Before applying updates to a vCenter Server Appliance (VCSA), an administrator must validate that all vCenter services are healthy. VMware provides two supported and documented methods for checking vCenter service status:
1. Using the vCenter Appliance Shell
Running the command:
services-control --status
This command displays the status of all vCenter-related services (vmdird, vmcad, vpxd, vsan-health, etc.). It is the authoritative diagnostic tool embedded in the appliance for confirming whether services are running, stopped, or in a degraded state. This method is explicitly documented in vSphere 9.0 service management procedures.
This matchesOption B.
2. Using the vCenter Server Management Interface (VAMI)
Accessed at:
https:// :5480
The VAMI console provides a graphical interface underServices, showing the real-time health, status, and start/stop controls for all vCenter services. VMware documentation instructs administrators to review service status here before performing upgrades or maintenance operations.
This matchesOption C.
Incorrect Options Explained
A. vSphere performance charts→ These show workload data, not service health.
D. vim-top command→ Displays vSphere hosts’ runtime metrics, not vCenter services.
E. Running services.sh on ESXi DCUI→ vCenter doesnotrun ESXi services; this script is for ESXi hosts only.
