Join VMware vSphere (ESXi) Host to Active Directory Domain
Create DNS entry
- Click the Start button > Windows Administrative Tools > DNS
- Expand the DNS server and domain name
- Right Click the domain name > New Host (A or AAAA)
- Type the dns name and target IP address > Click OK
Create ESX Admins Group
- Click the Start button > Windows Administrative Tools > Active Directory Users and Computers
- Expand the domain name
- Right click on the Users container > New > Group
- Name the group ESX Admins > Click OK
- Double click the newly created ESX Admins group
- Select the Members tab > Click the Add... button
- Add users who will be administrators for the ESXI host
Joining the Domain
- Open a web browser and navigate to the VMware vSphere web UI
- Log in with an administrative account
- Click Manage in the left navigation menu
- Click Time & date in the left sub navigation menu
- Select Use Network Time Protocol (enable NTP client)
- Set the Startup policy to Start and stop with host
- Enter the domain controller IP address(es) in the NTP server area
- Click the Save button
- Click the Actions button > Start to start the NTP server
- Click the Security & users tab in the main content area
- Click Authentication in the left sub navigation menu
- Click the Join Domain button
- Fill out the join domain fields providing a domain admin account
- Click the Join domain button