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Discovering VMware vCenter

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In this lesson, you will learn:

  • What vCenter discovery finds
  • How VMs link to server CIs
  • What to check

🔁 Quick look back: Last time: Discovering an Application Running on a Server. You learned how PostgreSQL on snwr-db-01 became an application CI.

1 The Problem: Servers Don’t Show Where They Run

snwr-mail-02 is a virtual machine. From a server scan alone:

  • You don’t see which ESXi host it runs on.
  • You can’t see what’s affected if a host fails.

🎯 The problem: Servers don’t show where they run.

👉 The fix: Discover the vCenter to link each VM to its host and its server CI.

Flow from vCenter to VM to server.
Figure 1. What vCenter discovery links.

2 What it finds

  • The vCenter itself.
  • Datacenters, clusters and ESXi hosts.
  • Virtual machines and their settings.
  • Links from each VM to the server CI found by the server scan.

3 What to check

  • Hosts and VM counts match vCenter.
  • VMs link to the right server CIs.
  • No duplicate server CIs from the two sources.

4 Project Clear View: How We Implemented It

📍 Situation: Priya wanted to see which host each SNWR VM runs on.

🧭 Decision: Discover snwr-vc-mum-01 and check the links.

🛠️ Steps we took:

  1. Ran discovery on the vCenter’s address with SNWR vCenter Read-Only.
  2. Counted hosts and VMs against vCenter.
  3. Checked snwr-mail-02’s VM links to its server CI.
  4. Searched for duplicates.

✅ What we verified:

  • Three hosts and all VMs found.
  • snwr-mail-02 shows it runs on snwr-esx-02.

📁 Evidence: The vCenter check, saved for gate 4.

5 Quick recap

  • vCenter discovery finds hosts, clusters and VMs.
  • It links each VM to its server CI.
  • Check counts and links against vCenter.
  • Watch for duplicates between sources.

6 Check yourself

Think of your answer first. Then tap to check.

1 What does vCenter discovery add that a server scan can’t? Show answer

Which host each VM runs on.

2 Which credential does it use at SNWR? Show answer

SNWR vCenter Read-Only.

3 Which host runs snwr-mail-02? Show answer

snwr-esx-02.

Nice work! SNWR’s virtual machines show where they run. 🎉
Next up: Running the First Controlled Subnet Pilot

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