VMware - vSphere
Mastering VMware vSphere with ESX and vCenter
This is a live online course.
Introduction
The vSphere suite of products consisting of: ESX Server 4.0,
vCenter 4.0 and VMware Consolidated Backup, is both exceptionally
powerful and comprehensive. Our advanced course is intended for
students with significant production experience in the vSphere
product suite. It is our intention to take your existing knowledge
base and expand upon that.
Classroom Setup
Each student will have a Windows Server 2003 workstation. Our
classroom lab will share a cluster of ESX Servers, a variety of
different Storage solutions (SAN, NAS, ISCSI, local, etc..) as
needed, a vCenter Server, VCB proxy server, Lab Manager
server, Backup Server, VDM Connection Server, access to many
already pre-configured VM's (Microsoft, Novell, Red Hat, Ubuntu
…etc). Students will also be given a CD containing many valuable
tools for supporting, troubleshooting and administrating a virtual
infrastructure. At the end of the course students will have the
option to take the VC-MIA (Master Infrastructure Architect) Exam
thus reinforcing concepts learned.
Prerequisites
- ESX Server familiarity
- vCenter or vSphere usage
- vCenter or vSphere administration
- Excellent familiarity with Windows
- Some familiarity with Linux
- Understanding VMFS
- VMFS Limits
- ESX Server Memory
- Required Partitions
- Optional Partitions
- ESX Installation
- Post-installation tasks
- Scripted Installations
- Download and install vSphere client
- Log in to ESX Server
- Configure VMKernel Port Group
- Make changes to ESX Firewall
- Create VMFS volume(s)
- Configure NTP services
- Verify ESX server security
Section 1 - Building the Infrastructure
Module 1 - Creating Enterprise ESX
Servers
- Understanding VMFS
- VMFS Limits
- ESX Server Memory
- Required Partitions
- Optional Partitions
- ESX Installation
- Post-installation tasks
- Scripted Installations
Module 2 - Configuring ESX Servers for the first
time
- Download and install vSphere client
- Log in to ESX Server
- Configure VMKernel Port Group
- Make changes to ESX Firewall
- Create VMFS volume(s)
- Configure NTP services
- Verify ESX server security
Module 3 - Virtual Networking and ESX Server Security
Architecture
- Understanding ESX Server Security
- The Virtualization Layer
- Service Console Security
- Virtual Networking
- Virtual Switch Security
- Virtual Switch Isolation
- VLAN's
- XML Configuration for Port Access
- CLI Configuration
- Create VMkernel Connection Type
- Enable ISCSI and configure targets
- Attach ESX Servers to iSCSI
- Security Recommendations
Module 4 - Hardening the ESX Server
- The ESX Server Firewall
- XML Configuration
- CLI Configuration
Module 5 - ESX Storage Architecture
- ESX Storage Architecture
- ESX Storage Systems
- Local Storage
- NAS
- iSCSI
- SAN Overview
- SAN Components
- SAN Reliability
- ESX Storage Comparison
Module 6 - Connecting to ISCSI SAN
- Create VMkernel Connection Type
- Enable ISCSI and configure targets
- Attach ESX Servers to iSCSI
Module 7 - Advanced vCenter Configuration and
Clustering
- Cluster Types
- DRS
- Distributed Power Management
- VMware High Availability
- HA Advanced Options
- Cluster Strategy
- VMotion
- Storage VMotion
Section 2 - Administrating the
Infrastructure
Module 8 - Infrastructure Upgrade to vSphere
- Review Phases of upgrade
- Upgrading Virtual Center
- Upgrading VIC
- Use of Update Manager for upgrade
- Upgrading vCenter Plugins
- Upgrading VMware tools
Module 9 - Virtual Machines and Appliances
- Virtual Appliances
- Exporting Virtual Machines
- Importing Virtual Machines
- OVF - Open Virtualization Format
- 3rd Party Tools
- Summary
Module 10 - Advanced 3rd Party Tools
- vCenter Plug-ins
- VM Disk Partitioning Tools
- Diagnostic Tools
- Performance Monitoring Tools
- Reporting Tools
- Backup, DR and HA
- USB and Dongle Support Tools
- PDA/Smart Phone Tools
Module 11 - VMware Consolidated Backup
- VCB at a Glance
- Architecture
- Installation
- Configuration
- Integration
Module 12 - Upgrading and Patching ESX Hosts
- Command Line Patches
-
Patch Manager
Section 3 - Advance Administration and
Diagnostics
Module 13 - vDS
- Create vNetwork Distibuted Switch (vDS)
- vDS Achitecture
- Add ports
- Add Hosts
- Migrate VM's
- Connect vNics
Module 14 - Host Profiles
- Host Profiles Usage Model
- Access Host Profiles View
- Creating a Host Profile
- Edit a Host Profile
- Associate with Additional Hosts/Cluster
- Checking Compliance
- Benefits
Module 15 - Linking vCenter Servers
- Defining Linking Mode
- Liked Mode Prerequisites
- Joining a Linked Mode Group during and after Installation
- vCenter Maximums
Module 16 - VM - Fault Tolerance
- Fault Tolerance and Virtualization
- Fault Tolerance in the Physical World
- Benefits of VMware Fault Tolerance
- Implementing FT
Module 17 - Log File Analysis and Session Management
- ESX Server Log Files
- vCenter Server Log Files
- Virtual Machine Log Files
- Session Management
Module 18 - Command Line Tools
ESX CLI Commands
- esxcfg commands
- vmkfstools command
- vmkping
- vmware-cmd
- top
- esxtop
- vm-support
- esxupdate
ISO and FLP Images
VMware Remote CLI
Module 19 - Critical ESX and Virtual Machine Files
- Critical ESX Files
- Virtual Machine Files
- Resilient
- Non-Resilient
Module 20 - Runlevels and Services
- Runlevels defined
- ESX Runlevels
- The inittab file
- Services available on ESX
- ESX specific services
- /etc/rcX.d
- Summary
Module 21 - Disaster Recovery
- Virtual Infrastructure Architecture
- Planning for DR
- Asynchronous Mirroring Defined
- DR Models
- DR Components
- Redundancy and Rebuilding
Appendix
Appendix A - VMware Licensing for ESX Server and vCenter
Appendix B - ESX Server Command Line Tools
Appendix C - Design and Planning Tools
Appendix D - Microsoft Clustering
Appendix E - DR and Site Recovery Manager and Left Hand SAN