Orchestrator requires a database to store workflows and actions.

If you install Orchestrator together with vCenter Server, the Orchestrator server is preconfigured to use the vCenter Server datasource and no additional configuration of the database is required. However, if you need to use a separate database, you can configure Orchestrator to use a dedicated database by using the Orchestrator configuration interface.

If you install Orchestrator separately from vCenter Server, you must set up the Orchestrator database. You can configure the Orchestrator server to use either the vCenter Server datasource, or another database, that you have created for the Orchestrator server.

Orchestrator server supports Oracle and Microsoft SQL Server databases. Orchestrator can work with Microsoft SQL Server Express in small-scale environments consisting of up to 5 hosts and 50 virtual machines.

For details about using SQL Server Express with Orchestrator, see Configure SQL Server Express to Use with Orchestrator.

The common workflow for setting up the Orchestrator database is the following:

1	Create a new database. For more information about creating a new database, refer to the documentation of your database provider (Microsoft or Oracle).
2	Enable the database for remote connection. For an example of how to do that, see Configure SQL Server Express to Use with Orchestrator.
3	Configure the database connection parameters. For more information, see Configure the Database Connection.

The way in which your database is set up can affect Orchestrator performance. Install the database on a machine other than the one on which the Orchestrator server is installed. This approach avoids the JVM and DB server having to share CPU, RAM, and I/O.

Storing your database plug-ins in a database separate from the one that Orchestrator uses results in more modularity when upgrading the system. A dedicated database instance allows you to perform upgrades and maintenance without impacting other products.

The location of the database is important because almost every activity on the Orchestrator server triggers operations on the database. To avoid latency in the database connection, connect to the database server that is geographically closest to your Orchestrator server and that is on the network with the highest bandwidth.

The size of the Orchestrator database varies depending on the setup and how workflow tokens are handled. Allow for approximately 50KB per vCenter Server object and 4KB per workflow run.