How to Add VMware ESX Hosts to VMM

Updated: May 13, 2016

Applies To: System Center 2012 SP1 - Virtual Machine Manager, System Center 2012 R2 Virtual Machine Manager, System Center 2012 - Virtual Machine Manager

You can use the following procedure to add a VMware ESX or ESXi host or host cluster to Virtual Machine Manager (VMM).

Before you begin this procedure, make sure that the following prerequisites are met:

• The VMware vCenter Server that manages the ESX hosts that you want to add must already be under VMM management. For more information, see the topic How to Add a VMware vCenter Server to VMM.

• The hosts that you want to add must be running a supported version of ESX. For more information, see as follows:

  • For System Center 2012 – Virtual Machine Manager or for System Center 2012 SP1: System Requirements: VMware ESX Hosts in System Center 2012 and in System Center 2012 SP1.

  • For System Center 2012 R2 Virtual Machine Manager: Preparing your environment for System Center 2012 R2 Virtual Machine Manager.

• If when you added the vCenter Server you selected the option to communicate with the ESX hosts in secure mode, VMM requires a certificate and public key for each managed ESX/ESXi host. This enables all supported management tasks. You can either use the self-signed certificate that VMware created when ESX was installed on the hosts, or a certificate from a trusted certification authority. If you are using the self-signed certificate, you can import the certificate from each ESX host to the VMM management server beforehand, or you can import the certificate during this procedure. If you are using a certificate from a trusted certification authority, you do not have to manually retrieve the certificate from each host.

• Although it is not a required prerequisite, as you can create a Run As account when you add the ESX hosts, you can create a Run As account beforehand. The Run As account need not have root credentials on the ESX hosts that you want to add. The Run As account must be a local account on the ESX host that has administrator permissions on the ESX host. Domain accounts are not supported.

  For example, create a Run As account that is named ESX Hosts.

  Note

  You can create Run As accounts in the Settings workspace. For more information about Run As accounts, see How to Create a Run As Account in VMM.

  Note

  Starting with System Center 2012 – Virtual Machine Manager, you do not have to enable Secure Shell (SSH) root login on each ESX host. Also, the use of a virtual machine delegate is not supported.

To add an ESX host or host cluster

1. Open the Fabric workspace.

2. On the Home tab, in the Add group, click Add Resources, and then click VMware ESX Hosts and Clusters.

   The Add Resource Wizard opens.

3. On the Credentials page, next to the Run As account box, click Browse, click the Run As account credentials on the ESX hosts that you want to add, click OK, and then click Next.

   For example, if you created the Run As account that is described in the Prerequisites section of this topic, click the ESX Hosts Run As account.

   Note

   If you do not already have a Run As account, click Browse, and then in the Select a Run As Account dialog box, click Create Run As Account.

4. On the Target resources page, in the VMware vCenter Server list, click the vCenter Server that manages the ESX hosts that you want to add.

   The available ESX hosts for the selected vCenter Server are listed. If the ESX hosts are clustered, the cluster name is listed together with the cluster nodes.

5. In the Computer Name column, select the check box next to each ESX host or host cluster that you want to add, or click Select all. When you are finished, click Next.

6. On the Host settings page, in the Location list, click the host group where you want to assign the ESX hosts, and then click Next.

   Note

   You do not have to add virtual machine placement paths.

7. On the Summary page, confirm the settings, and then click Finish.

   The Jobs dialog box opens to indicate the job status. Verify that the job has a status of Completed, and then close the dialog box.

8. To verify that the ESX host or host cluster was added, in the Fabric workspace, expand Servers, expand All Hosts, and then expand the host group where you added the ESX host or host cluster. Click the host or host cluster, and then verify in the Hosts pane that each host has a status of either OK or OK (Limited).

   If each host has a status of OK, you do not have to complete the rest of this procedure.

9. If the host status is OK (Limited), you must provide security information for the host to enable all supported management tasks in VMM. The host status indicates OK (Limited) if you enabled secure mode, but have not yet imported a certificate and public key. To update the host status to OK, follow these steps:

   Tip

   To view or change the secure mode setting, in the Fabric pane, expand Servers, and then click vCenter Servers. In the vCenter Servers pane, right-click the vCenter Server, and then click Properties. The secure mode setting is under Security.

   1. Right-click an ESX host that has a status of OK (Limited), and then click Properties.

   2. In the Host Name Properties dialog box, click the Management tab.

   3. To retrieve the certificate and public key for the host, click Retrieve.

   4. To view the thumbprint details, click View Details.

   5. To accept the certificate and public key, select the Accept the certificate for this host check box.

   6. When you are finished, click OK.

   7. In the Hosts pane, verify that the host status is OK.

Repeat this step for each host that has a status of OK (Limited).

Managing VMware ESX Hosts in VMM Overview
How to Add a VMware vCenter Server to VMM