Automatically Deploy VMware VCSA 6.7

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Deploying VMware vCenter Server Appliance (VCSA) manually is like watching paint dry. Actually the good old Windows version is now gone in 6.7 so you need to get started with the appliance soon or later. Let me teach you how to Automatically Deploy VMware VCSA 6.7.

automatically deploy vmware vcsa

You can Automatically Deploy VMware VCSA 6.7 using JSON or API, I’m going to show you the simplest method which in my mind is JSON, because it’s just a text file with your desired configuration.

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First download the VCSA ISO and extract the content to C:\VCSA. Then create the file C:\VCSA\vcsa-cli-installer\VCSA-Internal.json with the following content:

Open Command Prompt and navigate to C:\VCSA\vcsa-cli-installer\win32.

In the example above I’m setting up the VCSA on my isolated internal network, that way I can use my internal Microsoft DNS server to add a FQDN for the VCSA. This is where most people fail and give up.

Run the command below to Automatically Deploy VMware VCSA.

Now for VCSA 6.5 you needed the FQDN prior to deployment, while in 6.7 you need to add the FQDN after the IpFqdnInUse pre-check has passed and before the appliance reboots.

When you see OVF Tool: Disk in progress it’s time to head over to DNS and create the FQDN for the vCenter appliance.

Automatically Deploy VMware VCSA

At the end you should have a VMware vCenter Server Appliance 6.7.x with an embedded Platform Services Controller running.

Final test is to log into the appliance.

Automatically Deploy VMware

Automatically Deploy VMware VCSA

And that’s your guide to Automatically Deploy VMware VCSA. Guess you have better things to do in life than watching paint dry.

Now make sure to also check out my previous post Automatically Install VMware ESXi 6.7 through PXE boot.

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