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Installing and Configuring the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter Virtual Appliance#

To simplify the installation and administration of the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter, it is distributed as a virtual appliance image to be installed on a supported release of VMware vSphere. This appliance is a secure, hardened environment in which access to the application software is strictly controlled.

Each NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter appliance is configured with a single user account. You cannot modify this user account or add other user accounts to the appliance.

Platform Requirements for the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter Virtual Appliance#

Before proceeding, ensure that you have a platform suitable for hosting the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter virtual appliance.

The hosting platform must be a physical host running a supported release of VMware vSphere.
The minimum resource requirements for the VM in which the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter virtual appliance will run are as follows:
- Number of vCPUs: 2
- RAM: 4 Gbytes
- Disk Size: 35 Gbytes
The platform must have a fixed (unchanging) IP address. The IP address may be assigned dynamically by DHCP or statically configured, but must be constant.
The platform’s date and time must be set accurately. NTP is recommended. For information about how to configure NTP on an ESXi host, refer to Configure Network Time Protocol (NTP) on the ESXi.

Note

Before proceeding with the installation, refer to GPU Manager for VMware vCenter Release Notes for details of supported VMware vSphere releases, web browsers, and known issues.

Host Name Resolution Requirements for an NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter Virtual Appliance#

The platform that hosts an NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter virtual appliance must be identified by its IP address or its fully qualified domain name. If you want to identify the platform by its fully qualified domain name, ensure that the required DNS entries are set before installing the virtual appliance. If you want to identify the platform by its default host name, you must set a DNS entry that maps the default host name to the fully qualified domain name.

The process for setting these DNS entries is separate from the process for installing the virtual appliance. Use the standard interfaces of the name resolution service that you are using to set the required DNS entries.

For each mapping between a domain name and an IP address, ensure that you set both the forward pointer and reverse pointer DNS entries.

Note

For the reverse pointer DNS entry on a Windows DNS server, use all lowercase for the fully qualified domain name.

To determine whether the forward pointer and reverse pointer DNS entries have been set correctly, type the following commands in a command or shell window on any host on the same network as the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter virtual appliance:

For the forward pointer entry, type:
```
$ nslookup <domain-name>
```
<domain-name>
The domain name for which you want to determine whether the forward pointer DNS entry is correct.

If the DNS entry has been set correctly, the command displays the IP address that is mapped to the domain name.
For the reverse pointer entry, type:
```
$ nslookup <ip-address>
```
<ip-address>
The IP address for which you want to determine whether the reverse pointer DNS entry is correct.

If the DNS entry has been set correctly, the command displays the domain name that is mapped to the IP address.

Firewall Rules for NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter#

To enable communication through a firewall, firewall rules that allow traffic on specific URLs must be defined. To set these rules, use the standard interfaces of the firewall that you are using, for example Zscaler Firewall.

To enable communication between NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter and NVIDIA Licensing Portal through a firewall, firewall rules that allow traffic on the URLs in the following table must be defined.

URL	Traffic
`api.licensing.nvidia.com`	NVIDIA vGPU software graphics driver metadata from the NVIDIA Licensing Portal
`griddownloads.nvidia.com`	NVIDIA vGPU software graphics driver binary files from NVIDIA Licensing Portal

Installing the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter Virtual Appliance#

The NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter image is distributed as a ZIP archive that contains an Open Virtual Appliance (OVA) file. You use standard interfaces of VMware vSphere to install the virtual appliance.

The virtual appliance image specifies the minimum configuration for the VM as listed in Platform Requirements for the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter Virtual Appliance. You are not required to specify the VM configuration when you install the virtual appliance. After installing the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter virtual appliance, you can use standard interfaces of the hypervisor to change the configuration of the VM if necessary.

Use the VMware vSphere Client to perform this task on the ESXi server on which you want to run the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter virtual appliance.

