HPE SimpliVity provides a hyperconverged infrastructure solution that combines computing, storage, and data protection capabilities into a unified platform. To simplify infrastructure management, HPE SimpliVity integrates with VMware vCenter Server through the HPE SimpliVity Plug-in for vSphere Client.
This plug-in allows system administrators to manage SimpliVity resources, monitor infrastructure components, perform backup operations, and access SimpliVity-specific features directly from the VMware vSphere Client interface.
In this article, we will walk through the installation of HPE SimpliVity Plug-in version 7.0.0.22 on VMware vCenter Server Appliance (VCSA), using the following installation package:
HPE-SimpliVity-Plug-in-for-vSphere-Client-linux-x64-7.0.0.22.run
We will cover the prerequisites, installation steps, service verification, and post-installation checks to ensure the plug-in is successfully integrated with vCenter Server.
Prerequisites
Before starting the installation, it is important to verify that the VMware vCenter Server environment meets the necessary requirements.
First, make sure that VMware vCenter Server is running as a Linux-based vCenter Server Appliance (VCSA) and that SSH access is available.
You will also need root access to the appliance and a vCenter Single Sign-On (SSO) account with sufficient administrative privileges to register the plug-in.
Before proceeding, consider the following requirements:
- Verify that the HPE SimpliVity Plug-in version is compatible with your installed HPE SimpliVity software and VMware vCenter Server version.
- Check whether an older version of the SimpliVity Plug-in is already installed.
- If an older plug-in must be removed, follow the appropriate HPE removal or upgrade procedure.
- Ensure that a valid vCenter Server backup is available before making changes.
- Schedule the installation during a maintenance window, particularly in production environments.
Important: The installation may require restarting the VMware vSphere Client service. Although this does not directly restart running virtual machines, access to the vSphere Client management interface may be temporarily interrupted.
Connecting to vCenter Server via SSH
The first step is to establish an SSH connection to the VMware vCenter Server Appliance.
You can use PuTTY, Windows Terminal, or any other SSH client.
Open your SSH client and connect to the vCenter Server using the following command:
ssh root@VCENTER_IPReplace VCENTER_IP with the actual IP address or hostname of your vCenter Server.
After successfully logging in, you may be presented with the VMware Appliance Shell instead of the standard Linux Bash shell.
To access the Bash shell, enter:
shellOnce you have access to the Bash environment, you can continue with the installation process.
Uploading the Installation Package to vCenter Server
After establishing the SSH connection, the next step is to transfer the HPE SimpliVity Plug-in installation package to the vCenter Server Appliance.
To keep the installation files organized, we will first create a dedicated directory.
Run the following command:
mkdir -p /root/svt-pluginThis creates a directory named svt-plugin under /root.
Next, use WinSCP or SCP to upload the installation package to the newly created directory.
The installation file is:
HPE-SimpliVity-Plug-in-for-vSphere-Client-linux-x64-7.0.0.22.runOnce the file transfer is complete, return to your SSH session and verify that the installation package is present.
ls -lh /root/svt-plugin/The command should display the uploaded installation file along with its size and file permissions.
If HPE provides an official SHA256 checksum for the package, you can also verify the file integrity before proceeding.
Assigning Execute Permissions to the Installation File
The HPE SimpliVity Plug-in installation package is distributed as a Linux executable file with a .run extension.
Before running the installer, we need to ensure that the file has the appropriate execution permissions.
First, navigate to the directory containing the installation package:
cd /root/svt-pluginThen, execute the following command:
chmod +x HPE-SimpliVity-Plug-in-for-vSphere-Client-linux-x64-7.0.0.22.runThe chmod +x command adds execute permissions to the installation file.
With the permissions configured, the package is now ready to be executed.
Installing HPE SimpliVity Plug-in
We can now begin the HPE SimpliVity Plug-in installation.
From the installation directory, run the following command:
./HPE-SimpliVity-Plug-in-for-vSphere-Client-linux-x64-7.0.0.22.runThe installer will launch and guide you through the installation process.
Accepting the License Agreement
At the beginning of the installation, the installer may display the software license agreement.
Review the license agreement using the Enter key and accept it by entering y when prompted.
Selecting the Installation Directory
Next, the installer may ask you to specify the installation directory.
Unless your environment requires a custom installation path, it is generally recommended to keep the default directory.
