Tips

Tips

VMware ESX and ESXi administrative tips

• VMware vSphere Replication breaks disaster recovery storage barriers

  VSphere Replication eliminates expensive disaster recovery storage requirements. SMBs no longer have to be jealous of enterprises’ DR plans.  Continue Reading

• CapacityIQ: Installing VMware’s capacity planning tool

  CapacityIQ adds an advanced reporting element to vCenter Server. By installing this capacity planning tool, you can capacity-plan for infrastructure expansion and control VM sprawl.  Continue Reading

• Five ways to increase your server consolidation ratio

  Bosses love server consolidation, because it reduces costs. To keep your bosses smiling, find new ways to increase your consolidation ratio.  Continue Reading

• Installing VMware Tools: Believe the hype

  Installing VMware Tools adds an eclectic mix of management and performance capabilities to a VMware infrastructure. There are only a few downsides, and it’s free.  Continue Reading

• Playing god with VMware host resources

  The first commandment of allocating VMware host resources: Thou shall not accept ESXi’s default CPU and memory assignments.  Continue Reading

• VMware troubleshooting done right

  VMware troubleshooting can seem like an impossible task, even after calling VMware for support. But there are ways to make the VMware troubleshooting process quicker and easier.  Continue Reading

• VMware backup tools and strategies for small businesses

  Virtualization has trickled down to small businesses, presenting IT pros with new challenges. Choosing the proper VMware backup tools and strategies is one such obstacle.  Continue Reading

• Installing and configuring VMware ESXi

  Learn how to install and configure VMware's small footprint hypervisor, VMware ESXi, now available for free.  Continue Reading

• Virtual machine migration: The old-fashioned way

  These days virtual machine migration is a given, unless you run the free version of ESXi. If a host requires maintenance, you’ll need to manually migrate VMs off it.  Continue Reading

• VCenter CapacityIQ by the numbers

  Knowledge is power, and vCenter CapacityIQ provides metrics on vital infrastructure resources. Armed with this data, you can make sound logistical and workload decisions.  Continue Reading

• VSphere Host Profiles vs. PowerCLI: The war for automation supremacy

  Both vSphere Host Profiles and PowerCLI scripts automate the host-provisioning process, but each tool has strengths and limitations.  Continue Reading

• Important business decisions for VMware SRM: RTO and RPO

  When it comes to VMware SRM, business decisions drive many of the technical aspects. Many of these decisions are out of IT’s control, which can make things complicated.  Continue Reading

• Deleting virtual machine snapshots without wasting disk space

  You can avoid wasting disk space and performance problems when deleting, or committing, virtual machine snapshots.  Continue Reading

• Free shared-storage options for VMware ESXi

  While shared storage isn’t a requirement, it’s a best practice for VMware ESXi infrastructures of all sizes. For cost-conscious IT shops, consider free shared-storage options.  Continue Reading

• Filling VMware vCenter Server management voids

  VMware vCenter Server management is second nature for most administrators, but the product isn’t perfect. Luckily, several available tools can fix vCenter Server’s shortcomings.  Continue Reading