VSICM6__M10_HostScalability

Host Scalability Module 10

 You  Y ou Are Here 1. Course Introduction

7. Virtual Machine Management

2. Software-Defined Data Center 

8. Resource Management and

3. Creating Virtual Machines 4. vCenter Server  5. Configuring and Managing

Virtual Networks 6. Configuring and Managing

Virtual Storage

Monitoring 9. vSphere HA and vSphere Fault

Tolerance 10. Host Scalability 11. vSphere Update Manager and

Host Maintenance 12. Installing vSphere Components

Importance  As you scale your VMware vSphere® environment, you must be aware of the vSphere features and functions that will help you manage the hosts in your environment.

Learner Objectives By the end of this module, you should be able to meet the following objectives: • Describe the functions of a VMware vSphere® Distributed Resource

Scheduler™ cluster  • Create a vSphere DRS cluster  • View information about a vSphere DRS cluster  • Remove a host from a vSphere DRS cluster 

vSphere DRS Cluster Prerequisites vSphere DRS works best when the virtual machines meet VMware vSphere® vMotion® migration requirements. To use vSphere DRS for load balancing, the hosts in the cluster must be part of a vSphere vMotion migration network. • If not, vSphere DRS can still s till make initial placement recommendations.

To use shared storage, configure all hosts in the cluster: • Volumes must be accessible by all hosts. • Volumes must be large enough to store all virtual disks for your virtual

machine.

vSphere DRS Cluster Settings: Automation Automation Level Configure the automation level for the initial placement of virtual machines and dynamic balancing while virtual machines are running.

 Automation Level Settings

Migration threshold guides selection of virtual machines for migration.

Other Cluster Settings: Swap File Location for vSphere DRS Store the virtual machine’s swap file with the virtual machine or in a specified datastore. VMware recommends that you store the swap file in the same directory as the virtual machine.

vSphere DRS Cluster Settings: Virtual Machine Affinity vSphere DRS affinity rules specify that selected virtual machines be placed either on the same host (affinity) or on separate hosts (anti-affinity).  Affinity rules: • Use for multi-virtual machine

systems where virtual machines communicate heavily with one another.

 Anti-affinity rules: • Use for multi-virtual machine

systems where load balance or high availability is desired.

Options: • Keep Virtual Machines Together • Separate Virtual Machines • Virtual Machines to Hosts

vSphere DRS Cluster Settings: DRS Groups DRS groups are used in defining VM-Host affinity rules.

Types of DRS groups: •  A group of virtual machines •  A group of hosts

 A virtual machine can belong to multiple virtual machine DRS groups.  A host can belong to multiple host DRS groups.

vSphere DRS Cluster Settings: VM-Host Affinity Rules  A VM-Host affinity affinity rule: • Specifies an affinity

relationship between a virtual machine DRS group and a host DRS group • Is either a required rule or a

preferential rule

Other options: Must run on hosts in group, Must Not run on hosts in group, Should Not run on hosts in group

VM-Host Affinity Rule: Preferential  A preferential rule is softly enforced and can be violated if necessary. necessary. Example: Separate virtual machines on different blade systems. vSphere DRS Cluster  Group A

X

Group B

X

Blade Chassis A

Blade Chassis B

VM-Host Affinity Rule: Required  A required rule is strictly enforced and can never be violated. Example: Enforce host-based ISV licensing. vSphere DRS Cluster  Group A

X

X

ISV-Licensed

vSphere DRS Cluster Settings: Automation at the Virtual Machine Level You can customize the automation level for individual virtual machines in a cluster to override the automation level set on the entire cluster.

Adding a Host to a Cluster  When adding a host or moving a host into a vSphere DRS cluster, cluster, you can keep the resource pool hierarchy of the existing host. • If vSphere DRS is not enabled, host resources pools are lost.

For example, add sc-quail04 to Lab Cluster.

When adding the host, choose to create a resource pool for this host’s virtual machines and resource pools.

Viewing vSphere DRS Cluster Information The cluster Summary tab provides information specific to vSphere DRS. Clicking the vSphere DRS link on the Monitor tab Monitor tab displays CPU and memory utilization per host.

Viewing vSphere DRS Recommendations The DRS tab displays information about the vSphere DRS recommendations made for the cluster, the faults that occurred in applying such recommendations, and the history of vSphere DRS actions. Refresh recommendations.

 Apply a subset of recommendations.

 Apply all recommendations.

Monitoring Cluster Status View the inventory hierarchy for the cluster state. You can view the cluster’s Tasks and Events tabs for more information.

Maintenance Mode and Standby Mode To service a host in a cluster, for example, to install more memory, or remove a host from a cluster, you must place the host in maintenance mode: • Virtual machines on the host should be migrated to another host or shut down. • You cannot power on virtual machines or migrate virtual machines to a host

entering maintenance mode. • While in maintenance mode, the host does not allow you to deploy or power on

a virtual machine.

When a host is placed in standby mode, it is powered off: v Sphere® Distributed Power Management™ to • This mode is used by VMware vSphere® optimize power usage.

Removing a Host from the vSphere DRS Cluster  Before removing a host from a vSphere DRS cluster, cluster, consider the following issues: • The resource pool

hierarchy remains with the cluster. • Because a host must be in

maintenance mode, all virtual machines running on that host are powered off. • The resources available for

the cluster decrease.

Improving Virtual Machine Performance Methods

Fine

Use network traffic shaping. shaping .

Modify the virtual machine’s CPU and memory reservations. Modify the resource pool’s CPU and memory memory limits limits and reserva reservations tions.. Broad

Use NIC teaming. Use storage multipathing. Use a vSphere DRS cluster.

Lab 22: Implementing a vSphere DRS Cluster  Implement a vSphere DRS cluster  1. Create a Load Imbalance 2. Create a vSphere DRS Cluster  3. Verify Proper vSphere DRS Cluster Functionality 4. Create, Test, Test, and Disable D isable a VM-VM Affinity Rule R ule 5. Create, Test, Test, and Disable an Anti-Affinity Rule R ule 6. Create, Test, Test, and Disable D isable a VM-Host Affinity Rule

Review of Learner Objectives You should be able to meet the following objectives: • Describe the functions of a VMware vSphere® Distributed Resource

Scheduler™ cluster  • Create a vSphere DRS cluster  • View information about a vSphere DRS cluster  • Remove a host from a vSphere DRS cluster 

Key Points • vSphere DRS clusters provide automated resource management for multiple

VMware ESXi™ hosts. • vSphere DRS works best if the virtual machines meet vSphere vMotion

migration requirements. Questions?