vRealize Orchestrator (vRO) is VMware’s orchestration tooling and includes very powerful workflows and integration options with all sorts of solutions. vRO uses a database to store workflows and configuration data. Options are MS SQL Server, Oracle and an embedded Postgres database. The latter option requires some specific attention, especially when you want to use vRO based Postgres beyond the 90 days evaluation period.
What’s the case? Well if you’re using the embedded Postgres DB some options are not available on the vRO configuration page (from the vRO manual):
When the database is embedded, you cannot set up Orchestrator to work in cluster mode, or change the license and the server certificate from the Orchestrator configuration interface. To change the server certificates without changing the database settings, you must run the configuration workflows by using either the Orchestrator client or the REST API.
You cannot change/upgrade the license in the configuration page; you must run a license configuration workflow available in Library>Configuration>License>Enter license key or Use vCenter Server License. So far so good, BUT a problem arises when your license expires; the vRO service is stopped and cannot be started because….no valid license is available! A typical chicken and egg problem I would say.
Conclusion: When using the embedded database change your license right after you have completed the vRO installation and don’t wait until the license expires.
Question: But if the license has expired, what are your options? I’m looking for a solution here; you need the workflows to update the license, but the workflows aren’t available because you don’t have a license. Help is appreciated; through twitter or leave a comment below. I’m talking about the Windows installable vRO here, but I presume the case is the same for the vRO appliance.
Nice one; there’s an answer to the question. Read Leon’s blog here.