For additional information, refer to the following topics on the VMware Docs site:

Download the ZIP archive that contains the OVA file that contains the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter image.
1. Log in to the NVIDIA Enterprise Application Hub with your NVIDIA Enterprise Account credentials.
2. On the NVIDIA APPLICATION HUB page that opens, click NVIDIA LICENSING PORTAL.
3. In the left navigation pane of the NVIDIA Licensing Portal dashboard page, click SOFTWARE DOWNLOADS.
4. On the Software Downloads page that opens, find and download the release of NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter that you want.
Extract the contents of the ZIP archive that you downloaded.
Log in to vCenter Server by using the VMware vSphere Client.
From the VMware vSphere ClientActions menu, choose Deploy OVF Template.
Select the Local file option, browse for and select the downloaded OVA file, and click Next.
Enter the your choice of virtual machine name, select a location for the virtual machine, and click Next.
Select a compute resource where the virtual machine will be created and click Next.
Review the details of the template that you are deploying and click Next.
Accept the NVIDIA Software License Agreement and click Next.
Select the storage for the virtual appliance configuration and disk files and click Next.
Leave the network properties blank to obtain network settings from a DHCP server or provide the network settings for a static IP address, and click Next.

Note

You can change these settings after the virtual appliance is installed as explained in Updating the Network Settings for the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter Virtual Appliance.

Provide the network settings for a static IP address as follows.
1. In the IPv4 Address text-entry field, type the IP address that you want to assign to the virtual appliance.
  
  This address must be an unused IP address in the subnet range of the VM’s virtual network.
2. In the Netmask Prefix text-entry field, type the subnet mask of the virtual appliance’s network in classless inter-domain routing (CIDR) format without the leading slash character (/).
  
  To get a subnet mask in CIDR format from its decimal equivalent, refer to the table on page 2 of IETF RFC 1878: Variable Length Subnet Table For IPv4. For example, the subnet mask in CIDR format of the decimal equivalent 255.255.255.0 is 24.
3. In the Gateway text-entry field, type the IP address of the virtual appliance’s default gateway.
4. In the DNS Server 1 text-entry field, type the IP address of the first DNS server to be used for name resolution.
5. In the DNS Server 2 text-entry field, type the IP address of the second DNS server to be used for name resolution.
Note

If any field except DNS Server 2 is blank or if any field contains invalid data, a static IP address is not assigned to the VM. Instead, the VM obtains network settings from a DHCP server.
Review all the details of the virtual machine that you are creating and click Finish.
Start the VM that you created.

Registering the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter Administrator User#

Each NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter virtual appliance is configured with a user account specifically for administering the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter. This account provides access through a web-based management interface to the NVIDIA GPU Manager application on the appliance. Before administering the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter virtual appliance, you must register this user to be able to access this management interface.

Open a web browser and connect to the URL https://<vcenter-gpu-mgr-vm-ip-address>.

<vcenter-gpu-mgr-vm-ip-address>
The IP address or, if defined, the fully qualified domain name of the VM on which the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter virtual appliance is installed.

You can get the IP address from the management console of your hypervisor.
On the Register User Account page that opens, provide and confirm the password for the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter administrator user vcp_admin.

Note

If the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter administrator user has already been registered, the login page opens instead of the Register User Account page.

The password must be at least eight characters long, and must contain at least one uppercase letter, one lowercase letter, one number, and one of the special characters ~, #, ?, !, @, $, %, ^, &, *, -,+, =, and _ .

Note

You can change the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter administrator password at any time after this user is registered. For instructions, refer to Changing the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter Administrator Password.
Click Register.

The Register User Account page is refreshed to confirm that the user has been registered and displays a local reset secret to enable you to reset the user’s password.
Copy the local reset secret and store it securely, for example, by clicking the clipboard icon and pasting the local reset secret into a plain text file that is readable only by you.

Note

You will need this key to reset a forgotten NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter administrator user’s password. If you lose this secret, you will not be able to reset a forgotten NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter administrator user’s password.
Click Continue to Login.
On the login page that opens, provide the password that you set for the vcp_admin user, and click Login.

Changing the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter Administrator Password#

For enhanced security, change the password for the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter administrator user periodically after this user is registered.

Open a web browser and connect to the URL https://<vcenter-gpu-mgr-vm-ip-address>.

<vcenter-gpu-mgr-vm-ip-address>
The IP address or, if defined, the fully qualified domain name of the VM on which the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter virtual appliance is installed.

You can get the IP address from the management console of your hypervisor.
On the login page that opens, provide the user credentials for the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter administrator user on the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter virtual appliance and click Login.
At the top right of the page in the NVIDIA GPU Manager application on the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter appliance that opens, click Change Password.
On the Change Password page that opens, enter the current password, provide a new password , and confirm the new password for the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter administrator user.
1. In the Current Password text-entry field, type the current password for the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter administrator user.
2. In the New Password text-entry field, type the new password that you want for the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter administrator user.
  
