OCAU VMware Virtualisation Group!

[tensop]

Issue fixed, the .NET libraries from nlite .net alternative were causing the issue

Thanks to rezin on the ocau channel for pointing me in the right direction

[uneeek]

bit of a n00b question...

If I'm restricted to running ESX on a lone server, and without a Virtual Center license, how complicated is it to manage say half a dozen virtual machines? Am I missing out on any critical features that form part of Virtual Center that can be used in a lone server setup? I know features like Vmotion require 2 servers, but in VMware's material they never seem to specify these details for us smaller players

Cheers

[fad]

I think the big one is templates.

-fad

[joe_sixpack]

Originally Posted by uneeek

bit of a n00b question...

If I'm restricted to running ESX on a lone server, and without a Virtual Center license, how complicated is it to manage say half a dozen virtual machines? Am I missing out on any critical features that form part of Virtual Center that can be used in a lone server setup? I know features like Vmotion require 2 servers, but in VMware's material they never seem to specify these details for us smaller players

Cheers

When I managed a single stand alone ESX servers, the only real problem I had versus having a Virtual Center server, was the patch management of the ESX servers.

Patch management for ESX is basically a case of manually downloading the required patches and using the CLI to apply them. There's no GUI application to manage it for you.

[lavi]

biggest is no templates and no consolidated backup but both can be overcome d by smart scripting

[Doc-of-FC]

Originally Posted by lavi

biggest is no templates and no consolidated backup but both can be overcome d by smart scripting

i clone the basic server build every time i need a server and i use NDMP for backups

$$$ + scripting == WIN

[Wynne]

The infrastructure client comes with the update tool in order to patch your esx boxes, so that shouldn't be a problem..

[lavi]

Originally Posted by Doc-of-FC

i clone the basic server build every time i need a server and i use NDMP for backups

$$$ + scripting == WIN

i clone and snapshot then copy to nfs then commit snapshot all in one go nightly

[joe_sixpack]

Originally Posted by Wynne

The infrastructure client comes with the update tool in order to patch your esx boxes, so that shouldn't be a problem..

Doesn't work without VC.

[uneeek]

looks like VC is needed for most stuff.

Next question: is VC installed on a client or server generally? And where would the templates be stored? Is the template like an image or just configurations?

I'll read up on consolidated backup

thanks

[lavi]

most say install vc on a separate server i say hell no! you're not meant to virutalize the sql server so use that to store the vc db and virutalize it, worst case scenario you can always install the license server on a xp box and point the hosts to it if you decide to install a separate vc server and it dies

consolidated backup simply rocks i'm in process or writing my own interface for it, vizioncore stuff is waaaay to expensive

[talking goat]

I am complete noob, but I just bought vizioncore vReplicator for $500 per OS and its rocking. Does it use consolidated backup?

I noticed it seems to act as a co-ordinator for some of the tools already present in my VC, telling it to run snapshots etc.

What I dont understand is how it can snapshot something so quickly when there could be GB of file changes....... I did a test failover on a test VC I have which is simply a remote desktop box and it worked fine but it is not data heavy. The main target for the replication is our SBS box with over 2million images used on our webserver and updaed hourly/daily with more.

[NIP007]

Our ESX V3.5 environment here is rocking. We have two SQL servers virtualised (one hosting the db for our critical ERP system), Exchange 2003, six Citrix servers (one internal web interface server, licensing server, and four application servers), pretty much 90% of our environment is virtualised. The only physical servers we have are: backup DC, servers in the DMZ, and our backup server. We have around 20-24 virtual servers on two hosts and our hardware isn't even breaking a sweat.

[stalin]

We have been moving a bunch of our VMware stuff over to Novell Xen on SUSE.
All I can say is, holey crap its fast.
I migrated my windows desktop VM host to Linux (openSUSE Xen 3.2) and my VM'd windows host boots in 5 seconds (rounded down for more wow factor). Disk IO is great.

I'm thoroughly impressed.. not going to worry about VMware again, for home or work.

[NIP007]

That would be awesome.. I kinda miss working with Novell stuff