Add Standalone vCenter Server to existing ELM vCenters
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Add Standalone vCenter Server to existing ELM vCenters

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Article ID: 409400

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Updated On:

Products

VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

This article illustrates the steps needed to add a standalone vCenter Server to an existing group of ELM or Linked vCenter Servers.

For this example, it is assumed that there are 2 vCenters vcA and vcB in linked mode and standalone vCenter vcC needs to be added to that. 

Environment

vCenter Server 7.x, 8.x

Resolution

To add the standalone vCenter to the the linked vCenters on existing SSO domain, follow the below steps.

  • Take backup snapshot of the standalone vCenter and offline snapshots for all the linked vCenters.

Refer VMware vCenter in Enhanced Linked Mode pre-changes snapshot (online or offline) best practice for more details 

 

  • Verify that required ports, i.e 389, 636, 2012, 2020, 8084 are open between all the vCenter(s) by running the below command from vcA to vcC and vice versa

curl -v telnet://<target_ip_or_fqdn>:<port_number>

Example of Good output

root@vcC [ ~ ]# curl -v telnet://<ip_vcA>:389
* Rebuilt URL to: telnet://<ip_vcA>:389/
*   Trying <ip_vcA>...
* Connected to <ip_vcA> port 389

For more information on the ports please refer to VMware Ports and Protocols and filter "Purpose" with "ELM" .

 

  • Verify that the replication between currently linked ELM vCenters is healthy by running the below set of commands on any of the linked vCenters:

/usr/lib/vmware-vmdir/bin/vdcrepadmin -f showservers -h <vcA_fqdn> -u administrator -w Administrator_Password

Example Output

cn=<vcA_fqdn>,cn=Servers,cn=home,cn=Sites,cn=Configuration,dc=vsphere,dc=local
cn=<vcB_fqdn>,cn=Servers,cn=home,cn=Sites,cn=Configuration,dc=vsphere,dc=local

/usr/lib/vmware-vmdir/bin/vdcrepadmin -f showpartners -h <vcA_fqdn> -u administrator -w Administrator_Password

Example Output

ldap://<vcB_fqdn>

 

/usr/lib/vmware-vmdir/bin/vdcrepadmin -f showpartnerstatus -h localhost -u administrator -w Administrator_Password

Example output:

Partner: <vcB_fqdn>
Host available: Yes
Status available: Yes
My last change number: ##
Partner has seen my change number: ##
Partner is 0 changes behind.

 

  • Verify that vmdir state is normal and vmdird domain functional level is  4:

/usr/lib/vmware-vmafd/bin/dir-cli state get

Example of good output:

root@vcA [ ~ ]# /usr/lib/vmware-vmafd/bin/dir-cli state get
Enter password for administrator@<sso>:
Directory Server State: Normal (3)

/usr/lib/vmware-vmafd/bin/dir-cli domain-functional-level get

Example of good output:

root@vcA [ ~ ]# /usr/lib/vmware-vmafd/bin/dir-cli domain-functional-level get
Enter password for administrator@<sso>:
Domain Functional Level: 4

 

  • Run pre-check to review conflicts with regards to Roles and Tags between the SSO domains when moving standalone vCenter vcC to the Linked SSO domain on existing vCenters using the first node as the target (vcA_fqdn):

cmsso-util domain-repoint -m pre-check --src-emb-admin Administrator --replication-partner-fqdn vcA_fqdn --replication-partner-admin administrator --dest-domain-name <elm_domain_name>

The default resolution mode for Tags and Authorization conflicts is Copy, unless overridden in the conflict files generated during pre-check. For further details refer Repointing vCenter Server to another SSO Domain

 

  • Execute domain repoint towards first ELM vCenter vcA on standalone vCenter vcC:
cmsso-util domain-repoint -m execute --src-emb-admin Administrator --replication-partner-fqdn vcA_fqdn --replication-partner-admin administrator --dest-domain-name <elm_domain_name>
 
  • Create replication agreement for remaining ELM vCenter(s), i.e vcB by running below command on vcC:

/usr/lib/vmware-vmdir/bin/vdcrepadmin -f createagreement -2 -h vcC_fqdn -H vcB_fqdn -u administrator

 

Post executing the above steps, all vCenter servers should appear in ELM.

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