Configuring Auto Deploy Stateless Caching in vSphere 6.0

Following on from my previous post on configuring custom ESXi images for PXE deployment, it piqued my interest again in Auto Deploy, now that I have a lab large enough (enough physical failure domains) to justify auto-deploy I figured i’d give it another go. I have chosen to implement stateless caching as it will allow the hosts to boot from the last used ESXi image they had if the PxE/AutoDeploy server goes down – then when it comes back up will pull the new version, this accounts for a total infrastructure outage and still allows the hosts to be bootable.

So to start off with, i’m assuming you’re using the vCenter Server Appliance and not a Windows based VC and you’re on vCenter 6.0.

Let’s go and start the Auto Deploy service on the vCenter Web UI, you’re going to need to log in with a user with @vsphere.local/SSO permissions and navigate to Administration -> System Configuration -> Services -> Auto Deploy and click the Actions dropdown and Edit Startup Type and change to Automatic:

https://blogs.vmware.com/vsphere/2017/01/auto-deploy-performance-boost-reverse-proxy-caches.html

Docker Auto Deploy ESX 6.5 

http://fdo-workspace.blogspot.com/2016/11/pxe-boot-installer-integrating_22.html

ESX god mode

LINK

Windows Domain Controller Replication restore

repadmin /options PCDCDC01 -DISABLE_OUTBOUND_REPL
repadmin /options PCDCDC01 -DISABLE_INBOUND_REPL


On domain controllers that are experiencing this issue, disable the Kerberos Key Distribution Center service (KDC). To do so:
Click Start, point to Programs, click Administrative Tools, and then click Services.
Double-click KDC, set the startup type to Disabled, and then restart the computer.

After the computer restarts, use the Netdom utility to reset the secure channels between these domain controllers and the PDC Emulator operations master role holder. To do so, run the following command from the domain controllers other than the PDC Emulator operations master role holder:

netdom resetpwd /server:server_name /userd:domain_name\administrator /passwordd:administrator_password
Where server_name is the name of the server that is the PDC Emulator operations master role holder.

For additional information, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

260575 How to Use Netdom.exe to Reset Machine Account Passwords


After you reset the secure channel, restart the domain controllers. Even if you attempt to reset the secure channel using the Netdom utility, and the command does not complete successfully, proceed with the restart process.

If only the PDC Emulator operations master role holder is running, the KDC forces the other domain controllers to resynchronize with this computer, instead of issuing themselves a new Kerberos ticket.

After the computers have finished restarting, start the Services program, restart the KDC service, and then attempt replication again.