VM /ETC

Archive for the ‘virtualization’ Category

VMware engineer Michael White’s post 64 bit is almost here – are you ready? on the Uptime (VMware and Business Continuity) Blog foretells of the future 64 bit requirement of both vCenter and SRM (Site Recovery Manager). White writes:

“I wanted to remind everyone, of what I have already seen floating around the internet, but still important enough to remind.  Our next release of SRM is going to require a 64 bit OS.  This is the same as our next release of VC as it too will require a 64 bit host OS.  This change is required to support the increased capabilities of our products.  As we scale our products to match our customers needs, generally 1 – 2 years in advance of where they will need all the capabilities of a given product we have had to use a 64 bit OS.  This will show itself in increased numbers in things like more simultaneous vSphere client connections.”

To me these new operating system (OS) requirements mean we will see even more instances of vCenter as a VM (virtual machine). It only seems logical that a least path of resistance is to virtualize the management server in order to upgrade, especially considering all have already invested in 64 bit hardware for their hypervisors if they decided to upgrade to vSphere 4 in the first place. To go a step further, I’m willing to argue that it will be more common for an IT Department to justify the cost of additional ESX hosts, even if only dedicated for management, then it will to deploy new servers for physical instances of vCenter.

The looming transition to a console-less ESXi eventually means more management virtual appliances in the future too. Solutions which will continue to need a ESX console or similar will have to substitute their own appliance to operate with ESXi. This means even more justification for additional ESX/ESXi hosts and thus greases the decision to virtualize vCenter as well. I expect to see management clusters of ESX hosts become more common in the future than even the use of management networks today.

ESX hosts have bigger and badder hardware now than ever before allowing for higher consolidation ratios and larger applications to easily run in virtual machines, but it will be interesting to see if the vCenter as a VM best practices change over time. I personally feel that continuing to separate the database from the virtualized vCenter will continue to be a smart choice. Running a separate, and even virtualized, SQL instance ensures not only better performance of vCenter as a VM but enhances DR scenarios. In fact, those that already have the vCenter database on a remote instance will likely have a safer upgrade to the 64 bit vCenter.

The new 64 bit requirements will no doubt make for an interesting migration scenario, and I’m sure we will see some positive and negative opinions. Let me know your thoughts on a 64 bit vCenter as a VM in the future!

You’ve probably heard VMware virtualization and storage talk about VAAI (vStorage API for Array Integration. If you’ve listened to episode 4 of VIRTUMANIA or watched the recent video from the vExpert Panel session at the Carolina VMUG Summit then you’ve heard me talk about it with some of those most in the know on the topic. But what is VAAI exactly and how will it impact virtualization in the future?

Side note – I hate saying “V A A I”. IMO it’s quite a tongue twister. I have adopted saying “V double A I” because it is much easier to get out.

VAAI Introduced 2 years ago

Although it does not exist in vSphere 4.0 today, believe it or not VAAI was first introduced at VMworld 2008 when the vStorage API was announced.

VMware Unveils New vStorage Technologies to Deliver Leading Efficiency and Manageability for the Virtual Datacenter Operating System

New Capabilities Deliver Deeper Integration with Storage Partner Functionality
vStorage enables intelligent integration of storage products within the Virtual Datacenter OS through the new vStorage APIs. 

vStorage APIs deliver tight integration of advanced capabilities from storage partners with the Virtual Datacenter OS from VMware.  vStorage APIs for array integration will enable customers to leverage array-based capabilities, such as snapshots, provisioning, replication and restore, directly with individual virtual machines in conjunction with the clustering and pooling capabilities of VMware Infrastructure.  vStorage APIs for multi-pathing will provide customers the ability to integrate advanced load balancing capabilities provided by leading partners’ multi-pathing software with their virtual environment.

If you are like me you were probably so overwhelmed by the news of the VCD-OS (That’s what VMware was calling the hybrid Cloud at the time … I guess?) that you missed (or were not capable or ready to comprehend) how complete of a strategy already existed for building Infrastructure as a service (IaaS) with the vStorage API. For me, looking back 2 years later it is amazing to me it was all there – at least in concept.

