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vCenter Lifecycle Manager - 1.2.0
User’s Guide
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Installation Manual
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Administrator’s Guide
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VMware vCenter Lifecycle Manager - 1.2.0 Installation Manual

Lifecycle Manager Installation and
Configuration Guide
vCenter Lifecycle Manager 1.2
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-000401-00
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:
docfeedback@vmware.com
Copyright © 2010 VMware, Inc. All rights reserved. This product is protected by U.S. and international copyright and intellectual property laws. VMware products are covered by one or more patents listed at http://www.vmware.com/go/patents.
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.
VMware, Inc.
3401 Hillview Ave. Palo Alto, CA 94304 www.vmware.com
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Contents

About This Book 7
Introducing LCM
Understanding LCM 11
1
Lifecycle Manager Process 11
Lifecycle Manager Terminology 13
Role-Based User Interface 13
User Roles and Permitted Tasks 14
LCM Administrator 14
Lifecycle Manager Architecture 15
LCM Installation Process 17
2
System Requirements 19
3
Hardware Requirements for Orchestrator 19
Operating Systems Supported by Orchestrator 19
Supported Directory Services 20
Supported Browsers 20
Database Requirements 20
Installing and Configuring Orchestrator
Orchestrator Components Setup Guidelines 23
4
vCenter Server Setup 23
Directory Services Setup 23
Orchestrator Database Setup 23
Orchestrator Configuration Maximums 24
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Install Orchestrator 25
5
Configuring Orchestrator 27
6
Check Configuration Readiness 28
Log In to the Orchestrator Configuration Interface 28
Change the Default Password 29
Revert to the Default Password for Orchestrator Configuration 29
Configure the Network Connection 30
Change the Default Configuration Ports on the Orchestrator Client Side 32
Import the vCenter SSL Certificate 32
Configuring LDAP Settings 33
3
Password Encryption and Hashing Mechanism 38
Configure the Database Connection 39
Server Certificate 41
Configure the Default Plug-Ins 44
Import the vCenter Server License 47
Start the Orchestrator Server 48
Export the Orchestrator Configuration 50
Import the Orchestrator Configuration 51
Configure the Maximum Number of Events and Runs 52
Change the Web View SSL Certificate 53
Define the Server Log Level 53
Maintenance and Recovery 55
7
Change the Size of Server Logs 56
Maintaining the Orchestrator Database 56
Troubleshooting Orchestrator 57
Controlling Orchestrator Access 59
8
Disable Access to the Orchestrator Client by Nonadministrators 59
Disable Access to Workflows from Web Service Clients 60
Installing and Configuring LCM
Installing LCM 63
9
Installation Prerequisites 63
Install Lifecycle Manager 65
Configuring LCM Database Options 65
Configuring LCM 67
10
Check Configuration Readiness 67
Initial Configuration of Lifecycle Manager 68
Configure the LCM Web View 68
Set Approval Requirements 69
Configure Archiving Settings 69
Change Authorization Groups 69
Change the Naming Convention for Virtual Machines 70
Enable Email Notifications 70
Configure Email Notification Content 70
Configure Currency and Date Formats 71
Upgrading Orchestrator and LCM
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Upgrading to Orchestrator 4.1 and LCM 1.2 75
11
Backing Up Database Tables 75
Back Up Modified and Custom Orchestrator Elements 75
Upgrading an Installation Running on a 32-Bit Machine 76
Upgrading an Installation Running on a 64-Bit Machine 77
Upgrading the vCenter Server Environment 77
Contents
Uninstall LCM and Orchestrator 79
12
Index 81
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About This Book

The Lifecycle Manager Installation and Configuration Guide provides information about installing and configuring VMware® vCenter Lifecycle Manager (LCM).
Intended Audience
This book is intended for administrators who are installing and configuring LCM. The information in this guide is written for experienced system administrators who are familiar with virtual machine technology.
VMware Technical Publications Glossary
VMware Technical Publications provides a glossary of terms that might be unfamiliar to you. For definitions of terms as they are used in VMware technical documentation, go to
http://www.vmware.com/support/pubs.
Document Feedback
VMware welcomes your suggestions for improving our documentation. If you have comments, send your feedback to docfeedback@vmware.com.
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 Offerings
VMware Professional Services
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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 the fastest response on priority 1 issues. Go to
http://www.vmware.com/support/phone_support.html.
To find out how VMware support offerings can help meet your business needs, 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.
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Introducing LCM

