vCenter Server is VMware’s central console that allows you to manage and monitor multiple ESXi hosts and their virtual machines from a single interface.

Access and interfaces

VCSA Shell (Appliance CLI)

User and SSO management

Database and storage

Monitoring and logs

Network configuration

Common situations

Reset administrator@vsphere.local password

1. Via VAMI: https://vcenter:5480 > Access > Administrator
2. Via CLI (if root SSH access):

/usr/lib/vmware-vmafd/bin/dir-cli user reset-password \
--login administrator --user-name administrator@vsphere.local

Full vCenter backup

# Create the backup directory
mkdir -p /backup/vcenter-$(date +%Y%m%d)
 
# Start the backup
/usr/lib/vmware-vmafd/bin/vmafd-cli backup \
--path /backup/vcenter-$(date +%Y%m%d)/

vCenter services stuck

# Stop all services
service-control --stop --all
 
# Wait a few seconds
sleep 10
 
# Restart all services
service-control --start --all
 
# Check status
service-control --status --all

Check VCSA disk space

# Global check
df -h
 
# Logs space (clean if >80%)
du -sh /var/log/vmware/
 
# Database space
du -sh /storage/db/

Important ports

• 443: vSphere Client (HTTPS)
• 5480: VAMI (vCenter Server Appliance Management Interface)
• 22: SSH
• 2012, 2014: SSO/Authentication
• 7444: vSphere Update Manager

Versions and releases

Best practices