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Version: vNext

5. Pre-change cluster settings

Before you start

vmca-fullchain.pem on the VCSA, with every check in 4.5 passing. govc set up as in the overview. The snapshot steps in 1.3, which you run at the end of this stage.

Record the original values first

These changes reduce noise and risk while vCenter restarts. Record the original values first: you restore them exactly in stage 8.

5.1 Record the originals​

Certificate management settings:

govc option.ls vpxd.certmgmt
Expected output

Defaults on a fresh vCenter 8:

vpxd.certmgmt.certs.cn.country:                   US
vpxd.certmgmt.certs.cn.email:                     vmca@vmware.com
vpxd.certmgmt.certs.cn.localityName:              Palo Alto
vpxd.certmgmt.certs.cn.organizationalUnitName:    VMware Engineering
vpxd.certmgmt.certs.cn.organizationName:          VMware
vpxd.certmgmt.certs.cn.state:                     California
vpxd.certmgmt.certs.daysValid:                    1825
vpxd.certmgmt.certs.hardThreshold:                30
vpxd.certmgmt.certs.minutesBefore:                1440
vpxd.certmgmt.certs.pollIntervalDays:             5
vpxd.certmgmt.certs.softThreshold:                240
vpxd.certmgmt.mode:                               vmca

DRS and HA:

govc object.collect -json /DC-01/host/Cluster-01 configurationEx | jq '.[0].val | {
  drs: .drsConfig,
  das: (.dasConfig | {enabled, hostMonitoring, vmMonitoring, admissionControlEnabled, admissionControlPolicy})
}'
Expected output

Your values may differ; write down what you see.

{
  "drs": {
    "enabled": true,
    "enableVmBehaviorOverrides": true,
    "defaultVmBehavior": "fullyAutomated",
    "vmotionRate": 3
  },
  "das": {
    "enabled": true,
    "hostMonitoring": "enabled",
    "vmMonitoring": "vmMonitoringDisabled",
    "admissionControlEnabled": true,
    "admissionControlPolicy": {
      "cpuFailoverResourcesPercent": 25,
      "memoryFailoverResourcesPercent": 25,
      "failoverLevel": 1,
      "autoComputePercentages": true,
      "resourceReductionToToleratePercent": 100
    }
  }
}

Save this JSON in the change ticket.

vSphere UI: Cluster-01 > Configure > Services > vSphere DRS (automation level and migration threshold), and vSphere Availability (host monitoring, admission control: policy, host failures to tolerate, reserved CPU and memory percentages).

5.2 minutesBefore: 1440 to 5​

vpxd.certmgmt.certs.minutesBefore back-dates the notBefore of certificates VMCA issues to ESXi hosts. The default of 1440 minutes (24 hours) can make a freshly issued host certificate start before the new VMCA certificate itself does, which a host rejects. Setting it to 5 minutes for the window avoids that (VMware KB 2123386).

govc:

govc option.set vpxd.certmgmt.certs.minutesBefore 5
govc option.ls vpxd.certmgmt.certs.minutesBefore
Expected output
vpxd.certmgmt.certs.minutesBefore:  5

vSphere UI: select vcenter.example.org in the inventory > Configure > Settings > Advanced Settings > Edit Settings. Filter on minutesBefore, change the value from 1440 to 5, Save.

5.3 DRS: fullyAutomated to partiallyAutomated​

This stops DRS from migrating VMs, including the VCSA itself, while vCenter restarts.

Do not disable DRS

Do not disable DRS. Disabling DRS deletes every resource pool in the cluster.

govc:

govc cluster.change -drs-mode partiallyAutomated /DC-01/host/Cluster-01

vSphere UI: Cluster-01 > Configure > Services > vSphere DRS > Edit > Automation Level: Partially Automated > OK. Leave the vSphere DRS toggle on.

5.4 HA: off​

This avoids HA elections and host isolation responses while the hosts' trust changes.

govc:

govc cluster.change -ha-enabled=false /DC-01/host/Cluster-01

vSphere UI: Cluster-01 > Configure > Services > vSphere Availability > Edit > turn vSphere HA off > OK.

Turning HA off keeps the admission control policy stored in the cluster configuration, so turning it back on in stage 8 restores the same percentages. You verify that in stage 8.

5.5 Take the snapshot now​

Run 1.3 now. Re-check the VCSA's host first (govc vm.info /DC-01/vm/vcenter | grep Host), since it is the host you would revert from.

Verify before continuing​

govc option.ls vpxd.certmgmt.certs.minutesBefore
govc object.collect -json /DC-01/host/Cluster-01 configurationEx \
  | jq -c '.[0].val | {drs: .drsConfig.defaultVmBehavior, rate: .drsConfig.vmotionRate, ha: .dasConfig.enabled}'
govc snapshot.tree -vm /DC-01/vm/vcenter
Expected output
vpxd.certmgmt.certs.minutesBefore:  5
{"drs":"partiallyAutomated","rate":3,"ha":false}
pre-vmca-import
  • minutesBefore is 5.
  • DRS is enabled and partiallyAutomated. HA is false.
  • Snapshot pre-vmca-import exists, with memory.
  • Original values saved in the ticket.