TRANSITIONING TO ESXI WITH VSPHERE 4.1

Bob GawneVMUG User Conference Nov 18th

About the Upgrade Process

Upgrading is a Multistage Process

VMware recommends that you read about the upgrade process before attempting to upgrade ! * You could incur more downtime than necessary * You might lose data and access to your servers! * After following the vSphere Upgrade Guide for 4.1 during my upgrade, and finding lots of Gotcha’s I would say this is good advice to follow. You must complete the upgrade process in a specific orderThe upgrade is a one way process

My disclaimer: This is what worked for me but may not be the proper procedure for your environment….

My EnvironmentvCenter 4.0 Build 208111 * Installed on a physical server running on Wondows 2003 32 Bit server * Connected to a virtual SQL 2005 32 Bit DB Server

* Data Center 1 Environment * (2) vSphere 4.0 ESX advanced servers running on Dell Equal Logic ISCSI Storage * 6TB of Storage * Hosting (4) Virtual Production DB Servers: DB Server, Web, FTP and Scheduling Servers. * Also hosting (4) like Development Servers.

Data Center 2 Environment* (3) 3.5 ESX Enterprise servers running on EMC CX310 Fiber Channel SAN servers running on Dell Equal Logic ISCSI Storage 9 TB of Storage * Hosting (36) Virtual Production Servers: A mix of DB Servers, Web Servers, Application Servers, FTP and Scheduling Servers

Two separate VM Environments

Start by Upgrading vCenter Server

Before upgrading GOTCHA #1 * Check the Hardware and Software Requirements * vCenter Server must be upgraded to vCenter 4.1 first and must run on a 64 Bit server! * ESXi must be installed on a 64 Bit server

Preparing for the vCenter Svr Upgrade1. Download & Review the vSphere Upgrade Guide http://

www.vmware.com/pdf/vsphere4/r41/vsp_41_upgrade_guide.pdf

2. Download vCenter upgrade file, available as and exe or iso file

3. Look up your license file key and have it available.

4. Determine the type of upgrade required or desired by reviewing Chapter 12 of the Upgrade Guide

* There are about 5 or 6 options available, but only 1 if your current vCenter is a 32 bit server.

My Upgrade Example1. Upgrade vCenter Server on a new Machine. (This was my only choice because of my 32 bit server)

2. Since my current vCenter server was connected to a SQL 2005 remote database I chose to detach the 4.0 vCenter from this database, upgrade the database using the migration tool then reattach the new 4.1 vCenter to this database. * This allowed me to keep my configuration intact.

Prepare New Server

4. Prior to installing vCenter on the new server you have to create a 64 Bit DSN to the remote SQL Database.

5. You also have to create a 32 Bit DSN for the Update Manager6. Best Practice is to name the connection DSN with a 64 or 32

in the name so you can tell the difference at a glance.7. I installed SQL Server 2008R2 Client so I have an upgrade

path for future upgrade of the remote DB Server.

1. I created a new VM and installed 64 BIT Windows 2008R2( I am keeping the option open to wipe out the OS on the 32 Bit server, upgrade to 64 bit and migrate back to a physical server)

3. If you are like me, and connecting to a remote SQL database you must install JDK 1.6

2. Then copied the executable file over to the local drive on this VM.

Review KB Article 10626688

1. There is a known issue that causes the upgrade to fail because of corrupt virtual machine entries in the vCenter database

2. Prior to the upgrade I reviewed the KB downloaded the SQL Script and ran it against my DB and found no issues. All systems Go.

Backup existing vCenter

1. If you do not backup the database and SSL certificates you cannot roll back to previous vCenter configuration.

2. Copy the SSL Certificate folder to shared location3. Copy the Vpxd.cfg file to shared location.4. Backup the vCenter database. The migration tool will make changes to the database

Backup existing vCenter (Cont)

5. Copy the datamigration folder from the install dir on the new server to Source server (existing vCenter)

6. Stop the vCenter Services

Using the Migration Tool

1. The data migration tool will back up the current vCenter configuration and restore these settings on the new 64 Bit vCenter.

2. Stop the vCenter services on the existing vCenter Server.

3. Open a cmd prompt \cd to the datamigration folder copied from the new server and run backup.bat to run the backup script.

Using the Migration Tool (Cont)

4. Details for using the tool are on pg 38 of the Upgrade Guide.5. Copy the datamigration folder from source (old vCenter) to destination server (New 64 Bit vCenter Svr)

6. Ensure the database login you are using has DB_Owner role for the install

Using the Migration Tool (Cont)

7. Details for using the tool for Install with NonBundled Database is pg 41 of the Upgrade Guide.

8. The install tool will launch the install for vCenter and prompt you through the install. This is where I had the most issues.

