Managing VMware ESXi in the Datacenter

Dwarakanath P RaoSr Partner consultant6th November 2008

Agenda

VMware ESXi OverviewESXi Getting StartedCase Studies

What is It ?

VMware ESXi Overview

VMware ESXi

Virtual Machines

Next generation of VMware’s market-leading ESX hypervisor

What does it do?Partitions a server into virtual machinesReduces hardware, power, and cooling with the performance and features of ESX

Who can use it & How do you use it?

What is unique?Plug-and-PlayMinimal configuration. Run VMs in minutes

OS-Independent, thin architectureUnparalleled security and reliability

Full-featuredSuperior consolidation and scalabilityEasy to mange with remote toolsSimple license upgrade to VI3 Enterprise

Vision: Building Block for the Next-generation Datacenter

Plug-and-Play: Power on a new server with ESXi. The new server joins a clusterSelf-optimizing: All VMs in the cluster are automatically rebalanced taking in consideration the newly available resources

Servers Shipping with Embedded ESXiDL360 G5 DL365 G5 DL380 G5 DL385 G2

DL385 G5 DL580 G5 DL585 G2 DL585 G5

BL460c

BL465c

BL465c G5

BL480cBL680c G5

BL685c

BL685c G5

1950 III R905R900R8052950 III2900 III M605M600

HS21x3850 RX 300 S4 RX 330 S1

RS210 RS220 120Bb-m6 120Rj-2

ML370 G5

Servers Qualified for ESXi Installable

HS21x3850 LS21LS41x3455 BX620 S4

90+ Intel ESAA Platforms Variations

Select partners include

Known to work with

� If ESXi is readable by a given server’s CD ROM and installs on the attached hard disk, ESXi (hypervisor) will function on that server

� CIM Provider functionality has not been tested on servers not listed on the ESXi Installable HCL

DL360 G5 DL365 G5 DL380 G5 DL385 G2

DL385 G5 DL580 G5 DL585 G2 DL585 G5

BL460c

BL465c

BL465c G5

BL480cBL680c G5

BL685c

BL685c G5

ML370 G5

1950 III 2900 III 2950 III R805 R900 R905 M600 M605

VMware ESXi Getting Started

Hardware NeededServer

CPUMinimum: Single socket, dual coreIdeal: Dual-socket, 4 cores per CPU

Memory:Minimum: 1GBIdeal: 8+GB

NetworkMinimum: one NIC, plus one for Management interfaceIdeal: One for Management Interface plus multiple NICs for VMs

StorageLocal Storage (SATA/SAS):

Minimum: one 80GB driveIdeal:2 mirrored drives (only for ESXi Installable)plus 4 RAID5 drives for VMs

Shared StorageNFS, iSCSI, Fibre Channel: for VM storageESXi Installable requires local disk for the hypervisor

Storage

Network

Memory

CPU

Installing ESXi

VMware ESXi Embedded

Installed via SD flash or USB key internal to the server

Distributed with a new server

No Installation -- Just Turn It On!

VMware ESXi Installable

Load Installer via CD or ISO image

Simple 2-step procedure:1. Accept EULA

2. Select local drive for installation

Start Running VMs in Minutes

1. Power on server and boot into hypervisor

2. Server Console Remote Access is supported with ESXi

HP iLODell DRACIBM RAS

3. Configure Admin Password4. (optional) Modify network

configuration5. Connect VI Client

to IP AddressOr manage with VirtualCenter

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Importing a virtual appliance

Creating Virtual Machines

Import a Virtual ApplianceHundreds to choose from on the Virtual Appliance MarketplaceDownload directly via VI Client and deploy on host

Use VMware ConverterTransfer existing physical servers into virtual machinesImport existing VMware and 3rd party virtual images

Create from ScratchSpecify CPUs (1-4), Memory (1-64 GB), Disks, Network interfacesLoad OS from ISO image (over 80 supported OSes)

Manage Your ESXi Host: VI Client

Common Information Model (CIM)

Key featuresAgent-less, standards based monitoring of hardware resources

Used by VirtualCenter to provide basic hardware status information

CIM providers readable by 3rd party management tools

Manage Individual VMs

Control capabilities

Power on/off

Suspend

Captures state of VM to disk

Can resume back to same state

Snapshot

Makes point-in-time copy of virtual disk(s)

Can have multiple snapshots in a tree

Backing up Virtual Machines

Option 1: traditional backup toolsBack up a VM like you would a physical server

Option 2: back up VM as a set of filesCan view and download VM files via VI Client through Datastore Browser (can also do via RCLI), OR

Can download VM files directly from shared storage device

1. Take snapshot of VM

2. Download copies of VM files

3. Remove snapshot

More Sophisticated Features

Resource PoolsAllows you to divide resources of host in fine-grained way

Create multiple-nested resource pools according to policies, e.g.

By Application

By Department

More Sophisticated Features

Virtual NetworkingCreate multiple vSwitches and assign one or more NICs to each

Create vSwitches without NICs for internal-only traffic

Make use of VLAN tagging (if your physical network supports it)

Case Studies: VMware ESXi in Large Financial, Large Oil

Case Studies: ESXi Operational DeploymentLarge US Financial Large US Oil

Server Vendor � HP � HP

Why ESXi? (prioritized list)

� No installation; “server is now an appliance”

� Easier patching

� More secure—COS considered an OS by Bank’s security team

� More secure

� No installation required

� Easier patching

� Easier to deploy at remote sites

Deployment Process

� Purchase licensed server for HP

� Apply latest patches with VMware Update Manager

� Add to computation cluster via Virtual Center

� No local disks; all storage on SAN

� Purchase stand-alone, unlicensed ESXi USB keys from HP

� Configure key at central site� Apply latest patch

� Provide IP address

� Set root password

� Install USB key in HP server and ship to installation location

� May use local storage or SAN

Management Practice

� No reliance on HP SIM

� No reliance on third-party agents

� Has developed in-house PERL script that interacts withHP HW directly through iLO

� Script queries HP IML logs

� Reports any item that is not listed at “Informational”or “Repaired”

� Emails report to system administrators

� Relies on HP SIM hooks integrated into ESXi

� Satisfied with ESXi SIM integration

HP Systems Insight Manager—Working Together with ESXi and VirtualCenter

ESX, ESXi 3.5 Comparison

� See KB 1006543

Capability VMware ESX VMware ESXi

ServiceConsole

Privileged (unsecure), flexible Linux environment

None. VI Client, RCLI, and APIs for management

Remote CLI Service Console CLISupport for RCLI in ESX 3.5 U2

At this time, the following Service Console CLI commands have not been implemented in RCLI:•ESXcfg-claimrule•ESXcfg-info•ESXcfg-resgrp•ESXcfg-swiscsi

Scriptable Installation

KickStart support Not supported at this time. Support for post installation configuration script using RCLI-based configuration scripts.

Serial Cable Connectivity

Enabled No support at this time

SNMP VMware ESX supports SNMP With VI only

Active Directory Integration

Third-party module in Service Console

Not supported at this time

HW Inst. HW agents in Service Console Monitoring through CIM Providers

Software Patches &Updates

Linux-like patching FW-like upgrades

VI Web Access Supported Not Supported

Remote CLI Overview

A set of tools which enable execution of VI management tasks from a remote CLI environment

Commands are run from a remote system

They get executed on an ESX Server

The output is piped back in-line

A replacement for COS-based CLI and scripts

A better way to do CLI-based ESX Server management

User is authenticated

Fine-grained permissions

Auditing of tasks

Q&A

Dwarakanath P RaoSr Partner Consultant.