Eric Sloof - NTPRO.NL

Product Description: The only authorized guide to VMware--the market-leading virtual infrastructure solution. VMware is the industry innovator in virtualization--the cutting-edge technology that makes it possible to run multiple operating systems and applications on the same computer at the same time. This hands-on guide explains how to use VMware VI 3.x.

VMware Infrastructure 3.x: The Official Guide shows you how to deploy, configure, and maintain a virtualized environment. You will get details on VMware ESX Server 3i, the next-generation thin hypervisor to be integrated in server hardware from Dell, Fujitsu, HP, IBM, and others. The book incorporates tips, tricks, and best practices derived from VMware and it’s professional services as well as lessons learned from VMware and it’s enterprise customers.

Release Date: October 14, 2009
Author Kenton: Gardinier

While one of my readers (credits to Scoobie Guy) was exploring the features of DV switches he inadvertently discovered if you make major changes (or rebuild)  your virtual center instance, or remove a host from a VC instance you may end up with the following errors:

The distributed Virtual Switch corresponding to the proxy switches d5 6e 22 50 dd f2 94 7b-a6 1f b2 c2 e6 aa 0f bf on the host does not exist in vCenter or does not contain the host.


 
From this article: http://www.vmware.com/support/vsphere4/doc/vsp_esxi40_vc40_rel_notes.html#knownissues

Here is an explanation: Removing an ESX/ESXi host configured with a vDS from a vCenter Server system results in inconsistent networking state on the host. If you remove an ESX/ESXi host configured with a vDS from a vCenter Server system, the host cannot reconnect to the vDS. When you add the host back to the vCenter Server system, a warning similar to the following appears:

The distributed Virtual Switch corresponding to the proxy switches d5 6e 22 50 dd f2 94 7b-a6 1f b2 c2 e6 aa 0f bf on the host does not exist in vCenter or does not contain the host.

The virtual machines continue to function on their respective ports, but new virtual machines are not allowed to power on. You cannot modify the vDS settings for this host by using a vSphere Client connected to the vCenter Server system.

Workaround: Perform the following steps:

1. Use a vSphere Client to connect directly to the ESX/ESXi host. This workaround requires a direct connection.
2. Migrate the virtual machines off of the invalid vDS ports one by one by editing the settings of each virtual machine. This will result in prolonged network interruption to the virtual machines.
3. Choose Host > Configuration > Networking > Distributed Virtual Switch and click Remove.
4. In a vSphere Client connected to the vCenter Server system, refresh the network settings of the host. The errors are cleared.
5. Add the host back to the vDS, either manually or by using a host profile.
6. Migrate the virtual machines back to their respective ports or portgroups on the vDS. To do so, right-click the vDS and choose Migrate Virtual Machine Networking. This process also results in network interruption to the virtual machines. 
   

Now the fun / trouble really starts! Rebuilding your network!

Another thing to note, if you miss configure a DvSwitch you may lose all connectivity to your ESX hosts. Examples are the MTU settings change from 1500 to 9000, if your NICs or Switch don’t support it then you will lose connectivity. My recommendation is to keep at least one  service console port on a standard virtual switch. That way you can always reach your hosts, and worse case if you need to rebuild your service console network it’s much easier.

Nice trackback from Mike Laverick: Got a question for you. Preparing to start a new vSphere farm and trying to decide do I use stand switches or start with the DVS. Especially when I see this: http://www.ntpro.nl/blog/archives/1283-vSphere-DvSwitch-caveats-and-best-practices!.html So the main question is do we think this is mature enough to go forward with yet? Can I use Host profiles with DVS safely? --> http://www.rtfm-ed.co.uk/?p=1875

I’m delivering an instructor led VMware Sales Professional 4 training. You can still sign up for next Friday. If you’re a VMware Partner, you should check if your company has completed  all of the requirements necessary to remain at the Professional level in the VMware Partner Network.

