Dell OpenManage Server Administrator Version 7.4 User's Guide

ESXi Server authenticates users accessing ESXi hosts using the vSphere/VI Client or Software Development Kit (SDK). The default installation of ESXi uses a local password database for authentication. ESXi authentication transactions with Server Administrator are also direct interactions with the vmware-hostd process. To make sure that authentication works efficiently for your site, perform basic tasks such as setting up users, groups, permissions, and roles, configuring user attributes, adding your own certificates, and determining whether you want to use SSL.