Export the vCenter certificates in .pem format to import into the Aria products

Products

• VMware SDDC Manager
• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

The option to export the certificates is not visible in SDDC -> Inventory -> Certificates, and the admin manual does not provide any instructions on how to export them.

Cause

The SDDC Manager does not offer a GUI option to download the vCenter .pem certificates, and the vCenter Server itself also lacks a direct method through the GUI for exporting these certificates.

Resolution

To download the vCenter Server SSL certificate from the vSphere Client interface, follow the steps below:

1. Launch the vSphere Client
   Open a supported web browser and navigate to the vCenter Server URL. Example:

   https://<vcenter-fqdn>

2. Access the Security Certificate
   In the browser address bar, click the lock icon next to the URL. This icon represents the secure HTTPS connection to vCenter Server.

3. View Certificate Details

   • Chrome / Edge: Click Connection is secure → Certificate is valid.

   • Firefox: Click Connection secure (or Connection not secure for self-signed certificates) → More Information → View Certificate.

   • Safari: Click the lock icon → Show Certificate.

4. Export the Certificate
   Once the certificate details window is open, locate the Export or Download option:

   • In Chrome/Edge/Firefox: Save the certificate in Base64 (PEM) format.

   • If available, also export the certificate chain to ensure intermediate CA certificates are included.

5. Save the Certificate File
   Choose a secure location on the local machine to save the .pem file (and  chain.pem chain if applicable).  For Example:   vCenter_cert.pem  |  vCenter_cert_chain.pem