VM /ETC

Posts Tagged ‘veeam’

A common request since I started at Veeam Software has been for the ability to plug in Veeam’s products to vCenter and/or the vSphere Client. After all, VMware admins are used to the idea that they can go to the same interface to accomplish almost everything. VMware’s strategy to make their client expandable via a plugin architecture is brilliant, and many Technology Partners have introduced vCenter and vSphere Client plugins for their products as a result.  Veeam, for whatever reasons (maybe because the developers have been focused on new game changing features!), has not created plugins to date. However, since most of the Veeam Software suite has web pages for management interfaces already, it is very simple to create plugins yourself!

This post  provides unofficial, unsupported template files and a basic “how to” instructions for using vSphere Client plugins for the following Veeam web management interfaces:

• Veeam Backup and Replication Enterprise Management Console
• Veeam Reporter Dashboard
• Veeam Business View Dashboard

These plugins should work whether you are using any Veeam product versions or whether you have the paid or free versions of Monitor and Reporter. Bottom line: If you can make the Veeam web pages work correctly in a standard web browser on the system where you have the vSphere Client installed, then the plugins should work too.

You may have noticed that Veeam Monitor has been left out of the plugin list. That is because Monitor does not have a web interface. However, be sure to read the end of this post to see how you can use the vSphere Client from within Veeam Monitor. It’s “the photo negative” of what VMware admins are used to, but it accomplishes the same benefits.

Also understand, you can use the templates as a base for whatever web interface you want to pull into the vSphere Client.  This is not just applicable to Veeam products.

I want to credit Carter Shanklin, Eric Sloof, and Ricky El-Qasem for originally providing information about how to create web based plugins several years ago. El-Qasem even released a handy .NET tool for auto creating and registering plugins with vCenter which involved making the resulting .xml files centrally available via Tomcat from the vCenter Server. I followed the trail of crumbs from these guys.

Download the Veeam vSphere Plugin templates

Veeam vSphere Plugin Templates (559)

The rest of this post contains basic instructions, some screen shots, and a tip for making Reporter work correctly in the vSphere Client. Finally, integrating Veeam Monitor and the vSphere Client is covered briefly.

How To Modify the Templates and Instructions for Using the Plugins

The following is the contents of the README file included in the .zip

Read the rest of this entry »

Figuring out whether you can replicate your VMs across your WAN to a DR site is never easy. There are many factors to consider, but luckily, one of my Veeam peers and a fellow VMware vExpert, Ricky El -Qasem has created a Replication Calculator to help figure it out.

From the post on the Virtualize Planet Blog: Replication Bandwidth Calculator | Virtualize Planet

ReplicaCalc

How many times do you get asked “how do I work out if VM Replication will work with my internet link” Well I wanted to demonstrate some way of providing a calculator without working it out in my head every time. So I made a Replication Calculation tool.  It is assumed that you provide it with 3 values:

1. Average Rate of Change.
2. The Link speed – this value should reflect the upload speed at the source site or the download speed at the target if this is less. So for example if the upload at the source is 6Mbs and 10Mbs download at the target then go for 6Mbs
3. Bandwidth % – which is the amount of bandwidth as % which achievable from the link speed specified.

Download and install ReplicaCalc from here > ReplicaCalc

Ricky describes the needed values in more detail in his post so be sure to read it all there. He also demonstrates how to use Veeam Backup and Replication to get the VM dynamic rate of change. The tool is useful whether using Veeam to replicate your VMs or not, however.

Thanks Ricky!

For more on this topic, I’ve blogged about using a bandwidth calculator to figure out whether your current WAN link is adequate or not for your replication jobs before.

For those attending VMWorld 2010 in San Francisco, CA, On Wednesday September 1 at 1:00 PM PST take a break from the sessions and stop by to meet VIRTUMANIA and Infosmack personalities Marc Farley, Rick Vanover, and me in person on the VMWorld 2010 Solutions Exchange floor. The Veeam and 3PAR booths are adjacent to each other, so this tweet up will be in the general area at both booths from 1 PM to 2 PM PST.

RSVP at twtvite.com/vmworld2010smackup and then add to your calendar:

Outlook Google iCal Yahoo!

Be sure to follow (and use) the hashtag #smackup during the event on that Wednesday. The twtvite.com page will be collecting tweets and photos using this tag!

Looking forward to seeing everyone then!

See the full twtvite after the page break.

Read the rest of this entry »

I am in Seattle, WA for the third GestaltIT Tech Field Day (TFD). This time I am part of the presenting team for Veeam Software, and we are first up on the agenda. As with other recent events, I am using Cover It Live (CiL) to provide real time coverage and of our presentation and the reaction of the delegates (bloggers) attending. The best part about using Cover It Live is the event can be played back in the future, so check it out even if you missed it live.