VMware Partner Network - Compliance Check

De VMware VSP Certificeringsessie bereidt u voor op het officiële VMware VSP examen. Aan het einde van de training heeft u de mogelijkheid om u direct te certificeren. Met deze certificering behaalt u het Sales Professional Partnership van VMware en kunt u gebruik maken van de volgende voordelen:

- Beter positioneren/ verkopen van het VMware assortiment
- Officiële partnerstatus van VMware
- Wederverkoop van VMware licenties
- Free of Charge licenties ten behoeve van eigen gebruik

Agenda:

09:00 uur - Ontvangst en registratie
09:30 uur - Virtualization
10:30 uur - Corporate Overview
11:00 uur - Products Overview
11:30 uur - Pauze
12:00 uur - Solutions Overview
12:30 uur - Infrastructure Optimalization
13:00 uur - Lunch
14:00 uur - Delivering the VMware Message
14:45 uur - VSP Certification (Exam)
16:00 uur - Einde

This afternoon one of my students pointed me to the website of Data Robotics. They are offering the DroboPro which is a really cool, intelligent, but most of all cheap iSCSI server offering 8 disk bays.
Don’t confuse the DroboPro with a sad scene from Dumbo. DroboPro has been certified for use with VMware and is the first business class storage array that manages itself. Engineered to be both simple and scalable.

Grow your storage in line with your data capacity needs with minimal effort. To add capacity, simply insert a new hard disk or replace your smallest disk with a larger one, even when all eight-disk bays are full. Unlike traditional RAID systems, the BeyondRAID technology found in DroboPro enables you to mix n’ match capacities, disk brands and speeds. This allows for continuous expansion as disk capacities grow. With DroboPro expansion is automatic, instantaneous and access to data is always maintained.

If you’re looking for 8 TB of iSCSI storage for under for under € 2000 ? -> Drobo Pro 8 TB

VMware community member and fellow VCI, David O'Connor (w1nter -> you can follow this guy on Twitter now) is working on some great study resources for the VMware Enterprise exam, he just uploaded another part of the VCDX Study Guide.

Part 7: Security

He has already published:

Part 1: Storage
Part 2: Networking

You really should check out the new VMware vSphere Blog, it’s a central place for news, commentary, links to new resources and other information about VMware vSphere. I’ve seen some great articles popping up in the last two weeks.

Eric Siebert - Master’s guide to VMware Fault Tolerance
Barry Coombs - VMware FT
David Strebel - VMware Fault Tolerance Setup and Best Practices
Hany Michael - vSphere 4.0 Fault Tolerance (Architecture Diagram, Video and Use Cases)
Joep Piscaer - What I’ve learned from BC2961, “VMware Fault Tolerance Architecture and Performance”
Cody Bunch - Scheduling VMware’s FT (Fault Tolerance)
Rynardt Spies - VMware FT...Can you afford a SAN failure?
Roger Lund - VMware Fault Tolerance: What is it? What does it do?
Jason Boche - After enabling FT on a VM – subtleties to expect
Eric Sloof - Fault Tolerance at your home lab

The first round of the contest which features articles about Fault Tolerance is closed now. The next round “vNetwork Distributed Switch” will kick off next Monday. I just can’t wait for another round of great vNetwork articles in the coming two weeks. If you want to join the contest, don’t be shy and give John Troyer a heads up about your website.

If you’re a VMware Partner, you should check if your company has completed  all of the requirements necessary to remain at the Professional level in the VMware Partner Network.

Recently VMware introduced new benefits to best support your organization with a go-to market business model that is right for you. As a Professional partner in the Solution Provider program, your organization has access to sales & marketing tools, education through Partner University, presence on Partner Locator, not-for-resale licenses, select internal use licenses, and much more in order to best support your VMware business needs.

In the coming weeks I’ll deliver a series of VMware Sales Professional (VSP) and VMware Technical Sales Professional (VTSP) boot camps. This gives you the change to get completely certified in just three days.  If you’re interested you know how to reach me.

