The VMware ESX Server system has become a popular solution for running multiple virtual operating systems on a single physical server platform. To set up and manage virtual systems on an ESX host machine, an administrator needs to log in to one of the VMware administrative interfaces, which include both traditional command-line and interactive GUI tools. Administrators require superuser privileges for command-line access, while VMware provides a way to define role-based privileges for administrators using the GUI tools. Many organizations use both methods, which means they lack a single, centralized view of all administrative access to their VMware environment and the activity of administrators on those systems. In cases where VMware is used to host business-critical systems, this could represent an increased security risk and the likelihood of failed regulatory compliance audits. Productivity goes down and support costs go up when there is no consolidated way to control system access and privileges.

This white paper provides an overview of the features and benefits of using the Centrify Suite to centralize and automate the management of ESX Server systems in order to strengthen security and streamline IT operations and management. It provides an overview of VMware administration and then addresses Centrify’s approach to securing administrative access to these systems, controlling the privileges of administrators, and auditing their activity.