Resetting the vcenter admninistrator account

It's been a while, but today we had to reset a vCenter Password for administrator@vsphere.local

So, I thought I'd write down the process

To reset the vCenter administrator@vsphere.local password, 

SSH into the vCenter appliance as root and run /usr/lib/vmware-vmdir/bin/vdcadmintool

Select option 3 to reset the password, enter the UPN administrator@vsphere.local, and use the generated password to log in. 

Finalize: 

Log in to the vSphere Client with the new password, go to 

(Burgermenu - top left) Administration > Single Sign-On > Users and Groups change the password to a permanent one. 

VMware video - vCenter Embedded Linked Mode

We got into a talk last week regarding vCenter Embedded linked mode with vCenter, and I found this video quite useful as a reference.

vCenter Server embedded linked mode enables you to connect multiple vCenter Servers together seamlessly without the need for external Platform Services Controllers.

All explained in 4 minutes, Thanks once again to VMware for providing these useful resources

VM shows as orphaned in vCenter - Web Client

This week we've been creating and deleting VMs, and in one of the labs we delete a VM and then when we access the Web Client and connect to our we see the VM shown as orphaned.

This is because the vCenter server database still see the VM.

The fix for this in vSphere 6.5 is a straightforward task.

Step 1. Download PowerCLI 6.5

Step 2. Run PowerCLI and connect to your vCenter Server from PowerCLI

connect-viserver vc-fqdn (replace with FQDN eg vc01.bryanoconnor21.co.uk)

Step 3. List the VMs

get-vm | select name

Step 4. Delete the orphaned VM

remove-vm VMName

Step 5. Verify deletion

get-vm | select name

The machine should no longer be listed.

Another way to delete the orphaned VM is to use the Web Client

Highlight the VM right click the VM > All Virtual Infrastructure Actions > Remove from Inventory