 5.4.1, you can upgrade VCM, Windows Agents, UNIX or Linux
Agents, and VCM Remote Clients.
An upgrade to VCM 5.4.1 uses an existing VCM Collector installation. Before you migrate any part of
your existing VCM environment to VCM 5.4.1, you must perform several prerequisites.
Prerequisites
n
Review and understand the upgrade scenarios. See "Upgrading or Migrating VCM" on page 43.
n
Verify that your VCM Collector meets all of the hardware and software requirements for a 64-bit
environment. For a list of requirements, see the VCM Hardware and Software Requirements Guide.
n
Obtain the installation package from the Download VMware vCenter Configuration Manager Web site
or the VCM 5.4.1 CD.
Procedure
n
"Upgrade VCM" on page 55
An upgrade to VCM 5.4.1 uses an existing VCM Collector installation. You can upgrade a 64-bit
environment that is running VCM 5.3 or earlier to VCM 5.4.1.
n
"Upgrade Existing Windows Agents" on page 55
Use the Upgrade Agent wizard to upgrade the Agent files on one or more Windows machines. If you
are upgrading VCM from 5.4, an upgrade to your Windows Agents is not required.
n
"Upgrade Existing VCM Remote Clients" on page 56
The VCM Collector can determine whether the VCM Remote client machine is running an older
version of the client software, and can automatically upgrade the version on the client.
n
"Upgrade Existing UNIX Agents" on page 57
Use the UNIXAgent upgrade packages to update the VCM Agents on your UNIX machines. You can
use a local package or a remote package to upgrade the UNIXAgents.
n
"Upgrade VCM for Virtualization" on page 60
To upgrade vCenter collections, install the VCM 5.4 Agent or later on the Windows machines running
vCenter.
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Upgrading or Migrating VCM
Upgrade VCM
An upgrade to VCM 5.4.1 uses an existing VCM Collector installation. You can upgrade a 64-bit
environment that is running VCM 5.3 or earlier to VCM 5.4.1.
Prerequisites
Perform the prerequisites to upgrade VCM on the Collector. See "Upgrading VCM and Components" on
page 54.
Procedure
1. On your Collector machine, upgrade the operating system to Windows Server 2008 R2.
2. Uninstall the 32-bit version of SQLServer Reporting Services (SSRS) 2005.
3. Upgrade SQL Server 2005 to SQL Server 2008 R2.
4. Run the SQL Server 2008 R2 installation again and add SSRS 2008.
7. Configure SSRS 2008 to use the existing ReportServer database.
a. Select the existing ReportServer database.
b. Configure the Web Service and Report Manager URLs.
c. Select the Encryption Keys option to delete encrypted content so that the new installation of SSRS
can use the existing SSRS database.
8. Run the VCM Installation Manager to upgrade the existing VCM software version to 5.4.1.
What to do next
Log in to VCM and upgrade your VCM Windows Agents.
Upgrade Existing Windows Agents
Use the Upgrade Agent wizard to upgrade the Agent files on one or more Windows machines. If you are
upgrading VCM from 5.4, an upgrade to your Windows Agents is not required.
The upgrade process uses the current settings of the Agent installed on the Windows machine. For
example, if the Agent uses DCOM, or HTTP on port 26542, the upgrade process retains that setting. This
process will not upgrade components that do not require an upgrade.
Prerequisites
n
Review the supported platforms in the VCM Hardware and Software Requirements Guide.
n
Install the VCM Agent on the managed machines to upgrade.
5. On the Machines page, select the Windows machines to upgrade and click the arrow to move the
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machines to the Selected pane.
OptionDescription
All machinesUpgrades the Agent on all machines that
appear in the list of licensed machines.
Filtered machines onlyUpgrades the Agent on all machines that
appear in the filtered list of machines. This
option is only available if the Licensed
Machines list is being filtered.
Selected machine(s) onlyUpgrades the Agent only on selected
individual machines.
6. Click Next.
7. On the Install Options page, select or verify the option for the Agent installation and click Next.
The default source of the Agent files is the Collector machine. If you created an Alternate Source, select
it from the drop-down list.
8. On the Schedule page, schedule the operation and click Next.
9. On the Important page, verify the summary and click Finish.
What to do next
Upgrade your VCM Remote clients.
Upgrade Existing VCM Remote Clients
The VCM Collector can determine whether the VCM Remote client machine is running an older version of
the client software, and can automatically upgrade the version on the client.
Prerequisites
Install the VCM Agent on the managed machines to upgrade.
Procedure
1. Click Administration.
2. Select Settings > General Settings > VCM Remote.
3. Select the Will Remote automatically upgrade old Remote clients? setting.
4. Click Edit Setting and select Yes.
When this setting is enabled, the next contact between the client and server automatically downloads
and installs the upgrade files and upgrades the VCM Remote client software on the client machine.
If the VCM Remote client does not have a certificate, the upgrade process automatically extracts the
certificate and sends it to the client, along with the new Agent.
5. Click Next and Finish.
What to do next
Upgrade your VCM UNIXAgents.
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Upgrading or Migrating VCM
Upgrade Existing UNIX Agents
Use the UNIXAgent upgrade packages to update the VCM Agents on your UNIX machines. You can use
a local package or a remote package to upgrade the UNIXAgents.
VCM supports upgrading the UNIX Agent on most UNIX and Linux platforms.Other UNIX platforms are
only supported up to a specific Agent version. For a complete list of UNIXAgents supported on UNIX and
Linux platforms, see the VCM Hardware and Software Requirements Guide.
Prerequisites
n
Identify UNIX machines that are not supported for upgrade to the VCM 5.4.1 Agent. See the VCM
Hardware and Software Requirements Guide.
n
Understand Red Hat server and workstation licensing for different versions of VCM. See "Red Hat
Server and Workstation Licensing" on page 57.
n
Understand VCM support for the Transport Layer Security protocol. See the VCM Transport Layer
Security Implementation white paper on the Download VMware vCenter Configuration Manager Web
site.
n
If you install the VCM Agent on HP-UX 11.11 platforms, install patch PHSS_30966. For assistance,
contact VMware Technical Support.
Procedure
n
"Upgrade UNIX Agents Using a Local Package" on page 57
Use UNIX remote commands and the local Agent package to upgrade the VCM UNIX Agent on the
UNIX platforms in your environment.
n
"Upgrade UNIX Agents Using a Remote Package" on page 59
Use VCM remote commands and a remote Agent package to upgrade the VCM UNIX Agent on the
UNIX platforms in your environment.
Red Hat Server and Workstation Licensing
When you upgrade the UNIX Agent on Red Hat machines, be aware of the licensing changes between
versions of VCM. Prior to VCM 5.2, Red Hat workstations and servers were licensed as Red Hat servers.
In VCM 5.2, Red Hat machines were licensed as either workstations or servers.
When you upgrade to VCM 5.2 or later, Red Hat workstations that were previously managed with server
licenses are not managed in VCM. Unmanaged Red Hat machines appear in the Available UNIX Machines
list before you license them. To license these machines, click Administration, select Machines Manager >Available Machines > Available UNIX Machines, and re-license the machines using the Linux/Mac
Workstation licenses.
For help to identify your unmanaged Red Hat machines, contact VMware Technical Support.
Upgrade UNIX Agents Using a Local Package
Use UNIX remote commands and the local Agent package to upgrade the VCM UNIX Agent on the UNIX
platforms in your environment.
The Agent Upgrade - Local Package UNIX remote command upgrades existing UNIX Agents when
the Agent package exists locally or in a remote location that is accessible by the target machine, such as on
a file share.
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vCenter Configuration Manager Installation and Getting Started Guide
Prerequisit es
n
Install the VCM UNIXAgent on the managed machines to upgrade.
n
Determine which Agent version is installed on a UNIX machine. Click Administration and select
Machines Manager > Licensed Machines > Licensed UNIX Machines. Select About > Versions.
11. In the UNIX Agent Upgrade data grid, select Agent Upgrade - Local Package and click Run.
12. Select the machines on which to upgrade the UNIX Agent.
To determine which Agent is installed on a UNIX machine, click Administration and select MachinesManager > Licensed Machines > Licensed UNIX Machines.
To determine the latest Agent version, select About > Versions.
13. Click the arrow button to move the machines from the Available list to the Selected list and click
Next.
14. Select whether to upgrade the Agent now or later.
To change the date, click the Calendar icon. When you schedule the action, it appears in the
Administration > Job Manager > Scheduled list.
The Time of Day settings are based on your user time zone. All VCM jobs run based on the VCM
database time zone. Account for the time and date differences between your VCM user time and your
VCM database time. For example, if your VCM database server is in the Eastern time zone, and your
VCM user is in the Pacific time zone, to run your job at midnight, enter 9 PM.
15. Click Next and Finish.
What to do next
Upgrade your UNIX Agents using a remote package. See "Upgrade UNIX Agents Using a Remote
Package" on page 59.
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Upgrade UNIX Agents Using a Remote Package
Use VCM remote commands and a remote Agent package to upgrade the VCM UNIX Agent on the UNIX
platforms in your environment.
The UNIX Agents use Transport Layer Security (TLS) and the Enterprise Certificate is embedded in the
Agent package. If multiple Collectors must communicate with a single Agent, all of the Collectors must
share an Enterprise Certificate. If the Collectors have different Enterprise Certificates, the Enterprise
Certificate from each Collector must be uploaded to the Agent. For more information, see the VCMTransport Layer Security Implementation white paper on the Download VMware vCenter Configuration
Manager Web site.
The UNIX remote commands use existing configuration settings to upgrade the UNIXAgents using a
remote Agent package. VCM sends the Agent package to the target machine.
