Tips

Tips

• PowerShell scripting with VMware ESX tutorial: Installing and using the PowerShell tool

  Recent VMware VI Toolkit releases include PowerShell scripting functionality, which can ease VMware management tasks. In this tutorial, learn how to install PowerShell and the VI Toolkit.  Continue Reading

• Connecting VMware ESX to LeftHand's virtual storage appliance

  Adding a virtual storage appliance (VSA) to your VMware infrastructure enables you to take full advantage of technologies like VMware High Availability and VMotion. Get step-by-step instructions to connect ESX Server with LeftHand Networks' iSCSI ...  Continue Reading

• The top 10 free VMware tools of 2008

  If the economic downturn has prompted your shop to cut its IT budget, you to search for lower-cost virtualization management tools, this guide features the top 10 free virtualization management tools of 2008.  Continue Reading

• Assessing VMware ESX server security with TripWire ConfigCheck

  An out-of-the-box VMware ESX Server can fail 45 out of 77 security parameters set forth by the VMware Infrastructure 3 security hardening guide. TripWire ConfigCheck can alert you to vulnerabilities and provide directions for remediation.  Continue Reading

• Managing virtual networks with VMware's Workstation and the Virtual Network Editor

  VMware Workstation's Virtual Network Editor can be intimidating and difficult to master, but it's an important tool for creating and managing virtual networks.  Continue Reading

• Manipulating VMware log file space via log file rotation settings

  VMware ESX and vCenter log files are crucial for troubleshooting and need to be readily available, but log files can be space hogs. You can tweak log rotation settings to prevent log files from taking up too much space and designate additional space...  Continue Reading

• Preventing VMware virtual machine errors and security breaches

  Virtual machine drivers can cause crashes and the VMware backdoor can leak version information. But you can prevent these problems by choosing appropriate paravirtualized drivers and securing the VMware backdoor with VMware's advanced settings.  Continue Reading

• Creating virtual machine clones and templates without vCenter Server

  Even if you don't have vCenter Server's virtual machine (VM) cloning feature, you can create VM templates with tools such as vConverter, vmkfstools and VMware Infrastructure Client – and a little technological prowess.  Continue Reading

• Avoid high-risk data commingling with VMware virtual networks to prevent security vulnerabilities

  Avoid security vulnerabilities caused by placing VMware ESX and ESXi data of varying security and classification levels on a converged network by understanding how storage and virtual machine data interoperates over various networks.  Continue Reading

• Preventing VMware ESX or ESXi network security breaches in DMZs

  Beware networking breaches if you place VMware ESX or ESXi virtual machines in a demilitarized zone (DMZ). VMware networks can circumvent firewall and router security measures that separate a DMZ from an external network.  Continue Reading

• Minimizing promiscuous mode port group security breaches

  Several virtualization security products require promiscuous mode port groups, but enabling such port groups can harm a VMware infrastructure. Even so, there are ways to decrease VM security vulnerabilities.  Continue Reading

• Understanding VMware ESX virtual machine physical and virtual hardware

  You can better manage virtual machines by understanding the virtual hardware that makes up a VM. This tip explores VM physical and virtual hardware issues, including configuring virtual hardware and assigning virtual memory.  Continue Reading

• Keep your VMware ESXi warranty: Don't break the security shell

  If you have enabled Dropbear SSH or used technical support mode on VMware ESXi without a VMware support representative, you may have voided your ESXi warranty. Learn sanctioned ways to manage VMware ESXi connections.  Continue Reading

• Use SNMP with VMware ESX to monitor server statistics

  Newer monitoring tools such as VM Monitor need to be configured for use with VMware ESX. Learn how to enable Simple Network Management Protocol with SSH command line.  Continue Reading

• VMware Workstation 6.5: Installation how-to's and notable features

  Take a first look at VMware's latest Workstation release. We review the most useful new features, such as unity mode and integration with VMware Converter 3.  Continue Reading

• Increasing virtual disk file partition size with DISKPART or GPartEd

  Expanding virtual disk space can be more effective than creating a new virtual machine. But expanding disk space requires increasing the virtual disk file partition size.  Continue Reading

• VMware ESX network redundancy via Fibre Channel multipathing

  With VMware ESX Fibre Channel multipathing, you can improve network redundancy to protect against path failure. This tip details ways to access multipathing controls and multipathing policies.  Continue Reading

