24 diciembre 2014

vRealize Operations Manager 6 initial deployment


vRO is finally here (old vCOps). There is a lot of changes in the new GA so try to review the releases notes and the new documentation:


https://www.vmware.com/support/pubs/vrealize-operations-manager-pubs.html



There is a new sizing guide with 4 new sizes from Extra-Small to Large 
http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=2093783

The main different with the las releases is that right now there is only one VM instead the older 2 VM in the the vApp version.
The first screen when you deploy the new vRO6 is a new helpfully wizard for an Express Installation, a New Installation(clustering) or Expand an Existing Installation adding new nodes:























CONTINUAR

06 diciembre 2014

Virtualizar un AD de Microsoft en VMware


Antes de virtualizar un dominio se debe tener en cuenta una serie de punto para evitar un comportamiento erratico de las fuciones de DC, especialmente en un Windows 2003 y 2008. 
Sin lugar a dudas, la mejor solucion es crear nuevos servidores "from scratch" (desde cero) y mover los roles y/o funciones del mismo. Ademas esto nos servira para actualizarnos de version de sistema operativo.... Windows 2003 termina soporte en 2015.



Todo esto cambia en Windows 2012 ya que Microsoft ha generado una nueva caracteristica llamada "VM-Generation ID" que permiote el clonado de AD evitando los problemas de roll-back de USN cuando una maquina virtual se revierte de una snapshot.


Esto tambien requiere que el hypervisor pueda generar un ID que exponga a la maquina virtual (VMware lo soporta desde las versiones vSphere 5-0 Update 2 (nivel de update que debe cumplir tanto en vCenter como en ESXi)
 
     Y que hay sobre la proteccion para un Disaster Recovery? Pues lo mejor es utilizar herramientas nativas de replicacion de AD y disponer de algun DC secundario en el site de recovery. SRM tambien es una opcion de proteccion pero teniendo siempre en cuenta una serie de puntos que se describen a partir del punto 4.4 del documento "Virtualizing Active Directory Domain Services On VMware vSphere"  


Must read Links:

22 noviembre 2014

VCP5-DCV Delta Recertification Exam... Passed!!!

Uno de los paths para recertificarse si eres VCP5 -DCV es aprobar el examen "VCP5-DCV Delta Recertification Exam – Exam Code VCP550D" que solo contempla preguntas relacionadas con las mejoras y novedades de la version vSphere 5.5

Recordar que todas las certificaciones obtenidas antes de Marzo de 2013 caducan en Marzo de 2015, las certificaciones obtenidas después de Marzo de 2013 tienen un plazo de 2 años para recertficarse.

Este examen solo esta disponible hasta el 30 de Noviembre de 2014, es un examen online de 65 preguntas tipo test como los VCP habituales con un coste de 90€ mas tasas.


Existe un pequeño curso gratuito de 1,5 horas que repasa todas las novedades muy recomendable "VMware vSphere: What’s New Fundamentals [V5.5]":
https://mylearn.vmware.com/mgrreg/courses.cfm?ui=www_edu&a=one&id_subject=51301

Recertification info: 
http://mylearn.vmware.com/mgrReg/plan.cfm?plan=46667&ui=www_cert

Exam VCP550D  info: 
https://mylearn.vmware.com/mgrReg/plan.cfm?plan=51919&ui=www_cert

17 noviembre 2014

vSphere Replication Calculator

En este enlace podremos calcular rapidamente el ancho de banda recomendado, el RPO o el numero de maquinas virtuales que podrian ser replicadas en nuestro entorno con apenas unos clicks: http://vmware.com/vrcalculator
En este ejemplo, calculamos el ancho de banda recomendado en funcion las las VM y las variaciones en los datos.En muchas ocaciones esos datos son dificles de calcular, con lque una aproximacion al alza nos dara una idea con ciertas garantias del ancho de banda necesario.








23 octubre 2014

VMware logs locations

vSphere Suite

vCenter Server (formerly VirtualCenter Server):
ESX(i):
vSphere Data Recovery:
vSphere Storage Appliance:
Site Recovery Manager
vCloud Suite

vCloud Director:
vShield/vCloud Networking and Security (vCNS):
VMware vCloud Automation Center 6.x:
vCenter Orchestrator:
Desktop Computing

View and Horizon View:
Horizon Mirage (formerly Mirage):
VMware Workstation:


16 octubre 2014

vSphere vCenter Server 5.5 BBDD en cluster

Desde la version vSphere 5.5 ya podemos configurar la base de datos en alta disponibilidad con soluciones de terceros como Microsoft o Veritas.
Si bien añadimos una capa de alta disponibilidad, no olvidemos que también añadimos mas complejidad a la solución y mas servicios que gestionar en la infraestructura.