The remote package sends the UNIXAgent upgrade package with the remote command to execute on the
UNIX machine. The following remote upgrade packages are designed specifically for the various
operating systems where the Agents can be upgraded.
n
AIX 5 Agent Upgrade
n
HP-UX (Itanium) Agent Upgrade
n
HP-UX (PA-RISC) Agent Upgrade
n
Mac OSX Agent Upgrade
n
Red Hat Enterprise 3.0, 4.0, 5.0, 5.1, 5.2, and SUSE Enterprise 9 and above Agent Upgrade
n
Solaris (SPARC) Agent Upgrade
n
Solaris (x86) Agent Upgrade
Older machines use the following packages.
n
For AIX 4.3.3 Agent Upgrade, use only CMAgent.5.1.0.AIX.4.
n
For Red Hat Enterprise 2.1 Agent Upgrade, use only CMAgent.5.1.0.Linux.2.1.
The following procedure upgrades the UNIX Agents using one of the remote upgrade packages.
Prerequisit es
Install the VCM UNIXAgent on the managed machines to upgrade.
3. In the UNIX Agent Upgrade data grid, click the appropriate remote upgrade package for the operating
system and version of the machines to upgrade.
4. Click Run and follow the wizard to send the remote command and upgrade package to the Agents on
the selected machines.
The Agent executes the upgrade package.
What to do next
Upgrade VCM for Virtualization. See "Upgrade VCM for Virtualization" on page 60.
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Upgrade VCM for Virtualization
To upgrade vCenter collections, install the VCM 5.4 Agent or later on the Windows machines running
vCenter.
When you upgrade a Collector to VCM 5.4.1, the Agent Proxy on the Collector is automatically upgraded
and the Agent Proxy protected storage and user account configuration settings are preserved. For existing
non-Collector Agent Proxy machines, you must upgrade VCM for Virtualization and retain the Secure
Communication settings.
Prerequisites
n
Do not change the password for the CSI Communication Proxy service when you upgrade VCM for
Virtualization. If you change the password, you might need to reinstall and reconfigure the Agent
Proxy.
n
Do not install the Agent Proxy and Active Directory on the same machine. The operations required to
install, uninstall, upgrade, and reinstall these products can cause you to reinstall and reconfigure the
Agent Proxy.
n
Before you uninstall VCM for Virtualization manually, you must execute
RetainSecureCommSettings.exe. Otherwise, the Agent Proxy configuration settings will be
removed, and you will need to reconfigure the Agent Proxy. The RetainSecureCommSettings.exe
is located in C:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\VCM\Installer\Packages, or in the path relative
to where you installed the software. For more information, see "Configure vCenter Server Data
Collections" on page 143.
Procedure
To upgrade the VCM for Virtualization Agent Proxy on non-Collector machines, use one of these
methods depending on your configuration.
n
"Use VCM to Upgrade an Agent Proxy Machine" on page 60
Use VCM to upgrade VCM for Virtualization on a non-Collector Agent Proxy Machine. If a new
version of the Agent Proxy becomes available, the upgrade process installs the newer version on your
Agent Proxy machine.
n
"Manually Upgrade an Agent Proxy Machine" on page 61
Manually upgrade VCM for Virtualization on a non-Collector Agent Proxy Machine. Use this method
to upgrade an Agent Proxy machine if you do not use the upgrade option in VCM.
Use VCM to Upgrade an Agent Proxy Machine
Use VCM to upgrade VCM for Virtualization on a non-Collector Agent Proxy Machine. If a new version
of the Agent Proxy becomes available, the upgrade process installs the newer version on your Agent
Proxy machine.
3. In the Agent Proxies data grid, select the machines on which to upgrade the Agent Proxy.
4. Click Upgrade.
5. On the Upgrade Agent Proxies Machines page, select an action and click Next.
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OptionDescription
All MachinesRuns the process on all eligible machines.
Selected Machines OnlyRuns the process on all machines listed in the lower pane.
Filtered MachinesCreates a filter based on the machine name or domain name.
Arrow buttonsMoves a selected machine name between panes.
6. On the Option page, configure the options and click Next.
OptionDescription
Install FromSelects the name of the Collector used to manage virtual machines.
ScheduleSets the schedule to run the action.
7. On the Important page, review the summary, click Back to make any necessary alterations, and click
Finish.
VCM upgrades the Agent Proxy at the specified time.
What to do next
Verify that the upgrade process finished. Click Jobs to display the Jobs Summary. To verify jobs for the
past 24 hours click Administration and select Job Manager > History > Other Jobs > Past 24 Hours.
Manually Upgrade an Agent Proxy Machine
Manually upgrade VCM for Virtualization on a non-Collector Agent Proxy Machine. Use this method to
upgrade an Agent Proxy machine if you do not use the upgrade option in VCM.
After the upgrade, all managed Windows machines include the VCM Agent extension for VCM
Provisioning.
Prerequisit es
n
Upgrade your Collector to VCM 5.4.1.
n
Confirm that \VMware\VCM\AgentFiles\CMAgentInstall.exe is accessible from your non-
Collector Agent Proxy machine. The path on the Collector machine is C:\Program Files(x86)\VMware\VCM\AgentFiles\CMAgentInstall.exe, or in the path relative to where you
installed the software.
n
For Agent Proxy machines, if the Virtualization proxy and VCM Agent extensions for Provisioning are
installed, you must run ProvisioningProductInstall.exe from the VCM Collector.
n
If you previously used this Agent Proxy to collect data from your upgraded Collector, the first
collection might fail because of password encryption. If the collection fails, reset the VM Host password.
You can set the password for multiple hosts at the same time. Click Administration and select
Machines Manager > Additional Components > VCM for Virtualization > Licensed VM Hosts.
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vCenter Configuration Manager Installation and Getting Started Guide
Procedu re
1. On your Agent Proxy machine, execute CMAgentInstall.exe.
2. When the installer detects the previous version of VCM and requests permission to uninstall it, select
Yes.
3. When the installer detects that Secure Communication is installed and requests whether you want to
retain your settings, select Yes.
The installer removes VCM for Virtualization and the VCM Agent from your Agent Proxy machine.
During this process, your Secure Communication settings are retained.
4. When the installer displays the license agreement, read and accept the conditions.
5. When the installer prompts whether to perform the installation of the VCM Windows Agent in HTTP
mode, select Allow HTTP and click Next.
Allowing HTTPcommunication enables the Agent to communicate through the HTTP port if DCOM is
not available. Locking an Agent prevents the Agent from being removed or upgraded.
6. When the VCM Windows Agent is installed, click Finish.
7. Copy the Virtualization product installation executable file from your upgraded Collector machine to
any location on your non-Collector Agent Proxy machine.
The path to this file is as follows, or is in the path relative to where you installed the software.
8. On your non-Collector Agent Proxy machine, run VirtualizationProductInstall.exe to install
VCM for Virtualization.
9. When VCM for Virtualization is installed, click Finish.
What to do next
Use your upgraded Agent Proxy to collect data from managed machines.
Unregister the Previous Version of the vSphere Client VCM Plug-In
Before you upgrade to the new version of the vSphere Client VCM Plug-In that is available when you
upgrade VCM, you must unregister a previous version of the plug-in.
The VCM upgrade removes the previous plug-in files and installs the new plug-in files in new locations
with new names. The VCM upgrade does not register the new plug-in with the vSphere Client.
Procedu re
1. On your Collector machine, navigate to C:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\VCM\Tools\vSphere
Client VCM Plug-in\bin.
2. Double-click VCVPInstaller.exe.
3. In the VMware vSphere VCM Plug-in Registration dialog box, click Unregister.
4. In the Server URL field, enter the name of your vCenter Server.
For example, https//vcenter05/sdk.
5. In the Administrator User Name and Password fields, enter the Administrator user name and
password.
6. Click OK.
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What to do next
Upgrade the vSphere Client VCM Plug-In. See "Upgrade the vSphere Client VCM Plug-In" on page 63.
Upgrade the vSphere Client VCM Plug-In
If your version of the plug-in is 5.3 or earlier, or if the URL to the VCM instance has changed, upgrade the
vSphere Client VCM Plug-In.
Prerequisit es
n
Unregister the previous version of the vSphere Client VCM Plug-In. See "Unregister the Previous
Version of the vSphere Client VCM Plug-In" on page 62.
n
Locate the procedure to upgrade VCM. See "Upgrading VCM and Components" on page 54.
Procedu re
1. Upgrade VCM.
What to do next
Register the new vSphere Client VCM Plug-In. See "Register the vSphere Client VCM Plug-In" on page
163.
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Maintaining VCM After Installation
Perform routine maintenance on your VCM configuration management database (CMDB) to keep VCM
running smoothly and performing efficiently. Maintenance includes configuring settings specific to your
environment, configuring the database file growth and recovery settings, creating a maintenance plan,
and incorporating the database into your backup and disaster recovery plans.
Prerequisit es
n
Install VCM. See "Installing VCM" on page 19.
n
Understand the database recovery models. See "Database Recovery Models" on page 67.
Procedu re
1. "Customize VCM and Component-Specific Settings" on page 65
Customize the general VCM settings and the component-specific settings for your environment.
2. "Configure Database File Growth" on page 67
Configure the autogrowth properties of the VCM database and log file to restrict the file growth from
affecting VCM performance.
5
3. "Configure Database Recovery Settings" on page 68
SQL Server supports several database recovery models to control transaction log maintenance. Set a
specific recovery model for each database.
4. "Create a Maintenance Plan for SQL Server 2008 R2" on page 69
To ensure that VCM runs at peak performance and requires little operator intervention during its
lifecycle, you must set up a routine maintenance plan. VCM relies heavily on its SQL databases for
operation.
5. "Incorporate the VCM CMDB into your Backup and Disaster Recovery Plans" on page 70
Consider your VCM configuration management database as any other SQL database in your
environment and incorporate the database into your corporate strategy for backup and disaster
recovery.
Customize VCM and Component-Specific Settings
Customize the general VCM settings and the component-specific settings for your environment.
You can customize general settings for the VCM Collector, customer information, database, input or
output directories, VCM Remote, the VCM installer, auditing, and operating system patching. You can
customize specific settings for installed and licensed components.