  The password must be at least eight characters long, and must contain at least one uppercase letter, one lowercase letter, one number, and one of the special characters ~, #, ?, !, @, $, %, ^, &, *, -,+, =, and _ .
3. In the Confirm New Password text-entry field, type the password that you typed in the New Password text-entry field.
Click Change Password.

Resetting a Forgotten NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter Administrator Password#

If you have forgotten the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter administrator password, you can use its local reset secret to reset it.

Open a web browser and connect to the URL https://<vcenter-gpu-mgr-vm-ip-address>.

<vcenter-gpu-mgr-vm-ip-address>
The IP address or, if defined, the fully qualified domain name of the VM on which the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter virtual appliance is installed.

You can get the IP address from the management console of your hypervisor.
On the login page that opens, follow the Forgot Password? link.
In the Reset Password window that opens, enter the local reset secret, provide a new password , and confirm the new password for the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter administrator user.
1. In the Local Reset Secret text-entry field, type the local reset secret that was created when the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter administrator user was registered.
2. In the Password text-entry field, type the new password that you want for the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter administrator user.
  
  The password must be at least eight characters long, and must contain at least one uppercase letter, one lowercase letter, one number, and one of the special characters ~, #, ?, !, @, $, %, ^, &, *, -,+, =, and _ .
3. In the Confirm Password text-entry field, type the password that you typed in the Password text-entry field.
Click Reset Password.

Logging in to the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter Virtual Appliance#

Each NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter virtual appliance is configured with a user account specifically for administering NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter. This account provides access through a web-based management interface to the NVIDIA GPU Manager application on the appliance.

Ensure that the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter administrator user has been registered for the appliance as explained in Registering the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter Administrator User.

Open a web browser and connect to the URL https://<vcenter-gpu-mgr-vm-ip-address>.

<vcenter-gpu-mgr-vm-ip-address>
The IP address or, if defined, the fully qualified domain name of the VM on which the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter virtual appliance is installed.

You can get the IP address from the management console of your hypervisor.
On the login page that opens, provide the user credentials for the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter administrator user on the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter virtual appliance and click Login.

Configuring an NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter Virtual Appliance with a Third-Party Signed SSL Certificate#

By default, an NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter virtual appliance is configured with a self-signed SSL certificate that is generated when the virtual appliance is started. If necessary, you can replace the self-signed certificate with an SSL certificate that is signed by a third party, such as a certificate authority (CA).

When NVIDIA GPU Manager is registered with VMware vCenter Server, the SSL certificate with which the virtual appliance is configured is imported into VMware vCenter Server. Therefore, try to configure the virtual appliance with a new SSL certificate before registering NVIDIA GPU Manager with VMware vCenter Server.

Otherwise, you must confirm that you can use vSphere Lifecycle Management (vLCM) to synchronize the new SSL certificate on all VMware vCenter Server instances with which NVIDIA GPU Manager is registered. This confirmation is required because VMware vCenter Server must be able to trust the new certificate before it allows any communication that is authenticated by the certificate.

To configure an NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter virtual appliance with a third-party signed SSL certificate, follow this sequence of instructions:

Obtaining a Third-Party Signed SSL Certificate for an NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter Virtual Appliance
Installing a Third-Party Signed SSL Certificate on an NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter Virtual Appliance

Obtaining a Third-Party Signed SSL Certificate for an NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter Virtual Appliance#

Obtain a third-party signed SSL certificate by submitting a certificate signing request (CSR) to a suitable third party, such as a certificate authority (CA).

For each certificate that you require, submit a certificate signing request (CSR) to a CA.

Ensure that each certificate that you request meets these requirements:

The certificate must be a PEM text file (not in Java keystore format) and secured with a private key.
The certificate and the private key must be in separate files.
To ensure that web browsers trust the domain, the domain name must be part of the Subject Alternate Name (SAN) attribute, not the Common Name (CN) attribute of the CSR.
The SAN attribute of the CSR must specify the fully qualified domain name of any NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter virtual appliance that will be configured with the certificate.

If a fully qualified domain name is not assigned to the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter, specify its IP address as the DNS in the CSR.
The certificate must use an RSA, DSA, or DH key that is at least 2048 bits long.
If the certificate chain of trust includes intermediate certificates, the following conditions apply:
- The certificate must be bundled with the intermediate certificates in the following order:
  1. Domain name certificate
  2. Intermediate certificates
  3. Root certificate
- The keyUsage extension must have Certificate Sign usage for all the certificates in the chain.