• Using VMware Converter to resize virtual disk files

  Resizing virtual disk files enables virtualization administrators to use host server capacity more efficiently. This article provides step-by-step instruction on using VMware Converter and the vmkstools command to change virtual disk file sizes.  Continue Reading

• VMware VI Client plug-ins and how to manage them

  VMware VI Client plug-ins can provide a VirtualCenter implementation with a functionality boost. Discover more on plug-in management tactics and plug-in options, including the Juxtaposition RDP plug-in, in this tip.  Continue Reading

• Two methods for accessing VMware ESX data stores

  VMware ESX data stores can provide quick access to ISO images, FLP files and more. Learn two different ways of accessing and managing the ESX data stores with this tip.  Continue Reading

• Creating and using VMware ESX Server templates

  ESX Server templates save time by enabling IT admins to quickly deploy copies of a "golden image" of a virtual machine.  Continue Reading

• Obtaining server health status in VMware ESX and VMware ESXi

  VMware ESXi can easily provide you with information about a server's CPU, memory, storage and more, but getting this info from ESX Server requires some additional steps.  Continue Reading

• Storage options for virtual machines: Raw device mappings, VMFS

  Virtual Machine File System is VMware's preferred storage option for virtual machines, but raw device mapping provides similar performance and can be a better choice depending on the specific storage configuration.  Continue Reading

• VMware Site Recovery Manager: How it can help you

  VMware's Site Recovery Manager (SRM) application enhances the disaster recovery capabilities of your virtual environment. An expert discusses SRM implementation and use in this tip.  Continue Reading

• Avoiding storage array snapshot pitfalls in a VMware environment

  Storage array snapshots created from a VMware platform can be useless if you aren't aware of a few pitfalls that interfere with array snapshot consistency.  Continue Reading

• Improving VMware ESX Server performance: 10 best practices

  Follow these best practices regarding hardware considerations, virtual machine (VM) configurations and more to improve VM performance.  Continue Reading

• Troubleshooting common VMware ESX host server problems

  Get a grip on potential VMware ESX host server problems including the purple screen of death, a frozen service console, and rebuilding your network configurations after they've been lost.  Continue Reading

• Alternatives to VCB for VMware backup

  VMware Consolidated Backup (VCB) is an ideal backup method, but only if you have VMware 3.1, shared storage and the required scripts. Learn about alternatives, including block-level incremental backups.  Continue Reading

• Using VirtualCenter maps to display VMware Infrastructure relationships

  The mapping feature in VMware VirtualCenter allows you to visually present your virtual infrastructure in a variety of ways. An expert explains how to better navigate your infrastructure and get the most out of this feature in this tip.  Continue Reading

• Teaming NICs achieves load balance and failover on VMware ESX

  By grouping, or teaming, network interface cards (NICs), you can achieve better load balancing and failover capabilities for VMware ESX guest virtual machines.  Continue Reading

• Using VMware's remote command line interface with ESX 3i

  The VMware remote command line interface (RCLI) in ESX 3i adds versatility to virtual servers through scripting for automation. Learn how to download, install and use it.  Continue Reading

• Installing Windows Server 2008 inside VMware Workstation

  Do you want to test Windows Server 2008 but remain hesitant to throw it on a production server? Test it for free with VMware Workstation.  Continue Reading

• Troubleshooting failed VMware Converter P2V migrations

  A failed VMware Converter physical-to-virtual migration has numerous sources of potential failure, and even your best-laid plans may not prevent a problem. But this tip offers detailed troubleshooting to identify the problem.  Continue Reading

• Conducting hot P2V migrations with VMware Converter

  Hot cloning is more burdensome than cold, because the servers are still online. But this step-by-step guide to hot cloning helps you circumvent some of the hassle.  Continue Reading

• Five considerations for a successful VMware deployment

  Deploying VMware is easy; doing it well may not be. These five considerations for successful deployment may point the way.  Continue Reading

• VMware DRS and VMotion: Improve workload balance, prevent problems

  Learn how both VMware DRS and VMotion work individually, how they work together, and get configuration tips for optimal virtual machine performance in an environment that takes advantage of both technologies.  Continue Reading

