VMware vSphere SDKs and Tools 6.5

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Using DCLI to Manage vCenter Services

With the DCLI command set, you can run virtual machine management, appliance management, content library, and tagging commands.
You cannot manage services that are part of vSphere 5.5 or earlier from DCLI. DCLI is not a host management CLI.
DCLI is a CLI client of the
vSphere Automation
 SDK. The following workflow explains how DCLI works.
  1. You run a DCLI command.
  2. If you are not authenticated, DCLI prompts for a user name and password.
  3. The command connects you to the vCenter Single Sign-On service and checks whether the user account specified on the command-line or in a credential store file can authenticate.
  4. If you can authenticate, DCLI communicates with the
    and runs the
    vSphere Automation
     API that corresponds to the DCLI command. Different
    systems support different services.
    If the authenticated user account does not have permissions to run the DCLI command, you receive an
    Unauthorized
     error message, even if the user credentials are correct.
  5. DCLI displays the result or an error message.
You can run DCLI commands as follows.
  • vCLI package - Install the vCLI package on the server of your choice, or deploy a vMA virtual machine. You can then run DCLI commands against an endpoint. See Using DCLI Commands.
  • - Run DCLI commands from the
    shell. See Running DCLI Commands on the.
  • Windows command prompt - Install
    on a supported Windows system and run DCLI commands from the command prompt.

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