vCenter 4.1 install with Update Manager

During the installation of the new vCenter server for the upgrade to 4.1 some issues arise from the ODBC connections to the database.

Firstly, the install must reside on a 64bit server (about time).  So I began with an installation of Windows 2008 R2.  Once the server OS is built then blank databases need to be created and the connections to the database needs to be established.

To setup the ODBC connections two thoughts need to be considered.  vCenter needs a 64bit DSN and Update Manager needs a 32bit DSN, it doesn't matter the database backend but the connection data source does.  This is more than inconvenient but different development teams have different time lines so we in the trenches have to contend with the issues.  :)

We are running the newer SQL Server 2008 on the site we are working at so the DSN needs to be the native client from a SQL 2008 installation.
1. Just install the native client as part of the SQL server install DVD.
2. Next open your typical ODBC Data Sources from administrative tools.
3. Select "system DSN" tab
4. Click Add
5. Choose "SQL Server Native Client 10.0" and click "Finish"

6. Put the name of the DSN you want displayed (I chose vCenter)
7. Enter the Server name and SQL Server Instance in the "Which Server to connect to" field.  Click "Next"
8. I typically use SQL Server Authentication as opposed to the Windows Authentication but that will depend on the company policies for that.
9. Change the default database to your vCenter database that you set up before.  (ex. vCenter), click "Next", and then "Finish"
10. Make sure you test your connection settings.

Next steps include setting up the 32-bit DSN, in which the initial steps are not as simple.  Firstly, you have to run the 32-bit ODBC manager.
1. This is located %Windir%\SysWOW64\odbcad32.exe
2. Repeat steps from before setting up an Update Manager Database and Data source.

Make sure the Databases and Data Sources are setup before you even begin the installation of vCenter and Update Manager.
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Comments

Unknown said…
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Unknown said…
I had success creating the 10.0 (Native 64-bit) ODBC connector and vCenter 4.1.0 installed fine. But I tried to follow the instructions here and use the 32-bit ODBC control panel instead to create a DSN for the vCenter Update database. I also created a new database separate from the vCenter database so that vCenter Update could have its own database. Although I was able to create the DSN with the 32-bit version of the ODBC control panel I could not get the vCenter Update installer to recognize that a 32-bit DSN was set up! Any ideas?
virtualvelcro said…
Did you create the DSN during the installation? I had that error when I was in the midst of the install, created the DSN and tried to attach to it. I restarted the UM install and it was able to find the DSN.

Another possibility might be the firewall on the vCenter server.
Unknown said…
I created the 32-bit DSN before the vCenter Update install was started. Windows firewalls are always turned OFF for me on new setups until I have things working :)

Any other ideas?...
virtualvelcro said…
Did you verify / test the SQL Connection through the ODBC CP?