The embedded deployment is now VMware’s recommended deployment model for vCenter Server. This means all the required vCenter Server services are running on the same node.  The convergence tool is only available on the vCenter Server Appliance (VCSA) 6.7 Update 1.

This utility provides a command line interface for the following:

1. Converge an existing vCenter Server with external PSC to embedded vCenter
server.

2. Decommission an external PSC when no vCenter server is attached to it.

Note:The convergence process can only run on one VCSA at a time.

Prerequisites:
There are a few prerequisites and considerations before starting the convergence process:

  1. The converge tool only supports the VCSA and PSC 6.7 Update 1. All nodes must be running on 6.7 Update 1 before converting.
  2. It is recommended to change the DRS Automation Level to partially automated or manual and the Migration Threshold to conservative. There could be issues if the VCSA being converged is moved during the process.
  3. If VCHA is enabled, it must be disabled prior to running the convergence process.
  4. If you are currently running a Windows vCenter Server or PSC, you must first migrate to the appliance.

Convergence Steps:

1. Backup all VCSAs and PSC .

2. Mount the VCSA 6.7u1 ISO on machine which has access to VCSA and PSC.

3. And copy the converge.json file to your local machine which is located under vcsa-converge-cli\templates\converge.

4. Open the local copy of the coverge.json file and fill out the JSON template with the required information.

Converge-Json

5. The first is the “ad_domain_info” section. If your PSC is a member of an active directory domain, this section needs filled out. Otherwise, this entire section is not needed. The second section is the “replication” section of the JSON template. If there is only a single PSC with no replication partners, then this section is not needed.

6. After updating the converge JSON template, make sure you save it.

7. To start the convergence process, use the correct parameters followed by the path of the converge JSON template you saved earlier.

F:\vcsa-converge-cli\win32>vcsa-util.exe converge –no-ssl-certificate-verification –backup-taken –verbose C:\converge.json

8. During this process vCenter will not be accessible. This process will take around 30-45 mins depending upon the environment to environment.

9. After the convergence process has completed, login on the VCSA and verify its running with embedded setup.

 

Decommissioning Steps:

NOTE: Make sure that the above steps have been completed before you start to decommissioning process.

  1. Copy the decommission_psc.json file to your local machine.
  2. Open the local copy of the decommission_psc.json file and fill out the JSON template with the required information ans save it on your local system.

Decommision-json

3. Run vcsa-util decommission

4. To start the decommission process, use the correct parameters followed by the path of the decommission JSON template you saved earlier.

F:\vcsa-converge-cli\win32>vcsa-util.exe decommission –no-ssl-certificate-verfication –verbose C:\decommission_psc.json

5. The decommission process will start and will remove external PSC from SSO domain. 

 

Happy converting 🙂

 

 

 

Advertisement