Algunas de las soluciones soportadas son:

  • Microsoft Cluster Services (aka MSCS)
  • Microsoft SQL Server 2012 AlwaysON
  • Veritas Cluster Services (aka VCS)


Al margen de que VMware no da soporte a aplicaciones de terceros, al soportar este tipo de configuraciones el soporte ofrece un best effort para buscar soluciones a las incidencias, remitiendonos a su politica con terceros fabricantes de hard y soft que podeis leer en este enlace: https://www.vmware.com/support/policies/thirdparty

Para habilitar MSCS se deben seguir los siguientes pasos:

  1. Hacer copia de seguridad del fichero "vpxd.cfg" ubicado en la ruta "C:\ProgramData\Vmware\Vmware VirtualCenter\"
  2. Parar el servicio de VirtualCenter Server.
  3. Editar el fichero "vpxd.cfg" y cambiar a "true" el parametro "recoverForAllError": true
  4.  Grabar los cambios
  5. Arrancar de nuevo el servicio de VirtualCenter Server


Recordar tambien que con vSphere 5.5 se incoporra soporte a nuevas BBDD como son:

  • Oracle 12c
  • Microsoft SQL Server 2012 SP1
  • Microsoft SQL Server 2014

Documentación Oficial Relacionada:
http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=1024051

http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/search.do?cmd=displayKC&docType=kc&docTypeID=DT_KB_1_1&externalId=2059560

https://www.vmware.com/support/policies/thirdparty

09 octubre 2014

VMworld Eurpe 2014 .....tic tac tic tac



Cambiar la bbdd de #VMware #vSphere de SQL a ORACLE

Para apuntar la bbdd de VMware vSphere vCenter de un SQL a Oracle o viceversa, es necesario modificar el registro, con el servicio de vCenter previamente parado....claaaaaro!

Los parametros ha cambiar en la ruta
"HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE - SOFTWARE - VMware, Inc. - VMware VirtualCenter-DB":



En el siguiente hilo se trata este tema: https://communities.vmware.com/thread/308260 donde podeis encontrar los pasos a seguir:


Then go to registry and browse to 
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE - SOFTWARE - VMware, Inc. - VMware VirtualCenter - DB

You will see 1,2,3,4,5.  Change them as follows:
1. Should be the name of your ODBC Connection name.
2. This is your oracle username you use.
3. This is for your password.  We can generate a hashed version of your password later, so don't touch.
4. This is the ODBC driver.  You should change it from "SQL Native Client" or whatever it is to "Oracle"
5. This is the version.  You should be able to leave this.

Now in cmd prompt run C:\Program Files\VMware\Infrastructure\VirtualCenter Server\vpxd.exe -p
Enter your Oracle password.
Now start your service.  If it starts correctly then all is well.

I have recently moved from Oracle to MSSQL 2008R2.  I opted to create a new vCenter server and migrate all of my data using PowerCLI scripts.  I feel this is a bit cleaner.



01 octubre 2014

12 septiembre 2014

NSX 6.1.0 for vSphere is now GA



NSX vSphere 6.1 includes multiple new features as well as operations, consumption, and hardening enhancements.
  • Highly available NSX Edge clusters with faster uplink speeds
    Equal Cost Multi-Path (ECMP)
    NSX enables you to create highly available and distributed NSX Edge clusters, provides high-bandwidth uplink connection to physical networks, and also ensures active-active redundancy at network virtualization edge - all in software. ECMP on NSX Edge allows up to 80 GBps of aggregate North-South bandwidth and enables a scaleout edge.

  • Enhanced micro-segmentation and firewall operations
    NSX 6.1 improves micro-segmentation capabilities by providing improved provisioning, troubleshooting, and monitoring with NSX Distributed and Edge Firewalls. There is a new unified interface for configuring both Distributed and Edge firewalls. Integration of NSX with vCAC 6.1 allows for security automation workflows to be integrated with compute automation. In addition, NSX 6.1 enables traffic redirection to network and security partner products like Next Generation Firewalls and Intrusion Prevention Services.

