Does this still apply in (5.0 and 5.5). I could have missed in the 5 documentation site. I still see the ESX Admin workaround applies in 5.5 and wondered about the local administrators role.
VMware vSphere 4 - ESX and vCenter Server
This is from the 4.0 doc site.
"Center Server registers any selected Windows domain user or group through the process of assigning permissions. By default, all users who are members of the local Windows Administrators group on vCenter Server are granted the same access rights as any user assigned to the Administrator role. Users who are members of the Administrators group can log in as individuals and have full access."
EDIT - I found this..VMware vSphere 5.1
Looks to be the same...:)
The main difference is that before 5.1 and 5.5, the local Admins group on the vCenter Server is the default vCenter Server Administrator. With vCenter 5.x with the addition of SSO, during vCenter installation, you will be asked which user account or group will initially be given and vCenter Server Administrator role. Below is the screen capture. In this screenshot, after vCenter install, only the administrator@vsphere.local has the Administrator role on the vCenter server.
If you are upgrading your vCenter Server to 5.x from a previous version using Simple Install, If I remember correctly, you won't see the above screen as the installation will use the existing local Windows Administrators group as the vCenter Administrator.
Hope it helps.
The main difference is that before 5.1 and 5.5, the local Admins group on the vCenter Server is the default vCenter Server Administrator. With vCenter 5.x with the addition of SSO, during vCenter installation, you will be asked which user account or group will initially be given and vCenter Server Administrator role. Below is the screen capture. In this screenshot, after vCenter install, only the administrator@vsphere.local has the Administrator role on the vCenter server.
If you are upgrading your vCenter Server to 5.x from a previous version using Simple Install, If I remember correctly, you won't see the above screen as the installation will use the existing local Windows Administrators group as the vCenter Administrator.
Hope it helps.