Module 0

• Whats New      
• VMware ESX Server. Platform for virtualizing servers, storage and networking.
• VMware VMFS3. High-performance cluster file system for storage virtualization.
• VMware Virtual SMP. Multi-processor support for virtual machines.
• VMware VirtualCenter. Centralized management, automation and optimization for I3.
• VMware HA. Cost effective high availability for virtual machines.
• VMware DRS. Dynamic balancing and allocation of resources for virtual machines.
• VMware VMotion. Live migration of virtual machines without service interruption.
• VMware Consolidated Backup. Centralized backup software for virtual machines.
• VMware Linensing. FlexLM licensing model. Server and Host based

Module 1

• Introduction      
• Target Audience      
• VMware Terms and Concepts      
• Host     
• Virtual Machine (VM)     
• Encapsulation
• Portability     
• P to V
• Isolation      
• Idealized Hardware      
• Virtualization Layer     
• VMnet      
• VMnic      
• Virtual Switch     
• VMFS Volumes and Physical Extents      
• Swap Space     
• Root      
• Case Sensitive      
• Infrastructure Client      
• The Service Console     
• Summary      
• Solutions Fast Track     
• Frequently Asked Questions     

Module 2: Installation

• Introduction      
• Pre-installation Tasks      
• The ESX Server Build Document      
• Performing the Installation     
• Installation of ESX Server 3.0      
• Graphical Installer      
• Installation Process     
• Post-installation Tasks     
• Reporting a Problem      
• Summary      
• Solutions Fast Track
• Frequently Asked Questions

Module 3: Configuring a Virtual Machine, Gold Builds, and Clones  

• Introduction      
• Virtual Machine Basics     
• Configuring a Virtual Machine     
• Loading the Operating System      
• Gold Builds and Clones     
• Modify Your Master     
• Summary      
• Frequently Asked Questions

Module 4: Advanced Configurations

• Introduction      
• Network Traffic Shaping      
• Disk Bandwidth      
• CPU Management,Affinity      
• NUMA and Processor/Memory Affinity      
• Raw Device Mapping      
• Clusters     
• Cluster Types      
• Cluster in a Box      
• Cluster across Boxes     
• Consolidated Cluster Cost-Effective Standby Host      
• Network Load Balancing     
• Geo-Clustering     
• Building a Two-Node Cluster in a Box with
• Windows 2003 Server, Enterprise Edition      
• Summary      
• Solutions Fast Track     
• Frequently Asked Questions

Module 5: Virtual Networking

• Introduction      
• Virtual Switches     
• VMnets      
• VMnics      
• Network Labels     
• Creating Virtual Switches     
• Physical and Virtual NICS      
• Physical NICs      
• The Service Console NIC     
• Virtual NICs      
• Bonded NICs
• MAC Addresses
• MAC Address Overview      
• Manually Setting MAC Addresses      
• Port Groups and VLANs      
• Networking Tools      
• service network restart      
• findnic      
• ifconfig      
• Summary      
• Solutions Fast Track     
• Frequently Asked Questions     

Module 6: Physical-to-Virtual Migrations

• Introduction
• P-to-V Terms
• P-to-V for Free
• cat Your Hard Drive
• cat P-to-V Prerequisites      
• cat Process     
• BartPE      
• Legal Issues      
• P-to-V with BartPE      
• Creating Your BartPE Disc
• Including Ghost 8.0     
• Including Network Driver for Your Physical Server
• Including Disk Drivers for Your Physical Server
• Creating a Share or Swing Virtual Machine
• Network and Mapped Drive Setup      
• The Image Source Server
• Image the Target Virtual Server      
• Prerequisites     
• Hal and Ntoskrnl
• VMware P2V Assistant 2.1.1
• Platespin PowerP2V
• P-to-V Conclusion      
• Summary
• Solutions Fast Track
• Frequently Asked Questions