• VMware Server to ESX 3.5: Four steps for a successful migration

  Planning on migrating from VMware Server to VMware ESX 3.5? Make sure your upgrade is successful with these four steps: evaluate your current environment, design your virtual infrastructure, test your migrations, and perform the migrations.  Continue Reading

• VMware ESX Server networking with HP Virtual Connect

  Learn how to take advantage of Hewlett-Packard's Virtual Connect in a VMware ESX environment.  Continue Reading

• Microsoft Active Directory and the connection broker: VDI on VMware Infrastructure 3

  Learn how the connection broker in VMware Infrastructure 3 affects Microsoft Active Directory -- and how to keep your virtual desktop infrastructure environment running smoothly.  Continue Reading

• Basic networking options for VMware ESX on blade and rack servers

  Learn about VMware ESX networking configuration options for blade and rack servers.  Continue Reading

• How to get VMware ESX virtual machine redundancy without VMware HA or VMotion

  Learn how to get VMware ESX virtual machine (VM) redundancy without pricey VMware HA or VMotion. The first step is setting up file servers.  Continue Reading

• VLAN configuration on VMware Infrastructure 3: VST, EST and VGT tagging tips

  Dive into configuring virtual LANs (VLANs) on VMware Infrastructure 3 (VI3). Learn how and when to use virtual switch tagging (VST), external switch tagging (EST) and virtual guest tagging (VGT).  Continue Reading

• Paravirtualized Ubuntu shows early performance promise

  On the performance front VMI-enabled paravirtualization with Ubuntu and VMware Workstation 6 is delivering as promised, but it's no panacea just yet.  Continue Reading

• 10 tips: Using VMware Workstation as an admin console

  In this tip, Judith Myerson gives an example of a way VMware Workstation can be used as an administrator's console and 10 best practices for using it thusly.  Continue Reading

• Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) and Virtual Desktop Manager (VDM): Extending virtualization to

  In this tip, you'll learn about the options and technologies for extending virtualization to the desktop in a VMware environment.  Continue Reading

• VDI on VMware Infrastructure 3 (VI3): Using three main components

  There is more to a VDI solution than just virtualization servers and hosted operating system instances. In this article, we'll take a closer look at the components of a VDI solution and their purpose within the overall VMware VI3 environment.  Continue Reading

• Scripting VMware is getting easier

  Learn about the common tasks VMware administrators can accomplish with scripting, the different approaches, some best practices, and how this could change with ESX 3i.  Continue Reading

• Using VMware Capacity Planner for ESX or VI3

  In this tip, Judith Myerson looks a situation in which an IT team uses VMware Capacity Planner for an initial capacity utilization assessment. See the baseline measurements VMware Capacity Planner gives for existing servers' capacities in relation ...  Continue Reading

• How to install a guest OS in VMware on Windows Server 2003: Windows series

  The finish line is in site. That means it's time to install a guest operating system on VMware Server. Read this tip for Andrew Kutz's instructions.  Continue Reading

• How to obtain, configure and use VMotion and how VMotion works

  VMotion is about migrating a virtual machine from one ESX host to another without incurring downtime. This how-to explains how to obtain and configure VMotion, what its appropriate usage scenarios are and how VMotion technology actually works.  Continue Reading

• How to install and prepare Linux for VMware: Linux series

  Before you can start running virtual machines, you have to install Linux and prep it for VMware. Find out how in part three of this series.  Continue Reading

• VMware Server how-to: Clean up snapshot files to free disk space

  Frustrated with how much space your virtual machines demand? Read this tip by Andrew Kutz and learn how to recover some virtual hard disk space.  Continue Reading

• How VMware works: Windows series

  This guide provides instructions for installing, configuring (with a focus on high security) and maintaining a successful production instance of VMware Server on Microsoft Windows 2003 Server.  Continue Reading

• Using Self-Signed SSL Certificates with HP ILO

  creation of my own self-trusted certificates for my VDC.  Continue Reading

• Updated: Enabling VMotion from the CLI/Kickstart Script

  Describes how to enable VMotion from the CLI/Kickstart Script.  Continue Reading

• Troubleshooting VMware Consolidated Backup (VCB)

  This tip helps you get debugging information outputted to VCB log files, understand that info and resolve common VCB issues quickly and successfully.  Continue Reading