Tony GradigLead Server EngineerTexas Health ResourcesTonyGradig@TexasHealth.org

42 Hosts Full Height Blades 4*4 and 4*6’s Servers with 128GB RAM1300+ guests running in production. (2K, 2K3, 2K8 and Linux)All SAN Connected

Moving to Half Height Blades with 128GB RAM. All connected to NetApp

RestroomsEmergency ExitNo Smoking on PISD GroundsTrash - Recycle

DFW VMUG Sponsors

Food Catered By:

Agenda10:00 – Intro

10:15 – Intel – Enhancing Server and Cloud Security – Lisa Peterson

11:15 – VMware – Tier1 Database implementations on vSphere– Don Sullivan

12:00 – Lunch “Big Apple Café / NYPD Deli”

12:30 – Cisco – VMware and the UCS Chassis – Rusty Hale

1:30 – Drawings

1:45 – Q&A – VMUG Advantage Program - Open Session

3:00 – Meeting Adjourn

Membership Information

Membership information:

VMware User Group Websitewww.myvmug.org

http://www.vmworld.com/index.jspa

Upcoming VMUG Meetings: 10am-3ishpm

August 24th – Texas Health Resources in Arlington 7th Floor

November 9th –PISD Sockwell Center

DFW VMUG QuestionnaireDFW VMUG Questionnaire

Name:____________________________________________________

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Please give thanks to our sponsors for this VMUG. Without sponsors, there is no VMUG.

Overall, how would you rate the presentation from the sponsors?

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Emulex

Terremark

VKernel

SHI

Overall, how would you rate the following:

The DFW VMUG

Meeting Room / Location

Food “Big Apple Café”

Any comments about today’s sponsors?

Is there a sponsor that you would like to have come and speak at the VMUG’s?

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Questions / Comments?

DFW VMUG Sponsors

Tony Gradig – VMUG Leader – TonyGradig@TexasHealth.org

Food Catered By:

www.bigapplecafe.com - 817-572-7753 www.nypddeli.com – 817-358-9200

Lisa L. Peterson Business Development ManagerGovernment, Education, Medical lisa.l.peterson@intel.commobile: 214-578-8568 

Mark RobinsonCisco Salesmarrobin@ciscoCell: 972-740-0682

Question ???Sponsor Presentations

Tony Gradig – VMUG Leader – TonyGradig@TexasHealth.org

Open Discussion:

Intel Security – Intel TXThttp://www.intel.com/technology/security/

Performance Best Practices by Intel and VMware.http://campaign.vmware.com/docs/KS_presos/intel/Performance_Best_Practices_by_Intel_and_VMware.pdf

Datacenter Modernization by Intelhttp://campaign.vmware.com/docs/KS_presos/intel/Datacenter_Modernization_by_Intel.pdf

Exchange Servers on VMware vSpherehttp://campaign.vmware.com/docs/KS_presos/intel/Exchange_Servers_on_VMware_vSphere.pdf

SQL on VMware vSpherehttp://campaign.vmware.com/docs/KS_presos/intel/SQL_on_VMware_vSphere.pdf

Oracle Database Virtualizationhttp://campaign.vmware.com/docs/KS_presos/intel/Oracle_Database_Virtualization.pdf

Citrix on VMwarehttp://www.vmware.com/files/pdf/solutions/vmware-citrix-xenapp-best-practices-EN.pdf

VMotion – Storage VMotion under the covershttp://blogs.vmware.com/uptime/2011/02/vmotion-whats-going-on-under-the-covers.htmlhttp://blogs.vmware.com/uptime/2011/03/under-the-covers-with-storage-vmotion-.html

Question ???Sponsor Presentations

Tony Gradig – VMUG Leader – TonyGradig@TexasHealth.org

Upcoming VMUG Meetings: 10am-3ishpm

August 24th – Texas Health Resources in Arlington 7th Floor

November 9th –PISD Sockwell Center

Open Discussion:

VMUG Advantage Program:

VMUG Advantage provides• Discounts on training, licenses, and VMworld• Opportunity to build your network worldwide• Savings of upwards of $1,700• The ability to stay up-to-date with VMware• $100 Discount on VMworld admission • 20% Discount on VMware Instructor Led Training and Certification (more than 100

sessions offered per year)• Unlimited VMware eLearning (value $750, more than 20 courses offered per year)• 30% Discount on VMware Workstation and Fusion

Open Discussion:

Limited Time Offer— and Save Even More!

Do not miss your opportunity to purchase VMUG Advantage at an introductory price (for the first 60 days)!