I’m automatically pulling in the tweets of all involved, so I should have a good stream of both bloggers and sponsors represented here.

I’m using the following twitter lists:

• @TechFieldDay/tfd3-sponsors
• @TechFieldDay/tfd3-delegates

Look for my occasional commentary as well, but I’m not sure how much time I’ll actually have to participate. I’ll end the coverage when our time is up, which should be roughly 3 to 4 hours.

Click through the page break for the CiL widget and tune into the fun!

By the way, we are providing the first ever public demo of Veeam Backup and Replication 5.0 SureBackup!

Read the rest of this entry »

On Wednesday I’ll be "passing the (virtual) dutchie from coast to coast" as I fly from Georgia to Washington. Veeam will be presenting to the TFD Delegates first thing Thursday morning. During our presentation look for Veeam to be be "pulling out jives and jamboree handouts." I’ll tweet and blog what I can, but I’m sure the Delegates will provide their own "jig-saw jazz and the get-fresh flow."

As with TFD events in the past, Weds through Friday Twitter will rattle like "bottles and cans (so I advise you get ready)  and just clap your hands and just clap your hands."

Listen / watch the embedded YouTube video in order for this post to make a little more sense!

Here’s the list of all star attendees and sponsors as provided by GestaltIT.com:

Read the rest of this entry »

I’m headed to New Orleans, LA for Microsoft TechEd 2010 the first half of the week. I’m there to work the Veeam booth and help show how companies can manage VMware infrastructure with Microsoft Systems Center Operations Manager using the nworks Management Pack. I’m not sure whether I’ll get to attend the keynotes or any sessions, but I’ll do my best to cover the virtualization news and Cloud buzz in the Ernest N Morial Convention Center as I experience it.

I’ve decided to use Cover It Live to hopefully help me provide more real time, live and mobile coverage as the conference unfolds. The embedded event player at the end of this post will be collecting all my tweets (@rbrambley) as I travel today when I include the #teched hashtag. I’ll log into the event broadcast console from time to time too. I’ll be sure to announce/tweet when I’m live so join me by adding comments and live interaction during those times.

I previously used Cover it Live to live blog from HP’s Blade Day Event in Houston, TX. I really like that all the tweets, comments, and coverage are recorded for full playback in the future (see the results at the link provided).

I’m still learning how to take full advantage of Cover It Live when covering an event, so thanks Microsoft for allowing me to practice so more with TechEd 2010, and, of course, thanks Veeam for sending me to New Orleans!

Live Coverage

Read the rest of this entry »

The week of June 7 through June 11 is going to be five fun days for me spread across two events in the South East US. If any VM /ETC readers or VIRTUMANIA listeners will be attending either Microsoft TechEd 2010 or the Charlotte VMUG’s annual Carolina VMware Users Summit 2010 please stop by the Veeam booth and say "Hi".

Here’s a quick summary of what I’ll be doing at each event.

Managing VMware At TechEd?

No we are not advocating the first square off between VMware and Microsoft of the conference season. On the contrary, The Veeam nworks Management Pack helps those who use Systems Center Operations Manager (SCOM) better monitor, manage, and report on their VMware Infrastructure. We actually help VMware admins and Microsoft Operations teams get along!

I’ll be in the booth with @vmdoug, @dsiles, and others from @veeam. If you’ll be in New Orleans Monday June 7 through Weds June 9 so please stop by.

Charlotte VMUG Summit vExpert Panel

On Thursday that week I’ll be jetting back to Charlotte,NC for the VMUG Summit on Friday June 11. As a Gold Sponsor Veeam will obviously have a table / booth in the vendor area in which I’ll be working, but we will also be presenting in our own 1:30 pm “Image-Level Backups You Can Count On” session.

The high light for the VMUG Summit will definitely be the vExpert Panel at 2:30 pm. We are still ironing out the exact topics to cover, but the panel will feature Scott Lowe, Chad Sakac, Vaughn Stewart, Mike Laverick, and possibly others in a open discussion on virtualization and storage. I’m honored to be invited as a moderator for this discussion, and it’s sure to be an informative and entertaining session.

Register for the Carolina VMUG Summit here.

Here are links to other posts from the panel members on the Charlotte VMUG Summit

• Carolina VMware Users Summit 2010 (scottlowe.org)
• Charlotte VMUG – will be a doozy… (virtualgeek)
• Charlotte VMUG Annual Conference – a mini VMworld? (virtualstorageguy)

I’m definitely looking forward to seeing everyone in New Orleans and Charlotte in a few weeks!