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vCenter Configuration Manager Installation and Getting Started Guide
Procedure
1. On your VCM Collector, select Administration.
2. Click Settings and review the available general and product-specific configuration settings to
customize for your environment.
3. Click Windows and configure the settings to communicate with the VCM Windows Agent for your
collection types.
OptionDescription
Agent - GeneralConfigures the general characteristics of the WindowsAgent operation.
Agent - Thread PriorityConfigures priorities for collections while running on managed machines.
Data RetentionConfigures the time to retain each VCM data type in the database.
Custom InformationDisplays the Windows Custom Information script and output types.
4. Click UNIX and configure the settings to communicate with the VCM UNIXAgent for your collection
types.
OptionDescription
Agent - GeneralConfigures the general characteristics of the UNIXAgent operation.
Agent - RunAsSuidConfigures data types as RunAsSuid for selected operating systems during
Agent operation.
Agent - NiceConfigures the Nice settings for each data type during Agent operation.
Data RetentionConfigures the time to retain each VCM data type in the database.
Custom Information TypesAdds custom data types and directives to collect data and parse text files.
Restricted PathConfigures restricted paths for editing file properties.
5. For the products that you licensed and the network authority, review and update the componentspecific settings for your environment.
OptionDescription
Asset ExtensionsConfigures the hardware device and software configuration item s ettings.
Integrated ProductsConfigures settings for the VMware and EMC products that integrate with VCM.
OS ProvisioningEnables OS provisioning and configures the server connection timeout and user
account.
VCM for Active DirectoryConfigures the data retention s ettings for AD objects and the ADdisplay
settings.
VCM for ExchangeConfigures the Agent general and thread priority settings to communicate with
the VCM Windows Agent, and the Exchange data retention and trending
settings.
VCM for VirtualizationConfigures the data retention s ettings for vCenter, virtual machine hosts and
guests, and the virtual machine logs.
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OptionDescription
Network AuthorityConfigures and manages the available domains, available accounts, and assigned
What to do next
n
See the online help for each product component for more information about the specific settings.
n
Configure the database file growth. See "Configure Database File Growth" on page 67.
Database Recovery Models
SQL Server supports several database recovery models to control transaction log maintenance. You set a
specific model to each database. The VCM database settings are set to Simple by default.Retain these
settings for all VMware databases, and use the nightly full or incremental backups.
n
Simple Recovery: The VCM database settings are set to Simple by default. The transaction log retains
enough information to recover the database to a known good state when the server restarts.
Transaction log backups are not allowed and point-in-time recovery is not available. Simple recovery
causes the transaction log file to grow. SQL Server is in Auto Truncate mode, so the log file periodically
rolls over as data moves from the log file to the data file.
Maintaining VCM After Installation
accounts by domain or machine group, and the proxy servers used during the
HTTP Agent installation.
n
Bulk Logged Recovery: The transaction log retains all normal transaction information and discards
transactions that result from a bulk operation. VCM uses the IROWSETFASTLOAD interface extensively,
which is bulk logged.
n
Full Recovery: The transaction log retains all information until it is purged through the SQL Server
LOG backup operation, which the database administrator uses to perform point-in-time recovery. Full
recovery allows incremental backups of the database. Do not use point-in-time recovery because
certain factors in VCM weaken the point-in-time recovery model. If you implement Full Recovery, you
must set up scheduled daily backups of the transaction log. The log files will continue to grow and
accumulate changes until you back them up. A Full Recovery database that does not have scheduled
backups can fill its disk and stop the system.
Configure Database File Growth
Configure the autogrowth properties of the VCM database and log file to restrict the file growth from
affecting VCM performance.
The VCM installer creates a 2GB data file and a 1GB log file. These files grow as ongoing operations add
data to VCM.
The file growth for each file is set to the default value for Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2. In some
environments, these default values can result in file fragmentation or reduced performance. The following
procedure sets the autogrowth property in each database.
Prerequisites
Understand the database recovery models. See "Database Recovery Models" on page 67.
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Procedure
1. Click Start.
2. Select All Programs > Microsoft SQL Server 2008R2 > SQL Server Management Studio.
3. Expand the SQL instance.
4. Expand Databases.
5. Right-click VCM and select Properties.
6. In the left pane, select Files.
7. In the Autogrowth column, click the ellipsis button.
8. Select Enable Autogrowth.
9. In the File Growth area, select In Percent and type or select 10.
A value of 10% allows the transaction log file to grow by 10% of its current size. This value is critical in
large environments where the log file can increase significantly even when using the Simple recovery
model.
Reserve as much space as possible for your transaction log file so that it does not ever have to grow.
This configuration will result in the best performance.
10. In the Maximum File Size area, select Unrestricted File Growth and click OK.
11. Repeat this procedure for VCM_Log.
What to do next
Return to the database list and set the AutoGrowth value for all VCM-related databases.
Configure Database Recovery Settings
SQL Server supports several database recovery models to control transaction log maintenance. Set a
specific recovery model for each database.
The VCM database settings are set to Simple by default. If you change the VCM database recovery setting
to Full, you must manage your own log backups.
Prerequisites
Understand the database recovery models. See "Database Recovery Models" on page 67.
Procedure
1. Click Start.
2. Select All Programs > Microsoft SQL Server 2008R2 > SQL Server Management Studio.
3. Expand the SQL instance.
4. Expand Databases.
5. Right-click VCM and select Properties.
6. Click Options.
7. In the Recovery model drop-down, select the recovery model and click OK.
What to do next
Create a maintenance plan for SQL Server 2008 R2. See "Create a Maintenance Plan for SQL Server 2008
R2" on page 69.
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Create a Maintenance Plan for SQL Server 2008 R2
To ensure that VCM runs at peak performance and requires little operator intervention during its
lifecycle, you must set up a routine maintenance plan. VCM relies heavily on its SQL databases for
operation.
The maintenance plan uses the automated maintenance functions on SQL Server 2008 R2 servers that host
the VCM database.
Procedure
1. Click Start.
2. Select All Programs > Microsoft SQL Server 2008R2 > SQL Server Management Studio.
3. Expand the Management folder, right-click Maintenance Plans and select Maintenance Plan Wizard.
4. On the Maintenance Plan wizard page, click Next.
5. On the Select Plan Properties page, enter a maintenance plan name, select Single schedule for theentire plan or no schedule, and click Change.
6. On the Job Schedule Properties - Maintenance Plan page, set the scheduling properties to run the
maintenance plan when the SQLserver is idle or has low usage.
Maintaining VCM After Installation
7. Click OK to return to the Select Plan Properties page and click Next.
8. On the Select Maintenance Tasks page, select the following maintenance tasks and click Next.
n
Check Database Integrity
n
Rebuild Index
n
Update Statistics
n
Clean Up History
9. On the Select Maintenance Task Order page, order the maintenance tasks and click Next.
10. On the Define Database Check Integrity Task page, define how the maintenance plan will check the
database integrity.
a. Click the Databases drop-down menu.
b. Select the following databases and click OK.
n
CSI_Domain
n
VCM
n
VCM_Coll
n
VCM_Raw
n
VCM_UNIX
You must select the VCM_Raw database because it contains transient data that the other databases
consume.
c. Select Include indexes and click Next.
11. On the Define Rebuild Index Task page, define how the maintenance plan will rebuild the Index.
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a. Click the Databases drop-down menu.
b. Select the following databases and click OK.
n
CSI_Domain
n
VCM
n
VCM_Coll
n
VCM_UNIX
Do not rebuild the index for the VCM_Raw database.
c. In the Advanced options area, select Sort results in tempdb and click Next.
12. On the Define Update Statistics Task page, define how the maintenance plan will update the database
statistics.
a. Click the Databases drop-down menu.
b. Select the following databases and click OK.
n
CSI_Domain
n
VCM
n
VCM_Coll
n
VCM_UNIX
Do not update statistics for the VCM_Raw database.
13. On the Define History Cleanup Task page, define how the maintenance plan will clean up historical
data from the SQL Server 2008R2 machine and click Next.
a. Select Backup and restore history.
b. Select SQL Server Agent job history.
c. Select Maintenance plan history.
d. Set the cleanup task to remove historical data older than 4 Months.
14. On the Select Report Options page, save a report of the maintenance plan actions.
a. Select Write a report to a text file.
b. Select a folder for the report and click Next.
15. On the Complete the Wizard page, verify your selections in the Maintenance Plan Wizard summary,
expand the selections to view the settings, and click Finish.
16. When the Maintenance Plan Wizard progress is finished, verify that each action is successful.
What to do next
n
You have established a routine maintenance plan to ensure that SQL Server 2008R2 continues to
operate efficiently. To view, save, copy, or send the report, click Report and select an option.
n
Use VCM normally.
Incorporate the VCM CMDB into your Backup and Disaster Recovery
Plans
Consider your VCM configuration management database as any other SQL database in your environment
and incorporate the database into your corporate strategy for backup and disaster recovery.
70VMware, Inc.
Getting Started with VCM Components
and Tools
When you use VCM, you must understand user access, how to start VCM from any physical or virtual
machine, and familiarize yourself with the VCM portal features.
n
"Understanding User Access" on page 71
User access determines who has access to VCM and with what roles.
n
"Log In to VCM" on page 72
Access VCM from any physical or virtual machine in your network.
n
"Getting Familiar with the Portal" on page 73
The VCM portal provides access to all VCM features to manage your environment.
Understanding User Access
User access determines who has access to VCM and with what roles. To manage your user access, you
create rules that are assigned to roles. The roles are then assigned to each user login you create in VCM.
User access is managed in the Administration User Manager node.
6
The user account that was used to install VCM is automatically granted access to VCM, placed in the roles
of ADMIN and USER, and placed into the Admin role. This user can log in to VCM using the Admin role.
The AD_Admin role allows full administration access to AD objects only.
