After you install VMware Cloud Director on the first member of the server group, you must run the configuration script that creates the network and database connections for this cell. The script creates a response file that you must use when configuring additional members of the server group.

All members of the VMware Cloud Director server group share database connection and other configuration details. When you run the configuration script on the first member of the VMware Cloud Director server group, the script creates a response file that preserves database connections information for use in subsequent server installations.

You can run the configuration script in either an interactive mode or an unattended mode. For an interactive configuration, you run the command without options and the script prompts you for the required setup information. For an unattended configuration, you provide the setup information by using the command options.

If you want to use a single IP address with two different ports for the HTTPS service and the console proxy service, you must run the configuration script in an unattended mode.

Note:

The cell management tool includes subcommands that you can use to change the network and database connection details that you initially configured. Changes you make using these subcommands are written to the global configuration file and the response file. For information about using the cell management tool, see Cell Management Tool Reference.

Prerequisites

  • For an interactive configuration, review Interactive Configuration Reference.
  • For an unattended configuration, review Unattended Configuration Reference.
  • For an unattended configuration, verify that the value of the environment variable VCLOUD_HOME is set to the full pathname of the directory in which VMware Cloud Director is installed. This value is typically /opt/vmware/vcloud-director.

Procedure

  1. Log in to the VMware Cloud Director server as root.
  2. Run the configure command:
    • For an interactive mode, run the command and, on the prompts, provide the required information. 
      /opt/vmware/vcloud-director/bin/configure
    • For an unattended mode, run the command with appropriate options and arguments. 
      /opt/vmware/vcloud-director/bin/configure options -unattended

    The script validates the information, then:

    1. Initializes the database and connects the server to it.
    2. Displays a URL at which you can connect to the VMware Cloud Director Setup wizard after the VMware Cloud Director service starts.
    3. Offers to start the VMware Cloud Director cell.
  3. (Optional) Take a note of the VMware Cloud Director Setup wizard URL and enter y to start the VMware Cloud Director service.
    You can decide to start the service later by running the service vmware-vcd start command.

Results

Database connection information and other reusable information that you supplied during the configuration are preserved in the response file at /opt/vmware/vcloud-director/etc/responses.properties on this server. This file contains sensitive information that you must reuse when you add servers to a server group.

What to do next

Save a copy of the response file at a secure location. Restrict access to it, and make sure it is backed up to a secure location. When you back up the file, avoid sending clear texts across a public network.

If you plan to add servers to the server group, mount the shared transfer storage at /opt/vmware/vcloud-director/data/transfer.