  • Connect multiple data centers or offer hybrid cloud services in Software Defined Datacenter (SDDC)
    Layer 2 VPN on NSX Edge
    With Layer 2 VPN, enterprises can migrate workloads, consolidate datacenters, or create stretched application tiers across multiple datacenters. Service providers can offer tenant on-boarding and cloud bursting services where tenant application networks are preserved across datacenters without the need for NSX on customer premises.

  • Unified IP Address management across entire data center
    DHCP Relay With DHCP Relay, you can integrate existing DHCP services available in physical data centers into SDDC. This ensuring a consistent IP addressing policy and easy IP management across the entire data center. NSX vSphere 6.1 supports multiple DHCP servers on a single logical router and allows multiple existing DHCP servers to be integrated.

  • NSX Load Balancer Enhancement
    To allow the load balancing and high availability of more applications hosted in NSX, UDP and FTP load balancing is now available on NSX. This allows the load balancing of applications such as syslog, NTP, DNS.

  • Protect Application Delivery Controller (ADC) investments and seamlessly leverage them in SDDC
    Tight integrations with partners to enable ADCaaS
    NSX 6.1 allows customers using NSX partner ADCs to protect their investment and leverage advanced ADC services from best-of-breed vendors. This out-of-the-box solution brings operational simplicity, integrated workflows, auto deployment of resources, and a central pane for troubleshooting and monitoring both virtual and physical ADCs.

  • Advanced host or network security services within SDDC
    Enhanced partner integration with Service Composer supports multiple security services including suite solutions that comprise host versus network based services in a single policy.

  • Dynamic and secure self-service in SDDC
    NSX 6.1 with vCloud Automation Center ® helps you optimize resource utilization and scale by dynamically connecting self-service applications to NSX logical networks while ensuring that infrastructure security policies are automatically applied to isolate and protect the applications.

25 agosto 2014

Nueva certificacion VMware Certified Professional – Network Virtualization (VCP-NV)

Ya esta disponible la nueva certificacion de redes VCP-NV y VCDX-NV



Si ya eres VCP , puedes presentarte al examen directamente aunque se recomienda realizar el curso de ICM de NSX (VMware NSX: Install, Configure Manage).

Y como detalle a destacar, si eres CCNA o CCNP tambien puedes presentarte al examen aunque como en el punto anterior tambien se recomienda realizar el curso ICM y/o los Labs.
Si no me falla la memoria es la primera vez que con una certificacion externa a VMware se permite realizar una certificacion interna :-)




Info del producto NSX   http://www.vmware.com/products/nsx

Info de las certificaciones: 

VMware Certified Professional – Network Virtualization (VCP-NV)
http://mylearn.vmware.com/mgrReg/plan.cfm?plan=51111&ui=www_cert

VCDX – Network Virtualization (VCDX-NV)
https://mylearn.vmware.com/mgrReg/plan.cfm?plan=51110&ui=www_cert



17 julio 2014

VMware vCenter Operations Manager (vCOps): how to create specfic Groups

In this case, Groups are refereed to items which are suitable to be monitoring, not for user groups or similar as i just wrote in other post
Let´s go! From the vSphere UI portal (https://ip/vcops-vsphere) click on the top option "Configuration" and the select the tab "Manage Group Typs" and add a new one by click on the plus button:


Now, in the top page, next to  the World icon, click on "Actions" and select Create new group..."


Follow the wizard and add the group  created on the Type option:


On the second step add the VMs or the object/item that you want to add to the Group:



Now, you can see the specific group holding on the Groups icon:



13 julio 2014

VMware vCenter Operations Manager (vCOps): assign user access to custom dashboards

From the Custom UI portal (https://ip/vcops-custom) and with admin rights, go to de ADMIN tab and select SECURITY.

Create a new Accoun Group first and after a User Account as shown below:








 Once we have the Group and the User, it´s time to assign access to the custom dashboard.
Go to the HOME tab, select the dashboard and click on SHARE:



Select the dashboard that you want to share and "drag-an-drop" to the Group (from the right pane to the left pane).