Press Enter to continue with the default configuration.
Entering vCenter Server Credentials
During the installation, you may be prompted to provide VMware vCenter Server authentication information.
Depending on the package and installation configuration, the installer may request:
- User Name: A vCenter SSO account with administrative privileges.
- Password: The password associated with the SSO account.
- Administrator Email: The email address of the system administrator.
Enter the requested information carefully to allow the installer to register the plug-in with vCenter Server.
Confirming the Installation
After entering the required configuration details, the installer will display a confirmation prompt.
Review the settings and enter y to proceed, if prompted.
The installation process will then copy the required files, configure the necessary components, and register the HPE SimpliVity Plug-in with VMware vCenter Server.
The installation may take some time depending on the environment.
Once the process finishes, review the installer output and make sure that no errors are reported.
Restarting the VMware vSphere Client Service
After installing the HPE SimpliVity Plug-in, the VMware vSphere Client service may need to be restarted before the new plug-in becomes available in the management interface.
During installation, you may encounter a prompt similar to:
Restart VMware "vsphere-ui" service
(required to activate the Plug-in)?If this prompt appears, enter y to allow the installer to restart the service automatically.
If the service was not restarted during installation, you can restart it manually.
Run the following command:
service-control --restart vsphere-uiThis command restarts the VMware vSphere Client service.
After the restart operation is completed, verify that the service is running correctly.
service-control --status vsphere-uiIf the service is running, the vSphere Client interface should become accessible again.
Note: Restarting the vsphere-ui service temporarily interrupts access to the vSphere Client web interface. However, it does not directly affect the operation of running virtual machines.
Verifying the Plug-in Installation
Once the installation is complete and the vSphere Client service is running, we can verify whether the HPE SimpliVity Plug-in has been successfully installed.
Open your web browser and navigate to the VMware vSphere Client interface:
https://VCENTER_IP/uiReplace VCENTER_IP with your vCenter Server IP address or hostname.
Sign in using your VMware vCenter Server administrator credentials.
After logging in, navigate to:
Administration → Solutions → Client Plugins
In this section, locate the HPE SimpliVity Plug-in and verify its registration and status.
You should also check whether the HPE SimpliVity management options are available within the vSphere Client interface.
If the plug-in is successfully loaded, you should be able to access the supported SimpliVity management features associated with your environment.
Depending on your infrastructure configuration and permissions, these features may include:
- HPE SimpliVity cluster management
- Datastore management
- Virtual machine backup and restore operations
- Backup policy management
- SimpliVity infrastructure monitoring
If the plug-in is not visible immediately after installation, try signing out and signing back into vSphere Client.
You can also clear your browser cache or open the interface in a private browsing window.
If the problem persists, check the plug-in registration, compatibility requirements, installation logs, and VMware vSphere Client service status.
Checking for an Existing Plug-in Installation
Before performing a new installation or upgrade, it is recommended to check whether a previous version of the HPE SimpliVity Plug-in is already present.
You can inspect the HPE installation directory using the following command:
ls -la "/opt/Hewlett Packard Enterprise/"If a previous installation exists, review its version and determine whether an upgrade or removal procedure is required.
Do not manually delete installation files or directories without following the appropriate HPE documentation.
Improper removal may result in plug-in registration issues or incomplete installations.
In this article, we covered the step-by-step installation of HPE SimpliVity Plug-in 7.0.0.22 on VMware vCenter Server Appliance.
We started by reviewing the prerequisites and establishing an SSH connection to vCenter Server. We then uploaded the installation package, assigned the necessary execution permissions, and launched the installation wizard.
After completing the installation, we verified the VMware vSphere Client service and checked whether the plug-in was successfully registered in vCenter Server.
The HPE SimpliVity Plug-in provides a convenient way to manage SimpliVity infrastructure directly from the VMware vSphere Client interface.
By integrating SimpliVity management capabilities into vCenter Server, administrators can simplify daily operations, streamline backup and restore tasks, and improve visibility across their virtualized infrastructure.
For production environments, always verify software compatibility and follow HPE’s official installation and upgrade guidelines before making changes.
References
Disclaimer: This article describes the general installation procedure for HPE SimpliVity Plug-in for vSphere Client 7.0.0.22. Installer prompts and supported configurations may vary depending on the software version and environment. Always refer to the official HPE documentation and compatibility matrix before deployment.