If necessary, contact the CA that will provide your certificate for information about how to request a certificate that meets these requirements or convert an existing certificate to meet these requirements.

Installing a Third-Party Signed SSL Certificate on an NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter Virtual Appliance#

Ensure that you have obtained the SSL certificate that you are installing and its private key file.

Log in to the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter virtual appliance on which you are installing the SSL certificate.
In the left navigation pane, click SETTINGS.
On the SETTINGS page that opens, in the SSL Configuration section, click Update.
In the Update SSL Configuration window that opens, specify the SSL certificate that you are installing and its private key file.
1. Click Choose File adjacent to Certificate and in the file browser that opens, navigate to the folder that contains the SSL certificate and select the file.
2. Click Choose File adjacent to Private Key and in the file browser that opens, navigate to the folder that contains the SSL certificate’s private key and select the file.
Click Update.

The NVIDIA GPU Manager attempts to import the new certificate into any VMware vCenter Server instances which NVIDIA GPU Manager is registered.

Confirm that the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter virtual appliance has been configured with the SSL certificate.

From the vSphere Client menu, choose Lifecycle Manager, click the Settings tab, choose Administration > Patch Setup, and confirm that the download source is set correctly.
Confirm that the Sync updates operation in vSphere Lifecycle Management (vLCM) succeeds.

Updating the Network Settings for the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter Virtual Appliance#

If necessary, you can change the network settings for an NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter virtual appliance any time after the virtual appliance has been installed.

Try to update the network settings of the virtual appliance before registering NVIDIA GPU Manager with VMware vCenter Server.

Otherwise, you must confirm that all VMware vCenter Server instances with which NVIDIA GPU Manager is registered reflect the updated network settings. This confirmation is required because the NVIDIA GPU Manager plugin and driver repository on VMware vCenter Server are linked to the IP address or fully qualified domain name of the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter virtual appliance.

Log in to the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter virtual appliance for which you are updating network settings.
In the left navigation pane, click SETTINGS.
On the SETTINGS page that opens, in the Network Settings section, click Update.
In the Update Network Settings window that opens, select DHCP to obtain network settings from a DHCP server or provide the network settings for a static IP address.

Provide the network settings for a static IP address as follows.
1. Ensure that the Static option is selected.
2. In the IP Address text-entry field, type the IP address that you want to assign to the virtual appliance.
  
  This address must be an unused IP address in the subnet range of the VM’s virtual network.
3. In the Netmask Prefix text-entry field, type the subnet mask of the virtual appliance’s network in classless inter-domain routing (CIDR) format without the leading slash character (/).
  
  To get a subnet mask in CIDR format from its decimal equivalent, refer to the table on page 2 of IETF RFC 1878: Variable Length Subnet Table For IPv4. For example, the subnet mask in CIDR format of the decimal equivalent 255.255.255.0 is 24.
4. In the Gateway text-entry field, type the IP address of the virtual appliance’s default gateway.
5. In the DNS Server 1 text-entry field, type the IP address of the first DNS server to be used for name resolution.
6. In the DNS Server 2 text-entry field, type the IP address of the second DNS server to be used for name resolution.
Click Update.

Your browser will be disconnected from the instance after the update is complete.
Log in to the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter virtual appliance again by connecting to the URL https://<vcenter-gpu-mgr-vm-static-ip-address>.

<vcenter-gpu-mgr-vm-static-ip-address>
The static IP address that you set for the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter virtual appliance.

Confirm that the network settings have been updated as required.

Confirm that the vSphere client shows the correct IP address or fully qualified domain name of the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter.
Confirm that the Sync updates operation in vSphere Lifecycle Management (vLCM) succeeds.

Accessing the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter Virtual Appliance from the vCenter Web Console#

If the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter virtual appliance network is incorrectly configured, you might not be able to access the web-based management interface to the NVIDIA GPU Manager application on the appliance. In this situation, you can reconfigure network settings and download log files for troubleshooting through the web console option of the vCenter web client. The virtual appliance is configured with a user account specifically for this purpose. This user account has access only to the directories and scripts necessary for reconfiguring network settings and downloading log files.

