How to repoint vCenter Server 6.x between External PSC within a site

Products

• VMware vCenter Server
• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

This article provides steps to repoint the vCenter Server 6.x to External Platform Service Controller (PSC) to another External Platform Service Controller in the same site within your vSphere domain.

 

This article should not be used to point an Embedded PSC to an External PSC.

Repointing can only be done with Platform Service Controller nodes within the same vSphere domain. The same vSphere domain means all PSCs (external or embedded) are a part of the same replication topology.

For information on the different types of repointing within a vSphere domain, refer the table. 

 

Repoint Type	Article
Repointing within a Site	This article
Repointing between Sites 1	Repointing between sites is not supported and can cause damage to vCenter if attempted
Repointing from Embedded PSC to External PSC 2	Reconfigure vCenter Server with Embedded Platform Services Controller to vCenter Server with External Platform Services Controller in the vSphere Upgrade guide.

Notes:

1. Repointing between sites is not supported and can cause damage to vCenter if attempted.
2. Starting with vSphere 6.0 Update 1, you can decommission the Embedded Platform Services Controller on the vCenter Server and repoint the vCenter Server to an External Platform Service Controller. You must upgrade the vCenter Server and Platform Services Controllers to Update 1 in order to use this process.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
3. When repointing, the new PSC needs to be of the same version and build as the vCenter which is being repointed.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
4. Starting vSphere 6.7 repointing an external vCenter Server Appliance instance across SSO sites within a vSphere SSO domain is supported again.

       For more details refer: https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-vSphere/6.7/com.vmware.vcenter.install.doc/GUID-5809FB05-508B-492A-B9C8-9F292B01519D.html

 

Environment

VMware vCenter Server Appliance 6.7.x
VMware vCenter Server Appliance 6.0.x
VMware vCenter Server 6.5.x
VMware vCenter Server Heartbeat 6.7.x
VMware vCenter Server 6.7.x
VMware vCenter Server Appliance 6.5.x
VMware vCenter Server 6.0.x
VMware vSphere ESXi 6.7

Resolution

To move your vCenter Server between external Platform Services Controllers located in the same site:

Repoint a vCenter Server Appliance to another external Platform Service Controller in the same Site

1. Log in to the vCenter Server Appliance Linux console as the root user.
2. Run this command:
   
   shell.set --enabled true
    
3. Run the shell command.
4. Run this command to repoint the vCenter Server Appliance to Platform Services Controller (PSC) appliance:
   
   cmsso-util repoint --repoint-psc systemname_of_second_PSC
   
   Where, systemname_of_second_PSC is the system name used to identify the second Platform Services Controller.
   
   Notes:
   • The system name must be an FQDN or a static IP address and FQDN is case sensitive.
   • If the second Platform Services Controller runs on an HTTPS port that is different from the HTTPS port of the first Platform Services Controller, update the port number using this command:
     
     cmsso-util repoint --repoint-psc systemname_of_second_PSC --dc-port port_number
      
5. Using the vSphere Web Client, log in to the vCenter Server instance in the vCenter Server Appliance to verify that the vCenter Server is up and running and manageable.

Note: For a full list of arguments available for the cmsso-util tool see Syntax of the Domain Repoint Command.

Repoint a Windows vCenter Server to another External Platform Service Controller

1. Log in as an Administrator to the virtual machine or physical server on which you installed vCenter Server.
2. Click Start > Run, type cmd and press Enter.
3. Run this command to repoint the vCenter Server instance to the second Platform Services Controller:
   
   C:\Program Files\VMware\vCenter Server\bin\cmsso-util repoint --repoint-psc systemname_of_second_PSC --dc-port port_number
   
   Where, system_name_of_second_PSC is the system name used to identify the second Platform Services Controller.
   
   Notes:
   • The system name must be an FQDN or a static IP address and FQDN is case sensitive.
   • If the second Platform Services Controller runs on an HTTPS port that is different from the HTTPS port of the first Platform Services Controller, update the port number using this command:
     
     C:\Program Files\VMware\vCenter Server\bin\cmsso-util repoint --repoint-psc systemname_of_second_PSC --dc-port port_number
      
4. Run this command to change to vCenter Server and/or Platform Services Controller installation directory:
   
   cd C:\Program Files\VMware\vCenter Server\bin
   
   Note: This command uses the default installation path. If you have installed vCenter Server and/or Platform Services controller to another location, modify this command to reflect the correct install location.
    
5. Using the vSphere Web Client, log in to the vCenter Server instance to verify that the vCenter Server is active.

Additional Information

Uninstalling vCenter Server 6.0.x resets the embedded VMware Postgres database
FAQ: VMware Platform Services Controller in vSphere 6.0