When a user is added to the Admin role in VCM or granted access to the Administration User Manager
node, that user is placed in the fixed machine roles Security Administrators and Bulk Insert Administrators
Groups. They are also added to the database roles of public, ADMIN, and User in the VCM Database.
Users who will not have access to the Administration User Manager node will be assigned to public.
Depending on the functions granted to a user, they might need additional or fewer privileges for their role
to function properly.
VCM provides a Change Restricted role to limit users from making certain changes in your environment.
With this role, users can discover, collect data from machines, assess machines, display bulletin and
template details, check for updates, and view history. Users can add, edit, and delete reports, compliance
rules and rule groups, and compliance and patch assessment templates.They can also install the Agent,
upgrade VCM, and uninstall VCM.
When you apply the VCM Change Restricted role to a user’s VCM login, they cannot perform the
following actions.
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n
Remote command execution
n
Change actions against target managed machines
n
Change rollback
n
Compliance enforcement
n
Patch deployment
n
Software deployment
n
OS provisioning
n
Machine reboots
All VCM user accounts must have the following rights on the VCM Collector machine.
n
Ability to log on locally to access IIS
n
Read access to the System32 folder
n
Write access to the CMFiles$\Exported_Reports folder to export reports
n
If default permissions have been changed, read access to the C:\Program Files
(x86)\VMware\VCM\WebConsole directory and all subdirectories and files
Users who add machines to VCM using a file or the Available Machines Add Machines action must
have write access to CMFiles$\Discovery_Files.
Running VCM as Administrator on the Collector
By default for localhost, Internet Explorer on Windows Server 2008 R2 runs with Protected Mode enabled.
If you are logged in to VCM as an Administrator, because Protected Mode is enabled, problems can occur
with the SQLServer Reporting Service (SSRS) Web service interface components such as dashboards and
node summaries, or when you use the License Manager Click Once application.
When you update a VCM license using the License Manager application from the Collector's Web console,
you must run Internet Explorer as administrator.
CAUTION Although you should not access VCM on the Collector using a Web console, to restore
the SSRS and License Manager functionality you can run Internet Explorer as administrator or
disable Protected Mode for the zone of the Collector (localhost). If you perform either of these
actions, you must take additional precautions to protect the Collector because of the increased
exposure to attacks on the Collector through the Web browser, such as cross-site scripting.
Log In to VCM
Access VCM from any physical or virtual machine in your network. The level of access is determined by
your VCM administrator.
Prerequisites
n
Verify that the physical or virtual machines from which you are accessing VCM have a supported
version of Internet Explorer installed. For supported platforms, see the VCM Hardware and SoftwareRequirements Guide.
n
Configure the Internet Explorer Pop-up Blocker settings to add your Collector to your list of allowed
Web sites, or disable Pop-up Blocker. Click Internet Explorer and select Tools > Pop-up Blocker > Pop-up Blocker Settings and then add the path for your Collector in the allowable address field.
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Procedure
1. To connect to VCM from a physical or virtual machine on your network, open Internet Explorer and
type http://<name_or_IP_of_Collector_machine>/VCM.
2. Type your user network credentials.
3. (Optional) Select Automatically log on using this role to have VCM automatically log you on without
prompting you for a role in future logons.
4. Click Log On.
Your VCM user account may have multiple roles. If you selected the Automatically log on using thisrole option, VCM will automatically log you on as the User Role displayed on the Logon screen. To
change roles, you must use the Logoff button in the top right corner of the Console. This action will return
you to the Logon screen so that you can use the drop-down menu to select a different role.
Getting Familiar with the Portal
The VCM portal provides access to all VCM features to manage your environment.
The portal uses a browser-based interface to run from any Windows machine that has access to the server
on which VCM is installed. The Windows machine must be running Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox
with the Internet Explorer tab plug-in installed.
Getting Started with VCM Components and Tools
The Portal includes several major areas and controls.
General Information Bar
The general information bar displays the VCM Collector’s active SQL Server name, your VCM user name
and active Role, and the following buttons.
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n
Log Out: Exits the Portal. The Portal closes and the VCM Logon screen appears.
n
About: Displays information about how to contact VMware Technical Support and version information
for VCM and all of its components. This information may be important when you contact VMware
Technical Support.
n
Help: Opens the online Help for the currently-active display.
Portal Toolbar
The global toolbar provides you with easily-accessible options to enhance control of your environment
and data.
The left and right arrow buttons navigate to the previous or next page in the data
area.
The Jobs button opens the Jobs Running status window. This button provides
access to the Collector status and allows you to stop and restart the Collector
service.
The Collect button opens a wizard that allows you to define and initiate data
collections.
The Remote Commands button allows you to invoke the Remote Commands wizard
from the toolbar without having to access the node.
The Refresh data grid view button refreshes the data grid. Press F5 on the keyboard
as an alternative action.
The View row cells button displays a vertically scrolling view of a single row of
data, rather than the table-based data grid view in a separate window, and allows
you to move between records.
The Select all displayed data rows button selects all the rows in the data grid.
The Copy button copies information from the selected rows in the data grid to the
clipboard.
The Copy link to clipboard button copies the link of the content on-screen to the
clipboard.
The View data grid in separate window button displays the data grid in a separate
window.
The Export displayed d ata button exports data to a CSV formatted file. This file is
exported to
Reports
The Options button opens the User Options window. These s ettings pertain to the
User who is logged in to VCM. All VCM users can configure these settings to their
individual preferences.
\\<name_of_Collector_machine>\CMfiles$\Exported
.
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Getting Started with VCM Components and Tools
Sliders
The sliders on the left side of the Portal include the items listed and described in the following table. The
individual items that you see in VCM will vary depending on the components that you have licensed.
n
Active Directory and AD objects are available only when VCM for Active Directory (AD) is licensed.
This slider is viewable based on your role.
n
Patching options are available only when VCM Patching is licensed. This slider is viewable based on
your role.
n
Administration is visible only to users who have Administrative rights to VCM as part of their VCM
role.
For detailed instructions about any of these features, see the online Help.
SliderAction
Console
n
View, export, or print enterprise-wide, summary information.
n
Review or acknowledge current alert notifications.
n
Manage VCM discovered and non-VCM discovered hardware and software assets.
n
Review changes that occurred from one collection to the next.
Compliance
Active
Directory
n
Create, edit, or run remote commands on a VCM managed Windows or UNIX
machine.
n
View information about VCM discovered domains.
n
Navigate and manage integrated service desk events.
n
Manage virtual machines.
n
View your Windows NT Domain and Active Directory related data.
n
View information for enterprise-level applications.
n
Review non-security related UNIX machine-specific information.
n
Review UNIX security data to ensure consistent security configurations across your
environment.
n
Create and manage Compliance rule groups and templates based on AD objects or
machine group data.
n
View, export, or print enterprise-wide, summary information for Active Directory
objects.
n
Review alert notifications for the selected AD location.
n
Review Active Directory-related changes that occurred from one collection to the next.
n
View collected information about Active Directory objects such as Users, Groups,
Contacts, Computers, Printers, Shares, and Organizational Units.
n
Review Active Directory site lists, including Site Links, Site Link Bridges, Subnets,
Intersite Transports, Servers, Connections and Licensing.
n
View Active Directory Group Policy Container Settings.
n
View information about Active Directory Domains, DCs, and Trusts.
n
Track and display access control entries and security descriptor data on all collected
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SliderAction
objects.
n
View Active Directory Schema information.
Reports
Patching
n
Run out-of-the-box reports against your collected data.
n
Write your own SQL and SSRS reports using VCM’s report wizard.
n
Review a list of Microsoft bulletins available to VCM.
n
Create, run, or import VCM Patching templates to display the machines that require
the patches described in each bulletin.
n
Select machines to license, set options for assessment and deployment, or monitor
VCM Patching jobs.
n
Deploy patches.
AdministrationnManage basic configuration options for VCM.
n
Establish filters to limit the data you collect from machines in your environment.
n
Manage your VCM licenses.
n
Identify and manage your physical and virtual machines using VCM.
n
Manage VCM Logins and Roles.
n
View the status of jobs that are currently running, scheduled to run, or completed.
n
Configure VCM to notify you of certain conditions in your environment.
76VMware, Inc.
Getting Started with VCM
Before you can use VCM to manage the machines in your enterprise, you must complete several steps.
1. Discover, License, and Install Windows Machines.
2. Discover, License, and Install UNIX/Linux Machines.
3. Discover, License, and Install Mac OS X Machines.
4. Discover, Configure, and Collect Oracle Data from UNIX Machines.
5. Customize VCM for your Environment.
6. Set up and use VCM auditing.
Discover, License, and Install Windows Machines
Discover, License, and Install Windows Machines
To manage your Windows machines, you must verify domains and accounts, discover and license those
machines, install the VCM Agent, and collect Windows data from those machines. You can also collect
Windows Custom Information.
7
Procedure
1. Verify Available Domains
Allow VCM access to each domain so that the VCM Collector can interact with the Windows machines
in your environment.
2. Check the Network Authority
Verify that at least one domain account with administrator privileges is available to act as a network
authority account for VCM.
3. Assign Network Authority Accounts
Select and assign the network authority account that you identified for VCM access to the Windows
machines.
4. Discover Windows Machines
Identify the Windows machines in your network that you are managing with VCM.
5. License Windows Machines
To manage Windows machines, you must license them in VCM.
6. Disable User Account Control for VCM Agent Installation
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vCenter Configuration Manager Installation and Getting Started Guide
Disable User Account Control (UAC) on Windows 7, 2008, 2008 R2, and Vista target machines before
you install the VCM Agent.
7. Install the VCM Windows Agent on Your Windows Machines
Install the VCM Windows Agent on each Windows machine to manage.
8. Enable UAC After VCM Agent Installation
Enable User Account Control (UAC) on Windows 7, 2008, 2008 R2, and Vista machines after you install
the VCM Agent.