Requirements for the `vcp_cli_user` Password#

The first time the user vcp_cli_user logs in to the vCenter web client, the user is prompted to set a password for this user.

The password must be at least 14 characters long, and must contain at least one uppercase letter, one lowercase letter, one number, and one of the special characters ~, #, ?, !, @, $, %, ^, &, *, -,+, =, and _ .

To change this password, you can use the passwd command.

Caution

If you forget this password, you cannot reset or change it. NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter does not provide any functionality for recovering or resetting a forgotten password.

Downloading Log Files from an NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter Virtual Appliance from the Hypervisor#

Ensure that the secure shell (SSH) service is running and port 22 is open on the remote host to which you want to download the log files.

Use the web console option of the vCenter web client to log in as the user vcp_cli_user to the VM that hosts the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter virtual appliance.

The first time you log in as vcp_cli_user, you are prompted to set a password for this user. Ensure that the password meets the requirements in Requirements for the vcp_cli_user Password.
Run the generate-log-bundle.sh script with sudo user privileges.
```
$ sudo ./generate-log-bundle.sh
```
A ZIP archive named log_bundle.zip that contains the log files is created on the virtual appliance.
When prompted, enter the details of the remote host to which you want to transfer the log_bundle.zip file that was created in the previous step.
1. Enter the user name of the user that will log in to the remote host, for example, vcp_root.
2. Enter the IP address of the remote host.
  
  Note
  
  The IP address must be an IPv4 address. IPv6 addresses are not supported.
3. Enter the full path to the directory on the remote to which you want the log_bundle.zip file to be copied, for example, /home/vcp_root.
4. Enter the password of the user that you specified previously will log in to the remote host.

Assigning the IP Address of an NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter Virtual Appliance by Using DHCP from the Hypervisor#

Use the web console option of the vCenter web client to log in as the user vcp_cli_user to the VM that hosts the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter virtual appliance.

The first time you log in as vcp_cli_user, you are prompted to set a password for this user. Ensure that the password meets the requirements in Requirements for the vcp_cli_user Password.
Run the set-dhcp-cli.sh script with sudo user privileges.
```
$ sudo ./set-dhcp-cli.sh
```

Confirm that the network settings have been updated as required.

Confirm that the vSphere client shows the correct IP address or fully qualified domain name of the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter.
Confirm that the Sync updates operation in vSphere Lifecycle Management (vLCM) succeeds.

Setting the IP Address of an NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter Virtual Appliance from the Hypervisor#

Use the web console option of the vCenter web client to log in as the user vcp_cli_user to the VM that hosts the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter virtual appliance.

The first time you log in as vcp_cli_user, you are prompted to set a password for this user. Ensure that the password meets the requirements in Requirements for the vcp_cli_user Password.
Run the set-static-ip-cli.sh script with sudo user privileges.
```
$ sudo ./set-static-ip-cli.sh
```
When prompted, enter the details of the IP address.

Note

All IP addresses that you enter must be IPv4 addresses. IPv6 addresses are not supported.
1. Enter the IP address that you want to assign to the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter virtual appliance.
2. Enter the IP address of the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter virtual appliance’s default gateway.
3. Enter the IP address of the first DNS server to be used for name resolution.
4. Enter the IP address of the second DNS server to be used for name resolution.
5. Enter the subnet mask of the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter virtual appliance’s network in classless inter-domain routing (CIDR) format without the leading slash character (/).
  
  To get a subnet mask in CIDR format from its decimal equivalent, refer to the table on page 2 of IETF RFC 1878: Variable Length Subnet Table For IPv4. For example, the subnet mask in CIDR format of the decimal equivalent 255.255.255.0 is 24.

Confirm that the network settings have been updated as required.

Confirm that the vSphere client shows the correct IP address or fully qualified domain name of the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter.
Confirm that the Sync updates operation in vSphere Lifecycle Management (vLCM) succeeds.

Setting the Host Name of an NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter Virtual Appliance#

Use the web console option of the vCenter web client to log in as the user vcp_cli_user to the VM that hosts the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter virtual appliance.

The first time you log in as vcp_cli_user, you are prompted to set a password for this user. Ensure that the password meets the requirements in Requirements for the vcp_cli_user Password.
Run the set-hostname-cli.sh script with sudo user privileges.
```
$ sudo ./set-hostname-cli.sh
```
When prompted, enter your choice of new host name for the virtual appliance.

