Broadcom-owned VMware has announced the release of vCert, a powerful new tool designed to automate the review, validation, and replacement of SSL certificates across vCenter Server environments. This new utility significantly simplifies a traditionally complex and high-risk task for system administrators, particularly when dealing with expired or soon-to-expire certificates.
vCert is available as a script compatible with vCenter Server versions 7.x and 8.x, and it is intended to run directly on the vCenter Server Appliance. The tool can already be downloaded from Broadcom’s official knowledge base, alongside detailed documentation.
Why vCert Matters
Managing SSL certificates in VMware environments has always been mission-critical. Expired or misconfigured certificates can cause service disruptions across core components such as the vSphere Web Client, Single Sign-On (SSO), and communications between ESXi hosts and vCenter, potentially paralyzing the entire infrastructure.
vCert addresses these challenges by offering:
- Automated detection of expired or soon-to-expire certificates.
- Safe replacement workflows for both VMCA-signed and third-party CA-signed certificates.
- Management of SSL trust anchors across the Lookup Service.
- Solution User and STS certificate operations.
- ESXi host certificate management.
- Comprehensive reporting on certificate health.
With vCert, VMware aims to drastically reduce manual intervention and the risk of misconfigurations, streamlining certificate lifecycle management.
Key Features of vCert
Easy Deployment and Operation
vCert is deployed by simply unzipping the provided package and executing the script directly on the vCenter Appliance:
bashCopiarEditar# unzip -q vCert-6.0.0-20250218.zip
# cd vCert-6.0.0-20250218
# ./vCert.py
Upon execution, administrators are presented with an intuitive menu offering all certificate management operations, minimizing the learning curve.
Major Functionalities
- Certificate Health Check: Detects expired certificates, pending expirations, missing Key Usage attributes, signature algorithm issues (e.g., SHA-1 or MD5), and other vulnerabilities.
- Detailed Certificate Viewing: Displays human-readable information about Machine SSL, Solution Users, CA certificates, and more.
- Comprehensive Management Options: Safely replace Machine SSL certificates, Solution User certificates, STS signing certificates, and manage CA certificates.
- ESXi Host Certificate Operations: Verify trust relationships and replace certificates directly on ESXi hosts.
- SSL Trust Anchor Management: Update trust anchors for Lookup Service registrations.
- Certificate Reset Options: Easily reset all certificates to new VMCA-signed versions when needed.
- Report Generation: Create a complete report detailing the status of all certificates within the vSphere environment.
Built with Caution and Transparency
Before performing any actions, vCert prompts administrators to acknowledge the criticality of the operation and advises having valid VAMI backups or snapshots in place.
All operations are logged to /var/log/vmware/vCert/vCert.log, ensuring traceability and compliance with enterprise auditing standards.
A Major Step Forward for VMware Certificate Management
vCert marks a significant milestone in VMware’s approach to certificate lifecycle management. Historically, replacing certificates—especially in complex Enhanced Linked Mode environments—was prone to errors and required deep technical knowledge.
With vCert, VMware delivers a reliable, standardized, and automated solution that reduces operational risk and simplifies one of the most sensitive aspects of vSphere administration.
Although VMware recommends using vCert under the guidance of Broadcom Global Support, its public availability offers experienced administrators a powerful tool to proactively maintain the health and resilience of their vCenter Server infrastructure.