 Let´s go to test it! Open the Custom UI portal with the credentials of the new user and verify that this user only have access to the specific custom dashboard:

 

11 julio 2014

VMware vCenter Operations Manager (vCOps): import users from LDAP

As you can´t add the vCOps vApp to an Active Directory domain or LDAP system, you have two options: create local user and groups on the vCOps or import users from an LDAP.

Let´s go! Connect to the Custom UI portal (https://ip/vcops-custom) and click on the Security option on the ADMIN tab (top pane) as shown below:


After click o0n the "Import From LDAP" button, you must add the IP, the Base DN of your AD and an user and pass with enough rights to access.
Once you fill the blanks, click on Load LDAP Groups and add the groups on the down-right pane:


Click the in OK and  return to the previous screen. Click "Lookup" and select the users/groups found:


Now you can view the user and add it to the specific Account Groups on the User Management:.


It´s time to test it!  Go to the Custom UI portal or vSphere UI portal and try to access with the user name as it appears on the Account Groups (format: user@domain)


Voila!!!!


24 junio 2014

Use Resource Pool , or not use Resource Pool... that´s the question

Really the question is no about use it or not, it´s more about if you  really know how a Resource Pool works within a cluster environment.

For example, the first rule is NOT deploy VMs and RP holding on the same hierarchy, for example:



The reason is obvious..... look at the Resource Allocation tab from the cluster and review the % shares. If you compare it, the vApp called vCOps has the same % than the RP Normal, and compete for the resources in the same shares.

The next big thing you must review, is how many resources do  you have in each RP, for example, if you have 10 CPUs deployed on the RP Normal, it means that each CPU has 2,1% shares.
In other hand, imagine you  have 5CPUs deployed on the RP Low, which means that each CPU has 2% shares. ¿make sense or not?

Then you have CPU competing with the same % even if they are RP Normal or RP Low... epic fail !!!

Now, imaging that we delete the VM called Test 01, look  now how the % shares change, every element gains % shares but we still have a gap  with the vCOps  vApp.


It could be even more complex a Resource Pool  management  :-)

Imagine now, within a RP  that we deploy 2 VM, one with 1cpu and the other with 2cpu.
In a initial stage with normal shares for each, the VM 1cpu will get 33% shares from the RP Normal and the VM 2cpu will get 66% shares as shown below:


Everything it´s ok? But, before we change the shares for the VM 1cpu and set it to High:


Then, we have now two VM with different Shares, competing with the same 50 % shares. This could be what we try to get changing the shares, but, usually is not the desire situation.

So, be carefully when use Resource Pools in order to have more benefits than anomalies with the results of the % shares calculation...and of  course "don´t use it to organize your VMs within a cluster, use folders!"

23 junio 2014

VMware vCenter Server 5.1 Update 1b (Build 1891313)

The last version was released las 12th June, with the bulid 1891313 for the vCenter Server 5.5 Update 1b and for the vCenter Server Appliance 5.5 Update 1b  with the build 1891314.


Remenber take care with the update secuence as show above:



If you have installed the last version before this update v5.5, you can easy update all the components trough the new iso. download it, and execute the menu, where you must update in the same way you installed it, it is, simple install  or custom install, and the best is taht you don´t need to restart your virtual machine (you services will need to be restarted during the installation)



For this example, we have the build 1750787 installed with the "Custom Install" process the first time, don´t  care if you  don´t know how it was installed, beacuse if you mix the process, you will not be able to continue the process until you  change the wizard from the other type:



Executing the ISO, you will be alert about an earlier version of vCenter componentes...in order to update all of them:


No reboots requirements , only the services needs to be restarted if you choose to close them during the update process:



The final custom component is the vCenter Server:



And volia! Finally, verify taht you have the las build 1891313





Download Link  vCenter Server 5.5 Update 1b: 

https://my.vmware.com/web/vmware/info/slug/datacenter_cloud_infrastructure/vmware_vsphere/5_5

20 junio 2014

How to solve the error when enable VUM plugin fails with: "There was an error connecting to VMware vCenter Update Manager server name:443"

When trying to enable the Update Manager Plugin and get this error: "There was an error connecting to VMware vCenter Update Manager :443" , the only thing we need to to is review the logon account for the VUM Service on the Windows Server where it is installed.


Go to Services and change the Log On "This accoun" to the account with rights services for the "VMware vSphere Update Manager Service":


Stop and start the Service and go back to  the Plg-in manager an enable the VUM plug-in: