Quick start guide to install and use vCenter?

[Horinius]

Hi, I've bought a license to use vCenter.  I'm a 100% newbie.

I have no idea what I'm supposed to do!

Why are there two ISO images?

   VMware-VCSA-all-6.0.0-3634788.iso

   VMware-VIMSetup-all-6.0.0-3634788.iso

Which one is for what?

Is there any quick start guide?

Thanks

[vHaridas]

VMware-VCSA-all-6.0.0-3634788.iso

This is a iso for vCenter server appliance. It is Linux bases vCenter server and  usages embedded postgres SQL db.

You would need to have one ESXi host ready to deploy this vCenter.

See deployment quick guide -

http://www.vladan.fr/install-vmware-vcsa-6-0/

Another iso is installer for windows based vCenter server.

https://vcdx133.com/2015/02/10/vsphere-6-0-basics-part-4-installing-vcenter-server-with-windows-server-2012-r2/

You need to also download iso for esxi installation on physical server.

Also please refer VMware product guide for more details.

[Horinius]

Thanks for your reply.

So, if I understood it correctly, I'd better use VCSA (vCenter server appliance) because using the other ISO (VMware-VIMSetup-all-6.0.0-3634788.iso -- containing installer for Windows based vCenter server) would mean I have to provide an extra Windows Server 2012 R2 license --> extra money.

I've just thrown a glance on the first link about the deployment quick guide.  Somewhere in that article, it talked about some limitation disappeared in VCSA.  So, there's really no difference whether I use VCSA or VIMSetup, right?  I asked so because I have just paid more attention on the ISO descriptions and I saw this:

I note that:

VMware-VIMSetup-all-6.0.0-3634788.iso

-->  VMware vCenter Server, VMware Platform Services Controller, VMware vSphere Update Manager, vSphere Clients, and other vCenter Server-related modules.

VMware-VCSA-all-6.0.0-3634788.iso

-->  VMware vCenter Server, VMware Platform Services Controller

VCSA seems to offer a lot less things than VIMSetup, no?

PS: I wrongly pressed some button previously.  So my reply was shorter.

[vHaridas]

Windows based vCenter 6 and vCenter Appliance server both supports all the features and support all minimum/maximum configuration.

However still VMware Update manager is not integrated with vCenter appliance and you need to install VMware update manager on Windows server and register with vCenter appliance.

so you need one windows server License for update manager server.

VMware update manager is needed for installing patches and upgrading ESXi host. Its setup is available in Windows vCenter installer ISO.

if your inventory is small, you can also consider patching esxi host using esxcli command which exist on ESXi host and skip update manager for now.