Objectives

• Discuss features of VMware vSphere
• Provide overview of challenges vSphere is intended to resolve

What is a Virtual Machine

Virtual machines look and feel like dedicated servers

Hardware is just software:

• Allows you to replace and upgrade hardware on the fly
• Add new hardware devices without reboots

What can a VM do?

Host any application

• File Servers
• Database Servers
• Email Servers
• Any High-Performance Applications Servers
• Multiple VMs can be installed on a single physical host
• Virtual Machines are easy to move, copy and restore for disaster recovery.
• Means to provision new servers quickly – possible to create new machines in minutes.
• Doesn’t hamper performance, it enhances capibilities

Create Snapshots

• Provides a “point-in-time” rollback
• Complete restoration in case of dataloss or upgrade error, etc.
• Includes contents of its hard disk to the states of cpu and memory.
• Not designed to be used for backups.

Backups

• Take “Image Based” backup while running.
• aka: Bare Metal Backup.  Restores entire server without need for recovery operating system or file-by-file restore.
• Includes ability to perform file by file restore when required.
• Hardware independent restore, so not limited by hardware matching.

Hot Add of Hardware

• Non-disruptive hardware upgrades without requiring restart (if VM’s OS supports it!)
• CPUs
• Disk Drives
• RAM

Disaster Recovery & Consolidation

• Can prove DR plan works without affecting production.
• * Low “consolidation” DC for performance
• * Secondary DC with high consolidation, lower performance, but keeps everything running