Create and Configure a vCenter Server User (Inventory User)

vCenter Single Sign-On supports storing the user and group data in Active Directory or locally to the operating system of the machine where vCenter Single Sign-On is installed.

If your vCenter Server has been associated with an Active Directory Server, create a user there, skip steps 3-6 in this procedure, and perform the rest of the steps to configure the new user access to the vSphere inventory.

Procedure

1. Log in to the VMware vSphere Web Client (VWC) using administrator credentials.
2. Select Administration (highlighted for emphasis) from the Menu.

   Figure 1. Administration

   

3. Click Users and Groups.
   The browser displays a screen similar to the following:

   Figure 2. Users and Groups

   

4. Select the SSO domain to which you wish to add the user from the Domain dropdown (e.g., vsphere.local)
5. Click ADD USER to add a user.
   The browser displays the Add User dialog similar to the following:

   Figure 3. Add User

   

6. Complete the fields in the dialog, giving the user the name vla_appliance_user and assigning a conforming password, and then Click ADD.
   The browser closes the dialog and displays the Users and Groups page with your new user added, similar to the following:

   Figure 4. vCenter Users and Groups

   

   Note: The list now includes the vla_appliance_user user, selected for emphasis.
7. Click Roles in the Navigation pane.
8. Click the plus icon in the pane to the right of the Navigator pane (pointed to by the arrow for emphasis).

   Figure 5. Administration - Roles

   

   The browser displays the New Role dialog.
9. In the New Role dialog, find and check the following privileges for the role:

   Table 1. Role Privileges

   Privilege List
   Virtual machine -> Provisioning -> Read customization specifications

   The New Role dialog on choosing the Selected privileges should look similar to the following:

   Figure 6. New Role

   

   Note: vCenter migration feature requires additional privileges for all vCenter servers that will be involved in the migration process.

   Table 2. Role Privileges for vCenter migration feature

   Privilege List
   Datastore -> Allocate space
   Network -> Assign network
   Resource -> Assign virtual machine to resource pool
   Resource -> Migrate powered off virtual machine

10. Click Next.
11. In the Role name field, type: VMware LaMa Appliance.
12. Click Finish to create the role.
    The browser closes the New Role dialog. You should now see the new role in the list similar to the following:

    Figure 7. Roles

    

    Note: The VMware LaMa Appliance role selected for emphasis.
13. Click Hosts and Clusters from the Menu.
14. Click on the vCenter Server you want the VMware VLA to manage.
15. Click Permissions.
    Your browser displays a page similar to the following:

    Figure 8. Hosts and Clusters-Manage-Permissions

    

16. Click the green plus plus icon to add permission.
    Your browser displays a page similar to the following:

    Figure 9. Add Permission

    

17. Click Add...
    Your browser displays a page similar to the following:

    Figure 10. Add User

    

18. Choose your SSO domain and select the user vla_appliance_user.
19. Click OK.
20. In the Assigned RoleRole list box, select VMware LaMa Appliance.
    Your browser displays a page similar to the following:

    Figure 11. Add Permission

    
    

    

    
    

21. Make sure the Propagate to children check box is checked.
    Click on View Children and verify that permission was granted to the following inventory objects:

    • vCenter Server (The Hosts and Clusters view)
    • Datacenters and Datacenter Folders (The Hosts and Clusters view)
    • Clusters and ESXi hosts within the Clusters, and Hosts and Clusters Folders (The Hosts and Clusters view)
    • Resource Pools and vApps (The Hosts and Clusters view)
    • Virtual Machines, VM Templates and VM Folders (The VMs and Templates view)
    • Datastores and Datastore Folders (The Storage view)
    • Networks and Distributed Switches (The Networking view)
22. Click OK.
    This saves the permission.

    Note: A lack of permission for some of the aforementioned objects may result in the absence of the objects in LaMa Virtualization Landscape.

    Note: If the permission is set not for the vCenter Server you want the VMware VLA to manage then it may result in the absence of the objects in LaMa Virtualization Landscape.

Results

You successfully created new vCenter Server user for the VLA and added required permission for it.