Resetting the SSL Certificate on an NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter Virtual Appliance#

Use the web console option of the vCenter web client to log in as the user vcp_cli_user to the VM that hosts the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter virtual appliance.

The first time you log in as vcp_cli_user, you are prompted to set a password for this user. Ensure that the password meets the requirements in Requirements for the vcp_cli_user Password.
Run the reset-ssl-cert.sh script with sudo user privileges.
```
$ sudo ./reset-ssl-cert.sh
```

Confirm that the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter virtual appliance has been configured with the SSL certificate.

From the vSphere Client menu, choose Lifecycle Manager, click the Settings tab, choose Administration > Patch Setup, and confirm that the download source is set correctly.
Confirm that the Sync updates operation in vSphere Lifecycle Management (vLCM) succeeds.

Configuring NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter with a Proxy Server#

NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter supports communication through the Squid proxy server with entities such as NVIDIA Licensing Portal and vCenter Server instances.

NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter supports transparent proxy servers and non-transparent proxy servers.

A transparent proxy server identifies itself to the server and does not modify client requests and responses.
A non-transparent proxy server does not reveal the IP address of the client and modifies client requests and responses.

Both authenticated and unauthenticated proxy servers are supported. For authenticated proxy servers, the following authentication methods are supported:

Basic
Kerberos

You can specify hosts for which a configured proxy server is bypassed and disable and enable a configured proxy server.

Verifying the Correct Operation of the Proxy Server#

Before configuring NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter with a proxy server, ensure that the proxy server is reachable, the port on which the proxy server listens for client requests is open, and the proxy service is running on it.

Use the web console option of the vCenter web client to log in as the user vcp_cli_user to the VM that hosts the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter virtual appliance.

The first time you log in as vcp_cli_user, you are prompted to set a password for this user. Ensure that the password meets the requirements in Requirements for the vcp_cli_user Password.
Use the netcat (nc) command to scan the port on which the proxy server listens for client requests in verbose mode with a connection timeout of 10 seconds.
```
$ nc -zvw10 <proxy-server-address> <port>
```
<proxy-server-address>
The fully qualified domain name or IP address of the proxy server.

<port>
The port on which the proxy server listens for client requests.

Optional: Specifying Hosts for which a Configured Proxy Server is Bypassed#

If a proxy server is configured, all network communications with the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter appliance are routed through the proxy server by default. However, your network deployment might require communications to some hosts to bypass the proxy server. For example, a proxy server might be required only for communications to external hosts on the public Internet and must be bypassed for communications to hosts within your corporate intranet.

Create a plain-text file that contains a comma-separated list of entries in which each entry defines a single host or a set of related hosts. Each entry must be in one of the following formats:

The complete IPv4 address of a single host, for example, 192.0.2.89
A range of IPv4 addresses specified by using the wildcard character * to replace the decimal digit in the fields at the end of an IPv4 address, for example, 192.0.2.* or 192.0.*.*
The fully qualified domain name of a single host, for example, temp.develop.example.com
A set of hosts within the same subdomain specified by using the wildcard character * at the start of a fully qualified domain name, for example, *.develop.example.com
An IPv4 subnet in which the subnet mask is expressed in classless inter-domain routing (CIDR) format, for example, 192.0.2.0/24

Note

Wildcard characters are not allowed in a subnet.

To get a subnet mask in CIDR format from its decimal equivalent, refer to the table on page 2 of IETF RFC 1878: Variable Length Subnet Table For IPv4.

For example, the subnet mask in CIDR format of the decimal equivalent 255.255.255.0 is 24.

Note

The entries in this file are case insensitive.

This file must meet the following requirements:

The size of the file must not exceed 5 KB.
The file must not be empty.

This example specifies that a configured proxy server is bypassed for communications to hosts with the IPv4 addresses 192.0.2.89 and 192.0.3.101, and to all hosts in the develop.example.com subdomain.

192.0.2.89, 192.0.3.101, *.develop.example.com

After creating the file, upload it to NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter when you configure NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter with a proxy server. For more information, refer to the following topics:

Configuring NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter with an Unauthenticated Proxy Server
Configuring NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter with a Basic-Authenticated Proxy Server
Configuring NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter with a Kerberos-Authenticated Proxy Server

If the proxy server settings are removed, any file that has been uploaded is deleted from NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter.

