How virtuallyGhetto's "How to bootstrap the VCSA using the ESXi Embedded Host Client" might help your home lab vSphere 6.0 rebuild

Gift collection of recent articles for the home virtualization lab enthusiast gathered here below!

Confession:

Alright, I'll admit it. I fought with that persnickety VCSA (vCenter Server Appliance) 6.0 for many hours, trying to make it relatively easy for newcomers to create their own vSphere 6.0 lab as easily as people were able to create their own vSphere 5.5 home labs, lowering the barrier to entry:

• Build your own VMware vSphere 5.5 Datacenter with ESXi and VCSA
  Sep 30 2013 by Paul Braren at TinkerTry

I eventually figured out a way to temporarily hard-code the WAN interface on some WiFi routers in a way that allowed folks to get that darn VCSA installed properly, without resorting to ugly IP addresses for everything. But I freely admit my method was more than a little clumsy, which I confess right in the video. I was merely trying to prevent newbies from feeling they had to set up a full DNS server somewhere in your home lab, greatly lowering the barrier to entry. This router tweak actually worked, with minimal drawbacks for normal day-to-day operations. The how to video for 6.0 came out a bit longer than 5.5, and has enjoyed similar success on the YouTubes, but in just 9 months:

• How to build your awesome virtualization home lab with VMware vSphere 6.0 (ESXi & VCSA)
  Mar 15 2015 by Paul Braren at TinkerTry

Here's the thing:

But with helping such a vast audience that apparently exists out there, I always feel obligated to do better. It's not just that, even if I was doing this documentation and video my only myself or my job, I'm always on the lookout for easier/better/faster. I strive to improve upon processes, particularly if doing so is simpler and faster, especially for newbies. It's fun, as I talked about on camera here.

Thus, it was with great joy that I read this latest masterpiece from William Lam just yesterday, a super-awesome last-minute holiday gift surprise for us all:

• How to bootstrap the VCSA using the ESXi Embedded Host Client?
  Dec 22 2015 by William Lam at virtualyGhetto

and an excerpt:

CLI standpoint which is not a bad thing when you think about it from an Automation standpoint and needing to replicate this a few dozen times. However, from a user experience point of view, it may not be as ideal, especially if this is an infrequent task.

Yep, that's exactly what I've been hoping for. A way to install VCSA that isn't as intimidating as having newbies roll up their sleeves and do CLI or editing of config files just to get their one instance installed. Yes, a way to do it all, staying within UI of the beloved Embedded Host Client, with the 4.0 release arriving just in time for the holiday tinkerer. This bit of magic that takes just seconds to add to your ESXi server(s):

• Faster HTML5 future for VMware vSphere Web Client? ESXi Embedded Host Client Fling flies!
  Dec 23 2015 by Paul Braren at TinkerTry

Stay tuned, a new way to more easily create your home lab datacenter, using ESXi 6.0 and the new ESXi Embedded Host Client 4.0, to more easily deploy VCSA 6.0. Yay!

See also

• ESXi Embedded Host Client Version 4.0
  Dec 20 2015 by the creators at VMware Labs Flings

• Deploying Nested ESXi is even easier now with the ESXi Virtual Appliance
  Dec 14 2015 by William Lam at virtuallyGhetto

• Building minimal vSphere demo lab using VMware Fusion/Workstation with only 8GB memory?
  Oct 16 2015 by William Lam at virtuallyGhetto

• Erasing existing disk partitions now available in the vSphere Web Client (vSphere 6.0 Update 1)
  Sep 29 2015 by William Lam at virtuallyGhetto