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Understanding LCM 1

VMware vCenter Lifecycle Manager (LCM) automates the process of creating virtual machines and removing them from service at the appropriate time.
Using LCM, you can perform the following tasks:
n
Handle and process virtual machine requests in a Web user interface.
n
Automatically place servers based on their location, organization, environment, service level, or performance levels. When a solution is found for a set of criteria, the machine is automatically deployed.
n
Enforce automatic deployment and configuration to reduce errors and speed up provisioning processes.
n
Track lifecycle information for requested machines. Tracking helps maintain on-time archiving and deletion of end-of-life servers and avoids server sprawl.
This chapter includes the following topics:
n
“Lifecycle Manager Process,” on page 11
n
“Lifecycle Manager Terminology,” on page 13
n
“Role-Based User Interface,” on page 13
n
“User Roles and Permitted Tasks,” on page 14
n
“LCM Administrator,” on page 14
n
“Lifecycle Manager Architecture,” on page 15

Lifecycle Manager Process

LCM automates the process of creating virtual machines and removing them from service at the appropriate time.
Figure 1-1 provides an overview of the process and the tasks completed by each role.
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request
virtual machine
approve
create
virtual machine
set up
approval required
placement exception or conflict ­manual placement
no approval ­placement exception or conflict
no approval ­automatic placement
user decided to decommission manually
archive or
delete
configuration
dependent
no approval
use
virtual machine
approve
life extension
or VM
customization
end of life
archive
decommission
delete
best practice path
other possible path
other possible path with approval deactivated
Figure 1-1. Stages in the Lifecycle of a Virtual Machine under LCM
The way that LCM handles requests to create virtual machines depends on how the LCM Administrator has configured the approval process. If approval is required, an email notification is sent to the LCM Approver. If approval is not required, and there is no conflict with the request, the virtual machine is created. If there is a conflict, an LCM IT Staff user receives an email notification that a virtual machine is waiting to be created.
After a virtual machine is created, it can be used until the decommissioning date. Five days before the decommissioning date, an email notice is sent to the user who requested the virtual machine if email notifications are enabled. The requester can do one of the following:
n
n
The LCM Administrator can choose to delete the virtual machine request. The LCM Administrator is the only role that can remove information about a virtual machine. When a request is deleted, no information about the virtual machine appears in reports, but the virtual machine is not deleted. If a virtual machine request is accidentally deleted, the LCM Administrator can recover the associated virtual machine.
Request to extend the life of the machine.
If the extension is not approved, the virtual machine is decommissioned and is archived or deleted. The LCM Administrator determines whether decommissioned virtual machines are archived.
Manually decommission the virtual machine.
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Lifecycle Manager Terminology

LCM uses specific terminology to describe lifecycle events and attributes.
Chapter 1 Understanding LCM
Commission
Decommission
Extension
Infrastructure
Criteria
Template Profile
Customization Template
Placing
The creation of a requested virtual machine. The commission time is submitted during the request process.
The requested machine reaches the end of its life. A decommission date is submitted during the request process. The decommissioned machine can be archived or deleted.
Extending the life of a virtual machine that is to be decommissioned. If approval is required, the request for extension must be approved before the owner of the virtual machine can continue to use it.
Attributes such as the network, domain, and datastore affect where the requested virtual machine is placed in VMware Infrastructure.
Attributes attached to a requested virtual machine that are selected during the request process, such as location, organization, server environment, service level, and performance. The LCM Administrator maps this information to the infrastructure.
The profile that is used when a requested virtual machine is cloned.
The template that determines the resources that the requested virtual machine uses, such as memory reservation, memory limit, CPU shares, and disk shares. Only the LCM IT Staff, LCM Tech Requester, and LCM Administrator can modify the customization template.
The requested virtual machine is created or moved into the infrastructure, based on the selected criteria and infrastructure.

