why vCenter is mandatory for onprem CWMS deployement?

[Nirmal Joshi]

Hi Experts,

I am not able to understand why vcenter is mandatory for installing CWMS.

The CWMS planning guide says it woun't install without vcenter, and the latest release of this product does not support DRS, Vsphere HA, Vsphere clustering, vmotion and storage vmotion. If none of these features are not available then why make vcenter mandatory?

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/collaboration/CWMS/b_planningGuide_chapter_00.html#reference_39CA21773C2B4CC795075FD7DCFCA25B

If it comes as a OVA then I guess it can be installed using vsphere client.

I understand for mnagement purpose it becomes easy to manage VMs, I beleive it should have been optional not manadatory.

Please share if anyone happens to know why is vcenter mandatory?

Regards,

Nirmal

[dpetrovi]

Hi Nirmal,

CWMS is a solution that can spread out from 1 to 7 hosts (depending on the size, use of IRP, HA, etc.). The solution is being deployed from a single OVA file and during the deployment multiple VMs on multiple hosts need to be created and hence must be done from within vCenter. vSphere client can be connected only to one host at the time, and cannot be used to deploy a solution such as CWMS. Deploying CWMS from OVA using a vSphere client will fail.

I hope this helps.

-Dejan

[Nirmal Joshi]

Hi Dejan,

Thanks for looking into this. I am yet to install CWMS in my lab environment, maybe if  I install it once then I will have better understanding

When you say "during the deployment multiple VMs on multiple hosts need to be created and hence must be done from within vCenter" do you mean that once installation starts it will automagically create IRP, Admin and other VMs on different/same Esxi host(s)?

Don't you think when the code for this OVA was written it should have been done in a way that it eleminates the need of vcenter for installations and let the administrators/customer decide if they need vcenter for ease of management. Just a wild thought

I should be looking into the config guide and start installing first

Are you able to post a download link of CWMS here or should I reach local Account Manager for OVA?

Regards,

Nirmal

[dpetrovi]

Hi Nirmal,

When you initiate deployment from the OVA, you will need to specify the deployment size. This identifies how many VMs it will create to start with. If going for a deployment that requires multiple hosts, you will have to have those hosts managed by vCenter first before starting a deployment. During a deployment from OVA, all the VMs are created during the deployment (no interaction is needed from your end, other than specifying IP addresses of the destination hosts and VMs, time zones, hostnames, and those basic parameters).

As for coding of the OVA, I cannot comment on that, but I believe it had to be done this way due to robustness of different deployment types.

As for download links, we don't have any links that are publicly available. You will need to reach out to your local Account Manager for the ways on getting either USB drive with the OVA image (13-14GB), or instructions for partners how to order a lab version and get the link for the download.

I hope this helps.

-Dejan

[Peterson Cristovam]

Hi buddies.

For 50 user system deployment vCenter is mandatory also?

[Derek Johnson]

Yes, in order for the network information to be assigned to the VM deployed (of any size), it must be deployed through vCenter. Additionally, if the system were to be expanded later on or use automatic deployment for HA/IRP this would also require vCenter.

Thanks,

Derek Johnson

Conferencing TAC

[dpetrovi]

Yes, for any deployment size, vCenter is mandatory. In 50 user system, the good thing it can co-reside on the same host.

-Dejan

[Peterson Cristovam]

Dejan

I'm doing a lab installation, with minimal resource.

I will do a co-residency (Admin, Web, Media).

I'm think install just ESXi because don't have upgrade size

For you vCenter, I need Windows 2k8 software

[dpetrovi]

You can install vCenter Appliance that doesn't require Windows machine.

-Dejan

[Peterson Cristovam]

Dejan,

Thank you very much for your assistance.

Another question. vCenter Appliance use Postgree SQL and not MS SQL Express.

Do you see any problem in use postgree?

[dpetrovi]

We see no problems at all. Whichever vCenter you decide to use is fine with CWMS.

-Dejan

[Peterson Cristovam]

Thank you again Dejan.Good idea use vCenter Standalone

Another question:

So, with vCenter Standalone the steps are:

1 - Install ESXi directly no UCS

2 - Create a vmware image of vCenter Standalone

3 -  Create another vmware images

Or

1 - Install vCenter directly in UCS

2 - Don't install ESXi

3 - Create another vmware images

Thank your very much

[dpetrovi]

Hi,

You will need to install ESXi directly on UCS. Then you connect to that ESXi IP address via vSphere Client and create a new virtual machine. On that virtual machine, you install vCenter Appliance and assign the IP address.

After you installed the vCenter Appliance, you use vSphere Client to connect directly to vCenter Appliance IP address. in vCenter, you will need to add this ESXi host to your datacenter in vCenter. After that, you can proceed with depkloying CWMS from the OVA file on this ESXi host.

I hope this clarifies it a little bit.

-Dejan

[tandonm01]

Hi Dejan,

I was going through this support forum thread, just wanted to check if you can share any doc for installation of Vcenter without having to install Window 2k8 server? Also any doc for deployment of media vm and web vm for CWMS.

Thank you,

Manav Tandon

[dpetrovi]

Hi Manav,

Here you can find some useful information about vCenter and CWMS deployment in general:

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/collaboration/CWMS/1_5/Planning_Guide.html

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/collaboration/CWMS/1_1/b_System_Requirements_chapter_00.html

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/collaboration/CWMS/1_5/Administration_Guide_chapter_00.html

I hope this helps.

-Dejan