9. Collect Windows Data
Start managing the Windows machines by performing an initial collection, which adds Windows
machine data to VCM.
Continuous Windows machine management is based on the latest data you collect from target machines.
You can view data and run actions, such as reports or compliance, based on the collected data. See
"Windows Collection Results" on page 91.
Verify Available Domains
Allow VCM access to each domain so that the VCM Collector can interact with the Windows machines in
your environment.
During installation, VCM discovered all domains to which the network authority account had access. If the
Windows machines belong to a domain that is not listed, you must add that domain manually.
Prerequisit es
Know the fully-qualified names of the domains to manage.
Procedu re
1. Click Administration.
2. Select Settings > Network Authority > Available Domains.
3. Verify that the domain appears in the Available Domains view.
4. If the domain does not appear, add the domain.
a. Click Add.
b. Type the domain name and select the domain type as NetBios or AD, depending on your domain,
and click OK.
What to do next
Verify that a network authority account is available and create other necessary domain accounts. See
"Check the Network Authority" on page 78.
Check the Network Authority
Verify that at least one domain account with administrator privileges is available to act as a network
authority account for VCM.
Although you specified an initial default network authority account when you installed VCM, you can add
different administrator accounts if you do not assign the default account.
Prerequisit es
Verify the presence of domains. See "Verify Available Domains" on page 78.
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Getting Started with VCM
Procedu re
1. Click Administration.
2. Select Settings > Network Authority > Available Accounts.
3. To add a new domain account, click Add.
4. Type the domain name, user name, and password, and click Next.
5. Click Finish to add the account.
What to do next
Assign the network authority account to the domain so that VCM can access the Windows machines in the
domain. See "Assign Network Authority Accounts" on page 79.
Assign Network Authority Accounts
Select and assign the network authority account that you identified for VCM access to the Windows
machines.
You can assign a single account to all domains and machine groups, or assign a unique account or multiple
accounts to each domain and machine group.
Use the following NetBios procedure as a guideline.
Prerequisit es
Verify or add the necessary network authority account. See "Check the Network Authority" on page 78.
5. Select the account to receive authority to the domain and click Next.
6. Confirm the accounts to include in the authority list for the domain and click Finish.
What to do next
Discover the Windows machines in your environment. See "Discover Windows Machines" on page 79.
Discover Windows Machines
Identify the Windows machines in your network that you are managing with VCM.
To discover the available Windows machines, VCM uses general discovery rules to identify many
Windows machines or specific discovery rules to identify particular Windows machines.
The time required to perform an initial discovery depends on the size and composition of your network. If
all Windows machines are not available during initial discovery, such as systems that are disconnected
from the network, the first discovery will not find all Windows machines. If the discovery does not
identify all Windows machines, you might need to run additional discoveries after the other Windows
machines become available.
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NOTE The Discovered Machines Import Tool (DMIT) can import many physical and virtual machines at
one time into the VCM database. The tool imports machines discovered by the Network Mapper (Nmap).
Download DMIT from the VMware Web site.
The following procedure is based on Active Directory.
Prerequisit es
Assign a Network Authority Account that VCM can use for access. See "Assign Network Authority
Accounts" on page 79.
Procedu re
1. Click Administration.
2. Select Machines Manager > Discovery Rules.
3. Click Add to create a discovery rule.
4. On the Discovery Rules page, type a name and description and click Next.
5. On the Discovery Method page, select By Active Directory and click Next.
6. On the AD Domain page, specify the AD Domain, select Discover machines only from the selecteddomain, and click Next.
7. On the Discovery Filters page, select Discover all machines in <domain_name> Domain.
8. (Optional) Create a filter to discover Windows machines based on a limited criteria and click Next.
9. On the Important page, click Yes and Finish.
To avoid exceeding your license count, do not select License and Install Agent on DiscoveredMachines.
10. On the toolbar, click Jobs to track current discovery job status.
The Jobs Running window displays the job name and summary information while the job runs.
What to do next
n
Verify that jobs have finished running. Click Administration and select Job Manager > History >
Other Jobs > Past 24 Hours.
n
Verify that the Windows machines are available. Click Administration and select Machines Manager >
Available Machines > Available Windows Machines.
n
License the Windows machines in your environment. See "License Windows Machines" on page 80.
License Windows Machines
To manage Windows machines, you must license them in VCM.
The number of discovered Windows machines might exceed the number of your available licenses. If that
happens, a message appears indicating that not enough licenses are available.
Prerequisit es
Verify that the Windows machines you are licensing are listed with a machine type of workstation or
server in Available Windows Machines in the following procedure. If the type is not workstation or
server, VCM cannot license the machines. Contact VMware Technical Support to resolve a machine type
that is not recognized by VCM.
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Procedu re
1. Click Administration.
2. Select Machines Manager > Available Machines > Available Windows Machines.
3. Select the Windows machines to license.
4. Click License.
5. Verify that the Windows machines to license appear in the Selected list.
Use the arrows to move the Windows machines.
6. When you initially license Windows machines, do not select the Install VCM Agents for the selectedmachines check box.
7. Click Next to view your Product License Details.
The licensed Windows machine count increases by the number of licensed machines.
8. Click Next.
VCM confirms that the licenses you requested will be applied to the selected Windows machines.
9. Click Finish.
What to do next
Disable User Account Control (UAC) on the Windows 7, 2008, 2008 R2, or Vista machines in your
environment. See "Disable User Account Control for VCM Agent Installation" on page 81.
Disable User Account Control for VCM Agent Installation
Disable User Account Control (UAC) on Windows 7, 2008, 2008 R2, and Vista target machines before you
install the VCM Agent.
The UAC setting on Windows 7, 2008, 2008 R2, and Vista machines prevents VCM from installing the
Agent on these target machines. You can disable UAC on a single Windows machine or a group of
machines.
n
"Disable User Account Control for a Windows Machine" on page 81
n
"Disable User Account Control By Using Group Policy" on page 82
Disable User Account Control for a Windows Machine
The User Account Control (UAC) on Windows 7, 2008, 2008 R2, or Vista machines prevents VCM from
installing the Agent on the target machines. Before you install the Agent on a Windows 7, 2008, 2008 R2, or
Vista machine, you must disable the UAC, and then re-enable UAC after you finish the installation.
This procedure disables UAC on a Windows 2008 R2 machine.
Procedu re
1. On the target Windows 2008 R2 machine, click Start > Run.
2. In the Run dialog box, type msconfig and click OK.
3. In the User Account Control dialog box, click Continue.
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4. In the System Configuration dialog box, click the Tools tab.
5. In the Tool Name list, select Disable UAC.
6. Click Launch.
7. When the command is finished running, click Close and click Close again.
8. Restart the Windows machine to apply the changes.
What to do next
Install the VCM Windows Agent on licensed Windows machines in your environment, and then enable
UAC on the target machine. See "Install the VCM Windows Agent on Your Windows Machines" on page
83.
Disable User Account Control By Using Group Policy
The User Account Control (UAC) on Windows 7, 2008, 2008 R2, and Vista machines prevents VCM from
installing the Agent on the target machines.You can use a group policy to disable UAC on the Windows
machines in your environment.
The following procedure is performed on a Windows 2008 R2 domain controller machine.
Prerequisit es
Configure Windows 7, 2008, 2008 R2, and Vista machines that are targeted for the Agent installation into a
common Active Directory domain or organizational unit (OU).
Procedu re
1. On your Windows 2008 R2 domain controller, click Start and select Administrative Tools > Group
Policy Management.
2. Click Forest and select Domains > your local domain > Default Domain Policy.
3. In the Default Domain Policy pane, click the Settings tab.
4. Right-click Policies and click Edit.
5. In the Console Root, expand the domain/OU.
6. Browse to Computer Configuration > Policies > Windows Settings > Security Settings > LocalPolicies > Security Options.
7. In the right pane, locate the User Access Control policies and configure the following policies and theirPolicy Setting.
OptionAction
User Account Control: Behavior of the elevation prompt for
administration in Admin Approval Mode
User Account Control: Detect application installations and
prompt for elevation
Elevate without prompting.
Disabled.
User Account Control: Run all administrators in Admin
Approval Mode
Disabled.
8. Restart the domain controller machine to apply the changes.
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What to do next
Install the VCM Windows Agent on licensed Windows machines in your environment, and then re-enable
the group policy on the domain controller. See "Install the VCM Windows Agent on Your Windows
Machines" on page 83.
Install the VCM Windows Agent on Your Windows Machines
Install the VCM Windows Agent on each Windows machine to manage.
Before you can collect data from Windows machines, you must install the VCM Windows Agent on the
licensed Windows machines in your environment to enable communication between the Collector and the
target machines.
You can use VCM to install the Agent or you can install the Agent manually. When you install a VCM
Collector, the VCM Windows Agent is automatically installed. The Collector Agent is locked and cannot be
unlocked, uninstalled, or upgraded.
Prerequisit es
n
License the Windows machines on which you install the Agent. See "License Windows Machines" on
page 80.
n
Disable UAC before you install the Agent on Windows 7, 2008, 2008 R2, or Vista machines. See "Disable
User Account Control for VCM Agent Installation" on page 81.
3. In the data grid, select one or more Windows machines on which to install the Agent and click Install.
4. On the Machines page, verify that the target machines appear in the Selected list and click Next.
5. On the Install Options page, select the installation options and click Next.
OptionDescription
ShareLocation to install the Agent. The default location is ADMIN$.
PathPath for the Agent files. The default path includes CMAgent.
Install FromVCM Collector from which to install the Agent.
DCOMCommunication protocol for the Agent. The default setting is
DCOM.
HTTPSecure communication protocol for the Agent. Use HTTP, which
installs the HTTP Listener on the target machine and configures it
to listen on the designated port.
PortDesignated port for the HTTP Listener.