Role-Based User Interface

LCM has a role-based interface. Users are presented only the options that are relevant to their specific role. All roles can request a virtual machine.
LCM users can be assigned the following roles:
LCM Administrator
LCM Requester
LCM Tech Requester
LCM Approver
LCM IT Staff
For more information on the tasks that users can perform, see the Lifecycle Manager User's Guide.
Establishes the criteria used for machine placement and determines how the criteria convert to sizing or placement values. The LCM Administrator configures LCM and establishes the placement of virtual machines.
Can request to extend the life of a created virtual machine. Requesters can power virtual machines on and off, as well as delegate this control to other users.
In addition to doing everything that the requester role can do, the LCM Tech Requester can customize the settings for the CPU, memory, and shares of the virtual machine.
Approves virtual machine deployment and extension requests.
Completes manual placement of approved virtual machines. If a machine cannot be placed based on the provided criteria, a user with the LCM IT Staff role must manually choose the sizing and placement of the new machine.
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User Roles and Permitted Tasks

Every LCM user role can perform a certain set of tasks. The LCM Administrator can perform all tasks.
Table 1-1 describes how roles are mapped to tasks. Tasks marked with an O can be performed only by the
owner of the request.
Table 1-1. Roles and Permitted Tasks
Create infrastructure elements X
Map infrastructure elements with criteria X
Configure email notifications X
Generate reports X X X
Request virtual machines X X X X X
Cancel virtual machine requests O O O O O
Change state of virtual machine requests X
Change rights for virtual machine requests X
Approve virtual machine requests X X
Set up virtual machines X X
Retry placing failed virtual machine requests X X
Validate virtual machine requests manually X X
Check infrastructure for virtual machine requests X X
Request extensions X O O O O
Approve extensions X X
Choose customization templates X O O
Approve customization templates X X
Approve customization change requests X X X
Decommission virtual machines X O O O O
Delete a request or a token X
LCM Admin
LCM IT Staff
LCM Approver
LCM Tech Requester
LCM Requester

LCM Administrator

The LCM Administrator sets up the LCM environment, and can perform all tasks that other user roles can perform.
The LCM Administrator is responsible for the following tasks.
n
Configuring LCM
n
Determining the infrastructure, such as the server environment
n
Setting up email notifications, the look and feel of the user interface, and style sheets
n
Specifying who can access elements such as resource pools or datastores
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Lifecycle Manager Architecture

vCenter
Server
4.1
Lifecycle Manager
database
networking
database
plug-ins
VMware vCenter Orchestrator
Lifecycle
Manager
config
config
email
browser
browser
vCO
database
service
directory
LCM is powered by VMware vCenter Orchestrator 4.1. Orchestrator is a development and process-automation platform that provides a library of extensible workflows for creating and running automated, configurable processes to manage the VMware vCenter infrastructure. You can use Orchestrator to create custom workflows that you can run from LCM.
Orchestrator exposes every operation in the vCenter Server API, allowing users to integrate all these operations into their automated processes. Orchestrator also allows integration with other management and administration solutions through its open plug-in architecture.
LCM Compatibility with vCenter Server
LCM 1.2 works with vCenter Server 4.1 and vCenter Server 4.0 Update 2.
Before you install LCM, make sure that you have a compatible version of vCenter Server installed.
Lifecycle Manager Components
You must configure the required components for LCM to function properly.
Chapter 1 Understanding LCM
Service directory
Defines which users can connect to LCM, and also defines their permission levels. Only users who are members of a directory group can log in.
Database
Stores all information that is related to LCM, such as virtual machine names, control groups, view groups, commission and decommission dates, infrastructure elements linked with the virtual machine request (such as template profile, datastore, resource pool, and so on). The information necessary to map criteria and the infrastructure is also stored in the database.
vCenter Server
Responsible for all communication with VMware vCenter Server. A Web Service API is used to connect to vCenter Server.
The components shown in Figure 1-2 must be configured in the Orchestrator configuration interface.
Figure 1-2. Architecture of LCM and Orchestrator
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Orchestrator Plug-Ins
After you install LCM, you must configure the following Orchestrator plug-ins:
n
vCenter Server 4.1
For adding vCenter Server instances.
n
vCenter Lifecycle Manager
For configuring the Lifecycle Manager database.
n
Networking
For configuring the networking database.
n
Mail
For configuring email notifications.
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LCM Installation Process 2

