starting an evaluation, problem adding host

[joeytmann]

Trying out VC 2.5 for the first time, and ESX server. Have VC installed and I can log in to it. Installed ESX 3.5 on a old Dell PE2550, it responds to network pings and I can login via the console. When I try to add the ESX host to VC I get an error "Unable to access specified host.It either does not exist, the server software is not responding, or there are network problems." Being that it responds to pings, and I can bring up the web interface(that login fails too), I'd say that network problems aren't the cause. I have only rebooted once past the intial install....so maybe the server software isn't fully operational yet...that wasn't mention in the install prompts or the eval guide. is there something else I am missing? Thanks for the info.

J

[TomHowarth]

Firstly welcome the the Forums

firstly is the VC2.5 an installation in to an existing ESX VI3 infrastructure?

What version of ESX are you running?

one of the first things I would do is loginto the console of an ESX server with root privlidges and enter the command service mgnt-vmware restart and then retest the connection, remember that the credentials are root and <password>

if FDQN fails to connect try IP.

this is a starter for ten

Tom Howarth

VMware Communities User Moderator

[weinstein5]

Also when setting up VC did you select an evaluation license or did you set up a l;icensing server? Can you connect to your ESX server with the VI client?

[joeytmann]

This is a brand-new install. The version of ESX is 3.5 Update 1(the downloadable ISO from the eval links). When I tried running the command service mgnt-vmware restart I got an error saying unrecognized service.

Edit: One more thing, I am using an evalution license, atleast VI says that in the Admin button/license tab.

[weinstein5]

did you login as root? you will need root level access? Also try this command service mgmt-vmware start

[joeytmann]

Yes I logged in as root, and the same thing happens as the restart command. Sounds like I may have missed something in the ESX install.

[weinstein5]

before suggesting reinstalling your host - can you connect to the hot with the VI client?

[joeytmann]

No I can't. The error is in my orginal post.

[weinstein5]

You talked about it trying to join VC but what I am talking about is pointing the VI Client at your ESX host rather than your VC server and ee if you can log in that way? And have you confirmed the evaluation licencing for your ESX host?

[joeytmann]

Oh ok, sorry for the misunderstanding....too many new abreveations. I did try to connect the VI client directly to the ESX host, and i get back "A connection failure occured." with either the root password or the secondary user i was asked to add during setup of the ESX host.

[weinstein5]

how did you set up a secondary user? Did you do this at the console? If I remember correctly, you can not create a user during the normal installation of ESX 3.5 -

[joeytmann]

It asked during the install of the ESX host. just took a peek at /etc/passwd and the user i added is there.

[weinstein5]

what do you see when you point a web browser at your esx host? Are you asked to authenticate? I may be way off base but if you are asked to authenticate I think you have installed the 2.5 version of ESX -

[joeytmann]

I am asked to authenticate, fails with the created user and root. When I am at the console its saying VMware ESX Server version 3.5.0

[weinstein5]

That is wierd - with ESX 3.5 when you point a browser at your ESX Hosts your should not be asked to authenticate at all - what you should see are links to download the VI Client and access Web Acces Management -