Install using a proxy serverFor Windows Proxies and Windows Agents only. If the target
machine is separated from the Collector by a proxy server, this
option instructs the installation process to check for available
proxy servers.
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OptionDescription
Lock the machine after
installation
Ensures that VCMwill not uninstall the Agent or replace it with a
different version.
Reinstall AgentOverwrites an installed Agent.
6. On the Schedule page, select Run Action now and click Next.
You can schedule subsequent Agent installations to run later.
7. On the Important page, review the summary information and click Finish.
What to do next
n
Verify that jobs have finished running. Click Administration and select Job Manager > History >
Other Jobs > Past 24 Hours.
n
Enable UAC on the Windows 7, 2008, 2008 R2, or Vista machines in your environment. See "Enable
UAC After VCM Agent Installation" on page 89.
n
Collect Windows data from VCM managed machines in your environment. See "Collect Windows
Data" on page 90.
Locate the Enterprise Certificate
Locate the Enterprise Certificate before you install the VCM Agent on the managed Windows machine.
VCM must access the Enterprise Certificate during the Agent installation.
If your Collector is operating in a full Public Key Infrastructure (PKI), and the target machine can validate
the Collector root certificate (Enterprise Certificate), the .pem file is not required.
Procedu re
1. Locate the Enterprise Certificate .pem file in the Collector's c:\Program Files
(x86)\VMware\VCM\CollecorData folder.
2. Navigate to the Collector data directory at c:\Program Files
(x86)\VMware\VCM\CollectorData.
3. If the certificate files are not in the default location, you must confirm the path to the files.
a. Click Administration.
b. Select Settings > General Settings > Collector.
c. Select Root directory for all collector files.
d. Confirm the file path in the Value column.
Manually Install the VCM Windows Agent
You can manually install the Windows Agent on the VCM managed machine by using the executable
(EXE) file or the Microsoft Installer (MSI) file that is supplied with VCM.
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n
You use the EXE file to install the Agent in unattended, silent mode. EXE files detect an existing
software version and provide the option to uninstall the existing version.
n
You use the MSI file to install the Agent in unattended, silent mode. MSI files are database files. The
Windows msiexec.exe executable file reads the data in the MSI file, and then installs the Agent.
The MSI file uninstalls any existing, non-MSI Agent without sending a request. If you run the MSI
installer again, the removal option is available.
If you use a new MSI file to upgrade an MSI-installed Agent, the old Agent is uninstalled.
The VCM Enterprise Certificate was installed when you initially installed VCM. During the Agent
installation process, if you select HTTP, VCM installs the Enterprise Certificate in the certificate store on the
VCM managed machine.
The Collector root certificate authenticates Collector requests on the managed machine before it processes
a collection or change request. The authentication process uses the Collector Certificate and established
trust to the Enterprise Certificate.
Use the EXE File to Install the Agent
You can use the EXE file to manually install the VCM Windows Agent on a target machine. The directories
in this procedure are default locations.
CAUTION For Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 2008 only: If you set the compatibility mode on an
Agent executable file to a previous version of Windows, VCM might report the compatible
operating system instead of the actual operating system. For example, on a Windows 7 machine, if
you set the Agent to run in compatibility mode for Windows XP, the Agent will report that the
machine is a Windows XP machine.
Prerequisit es
Locate the Enterprise Certificate before you install the VCM Agent. See "Locate the Enterprise Certificate"
on page 84.
Procedu re
1. On your VCM Collector, open Windows Explorer and navigate to the Agent files directory at
C:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\VCM\AgentFiles.
2. Copy the CMAgentInstall.exe file from the Collector to the target machine or a shared network
location.
The CMAgentInstall.exe file is located in the path relative to the installed software on the Collector.
3. On the target machine, use Windows Explorer and run the installation in either normal or silent mode.
n
For normal mode, run CMAgentInstall.exe.
n
For silent mode, run CMAgentInstall.exe /s INSTALLPATH=%Systemroot%\CMAgent
PORTNUMBER=26542 CERTIFICATEFILE=<filename>.
The %Systemroot% environment variable specifies the directory where Windows is installed, which is
typically \WINNT or \WINDOWS.
Use the following options for the installation.
OptionActio n
CMAgentInstall.exeExecutable file used to install the Agent.
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OptionActio n
/sIndicates a silent install. When you run CMAgentInstall.exe
from the command line, VMware recommends that you install
the Agent in silent mode.
You must unlock the Agent before you can proceed with the
installation. To unlock the Agent, use the -UNLOCK option.
The syntax is:
CMAgentInstall.exe /s -UNLOCK
INSTALLPATH=%Systemroot%\CMAgent PORTNUMBER=26542
CERTIFICATEFILE=<filename>
To relock your managed machine, you must submit a lock
request from the VCM Collector. To submit the lock request,
click Administration and select Settings > General Settings >Installer. Edit the Lock Agent after it is installed? setting to lock
the managed machine.
INSTALLPATHLocation to install the Agent files.
PORTNUMBER
Used for HTTP Agents. If you do not include the PORT
parameter, VCM uses DCOM and does not install the
communication socket listener service. The certificate is not
required.
CERTIFICATEFILE
Indicates the certificate that you generated or specified on the
Collector during the Collector installation. The location of the
certificate file is in the path relative to the installed software on
the Collector. By default the path is C:\Program Files
(x86)\VMware\VCM\CollectorData\[certificate
name].pem.
If you include PORTNUMBER, but do not use a certificate, you
must use the CERTIFICATEFILE=SKIP parameter to allow an
HTTP Agent to operate without a valid CERTIFICATEFILE path.
4. On the target machine, in Windows Explorer run CMAgentInstall.exe.
What to do next
n
To confirm that the job finished running, click Administration and select Job Manager > History >
Other Jobs > Past 24 Hours.
n
Collect Windows data from VCM managed machines. See "Collect Windows Data" on page 90.
n
Enable UAC on the Windows 7, 2008, 2008 R2, or Vista machines in your environment. See "Enable
UAC After VCM Agent Installation" on page 89.
Use the MSI File to Install the Agent
You can use the MSI file to manually install the VCM Windows Agent on a target machine. The directories
specified in this procedure are default locations.
Prerequisit es
Locate the Enterprise Certificate before you install the VCM Agent. See "Locate the Enterprise Certificate"
on page 84.
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Procedu re
1. On your VCM Collector, open Windows Explorer and navigate to the Agent files directory at
c:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\VCM\AgentFiles.
2. Copy the CMAgent[version].msi file to the target machine or a shared network location.
The CMAgent[version].msi file is located in the path relative to the installed software on the
Collector.
3. Locate the CMAgent[Version].msi file.
4. If the file does not exist, you must copy CMAgent[Version].msi to the target machine, or install it
from a network share onto the target machine.
5. Copy the Enterprise Certificate .pem file to the target machine.
6. On the target machine, in Windows Explorer, run CMAgent[Version].msi using the following
syntax:
When used with default options, this command removes any
existing Windows Agent, installs the new Agent in the
%SystemRoot%\CMAgent directory, and uses DCOM for
communication.
When you include an option with CMAgent[Version].msi,
you must follow these conventions:
n
Include optional parameters in any combination and order.
n
After the required /i parameter, use uppercase letters for
optional parameters.
n
Use quotation marks when a path includes spaces in the
source file location and the INSTALLDIR parameter.
To see details about the options, select Start > Run > msiexec.
%Systemroot%
Environment variable that specifies the directory where
Windows is installed, which is typically \WINNT or \WINDOWS.
/qbRuns the command in a basic user interface and displays the
progress and error messages.
/qnRuns the command in quiet mode without user interaction.
/iRuns the command as an installation.
/xRuns the command as an uninstall process.
PORTNUMBER
Installs the Windows Agent on the port number specified, and
uses HTTP instead of DCOM. For HTTP installations where
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OptionAct ion
you include PORTNUMBER, you must include an Enterprise
Certificate by using the following syntax:
CERTIFICATEFILE="<drive>:\[mypath]\[mycert].pem"
For example:
msiexec.exe /qn /i
"C:\temp\CMAgent[VersionNumber].msi"
PORTNUMBER=2666
CERTIFICATEFILE=”x:\mypath\mycert.pem”
If you include PORTNUMBER, you must either include the path
to the certificate file, or supplement the CERTIFICATEFILE
parameter with the SKIP parameter .
INSTALLDIRLocation to install the Agent. Use to change the default root
directory specification, which is %SystemRoot%\CMAgent.
For example:
msiexec.exe /qn /i
"C:\temp\CMAgent[VersionNumber].msi"
INSTALLDIR="C:\VCM"
CERTIFICATEFILE
Includes the Enterprise Certificate with either the path or the
SKIP parameter.
For example:
CERTIFICATEFILE="x:\[mypath]\[mycert].pem" or
CERTIFICATEFILE=”SKIP”
What to do next
n
To confirm that the job finished running, click Administration and select Job Manager > History >
Other Jobs > Past 24 Hours.
n
Collect Windows data from VCM managed machines. See "Collect Windows Data" on page 90.
n
Enable UAC on the Windows 7, 2008, 2008 R2, or Vista machines in your environment. See "Enable
UAC After VCM Agent Installation" on page 89.
Manually Uninstall the VCM Windows Agent
When you no longer manage a Windows machine with VCM, you uninstall the Agent from that target
machine. If you used VCM to install the Agent, you must use VCM to uninstall the Agent.
After you remove the Windows Agent and remove the managed Windows machine from the list of
licensed machines, VCM no longer manages the Windows machine and you can no longer collect data
from it. To keep historical data, do not remove the Windows machine from VCM.
To remove the Windows machine, click Administration and select Machines Manager > LicensedMachines > Licensed Windows Machines.
The Windows Agent uninstall executable file exists on the VCM managed machine if you installed the
Agent manually using CMAgentInstall.exe or CMAgentInstall.msi. Use this manual process to
uninstall the Agent only if you used either of these commands to install the Agent.