You must install and configure LCM by using both the Orchestrator configuration interface and the LCM interface.
Before installing LCM, you must install and configure vCenter Orchestrator. You must use the Orchestrator configuration interface to configure the components that are related to the engine, such as the database, network, server certificate, and so on. These components must be configured correctly so that LCM functions properly.
Table 2-1 lists the interfaces that you must use to complete the installation process.
Table 2-1. LCM Installation Interfaces
Installation Task Installation Interface
Install and configure Orchestrator Orchestrator configuration interface
Install LCM and configure LCM plug-ins Orchestrator configuration interface
Configure LCM LCM interface
NOTE LCM 1.1.x users can upgrade to LCM 1.2. If you want to upgrade your LCM 1.1.x and Orchestrator 4.0.1 installation, see Chapter 11, “Upgrading to Orchestrator 4.1 and LCM 1.2,” on page 75, before proceeding with the installation.
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System Requirements 3

Your system must meet the technical requirements that are necessary to install and configure VMware vCenter Orchestrator and VMware vCenter Lifecycle Manager. Because LCM runs as an Orchestrator plug-in, the hardware requirements and the supported operating systems are the same for both products.
This chapter includes the following topics:
n
“Hardware Requirements for Orchestrator,” on page 19
n
“Operating Systems Supported by Orchestrator,” on page 19
n
“Supported Directory Services,” on page 20
n
“Supported Browsers,” on page 20
n
“Database Requirements,” on page 20

Hardware Requirements for Orchestrator

Make sure your system meets the minimum hardware requirements before you install Orchestrator.
n
2.0GHz or faster Intel or AMD x86 processor. At least two CPUs are recommended. Processor requirements might differ if your database runs on the same hardware.
n
4GB RAM. You might need more RAM if your database runs on the same hardware.
n
2GB disk space. You might need more storage if your database runs on the same hardware.
n
A free static IP address.

Operating Systems Supported by Orchestrator

Orchestrator offers support for several operating systems.
n
Windows Server 2008 Enterprise, 64-bit
n
Windows Server 2008 Standard, 64-bit
n
Windows Server 2008 R2 Datacenter, 64-bit
n
Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise, 64-bit
n
Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard, 64-bit
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Supported Directory Services

LCM requires a working LDAP server on your infrastructure.
LCM supports these directory service types.
n
Windows Server 2003 Active Directory
n
Windows Server 2008 Active Directory
n
Sun Java Directory Server Enterprise Edition (DSEE) Version 6.3

Supported Browsers

The LCM user interface requires a Web browser.
You must use one of the following browsers to connect to LCM.
n
Microsoft Internet Explorer 6, 7, or 8
n
Mozilla Firefox 3.0.19 or 3.6.x
To connect to a virtual machine through your browser, you must use the VMware WebCenter Remote MKS Plug-in, which is compatible with the following browsers and operating systems:
n
Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 or 7 on Windows XP or Windows Server 2003
n
Mozilla Firefox 3.0.19 or 3.6.x on Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008, Windows 7, or Linux

Database Requirements

Orchestrator requires you to have a database that is separate from the standard vCenter database.
LCM can use either the same database as Orchestrator or a separate database. The best practice is to use a separate database for LCM.
NOTE Because of CPU and memory use, you should consider hosting the database and the Orchestrator server on different machines from the same datacenter. Make sure at least 1GB of free disk space is available on each machine.
The following database types are supported by LCM.
n
Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Service Pack 2 x64
n
Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Enterprise Edition x64 (10.0.1600)
n
Oracle 10g Standard Edition, Release 2 (10.2.0.3.0)
n
Oracle 11g Standard Edition, Release 1 x64 (11.1.0.7.0)
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Installing and Configuring Orchestrator

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Orchestrator Components Setup
Guidelines 4
To enhance the availability and scalability of your Orchestrator setup, install Orchestrator on a server different from the server on which vCenter Server runs. Separating Orchestrator from vCenter Server makes it possible to adjust the operating system to meet the specific recommendations for each service.
This chapter includes the following topics:
n
“vCenter Server Setup,” on page 23
n
“Directory Services Setup,” on page 23
n
“Orchestrator Database Setup,” on page 23
n
“Orchestrator Configuration Maximums,” on page 24

vCenter Server Setup

Increasing the number of vCenter Server instances causes Orchestrator to manage more sessions. Each active session implies activity on the corresponding vCenter and too many active sessions can cause Orchestrator to experience timeouts when more than 10 vCenter connections occur.
NOTE Run only one vCenter Server on a virtual machine. You can run multiple vCenter instances on different virtual machines in your Orchestrator setup if your network has sufficient bandwidth and latency. If you are using LAN to improve the communication between Orchestrator and vCenter, a 100Mb line is mandatory.