9. Here you will need the 64 Bit DSN to the database as well as the 32 Bit DSN for update manager.

Using the Migration Tool (Final)

8. All said and done by reading and following the pre install steps once I started the migration/install went fairly smooth.

9. One final note in my case I still have 3.5 host and a license server is still required. Currently I left the original license server running, until I upgrade the host to ESXi 4.1

Transitioning to ESXi 4.1

Disclosure I have not made the migration Still in testing stage.

The vCenter upgrade was my clearing the path once we get our storage upgrade in place.

Due to the timing I wanted to present the overview and get the word out that changes are coming and the best time transition to ESXi 4.1 is during your upgrade to vSphere 4.1.

VMWare is standardizing on ESXI Hypervisor architecture

• Vmware vsphere 4.1 and its subsequent update and patch releases are the last releases to include both ESX and ESXI hypervisor architectures. Future major releases of Vmware Vsphere will include only the Vmware ESXi architecture.

• Vmware recommends that customers start transitioning to the ESXI architecture when deploying vmware vSphere 4.1

• Vmware will continue to provide technical support for Vmware ESX according to the Vmware Vsphere support policy

Overview of ESXi 4.1

Why ESXiNext Generation of Vmware’s Hypervisor Architecture

Full-Featured Hypervisor * Superior Consolidation and scalability * Same performance as Vmware ESX architecture

More Secure and reliable * Small code base thanks to OS-independent, thin archiecture

Streamlined deployment and configuration * Fewer configuration items making it easier to maintain consistency * Automation of routine task though scripting environments such as vCLI or PowerCLI

Simplified hypervisor Patching and Updating * Smaller code base = fewer patches * Elminates patch drifting due to single image update * The “dual-image” approach lets you revert to prior image if desired * Vmware components and third part components can be updated independently

Gartner Group Says….

• “The major benefit of ESXi is the fact that it is more lightweight – under 100MB versus 2GB for Vmware ESX with the service console.”

• “Smaller means fewer patches”• “It also eliminates the need to manage a separate

Linux console (and the Linux skills needed to manage it)…”

• “Vmware users should put a plan in place to migrate to ESXi during the next 10 Months.”

New and Improved Paradigm for ESX Management

• Agentless vAPI-based– COS has Management Agents

• Agentless CIM-based– Hardware Agents in Service Console

• Manage ESXi host via – vSphere vClient– vCenter Server– vCLI, PowerCLI, Direct Console User Interface– vSphere Management Assistant

Hardware Monitoring & System Managment

Hardware Monitoring with CIM

• Common Information Model (CIM)– Agent-less, standards-based monitoring of

hardware resources– Output readable by 3rd party management tools via

standard APIs– VMware and Partner CIM providers for Specific

hardware devices

New Feature: Automated Software Update

* vCenter Update Manager enhancements in vSphere 4.1 - VUM can now deploy “offline bundles”* The following are commonly distributed as offline bundles

- Drivers- CIM providers- Other modules

• Deployed and managed just like all other Updates• Included in baselines• Monitor for compliance

Third Party Hardware Monitoring

* OEM HW Monitoring through their management consoles * Dell Open Manage * HP System Insight Manager

Monitor and Manage Health of Server Hardware with vCenter

• CIM Interface• Detailed hardware health monitoring• Physical and virtual visibility on server health• vCenter alarms alert when hardware failures occur

• Fan Status• Hardware power status• Hardware system board status• Temperature status

Monitoring of Installed Software Components

• vCenter Server• vSphere Client

Infrastructure Services

Infrastructure Services for Production Environments (New in ESXi 4.1)

• Built in NTP service (Time Synchronization)• Built in Syslog Service

• Centralized log Collection• Built in SNMP Service (SNMP monitoring)• Log to files on datastore

• (Persistent Logging)• Built in Active directory service• Large-Scale Deployment

• Boot from SAN, PXE Install, Scripted install• iBFT (iSCSI Boot firmware Table) NIC is required

Command Line Interfaces

Command Line Interfaces• vCLI & vSphere Power CLI

• Primary Scripting Interfaces• Built on same API as vSphere Client

• vSphere Management Assistant 4.1• Download and Deploy using OVF template • Prebuilt Linux virtual appliance

• Packaged with vSphere CLI • & vSphere SDK for Perl

• Can work for both ESX and ESXi• Acts like a centralized service console

New Feature: Additional vCLI config Commands• Storage

• esxcli swiscsi session: Manage iSCSI Sessions• esxcli swiscsi nic: Manage iSCSI NICs• esxcli swiscsi vmknic: List VMKernel NICs available for

binding to a particular iSCSI adapter• esxcli swiscsi vmnic: List available uplink adapters for

use with a specified iSCSI adapter• Esxcli vaai device: Display information about devices

claimed by the Vmware VAAI (vStorage APIs for Array Intergration) Filter Plugin

• Esxcli corestorage device: list devices or plugins. Used in conjunction with hardware accleration