Configuring NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter with an Unauthenticated Proxy Server#

Ensure that you have verified the correct operation of proxy server as explained in Verifying the Correct Operation of the Proxy Server.

Optional: If you require network communications to some hosts to bypass the proxy server, ensure that you have created a plain text file in which these hosts are specified as explained in Optional: Specifying Hosts for which a Configured Proxy Server is Bypassed.

Log in to the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter virtual appliance for which you are configuring a proxy server.
In the left navigation pane, click SETTINGS.
On the SETTINGS page that opens, in the Proxy Server Settings section, click Update.
In the Server section of the Proxy Server Settings window that opens, provide the details of the proxy server.
1. Specify the fully qualified domain name or IP address of the proxy server and the port on which the proxy server listens for client requests.
2. Select the NO AUTH authentication type.
If you require network communications to some hosts to bypass the proxy server, upload the plain text file in which these hosts are specified.
1. In the Exceptions section of the Proxy Server Settings window, click Choose file.
2. In the file browser that opens, navigate to the folder that contains the text file in which these hosts are specified and select the file.
Note
- If a file has previously been uploaded, it is overwritten.
- If you change other proxy server settings after uploading a file without uploading a new file, the existing file is retained.
If you want to configure the proxy server without testing connections through the proxy server, deselect the Test connection via proxy server option.

By default this option is selected. When this option is selected, NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter validates the proxy server settings by connecting back to itself through the proxy server. If your network deployment disallows cyclic connections, you can omit the validation step by deselecting the Test connection via proxy server option.
Click Update.

NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter verifies the correct operation of proxy server and configures it. A confirmation that the proxy server has been configured appears on the EVENTS page.

Configuring NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter with a Basic-Authenticated Proxy Server#

Ensure that you have verified the correct operation of proxy server as explained in Verifying the Correct Operation of the Proxy Server.

Optional: If you require network communications to some hosts to bypass the proxy server, ensure that you have created a plain text file in which these hosts are specified as explained in Optional: Specifying Hosts for which a Configured Proxy Server is Bypassed.

Log in to the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter virtual appliance for which you are configuring a proxy server.
In the left navigation pane, click SETTINGS.
On the SETTINGS page that opens, in the Proxy Server Settings section, click Update.
In the Server section of the Proxy Server Settings window that opens, provide the details of the proxy server.
1. Specify the fully qualified domain name or IP address of the proxy server and the port on which the proxy server listens for client requests.
2. Select the BASIC authentication type.
3. Provide the user name and password for authenticating access to the proxy server for using the proxy.
If you require network communications to some hosts to bypass the proxy server, upload the plain text file in which these hosts are specified.
1. In the Exceptions section of the Proxy Server Settings window, click Choose file.
2. In the file browser that opens, navigate to the folder that contains the text file in which these hosts are specified and select the file.
Note
- If a file has previously been uploaded, it is overwritten.
- If you change other proxy server settings after uploading a file without uploading a new file, the existing file is retained.
If you want to configure the proxy server without testing connections through the proxy server, deselect the Test connection via proxy server option.

By default this option is selected. When this option is selected, NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter validates the proxy server settings by connecting back to itself through the proxy server. If your network deployment disallows cyclic connections, you can omit the validation step by deselecting the Test connection via proxy server option.
Click Update.

NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter verifies the correct operation of proxy server, verifies the credentials for authenticating access to the proxy server for using the proxy, and configures the proxy server. A confirmation that the proxy server has been configured appears on the EVENTS page.

Configuring NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter with a Kerberos-Authenticated Proxy Server#

Ensure that you have verified the correct operation of proxy server as explained in Verifying the Correct Operation of the Proxy Server.

Optional: If you require network communications to some hosts to bypass the proxy server, ensure that you have created a plain text file in which these hosts are specified as explained in Optional: Specifying Hosts for which a Configured Proxy Server is Bypassed.

Ensure that the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter virtual appliance can resolve the fully qualified domain names of the key distribution center (KDC) and the administration server.
1. Use the web console option of the vCenter web client to log in as the user vcp_cli_user to the VM that hosts the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter virtual appliance.
2. Ensure that the /etc/hosts file contains entries for the fully qualified domain names of the KDC and the administration server.

Create the krb5.conf configuration file on the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter virtual appliance.

