VMware vCenter 6 can be deployed as a Windows box or as an appliance, similar to previous version but with version 6 its even more appealing to run it as a VA which supports up to 1,000 hosts and 10,000 VMs using the built in PostgreSQL database. The following deployment is an embedded deployment which refers to all components installed on the same machine. An external deployment is referred to when vCenter and the Platform Services Controller (PSC) is separated. To find out more refer to this white paper.

The first change you will notice is the appliance is no longer deployed as a OVF file, instead you have to use the Client Integration Plugin. Download the vCenter media from the VMware portal and open the VCSA folder and install the plugin

Once installed go back to the media and run the vcsa-setup.html. Then select Install

Connect to one of your ESXi hosts with the root credentials. Give the appliance a name and add a password for the appliance.

Choose the installation type, in my case it is Embedded. Create or join a SSO domain. In my case this is a new vCenter so I will be creating a new SSO domain. If you already have a SSO domain set up you can join that using the relevant credentials. Choose the size of the appliance, the difference in the size is in brackets.

Choose the datastore to store the appliance and choose the database. The embedded PostgreSQL can support 1,000 hosts and 10,000 VMs.

Now enter your network details then finish

Once complete and the appliance is up and running connect to the web client and log in as the SSO administrator account you added previously

Now you will want to integrate it with AD. Browse to Administration - Configuration - Identity Sources - Add Identity Sources. If your connecting to AD and the machine you are on is already apart of that domain select Active Directory (Integrated Windows Authentication) and add you AD information. Select Active Directory as an LDAP Server to do it manually

Once added you can add users / groups that you wish to manage your vCentre. I usually setup a VMware Admins group and a VMware Read-Only group in AD and add those. Now you can start setting up your datacentres / clusters / alerts ect