Module 7: Server Consolidation

• Introduction
• Server Consolidation and Virtualization Defined
• Adoption and Support of Server Virtualization
• Business Case and Technical Requirements
• Technology Strategy:Technology Refresh and Aging
• Infrastructure      
• Cost Performance
• Service Agility
• Simplifying the Environment      
• Compliance and Risk Reduction
• High-Level Requirements
• Classification and Estimated Work Hours
• The Financial Model
• Developing Your Project Methodology

    Establishing the Project

• Best Practices
• Addressing Typical Challenges
• Gathering Data and Application/Server Inventory
• structured Interviews
• Application Inventory
• Process Documentation
• Application Repository
• Buy In and Collation
• Assessment
• Application Readiness
• Rationalization
• Technical Leadership to Provide Guidance and Structure
• Assessing Processes, Roles, and Responsibilities Technology Design
• Testing and Validating
• Capacity Planning
• Migration
• Summary
• Solutions Fast Track
• Frequently Asked Questions

Module 8: Cool Tools for a Virtual Infrastructure

• Introduction
• ISO Images and WinISO WinSCP
• PuTTY
• NewSID
• Platespins PowerP2V and PowerRecon
• VirtualCenter 2.0 Vmotion
• vmkfstools and vmware-cmd
• vmkfstools
• vmkfstools Basics
• vmware-cmd
• VMware Tools
• Summary
• Solutions Fast Track
• Frequently Asked Questions

Module 9: Administering a Virtual Infrastructure

• Introduction
• VMware Tools for Managing the Virtual Infrastructure
• ESXServer Management Interface and the Service
• Console     
• VMware VirtualCenter      
• VMware Remote Console
• Understanding Virtual Center Terms and Managed Components
• Software Components
• VirtualCenter Organizational Hierarchy      
• Functional Components      
• Installing and Configuring VirtualCenter 2.0
• VirtualCenter Server
•     System Requirements      
•     VirtualCenter Server
• VirtualCenter Client
• VirtualCenter Managed Host Requirements VirtualCenter Managed Virtual Machine Requirements
• Setting Up Microsoft SQL Server for VirtualCenter 2.0
• Creating the Database for VirtualCenter Installation
• VMware VirtualCenter 2.0
• Installation Procedures Configuring VirtualCenter 2.0
• Logging In to Virtual Center
• Creating Data Center Groups
• Adding a New Host to a Data Center
• Configuring Security Settings in Virtual Center
• Using VirtualCenter to Administer Your Virtual Infrastructure
• Creating Virtual Machine Groups
• Managing Virtual Machine Groups and Virtual Machines
• Creating a New VM in VirtualCenter      
• Cloning an Existing VM      
• Creating a Template     
• Deploying the New VM from the Template
• Migrating Virtual Machines      
• Hot migration (VMotion)      
• Cold Migration (Migrating Powered Down VMs without VMotion)
• Working with the VM Console in VirtualCenter
• Monitoring Resources and Managing Performance
• through VirtualCenter
• Host Alarms      
• Host Alarm Actions     
• VM Alarms     
• VM Alarm Actions
• Creating a New Host Alarm      
• Reviewing Events      
• Viewing Performance Data and Configuring
• Resource Allocations     
• Scheduled Tasks in VirtualCenter      
• Using the Management Interface and Service Console to
• Administer the Virtual Infrastructure     
• Virtual Machine Security in ESX Server      
• Viewing and Editing File Permissions with the Infrastructure Client
• Creating New Users and Groups or Modifying Existing
• Users and Groups on ESX Server      
• Modifying Existing Users or Creating New Users     
• Modifying Existing Groups or Creating New Groups
• Integrating ESX Server with Active Directory
• Configuring Your PAM to Work with Active
• Directory      
• Performance Monitoring and Management through
• ESX Server      
• Performance Monitoring     
• Performance Tuning