Individual package: $170 USDCorporate package with 2 users: $165 USD per userCorporate package with 3+ users: $160 USD per user Standard VMUG Advantage Pricing

Individual package: $200 USDCorporate package with 2 users: $180 USD per userCorporate package with 3 – 5 users: $170 USD per userCorporate package with 6+: $160 USD per user

Open Discussion:

HP agents: Turned off MSA1000 Driversservice hp-snmp-agents stopvi /opt/hp/hp-snmp-agents/cma.confAdd cmafcad to exclude line:eg:exclude cmafcadSave fileservice hp-snmp-agents startThis turned off the agent looking for the MSA1000 drivers.

Open Discussion:

How to successfully remove a LUN out of VMware to prevent an APD. (All Paths Dead)Or reboot all your hosts.

****Step 1**** Delete the vmfs datastore in the VI client.

****Step 2****# Grep for the NAAID of the LUN your removing. Find the NAAID in the vSphere client under storage esxcfg-mpath -L | grep NAAID# Grep for the Lun ID (60) of the lun your removing. It should have listed the same number of paths that the previous grep did.esxcfg-mpath -L | egrep "vmhba.*:C0.*L60"

****Step 3**** (do these 1 at a time to start with to ensure that things go well)# Create a claimrule for each HBA. The thing you should have to change here is the lun ID (60).esxcli corestorage claimrule add --rule 192 -t location -A vmhba1 -C 0 -L 60 -P MASK_PATHesxcli corestorage claimrule add --rule 193 -t location -A vmhba2 -C 0 -L 60 -P MASK_PATH # Loads the claimruleesxcli corestorage claimrule load # Shows the claimrule list. Ensure that there is a file and a runtime for each rule (192 and 193). If not, stop and call support.esxcli corestorage claimrule list ___________________________________

Open Discussion:****Step 4****

# Reclaim the Path esxcli corestorage claiming reclaim -d naa.60a98000486e62412f34612f45763155 # Verify that the logs show the device was unregisteredcat /var/log/vmkernel | grep "Unregistered Device" ****Step 5****Unpresent the lun from the array.

****Step 6****Rescan the hosts in the cluster from the vi client ****Step 7**** # Check hosts for APDegrep -i apd /var/log/vmkernel ****Step 8****# Remove Claim Rule and Load the list to ensure that the rules are gone from each hostesxcli corestorage claimrule delete --rule 192esxcli corestorage claimrule delete --rule 193esxcli corestorage claimrule loadesxcli corestorage claimrule list

Open Discussion – VCP Certification:

Certifications:http://mylearn1.vmware.com/portals/certification/

How to become a VMware Certified Professional on vSphere 4 (VCP4)1. There are four possible paths to achieve VCP4 If you are NEW to VMware

• Attend the VMware vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage, the VMware vSphere: Fast Track OR the VMware vSphere: Troubleshooting course.

• Take and pass the VCP4 exam2. If you are currently a VCP3

• VCP3s must attend the VMware vSphere 4: What’s New [V4] two day instructor-led class in order to upgrade.

• Take and Pass the VCP4 exam.3. If you are currently a VCP2

• VCP2s who have not upgraded are required to attend the VMware vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage; VMware vSphere: Fast Track OR VMware vSphere: Troubleshooting course

• Take and pass the VCP4 exam.4. If you are not a VCP3, but have attended one of the prerequisite classes (VI3: Install &

Configure; VI3: Deploy Secure & Analyze; or VI3: Fast Track).• Attend the VMware vSphere4: What’s New two day instructor-led course.• Take and pass the VCP4 Exam.

VMware vSphere Editions Comparison

VMware Announcing End of Availability

VMware Life Cyclehttp://www.vmware.com/support/policies/lifecycle/vi/eos.html

Open DiscussionESX & ESXihttp://vmware.com/products/vsphere/esxi-and-esx/index.html

Open Discussion – VMware is standardizing on the ESXi hypervisor architecture

Open Discussion – VMware is standardizing on the ESXi hypervisor architecture

Open Discussion – Q&A

Problem after upgrading to 4.1Virtual Center was slow and search broke after upgrade – Check the memory for the TomCat Service. We had to increase it to 4GB. tomcat6.exe

Open Discussion – OS StandardsOS Standards

W2KC: 10D: 20GBRAM – 1GB W2K3C: 20GBD: 20GBRAM – 2GB W2K8C: 30GBD: 30GBRAM – 3GB

Disable COM ports not being used

SQL and Citrix Servers – Added memory to the reservations. 1024MB for SQL2048MB for Citrix

Open Discussion – OS Standards

Check and upgrade Tools during power cycle

Adding multiple drives: Run diskpart to align the drive to 64bit offset.Diskpart Command: “Create part primary align 64”

