Installing VMware ESXi and vCenter 5.5 [Part 5]

Installing VMware vSphere 5.5 Series:
Part 1: Introduction and ESXi Installation
Part 2: Microsoft SQL 2012 Installation
Part 3Creating the vCenter Database & ODBC Setup
Part 4: vCenter 5.5 Installation
Part 5: Initial Setup (Accessing vCenter, Configure Basic Permissions, Add Host)

Here is how you access your vCenter using the web client or install the thick client. I will show you how to access the web client but will continue configuration of vCenter using the thick client.

Accessing and Configuring vCenter:

To access your web client, go to the following address in your browser:

1 Web Client Web Page

In the bottom left corner there will be a “Download the Client Integration Plug-In”, go ahead and click that link and install. The plugin enabled certain functions such as mounting OVA files and viewing VM consoles.

2 Client Integration Plugin

To login enter the username and password we created during the install, click Login:

3 Web Client Login

To access vCenter using the thick client, enter the vCenter server name and the username/password we created during the install, click Login:

4 Thick Client Login

First we will set permissions do you can log in with a domain account or local user. Click on Hosts and Clusters:

5 vCenter Home

Now click on the permissions tab, right click in the white and click Add Permission:

6 vCenter Permissions

You can add users from domain if available and the local users of the vCenter server. I have a domain and created a group for VMware Admins. Once you add your users/groups click Ok:

7 Users and Groups

I want this group to have administrator privileges, on the drop down menu click Administrator then Ok. Now you can log into vCenter using a user account in the Vmware Admin group. Click Ok:

8 User Permissions

Last thing we will cover is adding a host. First we will need to create a datacenter. Right click your vCenter name and click New Datacenter:

9 New Datacenter

Name your datacenter:

10 Named Datacenter

Now right click your Datacenter and click Add Host:

11 Add Host

Enter the IP address or DNS name of your ESXi host, enter the login information and click Next:

12 Add Host and Login Info

Click Yes to accept the certification:

13 Certificate Accept

It will give you a summary of your host showing all virtual machines that will be added to vCenter, click Next:

[Note: My host is running 5.1, it is the same concept for hosts running 5.5]

14 Host Information

You can enter a license key or proceed with an evaluation trial period, click Next:

15 License

Here you can enable lockdown mode. Since this is a home lab I am not going to enable that, click Next:

16 Lockdown

Click Next:

17 VM Import Location

Click Finish:

18 Finish

Now you have configured the basics and can start deploying virtual machines!

19 vCenter Overview

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