Add vCenter and ESX server hosts to the management console

Backup and DR Service uses VMware vSphere storage APIs data protection to create backups of VMware VMs, placing backups either in the snapshot pool of the backup/recovery appliance or in OnVault pools.

To make API calls, the backup/recovery appliance needs to connect to the vCenter or ESX server host with a username and password that has authority to perform the required actions. This page explains how to add a vCenter or ESX server host in the management console.

Before you begin

  • Be sure to review Configure Google Cloud VMware Engine for Backup and DR protection.

  • Make sure that the vCenter server is accessible from the appliance as described in Third-party service certificate.

  • Backup and DR Service establishes a secure connection with the vCenter. If a secure connection is not established, backup and restore jobs fail. The connection to vCenter fails in either of the following scenarios:

    • If there is a mismatch between the name of the vCenter and the name in the vCenter certificate.
    • If the vCenter certificate is not trusted by OS trust anchors or if vCenter has self-signed certificates.

Add a new vCenter or ESX Server host

Use these instructions to add a new vCenter or ESX server host to the management console:

  1. Click Manage > Hosts.

  2. Select + Add Host.

  3. In the Name field, enter the fully qualified domain name of the vCenter host. Ensure that the name in the host's Name field is the same as in the vCenter certificate. The connection fails if there is a mismatch.

  4. Optional: In the Friendly Name field, enter a user-friendly name for the host. The name of a host must start with a letter, and can contain letters and digits (0-9). Do not underscore (_) characters in hostnames. You can also add a friendly name for the vCenter host in the Friendly Name field.

  5. Enter the IP address of the host in IP Address. Click + to add multiple IP addresses.

  6. In the Appliances section, select one or more appliances that serve this host. If the list is long, you can use the search field to find a specific appliance or group of appliances.

  7. In Host Type, select either vCenter or ESX Server.

  8. Select the data transport mode, either NFS or SAN. NFS is the recommended and default setting. Enter the username and password to connect to the host and then use the Test button to validate them. You only need to enter a port if a non-standard port is being used.

    Host settings
    To protect Select host type Connection type
    vCenter with ESXi VMs vCenter The default vCenter management port is 443. If you use a different port, then enter it here. Enter the vCenter User Name and vCenter Password and then select Test.
    ESXi standalone ESX Server The default ESX Server management port is 902. If you use a different port, then enter it here. Enter the ESX User Name and ESX Password and then select Test.

  9. Click Add.

What's next

The VMware administrator's guide