VMware Storage (SAN/iSCSI/NFS)

SAN Configuration Guide

http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vi3_esx_san_cfg.pdf

A big guide from VMware on SAN background, installation and management

 

SAN System Design and Deployment Guide

http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vi3_san_design_deploy.pdf

Another big guide from VMware on designing and deploying SAN environments to use with VI3

 

Design, Build and Manage your SAN Environment using VI3

http://www.vmworld.com/vmworld/mylearn?classID=11052

A VMworld 2007 presentation from VMware that discusses how VMware Infrastructure 3 can solve SAN management problems by providing solutions such as managing multiple hosts/clients from sprawling, multipathing management without the high cost and complexity, cluster file system for HA solutions, LUN security, and storage consolidation. This is a vendor neutral session providing topics for SAN architects and administrators ideas on ways to best deploy VMware Infrastructure 3 on SAN.

 

NFS & iSCSI – Performance Characterization and Best Practices

http://www.vmworld.com/vmworld/mylearn?classID=11708

A VMworld 2007 presentation from VMware that provides a performance-oriented overview of the technology along with performance troubleshooting techniques and best-practice recommendations in typical ESX Server deployment. Up-to-date performance data, a review of performance optimizations available currently and a preview of features in upcoming releases are also be presented.

 

Choosing and Architecting Storage for your Environment

http://download3.vmware.com/vmworld/2006/adc0135.pdf

A VMworld 2006 presentation on selecting and architecting the right storage solution for your ESX environment

 

ESX Storage Virtualization Insights

http://www.vmware-tsx.com/download.php?asset_id=40

A TSX 2007 presentation on the ESX storage stack, VMFS vs. RDM and multi-pathing

 

Network Appliance and VMware ESX Server 3.0 Storage Best Practices

http://www.netapp.com/library/tr/3428.pdf

A white paper from Netapp with general best practices and recommendations on using storage with ESX

 

iSCSI, NAS and IP Storage Configuration for Vmware ESX Server

http://download3.vmware.com/vmworld/2006/tac9722.pdf

A VMworld 2006 presentation on using iSCSI and NAS instead of a SAN with ESX

 

Comparison of Storage Protocol Performance

http://www.vmware.com/files/pdf/storage_protocol_perf.pdf

A VMware performance study comparing Fibre Channel, Hardware iSCSI, Software iSCSI and NFS

 

Configuring iSCSI in a Vmware 3 environment

http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vi3_iscsi_cfg.pdf

A white paper from VMware on using and configuring iSCSI in your ESX environment

10 free useful VMware tools

1. Putty and SSH Plug In

http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/      http://akutz.googlecode.com/files/ConsoleClientSetup-0.1.5.msi

SSH clients for remotely connecting to the ESX service console. Putty runs as a standalone application and the SSH Plug-in is a VI client plug-in that integrates an SSH console directly into the client.

2. WinSCP and Veeam FastSCP

http://winscp.net/eng/download.php   /   http://www.veeam.com/vmware-esx-fastscp.html

SCP clients for browsing ESX server file systems and transferring files to/from ESX hosts
3. VI3 SnapHunter and Snap Alert

http://www.xtravirt.com/index.php?option=com_remository&Itemid=75&func=fileinfo&id=19    /   http://vmprofessional.com/index.php?content=snapalert

Utilities that can report all running snapshots on ESX hosts including name, size and date. Can also automatically email reports and optionally commit snapshots.
4. VI Scripted Backup Utility

http://www.xtravirt.com/index.php?option=com_remository&Itemid=75&func=fileinfo&id=7

A backup utility that is run from the Service Console that provides VMDK level backups of any VM on storage accessible by the host. The script can be targeted at any ESX server or VC server, and if pointed at a VC server is DRS aware. 

5. MCS StorageView

http://www.mightycare.de/downloads/task,cat_view/gid,16/

A utility that displays all the logical partitions, operating system, capacity, free space and percent free of all virtual machines on ESX 3.x or Virtual Center 2.x . It can also display how many gigabytes you can save by decreasing the logical partition to a size the VM really needs.
6. Storage vMotion Plug-In

http://akutz.googlecode.com/files/SVMotionClientSetup-0.4.4.msi

A VI client plug-in that extends the client’s functionality by providing an integrated, graphical tool that can be used to invoke storage VMotion (SVMotion) operations.

7. Vmotion Info

http://www.run-virtual.com/?page_id=155

A program that will collect Vendor, Model, CPU Types and the CPU feature bits from all hosts to check for vMotion compatibility.

8. VMCdConnected

http://www.ntpro.nl/blog/archives/172-Software.html

Scans all Virtual Machines and shows if they have a CD connected to it. After scanning the VM’s you can disconnect all the CD’s with a click of  a button. 

 
9. VMware Converter

http://www.vmware.com/download/converter/

Performs hot and cold conversions of physical and virtual servers to virtual machines. Also converts image formats.

10. Tripwire ConfigCheck

http://www.tripwire.com/configcheck/

Quickly assesses the security of VMware ESX 3.5 hypervisor configurations compared to the VI3 Security Hardening guidelines. Ensures that ESX environments are properly configured and provides the necessary steps towards full remediation when they are not.

Support policy for Microsoft software running in non-Microsoft hardware virtualization software

Hardware virtualization software lets you run multiple operating system instances at the same time on a single computer. Microsoft has two software offerings, Microsoft Virtual PC and Microsoft Virtual Server, that provide this functionality. Third parties also have software in the market that provides this functionality. This article describes support provided by Microsoft for its software running together with non-Microsoft hardware virtualization software.

Except as described in this article, Microsoft does not test or support Microsoft software running together with non-Microsoft hardware virtualization software. For Microsoft customers who do not have a Premier-level support agreement, Microsoft will require that the issue to be reproduced independently from the non-Microsoft hardware virtualization software. Where the issue is confirmed to be unrelated to the non-Microsoft hardware virtualization software, Microsoft will support its software in a manner that is consistent with support provided when that software is not running together with non-Microsoft hardware virtualization software.

For Microsoft Premier-level support customers running non-Microsoft hardware virtualization software from vendors with which Microsoft does not have an established support relationship that covers virtualization solutions, Microsoft will use commercially reasonable efforts to investigate potential issues with Microsoft software running together with non-Microsoft hardware virtualization software. As part of that investigation, Microsoft may require the issue to be reproduced independently from the non-Microsoft hardware virtualization software. Where issues are confirmed to be unrelated to the non-Microsoft hardware virtualization software, Microsoft will support its software in a manner that is consistent with support provided when that software is not running together with non-Microsoft hardware virtualization software.

Microsoft will jointly support certain non-Microsoft hardware virtualization software from vendors with which Microsoft has established a support relationship that covers virtualization solutions. This joint support will include coordinating with the vendor to investigate support issues. As part of the investigation, Microsoft may require the issue to be reproduced independently from the non-Microsoft hardware virtualization software. Where issues are confirmed to be unrelated to the non-Microsoft hardware virtualization software, Microsoft will support its software in a manner that is consistent with support provided when that software is not running together with non-Microsoft hardware virtualization software.