Configure the Operations User
When you deploy a virtual container host (VCH), you must use an account with vSphere administrator permissions. However, day-to-day operation of the VCH requires fewer permissions. You can configure a VCH so that it uses a different operations user account for post-deployment operation.
If you use the Create Virtual Container Host wizard to deploy VCHs, it is mandatory to specify an operations user. If you use vic-machine
, specifying an operations user is recommended but optional. The user account that you specify as the operations user must exist before you deploy the VCH. For information about how to create an operations user account, see Create the Operations User Account.
Options
The following sections each correspond to an entry in the Operations User page of the Create Virtual Container Host wizard. Each section also includes a description of the corresponding vic-machine create
option.
Certain options in this section are exposed in the vic-machine create
help if you run vic-machine create --extended-help
, or vic-machine create -x
.
vSphere User Credentials
A vSphere user account with which the VCH runs after deployment, which has fewer permissions than the vSphere administrator account that you use during deployment.
Create VCH Wizard
If you are using the Create VCH Wizard, it is mandatory to specify an operations user.
- In the vSphere user credentials text box, enter the user name for an existing vSphere user account.
- Enter the password for the specified user account.
vic-machine Options
--ops-user
, no short name
--ops-password
, no short name
If you do not specify --ops-user
, the VCH runs with the vSphere Administrator credentials with which you deploy the VCH, that you specify in either --target
or --user
.
If you specify --ops-user
but you do not specify --ops-password
, vic-machine create
prompts you to enter the password for the --ops-user
account.
--ops-user user_name --ops-password password
Grant Any Necessary Permissions
The operations user account must exist before you create a VCH. If you are deploying the VCH to a cluster, vSphere Integrated Containers Engine can configure the operations user account with all of the necessary permissions for you.
IMPORTANT: The option to grant any necessary permissions automatically only applies when deploying VCHs to clusters. If you are deploying the VCH to a standalone host that is managed by vCenter Server, you must configure the operations user account manually. For information about manually configuring the operations user account, see Manually Create a User Account for the Operations User.
Create VCH Wizard
- Select the Grant this user any necessary permissions check box.
- If you manually added the necessary permissions to the operations user account, do not select the check box.
vic-machine Option
--ops-grant-perms
, no short name
If you specify --ops-user
, you can also specify --ops-grant-perms
so that vic-machine
automatically grants the necessary vSphere permissions to the operations user account. If you specify --ops-user
but do not specify --ops-grant-perms
, you must configure the permissions on the operations user account manually.
The --ops-grant-perms
option takes no arguments.
--ops-grant-perms
Example
This example uses the user account vic-ops@vsphere.local
as the operations user, and automatically grants the necessary permissions to that account.
Prerequisite
Follow the instructions in Create the Operations User Account to create a vSphere user account, vic-ops@vsphere.local
.
Create VCH Wizard
- In the vSphere user credentials text box, enter
vic-ops@vsphere.local
. - Enter the password for
vic-ops@vsphere.local
. - Select the Grant this user any necessary permissions check box.
vic-machine Command
This example vic-machine create
command deploys a VCH with the following options:
- Specifies the account
Administrator@vsphere.local
in the--target
option, to identify the user account with vSphere administrator privileges with which to deploy the VCH. - Specifies the existing
vic-ops@vsphere.local
user account and its password in the--ops-user
and--ops-password
options, to identify the user account with which the VCH runs after deployment. - Specifies
--ops-grant-perms
to automatically grant the necessary permissions to thevic-ops@vsphere.local
user account.
vic-machine-operating_system create --target 'Administrator@vsphere.local:vsphere_admin_password'@vcenter_server_address/dc1 --compute-resource cluster1 --image-store datastore1 --bridge-network vch1-bridge --public-network vic-public --name vch1 --ops-user vic-ops@vsphere.local --ops-password password --ops-grant-perms --thumbprint certificate_thumbprint --no-tlsverify
What to Do Next
If you are using the Create Virtual Container Host wizard, click Next to review the configuration that you have made.