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Procedu re
1. On the VCM managed machine, run
%SystemRoot%\CMAgent\Uninstall\Packages\CMAgentInstall\UnCMAgentInstall.exe.
This path displays the default location. The EXE file is located in the path relative to the installed
software on the Collector.
Enable UAC After VCM Agent Installation
Enable User Account Control (UAC) on Windows 7, 2008, 2008 R2, and Vista machines after you install the
VCM Agent.
You can enable UAC on a single Windows machine or a group of Windows machines.
n
"Enable User Account Control on a Single Windows Machine" on page 89
n
"Enable UAC By Using a Group Policy" on page 89
Enable User Account Control on a Single Windows Machine
You must enable User Account Control (UAC) on Windows 7, 2008, 2008 R2, or Vista machines after you
install the VCM Agent on the target machines.
This procedure enables UAC on a Windows 2008 machine.
Procedu re
1. On the target Windows 2008 machine, click Start > Run.
2. In the Run dialog box, type msconfig and click OK.
3. In the User Account Control dialog box, click Continue.
4. In the System Configuration dialog box, click the Tools tab.
5. In the Tool Name list, select Enable UAC.
6. Click Launch.
7. When the command is finished running, click Close and click Close again.
8. Restart the Windows 2008 machine to apply the changes.
What to do next
Collect data from managed Windows machines. See "Collect Windows Data" on page 90.
Enable UAC By Using a Group Policy
If you disabled the User Account Control (UAC) using a group policy, you can re-enable UAC VCM by
using a group policy.
This procedure enables UAC on a Windows 2008 machine.
Procedu re
1. On the Windows 2008 machine, click Start > Run.
2. In the Run dialog box, type msconfig and click OK.
3. In the User Account Control dialog box, click Continue.
4. In the System Configuration dialog box, click the Tools tab.
5. In the Tool Name list, select Enable UAC.
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6. Click Launch.
7. When the command is finished running, click Close and click Close again.
8. Restart the Windows 2008 machine to apply the changes.
What to do next
Collect data from managed Windows machines. See "Collect Windows Data" on page 90.
Collect Windows Data
Start managing the Windows machines by performing an initial collection, which adds Windows machine
data to VCM.
Use the default filter set to collect a general view of the Windows machines in your environment. The first
time that you use the default filter to collect data, the Windows Agent returns all of the data specified in
the filter and stores the data in the VCM database. All subsequent collections will return a delta against the
data previously collected.
A delta collection includes only the differences between the data on the target machine and the data stored
in the VCM database. If you need a full collection, you can specify that VCM collect all data again. A full
collection can take a significant amount of time depending on the number of VCM managed Windows
machines from which you are collecting.
When you perform a full collection from your entire environment, run the collection during non working
hours so that users do not notice any performance impact on managed machines. After the initial
collection is finished, subsequent delta collections will most likely not impact performance.
Prerequisit es
n
Collect the Accounts and Groups data types from the primary domain controller (PDC) in each domain
to increase the performance of initial collections that require a SID lookup.
n
To collect from Windows XP SP2 or Vista machines that use DCOM communication, you must enable
ICMP pings in the firewall settings or disable ICMP pings in VCM.
n
Verify that DCOM is enabled on the managed machine. Run dcomcnfg and select Enable Distributed
COM on this computer.
Procedu re
1. On the VCM toolbar, click Collect.
2. On the Collection Type page, select Machine Data and click OK.
3. On the Machines page, select the Windows machines from which to collect data and click Next.
To move all visible Windows machines to the selection window, 500 at a time, use the double arrow.
4. On the Data Types page, select the Select All checkbox.
5. Select Use default filters and click Next.
6. On the Important page, resolve any conflicts and click Finish.
What to do next
n
Verify that jobs have finished running. Click Administration and select Job Manager > History >
Other Jobs > Past 24 Hours.
n
Review the collection results. See "Windows Collection Results" on page 91.
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Windows Collection Results
Continuous Windows machine management is based on the latest data you collect from target machines.
You can view data and run actions, such as reports or compliance, based on the collected data.
Windows data appears in VCM and is available for several management actions, including Console
dashboards and reports, Compliance views, and VCMPatching. The displayed data is only as current as
the last time you collected the data.
OptionDescription
ConsoleDisplays dashboards and reports based on collected data. Use the Console to view
data that is relevant to day-to-day operations, troubleshooting, and analysis.
n
To view the dashboards, click Console and select Dashboards > Windows >
Operating Systems.
n
To view the summary reports, click Console and select Windows > Operating
System > Machines. You can view the data in a summary report or data grid
format.
ComplianceDetermines if the data collected from VCM managed Windows machines meets
specified compliance values, and allows you to run compliance remediation
actions.
n
To run a compliance check, click Compliance and select Machine Group
Compliance.
n
To create rule groups, rules, filters, and templates, see the online help.
ReportsRuns pre-configured reports or you can create custom reports. VCM runs reports
against the latest collected data. Depending on the data volume or complexity of
the requested report, it might take time to generate the report. For information to
schedule and disseminate reports, see the online help.
n
To use the reporting options, click Reports and select Machine Group Reports
> Windows.
PatchingAssesses target machines to determine if the patching status of the Windows
machines is up-to-date. You can install the latest patches on target machines.
n
To assess and patch Windows machines, click Patching and select Windows.
n
To run assessments and patch your Windows machines, see the online help.
After the initial discovery is finished, perform a weekly discovery to update the list of available Windows
machines. To schedule a VCM discovery job, click Administration, select Job Manager > Scheduled, and
follow the wizard.
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Getting Started with Windows Custom Information
Windows Custom Information (WCI) is data collected from VCM managed machines that is created by
PowerShell scripts. WCI supplements and extends the data collected by VCM from managed Windows
machines using other VCM data types.
You can create or modify WCI scripts to collect almost any data type that is accessible from VCM
managed machines. VCM supports PowerShell scripting and XML output to collect Windows Custom
Information.
Figure 7–1. Windows Custom Information Collection Process
To get started collecting Windows Custom Information, you have prerequisites and steps to perform to
create and validate your PowerShell script.
Procedure
1. "Prerequisites to Collect Windows Custom Information" on page 93
To collect Windows Custom Information from VCM managed machines, you have several
prerequisites.
2. "Collecting Windows Custom Information" on page 104
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To collect Windows Custom Information (WCI) using script-based filters, you must do the following
tasks:
n
Create and verify your custom PowerShell script.
n
Install PowerShell on the VCM managed machines to be used for WCI collections.
n
Use VCM to collect WCI data from the managed machines using your script-based filter.
You can view the job status details and collection results, and run reports on the collected data.
Prerequisites to Collect Windows Custom Information
To collect Windows Custom Information from VCM managed machines, you have several prerequisites.
Prerequisit es
n
Understand how to write and run PowerShell scripts. See "References on PowerShell and Script Signing"
on page 98 or the Windows PowerShell online help.
n
Write your own PowerShell script to return data in a VCM compatible, element-normal XML format,
or obtain PowerShell scripts from VMware Professional Services or another source. See "Using
PowerShell Scripts for WCI Collections" on page 93.
n
Make sure that your PowerShell script is accessible when you paste the script content into the Script
area of the collection filter on the VCM Collector.
n
Confirm that the VCM Collector includes PowerShell 2.0 if the Collector is a client for WCI collections.
n
Confirm that PowerShell 2.0 is installed on each VCM managed machine that will be used for WCI
collections. See "Install PowerShell" on page 106.
n
Upgrade older VCMAgents on the VCM managed machines from which you collect Windows Custom
Information, and then install the VCM 5.3 Agent or later on these machines.
n
Understand the script signing policies if you use PowerShell 2.0. See "PowerShell Script Signing Policies"
on page 97.
n
Set the PowerShell execution policy on the VCM managed machine. See "Built-in PowerShell Policy
Settings" on page 98.
n
Understand how VCM manages Windows Custom Information data changes. See "Windows Custom
Information Change Management" on page 103.
n
Confirm or update the Agent Thread Administration settings on the VCM Collector. The default value
is set to below normal thread priority, and the Agent Data Retention default is set to a 15-day change
log. See the online help.
Using PowerShell Scripts for WCI Collections
Windows Custom Information (WCI) uses PowerShell as the scripting engine and the element-normal
XML format as the output that is inserted into the VCM database.
WCI supports PowerShell 2.0 and works with later versions of PowerShell.
n
PowerShell 2.0 is the base requirement for WCI in VCM because of its ability to set the execution policy
at the process level.
n
You can run WCI PowerShell collection scripts against Windows machines that have PowerShell 1.0
installed, although this usage is not supported or tested. If the collection scripts do not use PowerShell
2.0 commands, your WCI filters that use the in-line method to pass a WCI script to PowerShell will
operate correctly.
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The WCI data type uses extensions to the VCM Windows Agent. The extensions allow the Agent to
invoke PowerShell scripts. Using the script-based collection filter, VCM passes the PowerShell scripts to a
VCM managed machine, and the VCM Agent parses the resulting XML output. The default WCI filter
returns the PowerShell version information from the managed machines.
WCIdata type extensions are flexible because they use filter parameters that the command line uses to
invoke the scripting engine. The WCI extensions use a COM class name to specify the parser required for
the Agent to parse the script output, and allow new types of parsers to be added at the Agent. This
approach extends the support of multiple scripting engines, languages, and output formats.
Guidelines in PowerShell Scripting for WCI
When you develop custom PowerShell scripts to collect the Windows Custom Information (WCI)data
type from VCM managed Windows machines, follow these guidelines.
n
Make XML element names unique at the same level.
For example, you can specify two child nodes that are not siblings.
n
Make attributes unique at the same level.
n
Use unique XMLelement names to generate valid VCM XML. The XML elements are code blocks that
include the element's start and end tags. The element can contain other elements, text, attributes, or a
combination of them.
n
Use repeatable identifiers to prevent false indications of changes at the Collector. If your element labels
(identifiers) are not the same for every collection of the same item, you will see false additions, changes,
and deletions in the VCM change log.
n
Confirm that the script returns valid XMLelement names and attribute names.
