VMware Cross-Cloud Architecture

Lockdown mode

To increase ESXi security, the hosts can be put in lockdown mode. In vSphere 6.0, lockdown mode has multiple settings and a user exception list. This allows for users and solutions to be excluded from the lockdown-mode settings. The following are the different configuration options available:

• Disabled: Lockdown mode is disabled.
• Normal: Direct Console User Interface (DCUI) is not blocked. Privileged user accounts can still log in to the ESXi host console and exit lockdown mode.
• Strict: DCUI is stopped and is only accessible through vCenter.

These settings provide more flexible access than the standard ESXi configuration normally allows. Strict mode dramatically reduces the manageability of the hosts because vSphere CLI commands ...