Diagnostics & Troubleshooting

Diagnostics & Troubleshooting• ESXi Troubleshooting Options

• vCLI commands• Direct Console User Interface (DCUI)• Browser-based troubleshooting• Tech Support Mode

Diagnostic Commands for ESXi: vCLI• Familiar set of ‘esxcfg-*’ commands available in vCLI

• Names mapped to vicfg-*• Also includes

• VMKfstools• Vmware-cmd• Resxtop• Esxcli: suite of diagnostic tools

New Feature: Additional vCLI troubleshooting Commands

• Network• Esxcli network: List active connections or list active

ARP table entries• Storage

• NFS statistics available in resxtop• VM

• Esxcli vms vm kill: Forcible stop bad behaving VM’s

DCUI-based Troubleshooting

• DCUI Menu

Call to Action

• Start testing ESXi (like now)• Ensure your 3rd party solutions are ESXi Ready

– Ask you vendors, test monitoring, backup and management software

– Bid farewell to agents!• Familiarize yourself with ESXi management options

– This is the biggest for me learning curve for scripts and scripting automation is high.

• Plan an ESXi migration as part of your vSphere upgrade– ESXi 4.1 has many new features like integrated AD, SAN boot,

scripted install, etc… – Test them and become familiar pre-upgrade

Visit the ESXi and ESX info centerhttp://www.wmware.com/products/vsphere/esxi-and-esxi/indes.html

Resources• Installing ESX 4.1 & vCenter Server 4.1 best practices

http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=1022101

• <ESXi 4.1 migration guide– http://www.vmware.com/resources/techresources/10112

• This presentation as with slide decks from other presentations will be posted to the Phoenix VMUG Site:http://communities.vmware.com/community/vmug/forums/us-west/phoenix

QUESTIONS?

APPENDIX

© 2009 VMware Inc. All rights reserved

Confidential until 7/13/2010

vSphere 4.1 What’s New

Tim McCormley – Sr. Systems EngineerJuly 22, 2010

VMware vSphere 4.1: What’s New?

Application Services

Infrastructure Services

Scalability

VMware vSphere 4.1

Security

• AD Integration (host)• vShield Zones

• More VMs (per cluster, DC)• More Hosts (per VC, DC)

• HA Diagnostics And Healthcheck• vMotion Speed and Scale

Availability

vNetworkvStorage

• Network I/O Control• Storage I/O Control• Storage PerformanceReporting

• Memory Compression

• DRSHost Affinity

vCompute

vCenter Server (64-bit)

vSphere 4.1 Delivers “Cloud Scale”32 hosts / cluster

320 VMs / host

10,000 VMs / vCenter (>3x)

1000 hosts / vCenter (>3x)

3,000 VMs / cluster (2x)

99% of VMware’s 170K Customers Can Run Their Entire Datacenter in a Single VMware Cluster*

* See notes section

48

Enhanced Scalability DefinedvSphere 4 vSphere 4.1 Ratio

VMs per host 320 320 1xHosts per cluster 32 32 1xVMs per cluster 1,280 3,000 >2xHosts per VC 300 1,000 >3xRegistered VMs per VC 4,500 15,000 >3xPowered-On VMs per VC 3,000 10,000 >3xConcurrent VI Clients 30 120 4xHosts per DC 100 500 5xVMs per DC 2,500 5,000 2xLinked Mode 10,000 30,000 3x

vSphere 4.1 – Storage I/O ControlDescription Benefits

• Prioritized use of storage (similar to how compute is prioritized with vSphere)

• Improved application performance• Business priorities now define low and high priority

storage resource access • Create the “high speed” or HOV lane for VMs

Set storage quality ofservice priorities pervirtual machine

Beta Feedback“I really feel that the Storage I/OControl is a must have for ourenvironment and we should move forward without delay.”

Proof PointMake Your Mission Critical VMs VIPs

All VMs created equal

Guarantee service levels for access to storageresources

vSphere 4.1 – Storage Performance ReportingDescription Benefits

• Granular storage reporting for improved tuning and troubleshooting of performance

• Independent of storage architectures and protocols

Delivery of key storageperformance statisticsin vCenter

Beta Feedback“In the monitoring area,the enhanced storage statistics are very useful”

Proof Point

Real-Time and Historical Trending for Storage

vSphere 4.1 – Network I/O ControlDescription Benefits

• Prioritized use of network, especially in 10 GbE environments (similar to how compute is prioritized with vSphere)

• Improved application performance• Business priorities now define low and high priority

network resource access as needed• Create the “high speed” or HOV lane for VMs

Set network quality ofservice priorities perflow type (iSCSI, NFS, etc.)

