As an alternative to a package installation, you can deploy vMA on an ESXi host and run vCLI commands from there.

vMA is a virtual machine that you can use to run scripts to manage ESXi systems. vMA includes a Linux environment, vCLI, and other prepackaged software.

Setting up vMA consists of several tasks. For details about each task, see the vSphere Management Assistant Guide.

1

Deploy vMA to an ESXi system that meets the hardware prerequisites.

See the vSphere Management Assistant Guide for prerequisites and deployment details.

2

Configure vMA.

When you boot vMA, you must specify the following required configuration information when prompted.

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Network information (the default is often acceptable)

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Host name for vMA

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Password for the vi-admin user. The vi-admin user has superuser privileges on vMA. You cannot log in to vMA as the root user.

3

(Optional) Add a vCenter Server system or one or more ESXi systems as targets. You configure vMA for Active Directory authentication and can then add ESXi and vCenter Server systems to vMA without having to store passwords in the vMA credential store. See the vSphere Management Assistant Guide.