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Installing vCenter Server 4 with Windows 2008 64Bit and SQL2008 64Bit

Posted on June 28, 2010 Updated on October 19, 2010

You might be asking yourself what are the benefits of deploying Windows & SQL 2008×64?

So far I have found one… If you want to position your server for x64 and 2008 then this makes sense.

See these articles for more information..

http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=1010401

http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?cmd=displayKC&docType=kc&externalId=1009080&sliceId=2&docTypeID=DT_KB_1_1&dialogID=101033551&stateId=0 0 101037544

http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=1010023

http://pubs.vmware.com/vsp40/wwhelp/wwhimpl/js/html/wwhelp.htm#href=install/c_preparing_the_vmware_infrastructure_databases.html

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/149605

Here are the basic steps to setup vCenter 4 with Windows/SQL 2008 x64

This guide is for reference, like all articles I post up, they are my notes, so use them at your own risk…

SQL2008 Install…

1. Setup your VM with ample – CPU, RAM, Disk C: for OS and D: SQL Data
2. In this case drives are 1 x vCPU, 4GB RAM, C: [50GB] D:[150GB]
3. Install Windows 2008 x64 Standard Setup
4. Run the setup from the SQL2008 CDROM
5. Click on Installation > New SQL Servers
6. Click okay if your “SQL Support Rules” succeed
7. Click Install to setup the support install files
8. Validate that all Setup Support Rules status are Passed (if not remediate), click next
9. Click next to Product Key
10. Click next to accept the terms
11. Choose Database Engine Services, All Management Tools – Basic, Click Next
12. Change the location of the “Instance Root Directory” to your D: drive using the default folder path, Click Next
13. Confirm Disk Usage Summary, Click Next
14. Choose “NT Authority\SYSTEM” for the account for SQL Agent & Database Engine, Click Next
15. Choose Mixed Mode, Enter the “sa” password, Click on Add Current User Or Add your own, Click Next
16. Click Next to validate install Rules
17. Remediate issues if necessary, else Click Next
18. Click install to start installation, Allow to complete the install of SQL 2008
19. Click Next to complete and close to exit
20. Validate your install by opening SQL Server Management Studio
21. Ensure the SQL Server Agent Service is set to Automatic and is started

SQL2008 Prep for vCenter Server

1. Open SQL Server Configuration Manager, Click on SQL Server Network Configuration, Choose Protocols for MSSQLserver, Right click on named pipes and choose enable, Restart the SQL Services or reboot
2. Apply any vmware approved SQL Patches (Ensure a snapshot, backup or other has been taken)
3. Create the user vcdb, Click on security > Logins > Right Click Choose New User
4. Type in the user vcdb
5. Choose SQL Server Authentication then enter a password
6. Uncheck Enforce Password Expiration
7. On the left, click on Server Roles
8. Choose sysadmin, then click on OK
9. Create the Database vcdb, Right Click on Databases > choose New Database
10. Enter the Name vcdb for the database name
11. Click on ‘….’ to add the owner, use vcdb as the owner, click OK
12. On the left, click on Options, choose simple for recovery mode
13. Choose OK at the bottom
14. Click on Security > logins > right click on vcdb choose properties
15. Change default database to vcdb, choose OK
16. Create the user vmupd, Click on security > Logins > Right Click Choose New User user
17. Type in vmupd
18. Choose SQL Server Authentication then enter a password
19. Uncheck Enforce Password Expiration
20. On the left, click on Server Roles
21. Choose sysadmin, then click on OK
22. Create the database vmupd, Right Click on Databases > choose New Database
23. Enter the Name vmupd for the database name
24. Click on ‘….’ to add the owner, use vmupd as the owner, click ok
25. On the left click on Options, choose simple for recovery mode
26. Choose OK at the bottom
27. Click on Security > logins > right click on vmupd choose properties
28. Change default database to vmupd, choose OK

Setup ODBC Connectors…

1. Create a link to the 32Bit ODBC Admin tool (C:\Windows\SysWOW64\odbcad32.exe)
2. Open the 32Bit ODBC Data Source Admin
3. Create System DSN for vcdb database, Click on System DSN Tab
4. Click on Add
5. Choose ‘SQL Native Client 10.0’ (Don’t Choose SQL Native Client only)
6. Enter the database name of vcdb
7. For Server Choose the local server name, Click on next
8. Choose With SQL Server Authentication
9. Ensure Connect to SQL is checked
10. Enter Login ID of vcdb and the password Click on Next
11. Ensure that Change the Default Database to is checked and vcdb appears below it, Click on Next
12. Choose Finish
13. Click on Test data source and look for TESTS COMPLETE SUCCESSFULLY!
14. Click on OK, then OK again
15. Create System DSN for vmupd database, Click on System DSN Tab
16. Click on Add
17. Choose ‘SQL Native Client 10.0’ (Don’t Choose SQL Native Client only)
18. Enter the database name of vmupd
19. For Server Choose the local server name
20. Click on next
21. Choose With SQL Server Authentication
22. Ensure Connected to SQL is checked
23. Enter Login ID of vmupd and the password Click on Next
24. Ensure that Change the Default Database to is checked and vmupd appears below it, Click on Next
25. Choose Finish
26. Click on Test data source and look for TESTS COMPLETE SUCCESSFULLY!
27. Click on OK, then OK again

     

Install vCenter Server 4

1. Open the vCenter Installer
2. Choose vCenter Server from the Installer screen
3. Choose Ok for English
4. If prompted Choose Yes to continue to possible IIS port issues
5. Click Next on the Welcome Screen
6. Choose I agree to the terms, click next
7. Enter your User and Organization Names, Enter your license Key, Click Next
8. Choose Use an existing supported database
9. Choose the DSN name of vcdb, click next
10. Enter the password for vcdb, click next
11. Ensure Use System Account is checked, click next
12. Click Next for the Default folder name
13. Choose create a standalone VMware vCenter Server Instance
14. Ensure all the TCP Ports are okay, Adjust as needed (MS KB149605), Click next
15. Click on Install

Install vCenter Update Manager

1. Open the vCenter Installer
2. Choose vCenter Update Manager from the Installer screen
3. Choose OK for English
4. Click Next on the Welcome Screen
5. Choose I agree to the terms, click next
6. Enter the user name and password for the vCenter Server system.
7. Choose Use and existing support database, Choose vmupd for the DSN, click next
8. Enter the password for vmupd, click next
9. Leave defaults for Update Manger Ports, If needed choose Yes to Proxy Settings, else Click next
10. Click next for default Directories (Ensure more the 20GB for Location for Downloading Patches)
11. Click Install to complete

Install vCenter Converter

1. Open the vCenter Installer
2. Choose vCenter Converter from the Installer screen
3. Choose OK for English
4. Click Next on the Welcome Screen
5. Choose I agree to the terms, click next
6. Choose Typical, click next
7. Enter username and password for vCenter Server connection, click next
8. Click next for default ports
9. Click next for default server ID
10. Click Install

Install the vCenter Client

1. Open the vCenter Installer
2. Choose vCenter Client from the Installer screen
3. Choose OK for English
4. Click Next on the Welcome Screen
5. Choose I agree to the terms, click next
6. Enter your User and Organization Names, Enter your license Key, Click Next
7. Click next on the Custom Setup windows, Choose install vsphere update utility if needed
8. Click next for the default install folders
9. Click install to finish

Well that’s it… I’m so glad I decided not to post up screen shots!

From here you should be able to bring up vCenter Server via the client, and with some minor configuration pull down updates too..

Good luck…