Beta Feedback“The new Network I/O controlfeature is very interesting forconsolidating network links with10GbE.”

Proof Point

Guarantee service levels for access to network resources

FT vMotion NFS

vSwitch

TCP/IP

iSCSI

10 GigE

vSphere 4.1 – Memory CompressionDescription Benefits

• Optimized use of memory (freeing up space as needed)• Safeguard for using memory overcommit feature with

confidence• Reclaim Performance

A new hierarchy forVMware’s memoryovercommit technology(a VMware keydifferentiator)

Beta Feedback“Great for memory over-subscription.”

Proof Point

1,000x faster than swap-in!

Virtual Memory (Virtual Machine)

Physical Memory (Physical Host)

vSphere 4.1 – DRS Host Affinity DescriptionSet granular policiesthat define only certainvirtual machinemovements

Beta Feedback“Awesome, we can separate VMs between data centers or blade enclosures with DRS host affinity rules”

Proof Point

Mandatory Compliance Enforcement for Virtual Machines

Benefits• Tune environment according to availability, performance,

and/or licensing requirements• A cloud enabler(multi-tenancy)

OSAPP

“Server A” “Server B”“Server B”“Server A”

4-host DRS/HA cluster

OSAPP

OSAPP

OSAPP

OSAPP

“A” “B” “A” “A” “B”

VMs A Servers A Only VMs B Servers B Only

vSphere 4.1 – Additional New FeaturesFeature Name Description Benefit

Virtual Serial Port Concentrator (VSPC)

Connect over the network via the serial port concentrator to the serial port console on any server. VMware will thus enable two different ways to provide this level of management with this feature.

•Management efficiencies•Lower costs for multi-hostmanagement•Enables 3rd party concentrator integration if required

vStorage API for Array Integration (VAAI)

New protocol interfaces between VMware and storage arrays. These APIs mean leverage of array-based functionality for the first time.

•vSphere platform integration•Eliminate redundancy•Enhance Performance

• Storage vMotion• Provisioning VMs• Thin Provisioning• VMFS

vSphere 4.1 – vMotion Performance and Scale EnhancementsDescription Benefits

• Performance and Scalability• More Live Migrations in Parallel (up to 8 per host pair)• Elapsed time reduced by 5x on 10GbE tests

Adding “Cloud Scale” to online virtual machinemigration (a VMware keydifferentiator)

Beta Feedback“This release product has some nice benefits in particular increasedvMotion capabilities.”

Proof Point

5x faster with the 4.1 platform release

vSphere 4.1 – HA EnhancementsDescription Benefits

• Event or alarms when configuration rules are broken• No click status (cluster status available at all times)• Move VMs to the best host available

• Healthcheck status• Operational window• Optimized interaction

with DRS

Beta Feedback“Major improvements in HA!”

Proof Point

Adding Another “9” to Availability

vSphere 4.1 – Additional New EnhancementsEnhancement Area Description Benefit

Fault Tolerance (FT)

•DRS Interoperability for VMware HA and Fault Tolerance (FT)

•Core VMware Fault Tolerance (FT) Enhancements

•Enhanced Network Logging Performance

•Optimized VM placement in FT or HA Scenario

•Versioning-control to run on FT-compatible hosts at different but compatible patch levels.

•Improved throughput and reduced CPU usage

Host Profiles

•Cisco N1K support•PCI device ordering (support for selecting NICs)•iSCSI support•Admin password (setting root password) •PSA configuration

•Enhanced Configurations Choices

•Compliance

•Expanded deployment

Active Directory Integration (host)

Seamless user authentication at the ESX or ESXi host (rather than vCenter Server) for centralized user management.

Easily assign privileges to users or groups plus roll out permission rules across hosts

Expanded HCL

Support for more operating systems, devices, applications, and service providers than any other virtualization platform (including new support for 3rd party serial port concentrators, enhanced management, and the latest x86 processors on the market).

More choice for end users

vSphere 4.1 – Additional New EnhancementsEnhancement

Area Description Benefit

Nexus 1000V

•Easier software upgrade

•Weighted Fair Queuing (s/w scheduler)

•Increased Scalability

•Scale Port Profiles > 512

•Ease of use

•Cisco’s version of Network I/O Control

•See virtual switch scale #’s below

Network•IPv6 – NIST Compliance

•Performance and Scale

•Compliance with Host profiles for government agencies

•Enable up to 350 hosts to attach to the virtual switch (up from 64)

Storage•iSCSI offload

•8GB HBA

•Performance