Enhanced Linked Mode links multiple vCenter Server systems by using one or more Platform Services Controllers. With Enhanced Linked Mode, you can view and search across all linked vCenter Server systems. This mode replicates roles, permissions, licenses, and other key data across systems.
- You can log in to all linked vCenter Server systems simultaneously with a single user name and password.
- You can view and search the inventories of all linked vCenter Server systems within the vSphere Web Client.
- Roles, permission, licenses, tags, and policies are replicated across linked vCenter Server systems.
To join vCenter Server systems in Enhanced Linked Mode, connect them to the same Platform Services Controller, or to Platform Services Controllers that share the same vCenter Single Sign-On domain.
Enhanced Linked Mode requires the vCenter Server Standard licensing level, and is not supported with vCenter Server Foundation or vCenter Server Essentials.
In vSphere 5.5 and earlier, Linked Mode relied on Microsoft ADAM to provide replication functionality. Starting in vSphere 6.0, the Platform Services Controller provides replication and ADAM is no longer required. Because of the change in architecture, you must isolate vCenter Server 5.5 systems from any Linked Mode groups before upgrading these systems to vCenter Server 6.0. For more information, see the vSphere Upgrade documentation.
