Best practices when rebooting vCenter

Products

• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

When rebooting vCenter Server, there are a few key best practices to keep in mind.

Resolution

1. Planning and Scheduling
   • Schedule Maintenance Windows
     • Rebooting the vCenter Server will cause temporary downtime. It is best to schedule the reboot during a maintenance window to minimize disruption. 
   • Inform Users
     • Communicate the planned downtime as appropriate
   • Ensure services are healthy
     • In an SSH session to vCenter, run the following command to check the services:
       service-control --status --all
       
       
   • Backup vCenter
     • Before rebooting, either take a snapshot with memory or ensure there is a recent backup of the vCenter.
2. Performing the Reboot
   • A reboot can be performed via the following options:
     • VAMI
       • Log in to the vCenter Server Appliance Management (VAMI) UI via https://<vCenter-IP-or-FQDN>:5480
     • SSH connection to vCenter
     • ESXi UI 
       • Log into the ESXi host UI where the vCenter resides and perform the reboot action on the VM
   • Note: The vCenter Server Appliance is configured to perform a pre-disk check every time it starts, which can help identify and resolve potential filesystem issues.
3. Post-Reboot Verification
   • Check vCenter Status
     • After the reboot, verify that vCenter is fully operational and accessible.
   • Monitor Services
     • Review the vCenter services to ensure the services have started
   • Verify Host and VM access
     • Confirm the hosts and VMs are accessible
       
       
4. Additional Considerations
   • After confirming the vCenter is back up and fully functional, remove the snapshot as appropriate.