Ben Vierck over at Devfarm software has put together a list of what people liked most from their PowerWF VMworld presentation. The list also contains the links to corresponding YouTube screen cast videos.

To get things started ... There were 3 features that the people at VMWorld seemed to key in on when I ran the demo. 1) The built in PowerShell/PowerCLI interpreter, 2) using PowerWF to redirect data from PowerShell scripts into Perfmon and SCOM, and 3) using PowerWF to create plugins (activity packs) for PowerWF. Below are some videos showing those 3 things.

Interpretting PowerShell/PowerCLI

1) Convert PowerShell/PowerCLI to Workflow

2) Interpreting PowerShell If/Then/ElseIf/Else into Workflow

PowerWF as an Enabler for a Monitoring

1) PowerCLI data piped to SCOM via PowerWF

2) Interpreted PowerCLI To Perfmon

Creating PowerWF Plugins with PowerWF

1) Create an activity pack for PowerWF with PowerWF

I've just received the official VMware vSphere: Fast Track and Manage Availability training guides.

VMware vSphere: Fast Track

This intensive, extended-hours training course focuses on installing, configuring, managing, and troubleshooting VMware vSphere. It combines the content of the VMware vSphere 4: Install, Configure, Manage course with advanced tasks and skills for configuring a highly available and scalable virtual infrastructure. Upon completing this course, you can take the examination to qualify as a VMware Certified Professional.

Course Objectives:

• Install and configure VMware ESX™/ESXi, vCenter™ Server, and the vSphere Management Assistant
• Configure, manage, and troubleshoot ESX/ESXi networking and storage
• Create, configure, migrate, manage, convert, and monitor virtual machines and virtual appliances
• Scale the vSphere virtual infrastructure
• Implement business continuity solutions
• Manage changes to the vSphere environment

VMware vSphere: Manage Availability

This hands-on training course equips system administrators with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to achieve competence in building and running a highly available VMware vSphere 4 virtual infrastructure. At the end of the course, you should be able to understand the functionality in vSphere and be able to:

• List the components of business continuity
• Describe Microsoft Windows 2003 and 2008 cluster configurations
• Configure a VMware High Availability (HA) cluster using nondefault options
• Deploy fault-tolerant virtual machines using VMware Fault Tolerance (FT)
• Deploy VMware vCenter™ Server Heartbeat

VMware is pleased to announce the availability of the Design Exam. You can take the exam at Pearson VUE Professional Centers worldwide.  Only individuals who have successfully passed the Enterprise Administration Exam and have been authorized by VMware will be able to register to take this exam. 

Testing Program: VMware Advanced
Exam: VCD310: VMware Design Exam
Price: EUR 365.00

Start Date: 21 Sep 2009
End Date: 31 Dec 2009

After four successful meetings in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008, the Dutch VMware User Group announced it’s time for a fifth one! Viktor would like to invite you to attend the 2009 VMware User Group Event on the 11th of December at the Nieuwegein business centre. With over 3200 members this year’s event will become massive. Join the Dutch VMUG and learn best the practices and optimal use of VMware products, get answers, advice, tips, and suggestions from experts, discover new ideas and gain insight about Virtual Infrastructure, receive special information about new VMware products, network with other technical professionals and be part of the leading edge of VMware users.

Oracle wants to know if you are running your critical apps on Oracle in a Virtual environment.  Tod Nielsen the COO of VMware has met with Oracle President Charles Phillips in July. Charles appreciated Tod providing a list of over 500 VMware customers asking for Oracle to support their apps running on VMware. Charles did say this is a challenge for him as he has not personally received this request from customers, and until he does, cannot see making this a priority for his team. So the bottom line is that Charles doesn’t feel that many people run critical apps on Oracle in a Virtual environment

Charles is interested in hearing from you  on the matter. So if you’re running Oracle in a virtual machine, I encourage you to contact Charles directly. This will provide him the direct feedback he seeks in order to better understand the demand and assess the great opportunity for Oracle to leverage the VMware platform to differentiate against Oracle’s main competitors.