If you're running Enterprise vCenter Server as well your best bet is probably using Host Profiles. You can create one profile to attach to an entire cluster (if your hosts are cookie-cutter) or create one for each host (if they're fairly unique). You can export the host profiles to files somewhere else for backup if you're concerned about losing the vCenter.
These allow you to build a new host from scratch, attach it to vCenter, and configure everything (down to the vDS, domain join, security/firewall policy, etc). Very helpful feature IMO.