Finding and removing unused replica virtual machines in VMware View/vCenter

Finding and removing unused replicas

To find and remove unused replicas:  

1. On the vCenter Server, stop the VMware View Composer service.
   
   Note: While this Service is down no recompose, refresh, or provisioning operations occur. Use a convenient maintenance window.
   
   
2. Click Start.
3. Type Services.
4. Press Enter.
5. Click the VMware View Composer Service.
6. Click Stop.
7. Open a command prompt.
   
   Note: In Windows Server 2008 machines, the command prompt must be run as an Administrator. To run the command prompt as an Administrator:
8. 1. Click Start, type cmd, and press Enter.
   2. Hold Ctrl + Shift, and press Enter.
      
9. Navigate to the View Composer install directory.
10. • On a Windows 32-bit server, navigate to C:\Program Files\VMware\VMware View Composer.
    • On a Windows 64-bit server, navigate to C:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\VMware View Composer.
11. Run the sviconfig.exe command with the FindUnusedReplica operation:
    
    SviConfig.exe -operation=FindUnusedReplica -DsnName=<the name of the Composer database DSN> -Username=<the user name of Composer database owner> -Password=<the password of Composer database owner>
    For example:
    
    SviConfig.exe -operation=FindUnusedReplica -DsnName=ComposerDB -Username=sa -Password=secret
    Notes: 
    • If the DsnName contains spaces, use quotes around the value.
    •  To determine the Composer DB DSN, user and password, see Determining the Composer DB DSN, username, and password.
      
12. If the command finds any unused replicas, they are listed in a new file created in the current directory (unused-replica-*.txt).
13. Unused replicas can be unprotected and moved to a unique folder with the parameter:
    
    -move=true
    
    For example:
    
    SviConfig.exe -operation=FindUnusedReplica -DsnName=ComposerDB -Username=sa -Password=secret -Move=true
    Note: When using the move=true option, you will receive warning pop-ups.  These are safe to ignore.
    Note: The UnusedViewComposerReplicaFolder is created automatically if it does not exist, and unused replicas are moved to this folder.
    
    
14. Open a vSphere Client and connect to vCenter Server.
15. Click Inventory > VMs and Templates.
16. Remove the replicas located in the UnusedViewComposerReplicaFolder.
17. Start the VMware View Composer service.

Determining the Composer DB DSN, username, and password

To determine the Composer DB DSN, user and password:

1. On the vCenter Server hosting the Composer service, click Start > Programs > Administrative Tools > Data Sources (ODBC).
2. Click the System DSN tab.
3. Click the Composer database entry. This is the value you enter for DsnName in the sviconfig command.
4. Click Edit.
5. The username is visible, and should match the entry in the Composer configuration in View Manager.