VMware VirtualCenter 1.1 Support Documentation

 Prev   Contents   Last   Next 

To accommodate the GSX Server security option for Interactive and RunAs virtual machines running Windows operating systems, a VirtualCenter user must be configured on the GSX Server.

Note: This section does not apply to virtual machines running a Linux operating system.

1. Create or select the VirtualCenter user on the to-be-managed GSX Server host. This user:
   • performs operations on behalf of VirtualCenter on the GSX Server host.
   • may be configured on a Domain controller.
   • may be the same user used by VirtualCenter across multiple hosts.
   • must have access to all the files for all the virtual machines on the GSX Server host.
   • must have access to GSX Server network shares so VirtualCenter can create and store virtual machines on the network share.
2. Convert all existing virtual machines on the GSX Server to use a RunAs user: VirtualCenter user.

   If there are any existing virtual machines on the GSX Server, ensure that they are configured as RunAs user virtual machines with the VirtualCenter user as the designated RunAs user. This ensures that the user authorization to perform a function with a GSX Server virtual machine is set within the confines of VirtualCenter and that the user of the virtual machine has appropriate VirtualCenter access to storage, disk shares, and the GSX Server datastore.

   All virtual machines created on a GSX Server host through VirtualCenter are automatically assigned RunAs user mode.

   Refer to your GSX Server documentation for information on changing the RunAs and/or Interactive users on your virtual machines.

3. Provide VirtualCenter user identification when you add the GSX Server as a managed host in VirtualCenter. Refer to Adding a Host to a Farm.

   Note: Though the VirtualCenter user can view all virtual machines on the GSX Server host, VirtualCenter cannot take actions upon any run as virtual machines for which it is not the run as user.