Startup Timeout: Deselect BOOT.INI timeoutWhere: My Computer \ Properties \ Advanced \ Startup & Recovery  Computer Description: Add what the system/application is.Where: My Computer \ Properties \ Advanced \ Computer Name  IIS installed: If IIS is installed, do the following.Move IIS directories to D:\ (including logfiles)Delete default files in .\wwwroot

Open Discussion – Q&A

Windows 2008-64Bit running SQL 2005-64bitC: 50GB - systemD: 50GB - SQLE: CDF: 30GB – LogsG: 50GB – Update MGR StoreCreate two separate databases. VCenterDB and UpdateDBCreated a 32bit DSN for vCenterDB and UpdateDB. (No Longer Needed, 4.1 is 64 bit compatible) NOTE:• The default install location on 64-bit operating systems is C:\VMware.• Run the 32-bit ODBC Administrator application, located at [WindowsDir]\SysWOW64\odbcad32.exe .• Use the application to create your DSN.

You now have a DSN that is compatible with vCenter Server. When the vCenter Server installer prompts you for a DSN, select the 32-bit DSN.• Disabled WWW service. VCenter uses tomcat and communicates on port 80• Installed VCenter on default drive C: because it uses application data for necessary files.• Set the SQL Server install to use TCP/IP and named pipes.• Run the server under system account. Update Manager is connected to SQL Database UpdateDBPatches are downloaded and saved to G:\updatemanager Created an alias to connected to ***VC***01 – VirtualCenter or Vcenter

ESX Install - How to install ESX 4.pdf

Open Discussion – Q&A

Q: My performance is slow on Windows 2008 R2 Servers. A: The most effective solution is to update to ESX 4.0 Update 1, which provides a new WDDM driver that is installed with VMware Tools and is fully supported. After a VMware Tools upgrade, you can find it in C:\Program Files\Common Files\VMware\Drivers\wddm_video.

KB Article: 1011709 Did you try to install the WDDM driver or to just disable the SVGA driver? Typically I have had customers install the WDDM driver and increase the video RAM to 32MB, to see a better improvement in video response on 2008 R2 machines.  http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?cmd=displayKC&docType=kc&externalId=1011709&sliceId=1&docTypeID=DT_KB_1_1&dialogID=43856896&stateId=0%200%2043008426

Note: By default Windows 2008 uses the SVGA driver so you must manually configure the WDDM driver using the path above.If you cannot update to ESX 4.0 Update 1, deselect the driver included with ESX 4.0. When you install VMware Tools, select Custom or Modify in the VMware Tools installation wizard, then deselect the SVGA (XPDM) driver.Alternatively, remove the SVGA driver from the Device Manager after installing VMware Tools.

Open Discussion – Q&A 

 Q: I can’t add a 2008 server to the domain during customization process: A: For some reason the unattended XML doesn’t like the same format as the unattended.txt from 2003. I used “vmware.org" in the domain name field instead of “vmware” AND changed the username from either “vmware\domainadd" or “vmware.org\domainadd" to just “domainadd". This seems to have fixed the issue

Q: Do I need to reload my ESX Hosts to upgrade to 4.0?A: Depends on your current setup. The service console VMDK requires at least 8.4GB of available space. VMware recommends that you select a datastore that is local to the ESX host.

The service console must be installed on a VMFS datastore that is resident on a host's local disk or on aSAN disk that is masked and zoned to that particular host only. The datastore cannot be shared betweenHosts. NFS and software iSCSI datastores are not supported as the destination for the ESX 4.0 service consoleVMDK.

 

Open Discussion – Q&AVM blue screening after updating VMWare tools Troubleshooting procedures/fixW2K systems blue screened after tools upgrade. Message mentioned that system was unable to find system drive.Booting with last known good or in safe mode was unsuccessful.Connect drive to an existing vm to investigate

Looked for files that had been updated at the time of crashStarted with the setupapi.log file in winnt\tempFound entries mentioning the install of vm device drivers into winnt\system32\drivers folderCompared the version of vmscsi.sys to other versions. My guess was that it needed to go back to the version of the same OS and same stage of VMware tools. In this case, it was 2000 and out of date VMware tools.Logged into a computer that met the criteria. Versions did not match.Unable to copy the file because the file was in use (makes sense) **NOTE** A copy of the VMware drivers is stored in c:\program files\vmware\vmware tools\drivers\Copied the vmscsi.sys file and used it to replace the one on the machine that was blue screening. (winnt\system32\drivers)Removed drive from VM & powered on vm that was blue screening.

Great Success! Big sigh of relief Reinstalled VMtools and updated virtual hardware.