If Kerberos is already configured on another server in your network, you can copy the file from that server. The default path to this file is /etc/krb5.conf. Otherwise, create the file in the format shown in the following example.
```
[libdefaults]
  default_realm = EXAMPLE.COM

[realms]
EXAMPLE.COM = {
     kdc = vc-plugin-dc.EXAMPLE.COM
     admin_server = vc-plugin-dc.EXAMPLE.COM
}

[domain_realm]
.linux.home = EXAMPLE.COM
.example.com = EXAMPLE.COM
example.com = EXAMPLE.COM
```
Log in to the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter virtual appliance for which you are configuring a proxy server.
In the left navigation pane, click SETTINGS.
On the SETTINGS page that opens, in the Proxy Server Settings section, click Update.
In the Server section of the Proxy Server Settings window that opens, provide the details of the proxy server.
1. Specify the fully qualified domain name or IP address of the proxy server and the port on which the proxy server listens for client requests.
2. Select the KERBEROS authentication type.
3. Provide the user name and password for authenticating access to the proxy server for using the proxy.
4. Click Choose File adjacent to Kerberos Configuration File and, in the file browser that opens, navigate to the folder that contains the krb5.conf that you created in Step 2 and select the file.
If you require network communications to some hosts to bypass the proxy server, upload the plain text file in which these hosts are specified.
1. In the Exceptions section of the Proxy Server Settings window, click Choose file.
2. In the file browser that opens, navigate to the folder that contains the text file in which these hosts are specified and select the file.
Note
- If a file has previously been uploaded, it is overwritten.
- If you change other proxy server settings after uploading a file without uploading a new file, the existing file is retained.
Click Update.

NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter verifies the correct operation of proxy server, verifies the credentials for authenticating access to the proxy server for using the proxy, and configures the proxy server. A confirmation that the proxy server has been configured appears on the EVENTS page.

Note

While connecting to vCenter Server instances, NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter does not communicate through the Kerberos-authenticated proxy server. For all other communications, the Kerberos-authenticated proxy server is used.

Disabling and Enabling a Configured Proxy Server#

By default, a configured proxy server is enabled. To simplify the testing of the behavior of the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter virtual appliance without a proxy server, you can disable the proxy server. When a proxy server is disabled, network communications to all hosts bypass the proxy server. After the testing is complete, you can enable the proxy server again.

Log in to the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter virtual appliance for which you want to enable or disable a configured proxy server.
In the left navigation pane, click SETTINGS.
On the SETTINGS page that opens, in the Proxy Server Settings section, click Update.
On the Proxy Server Settings window that opens, click the button to disable or enable the proxy server.
- To disable the proxy server, click DISABLE.
- To enable the proxy server, click ENABLE.

Installing and Configuring the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter Virtual Appliance#

Platform Requirements for the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter Virtual Appliance#

Host Name Resolution Requirements for an NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter Virtual Appliance#

Firewall Rules for NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter#

Installing the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter Virtual Appliance#

Registering the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter Administrator User#

Changing the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter Administrator Password#

Resetting a Forgotten NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter Administrator Password#

Logging in to the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter Virtual Appliance#

Configuring an NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter Virtual Appliance with a Third-Party Signed SSL Certificate#

Obtaining a Third-Party Signed SSL Certificate for an NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter Virtual Appliance#

Installing a Third-Party Signed SSL Certificate on an NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter Virtual Appliance#

Updating the Network Settings for the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter Virtual Appliance#

Accessing the NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter Virtual Appliance from the vCenter Web Console#

Requirements for the vcp_cli_user Password#

Downloading Log Files from an NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter Virtual Appliance from the Hypervisor#

Assigning the IP Address of an NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter Virtual Appliance by Using DHCP from the Hypervisor#

Setting the IP Address of an NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter Virtual Appliance from the Hypervisor#

Setting the Host Name of an NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter Virtual Appliance#

Resetting the SSL Certificate on an NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter Virtual Appliance#

Configuring NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter with a Proxy Server#

Verifying the Correct Operation of the Proxy Server#

Optional: Specifying Hosts for which a Configured Proxy Server is Bypassed#

Configuring NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter with an Unauthenticated Proxy Server#

Configuring NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter with a Basic-Authenticated Proxy Server#

Configuring NVIDIA GPU Manager for VMware vCenter with a Kerberos-Authenticated Proxy Server#

Disabling and Enabling a Configured Proxy Server#

Requirements for the `vcp_cli_user` Password#