Installing, Configuring, and Setup
Deployment order
Install and configure the management plane before the workload plane. Deploy the vCenter Server Appliance in two stages: stage 1 deploys the OVF and disk; stage 2 configures SSO, appliance networking, and services. In vSphere 7 and later, Platform Services Controller functionality is embedded-there is no external PSC. The SSO domain (default vsphere.local) cannot be changed after deployment, so choose it deliberately. Then create the datacenter, cluster, and folders, add ESXi hosts, and attach licensing.
Host and cluster configuration
ESXi can be installed interactively, by script, via PXE, or from vMedia. Configure DNS, NTP, and management networking first. Add storage (VMFS, NFS, iSCSI, vSAN) and networking (standard or distributed switches). Enable vSphere HA and DRS after the cluster is stable. Host profiles capture configuration for compliance; vSphere Lifecycle Manager uses images or baselines for patching. vCenter HA requires three nodes-active, passive, and witness-and a cloned appliance.
Traps
Do not add hosts to a cluster before the cluster exists. Do not expect to change the SSO domain later. Do not confuse vCenter HA with vSphere HA. Do not skip NTP; certificate and SSO failures often trace back to clock skew. Do not assume a distributed switch can be created without vCenter.
Worked example: A new environment needs a cluster with HA and DRS. Sequence: deploy VCSA, log in to vSphere Client, create datacenter, create cluster, enable HA/DRS, add three ESXi hosts, configure vDS and uplinks, add an NFS datastore, then verify HA admission control. Reversing the order leaves hosts unmanaged or clusters without capacity.
Rule of thumb: Management plane first, then inventory, then hosts, then networking/storage, then availability features.