 

Open Discussion – Q&A

Q: Do you need any special licenses to add the Nexus 1000 stuff? A: No additional licenses needed for the Nexus 1000 switch

Q: Can I migrate / svmotion a thin provisioned guest?A: YesQ: Can I migrate / svmotion a guest with a RAW disk attached?A: Yes 

Q: How to upgrade to latest agents on HP.A: Use 800a to uninstall, then upgrade to latest. Q: Can I expand the C: drive without taking down the server? 2000 & 2003 32bit only (no 64-bit)A: Yes you can by using ExtPart from Dell. http://h0bbel.p0ggel.org/howto-using-extpart-to-expand-windows-server-2003-vm-boot-volume http://support.dell.com/support/downloads/download.aspx?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs&releaseid=R64398&formatcnt=2&fileid=83929 http://taylor.freeshell.org/2009/06/dell-extpart.html

Open Discussion – Q&A Performance Enhancements – VShpere is Alua aware – “Asymmetric logical unit access”

Check with your storage provider to find out if they are “alua” aware. This helps with fail-over and better performance.

EMC ??HP – EVA 8000NetApp

 

Open Discussion – Q&A Performance Enhancements – VShpere is Alua aware – “Asymmetric logical unit access”

Check with your storage provider to find out if they are “alua” aware. This helps with fail-over and better performance.

EMC ??HP – EVA 8000NetApp

 

Open Discussion – Q&ADisk Alignment Problemshttp://www.vmware.com/pdf/esx3_partition_align.pdf

NetApp – Free toolVizioncore – Pay per processor

We use NFS on a NetApp 3040 for our datastores.They are 1.5TB in size and have de-duplication enabled. We have around 200 VMs per datastore.  We were seeing performance problems on VMs as well as build performance issues with hosts that stored their data on the same NetApp. We opened a case with NetApp and the performed an analysis of the performance issue.They were seeing a lot of misaligned I/O which was traced back to the VMDKs.  The tool works pretty well, but there are some limitations. It will not work with VMs that have snapshots. All snapshots will need to be deleted before aligning the VMDK.It does not work with VMDKs that have Windows Dynamic partitions.It works with Linux and Solaris 10 VMs, but after realignment, you have to boot the VM off a rescue CD and reinstall the grub boot manager.

 

Open Discussion – Helpful Links VMware Launch Pad - Your gateway to the VMware Universehttp://thevpad.com/

VMware ESXi and ESX Info Centerhttp://vmware.com/products/vsphere/esxi-and-esx/index.html

VMware vSphere Upgrade Centerhttp://vmware.com/products/vsphere/upgrade-center/

Search the Hardware Compatibility Guide:http://www.vmware.com/resources/compatibility/search.php

Compare Editions:http://www.vmware.com/products/vsphere/buy/editions_comparison.html

Performance Enhancements:http://www.vmware.com/files/pdf/vsphere-whatsnew-performance-wp.pdf

Hot-add Support:http://www.vmware.com/pdf/GuestOS_guide.pdf

Life Cycle and Version Retirement:http://www.vmware.com/support/policies/lifecycle/vi/eos.html http://app.connect.vmware.com/e/es.aspx?s=524&e=12381741&elq=9719a80a21e84019bf33d7e40ccf2658&OPENID=Browser

Open Discussion – Helpful Links vSphere 4.1 – What‘s New:http://www.vmware.com/files/pdf/VMware-Whats-New-in-vSphere-41-ds-en.pdfhttp://technodrone.blogspot.com/2010/07/what-new-in-vsphere-41-esxi.html

RVTools:RVTools is able to list information about cpu, memory, disks, nics, cd-rom, floppy drives, snapshots, VMware tools, ESX hosts, nics, datastores, switches, ports and health checks.The tool is called RVTools and is downloadable from www.robware.net

2008 Template Build:http://jeremywaldrop.wordpress.com/2008/10/28/how-to-build-a-windows-2008-vmware-esx-vm-template/

ExtPart for the C: drive on 2000 and 2003 32-bit servers:http://support.dell.com/support/downloads/download.aspx?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs&releaseid=R64398&formatcnt=2&fileid=83929

A Great Website to check out to make your P2V’s a little bit easier.http://ituda.com/http://ituda.com/vmware-p2v-converter-best-practices

DFW VMUG Sponsors

Tony Gradig – VMUG Leader – TonyGradig@TexasHealth.org

Food Catered By:

www.bigapplecafe.com - 817-572-7753 www.nypddeli.com – 817-358-9200

Lisa L. Peterson Business Development ManagerGovernment, Education, Medical lisa.l.peterson@intel.commobile: 214-578-8568 

Mark RobinsonCisco Salesmarrobin@cisco.comMobile: 972-740-0682