If the data to be returned is an element name or an attribute name that is not valid for XML, you can
encode the name using the [ToCMBase64String] function. A VCM Collector job, called the inserter, is
executed during each collection. The inserter recognizes the names that are encoded with this function
and decodes them in the raw insertion process.
The inserter parses the resulting XML file and inserts the data into a new raw database table named
VCM_Raw by default. The XML process transforms the raw data into data that appears in VCM.
Include a comment block and configurable parameter entries near the start of the script so that when
you clone a WCI collection filter you can see the parameters and set them when you edit the collection
filter. To view and edit the collection filters, click Administration and select Collection Filters > Filters.
n
Redirect any variable declarations in the script to out-null, along with any other tasks that generate
output that is not part of the XML result set. For example, you can use the following command.
Do not include any formatting, white space, carriage returns, or line feeds at the end of elements,
nodes, or attributes.
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Challenges in PowerShell Scripting for WCI
When you develop custom collection scripts, understand the challenges that you might encounter while
scripting in PowerShell to collect the Windows Custom Information (WCI)data type from VCM managed
Windows machines.
PowerShell scripts can use the split method of PowerShell strings, which separates the columns of the rows
into separate values in arrays. For example, Windows provides the schtasks.exe utility to manage
scheduled tasks on a local or remote computer and report on the scheduled tasks.
The split method of PowerShell strings in the $schtasks script separates the columns of the $schtasks
rows into separate values in arrays.
n
Column names row provides the names to use for attributes.
n
Corresponding data from the scheduled task rows provides the values to use for these attributes.
The top-level name of <schtasks> is an arbitrary name that you apply to distinguish the results of this
script from other results. The XML script returns the parsed data, which resembles the following structure.
<schtasks>
<taskname1>
<attribute1>Value1</attribute1>
<attribute2>Value2</attribute2>
</taskname1>
<taskname2>
<attribute1>Value1</attribute1>
<attribute2>Value2</attribute2>
</taskname2>
</schtasks>
The returned data can include the following content, which causes problems.
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White space, such as tabs or spaces, is not allowed in returned data.
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Column names include spaces.
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Specific task entries do not include a unique and repeatable identifier.
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Values can contain XML syntax in functions, which you must enclose in CDATA.
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Column Names Include Spaces
Running the schtasks command without any options displays a column name of Next Run Time.
Because this name includes spaces, you cannot use it as an attribute name in an XML document. Running
the schtasks command verbosely generates other column names that include spaces. Although you
cannot use these invalid names as attribute names, you can preserve the names by using VCM encoding
standards.
To preserve these column names in the form that schtasks returns and allow for XML handling, VCM
encodes the column names with the ToCMBase64String function. To create a valid XML form of an
element name or attribute name, this function uses Unicode Base64 encoding and character substitution,
such as using a dash instead of an equal sign, as shown in the following example.
Using this function corrects the invalid column name data.
VCM prefaces the string with cmbase64- so that the VCM inserter can decode the data and load the
decoded data into the VCM database.
The valid XML appears as follows.
<cmbase64-TgBlAHgAdAAgAFIAdQBuACAAVABpAG0AZQA->
12:32:00, 5/26/2010
</cmbase64-TgBlAHgAdAAgAFIAdQBuACAAVABpAG0AZQA->
Invalid XML omits the encoding function as follows.
<Next Run Time>
12:32:00, 5/26/2010
</Next Run Time>
Task Entries Do Not Include a Unique and Repeatable Identifier
Use repeatable identifiers to prevent false indications of changes at the Collector. If your element labels
(identifiers) are not the same for every collection of the same item, you will see false additions, changes,
and deletions in the VCM change log.
The Windows schtasks command does not include a unique and repeatable identifier for specific task
entries. Because unique element names are a requirement for valid VCM XML and repeatable identifiers
help prevent false indications of changes at the VCM Collector, you must code the task names correctly in
your script.
To create unique and repeatable element names, one method is to create a task entry name based on a
hash of the data in the row. You can use this method for data that does not have a name-type attribute,
where the task name exists but is not guaranteed to be unique. When the task name is user-friendly and
useful, you must attempt to preserve the name and use it in the collection script.
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To preserve the user-friendly name, use the task name as the element name for the task rows. When you
create a collection filter that uses your script, you must select the incremental duplicate handling option so
that the collection process includes an incremental entry in the list of entries where the same task name
appears multiple times.
For example, in a sample test environment, many Windows machines had more than one task named
GoogleUpdateTaskMachineCore. A PowerShell script can label the rows as Task1, Task2, and so on. If
you delete Task1, Task2 becomes Task1, and VCM displays multiple change details for Task1, such as the
command line and the next run time. This report would be incorrect because even though Task 1 would
have changed place in the sequence, the task would not have changed.
The task names are labeled accordingly.
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The first task entry is GoogleUpdateTaskMachineCore.
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The second task entry is labeled GoogleUpdateTaskMachineCore_1.
Because task names can contain characters that are not valid in XML element names, VCM encodes the
task names with the ToCMBase64String function. If you reorder the list of tasks whose names are
identical, VCM can still report extra changes. For this reason, require the VCM user interface to display
the friendly task names.
Enclose Values that Can Contain XML Syntax in CDATA
When you develop your custom PowerShell scripts to collect the Windows Custom Information data type
from VCM managed Windows machines, you must use CDATA to enclose values that contain XML
syntax.
With PowerShell 2.0 you can set the script signing policies at the machine, user, and process levels. The
process level runs a single execution of powershell.exe.
In VCM, Windows Custom Information (WCI) uses script type information in the collection filter to
determine how to execute PowerShell and how to pass the script to it.
Use the following methods to pass a WCI script to PowerShell.
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In-line: The default WCI filter uses an in-line script to collect basic information about the PowerShell
version, .NET version, and execution policy settings. The in-line option requires a collection script that is
represented as a single line of PowerShell code. Because the filter runs an in-line script on the
PowerShell command line, instead of using a file, the execution policy does not apply.
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Script file: For script-based filters in WCI, the default script type command line includes options to set
the process-level execution policy to Remote Signed. The script requires that the execution policy be set
to Remote Signed at the most restrictive level because the script runs from a file that resides locally on
the VCM managed Windows machine. For WCI, VCM can execute collection scripts on managed
machines where the machine and user level signing policies are set to any level, without requiring you
to change the setting.
Built-in PowerShell Policy Settings
Before you use the WCI collection filter to run file-based PowerShell scripts on the VCM Collector and
your VCM managed machines, you must change the execution policy on the VCM managed machines.
PowerShell contains built-in execution policies that limit its use as an attack vector. By default, the
execution policy is set to Restricted, which is the primary policy for script execution.
The following policy settings apply to PowerShell scripts.
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AllSigned: PowerShell scripts must be signed by a verifiable certificate from the Software Publishing
Certificate store. The typical file extension is .ps1. For signed scripts, you can set the execution policy
to All Signed. You must sign the scripts and distribute the appropriate certificates before you collect
WCI data.
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RemoteSigned: A verifiable certificate must sign any PowerShell script that you download from the
Internet using a supported browser such as Internet Explorer. Script files that are not required to be
signed are scripts that you create locally or scripts that you download using a method that does not
support flagging the file source. For un-signed scripts, you must set the execution policy to the most
restrictive level of Remote Signed. You can set the policy directly by using a Group Policy Object (GPO)
with a VCM remote command. You can use a registry change action or enforceable compliance. For
example:
Unrestricted: All PowerShell script files run regardless of whether they are signed by a verifiable
certificate.
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Restricted: You can use PowerShell interactively or to run commands directly from the command line.
This setting is the default.
References on PowerShell and Script Signing
For information about Windows PowerShell and script signing policies, see the Microsoft Web site.
Create an Example PowerShell Script for Scheduled Tasks
Use a custom PowerShell script to collect Windows Custom Information (WCI) data from VCM managed
Windows machines. With this example, you can learn how to use PowerShell scripts to collect WCI data
for scheduled tasks.
Windows provides the schtasks.exe utility to report on scheduled tasks that you create in the Task
Scheduler user interface or by using the AT command. The schtasks.exe utility enables you to manage
scheduled tasks on a local or remote computer and to report on the scheduled tasks.
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The schtasks command returns basic information about scheduled tasks. The data returned by
schtasks includes multiple rows. PowerShell structures the $schtasks variable in an array. For
example, $schtasks[0] represents the first row. To view the result set, use $schtasks[n], which
displays the following status:
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$schtasks[0] is blank.
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$schtasks[1] contains column names.
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$schtasks[2] is the first row of task data.
Prerequisit es
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Review the guidelines to create PowerShell scripts for WCI collections, and understand the challenges in
PowerShell scripting. See "Guidelines in PowerShell Scripting for WCI" on page 94.
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Understand how to write and run PowerShell scripts. See "References on PowerShell and Script Signing"
on page 98 or the Windows PowerShell online help.
Procedu re
1. On your VCM managed Windows machine, click Start.
2. Select All Programs > Accessories > Windows PowerShell.
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On a 64-bit Windows machine, select Windows PowerShell (x86) to run the 32-bit version of
PowerShell.
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On a 32-bit Windows machine, select Windows PowerShell.
3. Run the command to set the source of data for the collection script.
$schtasks = schtasks /query /v /fo:csv
The following options are available.
OptionDescriptio n
/query /v
Displays additional information about scheduled tasks. Be aware
that verbose formatting is difficult for automated processing.
schtasks /query /v
/fo:csv
schtasks /query /?
Displays verbose task output and sets the source of data for the
collection script to a comma-separated value (csv) result set.
Displays additional command options.
4. To return the data to the VCM Collector, parse the data into a structure that is compatible with the
VCM XML format. The sample script parses the data as shown in the following code.