Directory Services Setup

Orchestrator requires a connection to an LDAP server on your infrastructure.
The supported directory service types are Active Directory and Sun Java System Directory Server.
Connect your system to the LDAP server that is physically closest to your Orchestrator server and avoid connections to remote LDAP servers. Long response times for LDAP queries can lead to slower performance of the whole system.
To improve the performance of the LDAP queries, keep the user and group lookup base as narrow as possible. Try to limit the users to targeted groups that are going to need access, rather than to whole organizations with many users who are not going to need access. Depending on the combination of database and directory service you choose, the resources you need can vary. For recommendations, see third-party documentation.

Orchestrator Database Setup

Orchestrator requires a database to store workflows and actions.
The supported database types are Oracle and Microsoft SQL Server.
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The way in which your database is set up can affect Orchestrator performance. Install the database on a virtual machine other than the one on which Orchestrator is installed. This method avoids the JVM and DB server having to share CPU, RAM, and IOs.
Storing your database plug-ins in a database separate from the one that Orchestrator uses allows more modularity when upgrading the system. A dedicated database instance allows you to perform upgrades and maintenance without impacting other products.
The location of the database is important because almost every activity on the Orchestrator server triggers operations on the database. To avoid latency in the database connection, connect to the database server that is closest to your Orchestrator server and that is on the network with the highest bandwidth.
The size of the Orchestrator database varies depending on the setup and how workflow tokens are handled. Allow for approximately 50K per vCenter Server object and 4KB per workflow run.
CAUTION Make sure that at least 1GB of free disk space is available
n
on the virtual machine where the database is installed
n
on the virtual machine where the Orchestrator server is installed
Insufficient disk storage space might result in unwanted behavior of the Orchestrator server and client.

Orchestrator Configuration Maximums

When you configure Orchestrator, make sure you stay at or below the supported maximums.
Table 4-1 contains information about the tested and recommended configuration maximums for Orchestrator.
Table 4-1. Orchestrator Configuration Maximums
Item Maximum
Connected vCenter Server systems 10
Connected ESX/ESXi servers 100
Connected virtual machines 3000
Concurrent running workflows 150
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Install Orchestrator 5

You can install vCenter Orchestrator 4.1 only on a 64-bit operating system platform. If you run the installer in a 32-bit environment, the installation quits with a message stating that there was an error loading the Java VM.
In production environments, and to enhance the scalability of your vCenter Orchestrator setup, install Orchestrator on a dedicated Microsoft Windows server.
Prerequisites
Make sure that your hardware meets the Orchestrator system requirements. See “Hardware Requirements for
Orchestrator,” on page 19.
Procedure
1 Download the vCenter Orchestrator installer from the vCenter Lifecycle Manager download page.
2 Double-click the executable file and click Next.
3 Select I accept the terms of the License Agreement and click Next.
4 Select the Orchestrator installation directory.
Option Action
Accept the default location
Select a different location
Click Next to accept the default installation directory C:\Program Files \VMware\Orchestrator.
Browse for a different installation directory and click Next.
CAUTION You cannot install Orchestrator in a directory whose name contains non-ASCII characters. If
you are operating in a locale that features non-ACSII characters, you must install Orchestrator in the default location. This is due to a third-party limitation.
5 Select the type of installation and click Next.
Option Description
Client
Server
Client-Server
Installs the Orchestrator client application, which allows you to create and edit workflows.
Installs the Orchestrator platform.
Installs the Orchestrator client and server.
6 Specify the location for the Orchestrator shortcuts and click Next.
CAUTION The name of the shortcuts directory must not contain non-ASCII characters.
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7 Click Install to complete the installation process.
8 Click Done to close the installer.
What to do next
Check the status of the configuration service and start it if necessary. See “Check Configuration Readiness,” on page 28.
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