Don’t confuse VADP and VAAI

VAAI is only one part of the vStorage API. VADP (vStorage API for Data Protection) is another, but the these two seem to have been easily confused lately. VADP is

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David Davis (@davidmdavis vmwarevideos.com) recorded the 2:30pm vExpert Panel session from the recent Carolina VMware User Group (VMUG) Summit 2010. The session occurred on Friday June 11, 2010 in the Charlotte Convention Center and featured the following vExperts:

@sakacc Chad Sakac

@vstewed Vaughn Stewart

@scott_lowe Scott Lowe

@mike_laverick Mike Laverick

I was lucky enough to get to moderate the discussion, and along with excellent help in the form of several questions from the VMUG crowd (my co host for the event), I am extremely pleased with the conversation that resulted. We touched on VCE vBlock architecture, Secure Multi Tenancy, vStorage API for Array Integration, FCoE, and a few other virtualization related storage topics

in the 60 minutes we were given. In fact, the end result turned out much like a live version of both the Virtumania and Infosmack podcasts.

One of my personal goals for this session was that the everyone in the audience did not have be storage gurus in order to get benefits from listening. I’m proud to say that I feel we achieved this goal, and so I am embedding Davis’ video below so more VI admins can tune in to what these guys have to say about the future of storage and virtualization!

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Episode 15 of VIRTUMANIA features another conversation about VDI! As usual, Rick Vanover joins us as our show regular. Greg Knieriemen substitutes for Marc Farley as the co-host, and all three of us are honored to have Ron Oglesby as our special guest. The following is the podcast summary:

VIRTUMANIA Podcast Episode 15 – Fishing For Virtual Desktops. Hosted by Rich Brambley (@rbrambley) of VMETC and Greg Knieriemen (@knieriemen) with guests and Rick Vanover (@rickvanover) of RickVanover.com and Ron Oglesby (@ronoglesby) Chief Solution Architect at Unidesk. Unlike our previous VDI Plumber Crack episode where we looked at server infrastructure, this time the focus is on the end user side of virtual desktops. Just like in fishing there is a “tackle box” of choices for provisioning, managing and supporting user images and applications, and virtualization admins have to be careful not to snag their VDI project in the weeds of end point connection devices. Virtumania is a Infosmack Production.

Listen to the podcast with the embedded player or subscribe to get a weekly copy so you can listen when convenient.

Check out the VM /ETC VIRTUMANIA Page to listen to past episodes as well as episodes of Infosmack.

The following links offer more information on some of the topics mentioned in VIRTUMANIA Episode 15:

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I’m starting to get the hang of using Cover It Live (CiL) at a conference. I’m still working out whether using an iPhone/iTouch/iPad/Blackberry/Browser is the best way to update when mobile. I added some 30 second audio clips from @johnobeto, @cxi, @vmdoug, and myself in yesterday’s CiL session. Did you notice? I also pulled in some of @vmdoug’s Qik videos captured from his new HTC EVO.

Here’s my favorite Qik video from yesterday

I’ll probably do more of the same stuff throughout day 2 of TechEd 2010.

NEWSFLASH: For special and  in depth conference coverage I am adding @HyperVBear to the stream of auto tweets. I suggest we all follow him closely for the rest of the week

You can replay yesterday’s CiL session here.

Tuesday Live Update Viewer

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Once again I am using Cover It Live to collect my Monday #teched tweets as well as make occasional live comments from the Veeam booth while at Microsoft TechEd 2010. I am also adding several people’s tweets to the stream who I know are at the conference. Those Included:

As I meet more people and figure out who’s here I will add to this list.

Leave me a comment with twitter names of who else I should include, or leave your own twittername if you are in New Orleans and want your #teched hash tag tweets included too!

Live Coverage

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The VIRTUMANIA continues with Episode 14! Marc, Rick and I host very special guests David Davis and Greg Schulz for a discussion about networking for virtualization. The following is the podcast summary:

VIRTUMANIA Podcast Episode 14 – Virtualization and Networking Turf Wars. Hosts Rich Brambley (@rbrambley) of VMETC and Marc Farley (@3parfarley) of 3Par and StorageRap.com with regular Rick Vanover (@rickvanover) of RickVanover.com are joined by special guests David Davis (@davidmdavis)vmwarevideos.com and Greg Schulz (@storageio) of storageioblog.com. This week’s episode covers the important but often overlooked network architecture needed for successful virtual infrastructure. Our discussion eventually compares the data center battle for control, management, and monitoring of virtual machine traffic to rival gangs dancing for superiority in the Michael Jackson music video "Bad". Thanks to Greg Knieriemen (@knieriemen) of Chi Corporation for this Infosmack Production.

Listen to the podcast with the embedded player or subscribe to get a weekly copy so you can listen when convenient.

Check out the VM /ETC VIRTUMANIA Page to listen to past episodes as well as episodes of Infosmack.

The following links offer more information on some of the topics mentioned in VIRTUMANIA Episode 14:

Read the rest of this entry »