Module 10: Best Practices, Gotchas, and Common

Problems

• Introduction      
• Best Practices     
• ESX Server Hardware      
• Purchasing Supported Hardware     
• Multiple NICs     
• Memory     
• Documentation     
• Server Sizing     
• Disks     
• ESX Server Software      
• Practice, Practice, Practice     
• Security     
• The Service Consoles Swap Space     
• VMkernel Swap Space     
• Backups      
• Modifying or Updating the Linux Kernel on
• Your ESX Server     
• Virtual Machine Builds      
• Using Templates     
• Defrag     
• Virtual Machine Swap     
• Guest OS Memory Requirements      
• Mixing Your Virtual Machine Workloads      
• ISOs     
• Turning Off the Unnecessary     
• Keeping Off the Unnecessary     
• Administrative Tasks      
• MonitorIts Not so Reptilian      
• Licensing     
• Gotchas     
• Virtual Evolution     
• Microsoft Support      
• Common Problems      
• Being Unable to Boot from Your Operating
• System ISO     
• Sluggish Windows     
• Shutting Down the Host      
• Summary      
• Solutions Fast Track     
• Frequently Asked Questions     

Module 11: VMware Under the Covers

• Introduction      
• Understanding the ESX Server File and Directory Structure     
• The Service Console Directory Structure      
• Critical ESX Server Configuration Files     
• The ESX Server Boot Process      
• High-Level Boot Process for ESX Server      
• Detailed Boot Process      
• The Start-up Process      
• Interaction between the Service Console, VMkernel,
• and Virtual Machines     
• Service Console Services      
• Virtual Machines Processes     
• VMkernel Services      
• Summary      
• Solutions Fast Track     
• Frequently Asked Questions     

Module 12: Backup Strategies for ESX Server

and Virtual Machines  

• Introduction      
• Backing Up the Service Console      
• Backing Up Virtual Machines     
• Backing Up Virtual Machines Like Physical Servers
• Pros Cons
• Backing Up Virtual Disk Files
• Backing up Virtual Machines (Virtual Disk) from the Service Console
• Cons and Pros
• Creating a Snapshot for Backups
• Cons and Pros
• Best Practices
• General Recommendations for Backups Planning
• Boot Disk Contents
• Backup Schedule
• Summary
• Solutions Fast Track
• Frequently Asked Questions

Module 13: Common and Necessary Command-Line Interface (CLI) Commands

• Introduction
• Using the Command-Line Interface
• Connecting to the Service Console
• Virtual Terminal
• Remote Access Card SSH Client
• Telnet
• Man Pages
• Command-Line Shortcuts
• Command History
• Basic Commands for Directories and Files
• Changing Directories
• Moving and Copying Files
• Finding Files and Searching Their Content
• Searching Virtual Machine Configuration Files for Important
• Information
• Editing Text Files
• Editing with vi
• Editing with Nano
• Managing Users and Groups
• Managing Directory and File Ownership and Permissions
• Changing Permissions on a File or Directory Changing File or Directory Owner or Group
• Affiliation
• Archiving and Compressing Files and Directories Mounting ISO Images, CD-ROMs, and Virtual
• Disks in the Service Console
• Configuring and Managing ESX Server Service Console from the Command Line
• Managing Processes, Restarting Services, and Viewing Performance Statistics
• Managing Processes
• Restarting Services
• Viewing Service Console Performance Statistics
• Managing Physical and Virtual Disks
• Installing and Managing Software Packages
• Managing Devices and Changing Hardware and
• Network Settings
• Managing Virtual Machines from the Command Line
• Using vmware-cmd to Manage Virtual Machines Viewing Performance Data for Virtual Machines
• with esxtop
• Adding a New Virtual Disk, Blank Virtual Disk, and Extending Your Existing Virtual Disk
• Performing Backups and Restores of Virtual Machine Virtual Disks
• Summary
• Solutions Fast Track
• Frequently Asked Questions